Customer Reviews

North Korea at a Crossroads

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This book presents a very comprehensive analysis of the North Korean crisis. It is easy to read and presents a wholesome picture of North Korea by examining the historical events that have divided North and South. It also promotes a progressive solution to end the conflicts in the Korean Peninsula.

Fifty years after Korea's division the Koreans of both North and South remain at an impasse, leaving North Korea embroiled in international crises. North Korea seemingly faces four choices: collapse, more war, a continuing status quo, or peace with the south. Suk Hi Kim's North Korea At A Crossroads provides an historical and political analysis covers 1948 to modern times and is a 'must' for any college-level collection strong in modern Asian issues or non-specialist general reader wanting a competent backgrounding in contemporary American/North Korean international relations.

With this concise and easy-to-read book, you can actually obtain a rather thorough overview of North Korea's history, current situation, and its future outlook. Many people, unfortunately, simply look upon North Korea as an 'evil' country. This book will help you to better understand, and to be more sympathetic towards, North Korea's plight. A must-read for anyone who wishes to begin to understand the North Korean situation.

The recent attempt of the United States to turn over a substantial portion of the responsibilities for running Iraq indicates that President Bush is willing to become a team player on global affairs after he has taken unilateral actions on many global affaris for more than two years. Chapter 9 of this book: Eight Compelling Reasons for a Policy of Reconciliation with North Korea predicted that President Bush would be eventually forced to seek multilateral actions on world affairs, such as arms conflicts in Iraq and North Korea. Kim presents a convincing argument as to why the US should build diplomatic and economic ties with North Korea for durable peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and the surrounding region. North Korea at a Crossroads offers the powerful case for reconciliation with North Korea well worthy of senior US diplomats' consideration. I was very impressed by Chapter 9 of this book and wishes its policy recomendations will affect how the US deals with North Korea.

The title of this book is well chosen and its publication is very timely. North Korea is indeed facing perilous times. Then again it has in the past. From the 1950 war, the transition of power Kim Il Sung to Kim Jong Il, and the nuclear weapon agreement brokered by Jimmy Carter the recent history of North Korea has certainly been turbulent.

In more recent times, Korea has launched some very long range rockets and appears to have at least a few nuclear weapons. President Bush has identified them as a "rogue state" and part of the "axis of evil." North Korea along with Cuba remain as practictioners of the failed Communist system. These systems have proved that they can sustain huge armies, exercise strong control over their people, but also proved that centralized control of everything from farming to industrial production simply doesn't work very well. Friends of mine who recently visited North Korea report that the famine of the 1990's continues, although not as bad as it was.

A small book, at only 232 pages, it is a concise summary of the countries 4,000 year history and a political analysis of the recent past. Combined with this are several alternatives of what the future might hold. Can the status quo continue. Certainly not forever. Could the collapse of the Government bring about another war - certainly it could. The options and their likelyhood form a major part of the theme of the book, and they are carefully considered and disucssed. Excellent reading.

Professor Kim's writing is engaging, thorough enough for scholars and the general public alike. Readers wishing to understand the enigma of North Korea, its relationship with South Korea and the rest of the world, and where to go from here, will be pleased with this book and its measured, balanced perspective. After reading this book, you will be conversant in all the relevant topics. For those who are interested in further study, the book includes questions and study aids, as well as extensive references. Highly recommended.

For any person wishing to understand the North Korean situation, since it has now hit the world stage, this is an excellent first place to go. It enables the reader to get up to speed quickly by first providing a potted history of the peninsular. Then political, humanitarian, and particularly economic aspects are explored in appropriate detail for a book that is easily readable. Finally, chapter 9, reasons for reconciliation, provides a constructive ending to the present dilemma. For further study, the comprehensive lists of references make it easy.

No country is more mysterious than North Korea. After reading this short text, there is no more mystery for me. It is easy to read and understand. Even though the book's author is a finance or economics professor, and I am currently studying political science and philosophy, I still found this book to be very valuable. A great way to get up to speed.