Lessons from four decades shaping US policy on North Korea – Ep. 306

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to the Russian Far East for a summit with Vladimir Putin this week, holding talks at the Cosmodrome Vostochny spaceport on Wednesday. NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin recaps the lead-up to the visit and what we know about Kim’s journey to Russia, his first international trip since 2019. He also talks about North Korea’s recent paramilitary parade to mark the 75th anniversary of North Korea’s founding. 

Then, former U.S. intelligence officer Sydney Seiler joins the podcast to discuss his more than four-decade government career working on Korean Peninsula issues. Seiler delves into how U.S. policy on North Korea is formed and implemented, covering everything from his biography on Kim Il Sung and his experiences analyzing North Korean state media to his time as staff director of the National Security Council.

Sydney Seiler (@sydseiler) worked as a senior policymaker, negotiator and intelligence officer for the U.S. government for 42 years, including stints at U.S. Forces Korea, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 

About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot (@JaccoZed) exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.