Advice to a young North Korea watcher

After twenty-five years in government, academia and consultancy working on Korea, I’ve seen the best and worst.

I’m currently completing a book on North Korea watchers – the community of scholars, analysts, government officers, NGO advocates and journalists who, for one reason or another, commit a portion of their lives to watching North Korea. After twenty-five years in government, academia and consultancy, with much of my time working on Korean Peninsula affairs, I’ve seen the best and worst. When a student asked how to be the best, I suggested it was simpler to avoid being the worst. I gave this advice.

The Media Temptation

Avoid shaping analysis for the media. North Korea is a media darling. Aside from the missiles, nukes, and airport assassinations; there’s the haircuts, broken buildings, and mass parades. This is an incredible temptation for North Korea watchers. It’s too easy to get on the media’s rolodex and stay there with sensationalist remarks about the latest event: Kim Jong-un’s not in the media for a few weeks, and world war is around the corner; there’s a meeting between Kim Jong-u…