Watching the North Korea Watchers

North Korea watchers have always intrigued me

A major crisis on the Korean peninsula would be the most significant event of our time. If it were a conflict, the Pentagon estimates that there could be around 20,000 fatalities a day in South Korea in its opening exchanges. It’s safe to assume a type of devastation beyond imagination. If the North were to collapse, a nation of 50 million South Koreans would likely become immediately responsible for 24 million impoverished, desperate, politically estranged neighbours. Before, during and after any crisis, there will be momentous strategic, social, economic and political challenges involving all major powers. This raises an important question: who is watching, researching, analysing and reporting on the potential for such a crisis to occur?

Over the last year, international attention has been focused on the Korean peninsula. Between Kim Jong-un, Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump, a perfect storm of populism and strategic change has seen a sound-bite-ready, often undiplomatic, frantic rhythm …