Engaging North Korea

North Korea is often called “The Hermit Kingdom” because of its isolation from the rest of the world, but is it really completely isolated? How much interaction does North Korea have with outsiders, and who does it interact with? What forms does this interaction take, and what does it accomplish? Can we see clearly enough into the country to assess the impact of this diverse spectrum of creative engagement? Join us as we chat with our guest Daniel Wertz, of the National Institute on North Korea (NCNK), about the realities of engaging North Korea.
Engagement on Its Own Terms
However oppressive and paranoid, North Korea is not hermetically sealed from the outside world. The country has diplomatic ties with 164 countries and hosts 25 embassies. It exports coal to China, garments to South Korea and Russia, weapons to the Middle East and Africa, and has economic presence in Southeast Asia, India, and many other countries. In the outskirts of Pyongyang, the country even has a privately-funde