Book review: A ‘dimwitted’ Japanese diplomat’s diary of life in North Korea



Opinion Book review: A ‘dimwitted’ Japanese diplomat’s diary of life in North Korea Sugiyama Takeshi offers rare look at project to build light water reactors in DPRK, but few insights into why it failed Stephen Mercado July 22, 2024 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON A North Korean man in front of a small island in South Hamgyong Province \| Image: Eric Lafforgue (Sept. 2012) A new book by a retired Japanese diplomat presents a rare look into the multilateral effort to build two light water reactors (LWRs) in North Korea, offering insightful details into the reality of working in the country but taking pains not to reveal anything of substance about why the project ultimately failed. Sugiyama Takeshi was the first resident Japanese representative to the project in Kumho, South Hamgyong Province, living and working there from 1998 to 2000, and he details his experiences in “A Dimwitted Diplomat’s North Korean Journal: A Record of What I Saw and Heard in a Two-Year Stay in ‘Paradise.’” A new book by a retired Japanese diplomat presents a rare look into the multilateral effort to build two light water reactors (LWRs) in North Korea, offering insightful details into the reality of working in the country but taking pains not to reveal anything of substance about why the project ultimately failed. Sugiyama Takeshi was the first resident Japanese representative to the project in Kumho, South Hamgyong Province, living and working there from 1998 to 2000, and he details his experiences in “A Dimwitted Diplomat’s North Korean Journal: A Record of What I Saw and Heard in a Two-Year Stay in ‘Paradise.’” 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. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by And how should we address you in correspondence? One more step! Please check your inbox, for an email we just sent you, and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily News Update. Trending

Opinion

Book review: A ‘dimwitted’ Japanese diplomat’s diary of life in North Korea

Sugiyama Takeshi offers rare look at project to build light water reactors in DPRK, but few insights into why it failed

Stephen Mercado July 22, 2024

Book review: A ‘dimwitted’ Japanese diplomat’s diary of life in North Korea

A North Korean man in front of a small island in South Hamgyong Province | Image: Eric Lafforgue (Sept. 2012)

A new book by a retired Japanese diplomat presents a rare look into the multilateral effort to build two light water reactors (LWRs) in North Korea, offering insightful details into the reality of working in the country but taking pains not to reveal anything of substance about why the project ultimately failed.

Sugiyama Takeshi was the first resident Japanese representative to the project in Kumho, South Hamgyong Province, living and working there from 1998 to 2000, and he details his experiences in “A Dimwitted Diplomat’s North Korean Journal: A Record of What I Saw and Heard in a Two-Year Stay in ‘Paradise.’”

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