Introduction: North Korea

Abstract

School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) always had a particular interest in North Korea, and it is interesting to note that the seminars that dealt specifically with North Korea tended to attract larger audiences. There are several reasons for this, notably the strong historical connections and geographical proximity of SOAS to governmental institutions as well as NGOs with a vested interest in understanding areas of potential conflict, for example the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Chatham House. The events of the Korean War were central to the shaping of the North Korean psyche and its relations with its East Asian neighbours and beyond. In his paper, Jerome de Wit, who presented at SOAS in December 2010, considers North Korean literature from the time of the Korean War, literature that helped to both shape and reflect the North Korean view of its Cold War role and its Cold War enemy. Keywords: Cold War; Jerome de Wit; Korean War; NGO; North Korea; SOAS