Bipolar orders

by Hyung Gu Lynn

In this book, the author examines both North Korea and South Korea since the 1980's. While North Korea has experienced severe economic deterioration and increasing international isolation, South Korea has undergone democratization and witnessed the emergence of a vibrant consumer culture. Paradoxically, this growing gap in ideologies and material standards has led to improved relations between the two countries. Why has this counterintuitive development occurred? Is North Korea really a threat, and if so, to whom? This book provides a substantive, accessible, and timely examination of the complex and compelling histories of the two Koreas.