‘100 Questions and Answers on North Korean Society in the Kim Jong-un Era’... Capturing the Real Face of North Korea

"Is Kim Juae really Kim Jong-un's successor?"

Kim Juae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, appeared in an official public setting. While the attention of our society was focused on her, no one clearly stated whether this was true or false. To easily unravel the curiosity about that mysterious place, which is close yet distant and inaccessible, North Korea studies PhDs stepped forward.

The Institute for North Korean Studies at Dongguk University (Director Kim Yong-hyun) has published "100 Questions and 100 Answers on North Korean Society in the Kim Jong-un Era."

Eleven PhDs specializing in North Korean studies, led by Professor Kim Yong-hyun of Dongguk University’s Institute for North Korean Studies, co-authored the book. Tailored to their respective fields of expertise, the book is structured in a 100 questions and 100 answers format to explain all curiosities about North Korean society?politics, economy, society, culture?in an easy-to-understand manner.

Serious questions are addressed seriously, light questions lightly, and novel questions innovatively. It provides answers to various questions such as "Does North Korea also experience low birth rates and aging?" "Who are North Korea’s MZ generation, and what generational characteristics do they show?" "Does North Korea have Buldak-bokkeum-myeon (spicy chicken noodles)?"

100 Questions and Answers on North Korean Society in the Kim Jong-un Era
[Photo by Dongguk University Institute for North Korean Studies]

This book describes major changes in North Korean society based mainly on primary North Korean sources, capturing both past North Korea and North Korea as of 2024.

Lead author Professor Kim Yong-hyun said, "Whether it is ethnicity or nation, South and North Korea are the most influential entities to each other, and cooperation is urgently needed rather than conflict," adding, "I hope that the 100 questions and 100 answers will be a small help in understanding North Korea and improving inter-Korean relations."