Bearing witness: valuable, and underrated, North Korean defector memoirs | NK News
NK News Logo
December 23, 2024

NK News is hiring

Evergreen

Bearing witness: valuable, and underrated, North Korean defector memoirs

From unique insights to alleged fabrications, many accounts have been neglected by historians

All North Korean scholars know who Hwang Jang-yop was. A Dalai-lama-style picture of him sitting with a sad smile and crossed fingers has been featured again and again in articles on high-ranking North Korean defectors.

There are, however, people who are at least equally (and, in my humble opinion, more) interesting, but whose memoirs are much less know to the North Korea studies community.

Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.