About this item
An expert on North Korea sheds new light on the enigmatic tyrantFrom his goose-stepping military parades to his clownish macho swagger, North Korea's Kim Jong-il is an odd amalgam of political cartoon and global menace. In charge of a nuclear arsenal he's threatened to use against the U.S. and Japan, the man, his motives, and the mechanisms of his absolute control over a country of twenty-three million people remains shrouded in mystery.In this second edition of his bestselling Kim Jong-il, Michael Breen, a leading expert on North Korea, dispels common myths and fallacies about the so-called "Dear Leader," while turning a spotlight on the man to reveal his true nature and the nature of his hold over a country ravaged by poverty and famine.Looks at Kim from a broad perspective, unlike most other books that cater exclusively to those interested in policymaking and international relationsFeatures new information about succession plans, as well as the latest scoop on the mounting pressure among world leaders to thwart North Korea's nuclear ambitionsIllustrated with rare photographs of Kim and his regimeHighly accessible and suitable for anyone interested in learning more about North Korea, it's government, and its leader, Kim Jong-il unravels the mysteries, the myths, and the fallacies about the man in charge in ways that will entice even the harshest critics.
About the Author
Michael Breen was born near Aylesbury in the UK, grew up in Yemen, Germany, England and Scotland. He studied English Literature and Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh and, after graduating, worked for several years on an oil rig in the North Sea. He has spent most of his adult life in South Korea, first as a freelance reporter writing for The Washington Times and The Guardian, then as a consultant advising companies on North Korea, and later running his own public relations firm. He lives in Seoul.
