Author Description

At the dawn of the twenty-first century, both North and South Korea find their politics, economies, and societies in transition. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north and the Republic of Korea in the south have coexisted for the past fifty years, since the founding of their republics in 1948, though conflicts between the two systems have persisted. Whether the newly appointed leader of North Korea and the newly elected president of South Korea can maintain stability and peace on the Korean peninsula is uncertain. In this volume, thirteen experts examine the historical, cultural, social, and political aspects of the Koreas in transition and their implications for U.S. policy.