Andrei Lankov es un experto destacado en Corea del Norte y profesor de historia en la Universidad Kookmin de Seúl. Su formación académica incluye estudios en la Universidad Estatal de Leningrado y un programa de intercambio en la Universidad Kim Il-sung de Pyongyang. Lankov ofrece una profunda perspectiva sobre las complejas realidades del estado totalitario.
In The Real North Korea, Lankov substitutes cold, clear analysis for the overheated rhetoric surrounding this opaque police state. Based on vast expertise, this book reveals how average North Koreans live, how their leaders rule, and how both survive.
The book explores the enduring rule of the Kim dynasty in North Korea, highlighting the oppressive environment shaped by Stalinist principles. Amidst the manipulation and brutality of Kim Jong Il's regime, it reveals how some citizens navigate and resist the harsh realities of life under strict social control, finding ways to assert their humanity and agency.