The Impossible State: North Korea, Past and Future

Victor Cha, an international-policy expert and former Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council, examines North Korea's history, political system, economy, and foreign relations. The book traces the rise of the Kim family dynasty and the personality cult surrounding its leaders, while documenting the regime's human-rights abuses, economic collapse, and nuclear ambitions. Cha analyzes how North Korea has survived despite famine, international sanctions, economic failure, and near-total isolation from the world. He explores the contradictions within the country and the ideology that sustains popular support for its leadership, even as citizens face severe repression and deprivation. The book addresses the regime's conflict with South Korea and examines the destabilizing effects of Kim Jong-il's death and the subsequent transfer of power to his son. Drawing on personal experiences from time spent in Pyongyang and his work as a White House adviser, Cha provides an account of North Korea's concealed past and uncertain future.