News

The New York Times opinion writer Nicholas Kristof’s has just released a fascinating short film on North Korea. It’s a short, only 26 minutes long, but gripping. He thinks there is a real risk of war with two inexperienced and foolhardy leaders at the helm of both countries. He suggests that like Iraq under Saddam perhaps the Koreans don’t fully realize the risks of war. But it is clear the Korean officials he speaks to believe the possibility is very real. Quite chilling. Here’s the link to the film: https://nyti.ms/2k7phfy One of the things that struck me here is the animosity of ordinary Koreans towards the US, albeit on camera and in front of minders. People often ask me if North Koreans actually believe their own propaganda – and my response is yes, because they have no alternative but to. North Korea Book Recommendation That brings me to a book that I also think you’d like Without you, there is no us by Suki Kim. It’s an account of a Korean American teacher working at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. In the microcosm of the classroom it is evident how every aspect of peoples lives are controlled by the regime, indoctrination is uniform. It’s not the brutal repression that you might think of, more unspoken – the possibility of independent thought is something that most students won’t risk. More subtle than other books on the DPRK, but worth the read. You can see videos about her experience on her website here: http://www.sukikim.com/ We’ve suspended the tours to North Korea for the moment, but Prof. Rüdiger Frank our North Korean tour leader is joining us our Experts Weekend in March (23-25) in the UK. Expert Talks The other piece of news we have is Dahlia Scheindlin, our Israeli political

Cuba 2018 Tours dates now confirmed: Sat 10 – Sat 17 March 2018 “Frozen in time.” “Socialist theme park.” “Anti-American bastion.” These are only some of the stereotypes that come to mind when one thinks of Cuba. But beyond the old cars and clichés lies a society hanging in the balance. Last year, an already retired Fidel Castro died. Raúl Castro is slated to step down in early 2018, leaving behind a decade of significant, if piecemeal, economic reforms. Meanwhile, the process of normalizing relations between the United States and Cuba appears in jeopardy. After two years of expanding bilateral ties and rising expectations for islanders and outsiders alike, President Donald Trump has threatened to re-tighten the embargo. Or tomorrow, in a tweet, he could reveal his preference for building the next beachside Cuban hotel. Cuba in Transition In short, just two and a half years after Cuba became globally “in style,” the island is barreling toward an uncertain period of transition. Add in the fact that Cuba’s GDP actually decreased in 2016—despite an unprecedented boom in tourism—and Cuba is facing its most complex external and internal landscape in over ten years. The economic reform agenda has stagnated. Big problems, like a vexing dual currency system, remain unresolved. Cubans, too, are debating the contours of their political future in ways big and small. Economic realities will likely remain the leading drivers of change. But with Cubans no longer as able to migrate to the United States as easily as in the past (thanks to a late Obama administration move to remove a long-standing immigration policy exception), economic pressures could also contribute to new political demands. Cuba Tour 2018 - Join Now Join Political Tours on our Cuba Tour 2018 to get an up-close, content-rich look at the Cuba beyond the