After the collapse of the Soviet world and the death of Kim Il Sung, North Korea under Kim Jong-il has continued alone on the rigid communist way, in spite of economic consequences that have led the state beyond ruin. Sharif Shuja wonders why the leaders in Pyongyang have pursued a policy abandoned not only by Russia but also by China and Vietnam.In the West, North Korea has acquired a certain notoriety but it remains a comparatively unknown country. One difficulty in judging North Korean condit…
