Join us on July 22 for a talk by Prof. Charles Armstrong (History) about how North Korea manages to maneuver between much more powerful countries and defy international norms.

Date and time: Friday, July 22, 7 p.m.

Location: University of Chicago Beijing Center (20/F Culture Plaza, 59A Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District 海淀区中关村大街甲59 号文化大厦20层)
Since Kim Jong Un assumed power in 2011, North Korea has insisted that it reserves the right to defend itself with nuclear weapons and has continued to develop and test nuclear devices and missiles despite international opprobrium and UN sanctions. What explains North Korea’s survival and ability to defy international norms, despite its isolation and economic weakness? This talk explores North Korea’s long history of maneuvering between much more powerful countries to its own advantage, from the period of Soviet-Chinese rivalry during the Cold War to Pyongyang’s current position between its archenemy America and ostensible ally China, and discusses possible paths toward resolving the North Korean nuclear dilemma.

Charles K. Armstrong is The Korea Foundation Professor of Korean Studies in the Social Sciences in the Department of History at Columbia University.

Registration and details

Sponsored by the Columbia Alumni Association of Beijing, the University of Chicago Alumni Association of Beijing, and the Yale Club of Beijing

Questions? Karl Metzner [email protected]