North Korea Confidential - Daniel Tudor [epub]

North Korea is one of the most controlled and isolated societies on earth, but what is it actually like to live there? How do you make money in a failed economy? How do you have fun under a violent, repressive dictatorship, and how does the secretive and infamous prison camp system work? Read this book to find out.

North Korea Confidential explains how the devastating famine of the 1990s became a catalyst for a network of black markets which have created a new generation of North Korean capitalists. From skinny jeans, to home-made booze, where there’s a market for it, today's North Koreans can probably buy it.

In seven fascinating chapters the authors explore modern North Korea today for the ordinary "man and woman on the street." They interview experts and tap a broad variety of sources to bring a startling new insider's view of North Korean society—from members of Pyongyang's ruling families to defectors from different periods and regions, to diplomats and NGOs, to cross-border traders from neighboring China, and textual accounts appearing in English, Korean and Chinese sources. The resulting stories reveal the horror as well as the innovation and humor which abound in this fascinating country.

Review

"Through a variety of sources, from the citizens of Pyongyang to defectors from different periods and regions, to former diplomats and NGOs with years of experience in the country, to cross-border traders from neighboring China, the book is an informative guide to real life in the isolated country." —Asia Society

"James and Daniel have shown that we don't have to rely on intelligence leaks and disinformation in trying to fathom out North Korea. There is solid information out there, which they have brought together and augmented with solid personal insights and first-hand information, and worked into a readable and informative guide to real life in the DPRK. It's a useful addition to a small number of good modern works on North Korea." —Martin Uden, former British ambassador to South Korea, and former head of the United Nations Panel of Experts on the DPRK

"'North Korea Confidential', by James Pearson and Daniel Tudor, says that nearly all North Koreans lead a 'double economic life', supplementing measly rations and puny state wages of as little as $1 a month with extra work in their spare time." —The Economist

"In a new book that the authors say aims to document "North Korea, the country" rather than "North Korea, the state," two journalists —Daniel Tudor, former correspondent for the Economist in Seoul, and James pearson, currently a Reuters reporter in Seoul—tap a wide range of sources to describe the lives of ordinary North koreans. —Wall Street Journal

"North Korean society is rapidly changing, affecting everything from what people watch on TV to what they sing at karaoke. With the help of a new book charting daily life we see if youAEve been paying attention." —The Guardian

"If you are a North Korea watcher or simply curious about the country, it's definitely worth a read. Because what is really happening inside the country rarely makes the headlines." —Korea Herald

"North Korea Confidential…uses extensive interviews with recent defectors and people still in the country to build a rich picture of daily life there." —Financial Times

"…a mix of street smarts and scholarly wisdom. It is a measured and balanced look at North Korea, one that doesn't shy away from the darkness or the light. Overall the authors' voice is refreshing, their storytelling is gripping, and their analysis is perspective." —DailyNK

About the Author

Daniel Tudor is from Manchester, England, and graduated with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford University. He has lived in Seoul, Korea for a number of years, and served as The Economist's Korea Correspondent from 2010-2013. His first book, 'Korea: The Impossible Country' received strong praise and has also been translated into Korean, Chinese, Polish, and Thai. Daniel is a regular columnist for a Korean newspaper, the Joongang Ilbo, and has commented on Korea-related topics many times for the BBC, Al Jazeera, and others. He is also co-founder of The Booth, a small chain of craft beer pubs.

James Pearson holds a BA in Chinese and Korean from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and a Master's of Philosophy in Oriental Studies from the University of Cambridge. He currently serves as a foreign correspondent for Reuters in Seoul, where he covers politics and general news in North and South Korea.