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Lee Sang-Yong

Lee Sang-Yong

The Diplomat

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North Korea Needs China and Russia – But Doesn’t Want Its People Admiring Them

Pyongyang’s strict ideological controls apply to perceptions of its allies as well as to “hostile states” like the United States.

31.07.2026 10

The Diplomat

Lee Sang-Yong

What Kim Jong Un Really Fears: Outside Information

Since COVID-19, the grounds for execution in North Korea have been shifting away from ordinary violent crime and toward outside information, religion,...

15.05.2026 20

The Diplomat

Lee Sang-Yong

Assessing North Korea’s New Economic Five-Year Plan

From energy to innovation, Kim Jong Un’s growth strategy is up against structural limits.

05.03.2026 40

The Diplomat

Lee Sang-Yong

North Korea’s Execution State: When Law Becomes a Tool of Terror

Public executions showcase that the death penalty in North Korea continues to function as a political tool.

18.11.2025 30

The Diplomat

Lee Sang-Yong

The Dark Side of China-North Korea Cooperation: Forced Labor

The Kim-Xi bonhomie shouldn’t overshadow the suffering of North Korea’s “state-dispatched workers” to China.

05.09.2025 30

The Diplomat

Lee Sang-Yong