The Two Koreas: A Contemporary HistoryAn acclaimed history of the Korean Peninsula from World War II to the present day North Korea is an impoverished, famine-ridden nation, but it is also a nuclear power whose dictator Kim Jong-un regularly threatens his neighbors and adversaries, the United States in particular, with destruction. Even though Kim and President Donald Trump's responses to him dominate the daily headlines, the idea that North Korea is a menace is not a new one. Indeed, ever since Korea was first divided at the end of World War II, the tension between its northern and southern halves has riveted-and threatened to embroil -- the rest of the world. In this landmark history, veteran journalist Don Oberdorfer and Korea expert Robert Carlin grippingly describe how a historically homogenous people became locked in a perpetual struggle for supremacy -- and how other nations including the United States have tried, and failed, to broker a lasting peace. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
administration Agreed Framework agreement ambassador American announced August Beijing Blue House Carter China Chinese Chun Chun’s Clinton communist country’s crisis December decision declared declassified 1995 defense delegation diplomatic discussions DPRK economic Embassy forces foreign minister former Gallucci Gleysteen Gorbachev highlevel IAEA intelligence interKorean interview issue Japan Japanese joint June Kang KCIA KEDO Kim Dae Jung Kim Il Sung Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il’s Kim Young Kim Young Sam Kim’s Korean peninsula later launch leader meeting Ministry missile Moscow National Security negotiations North Korean NorthSouth nuclear program nuclear weapons October Olympics Park Chung Hee Park’s People’s plutonium political presidential proposed Pyongyang quote reactor regime relations reported reprocessing Roh’s Secret declassified Secretary senior Seoul sixparty South Korean president Soviet Union statement summit Sung’s talks told troops United USDPRK USROK Washington White House withdrawal Workers Party Yong Yongbyon