Thomas Schäfer was German ambassador to North Korea from 2007 to 2010 and again from 2013 to 2018. He has just published the book “From Kim Jong Il to Kim Jong Un: How the Hardliners Prevailed. On the Political History of North Korea (2007-2020).”
Mixed signals on reopening point to ongoing efforts by some in regime to keep foreigners out, regardless of the costs
A trilateral offer would show the allies' will for diplomacy and mark a departure from previous US policy
The evidence suggests he does not rule alone
Ambassador Thomas Schäfer recalls what he learned from his firsthand experiences in the DPRK
Many carrots have been dangled in front of the DPRK, but leaders don’t want economic growth to ruin their political sway
Major political shifts in the DPRK leadership are derailing negotiations today
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