On today’s episode, intellectual historian Thomas Stock discusses his paper "Polyphonic Peace: The 1989 World Festival of Youth and Students in Pyongyang," which explores North Korea's hosting of the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students.

This massive event, which brought together 15,000 young people from over 150 countries, was North Korea’s attempt to counter South Korea’s global influence after the 1988 Olympics and reinforce its ideological authority.

The episode also delves into East Germany’s key role, the festival’s propaganda impact and its significance in North Korea’s rivalry with South Korea.

Dr Thomas Stock is an intellectual historian of Korea and the Cold War, specialized in the evolution of North Korean ideology. He is currently a history teacher in Massachusetts, USA.

About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot 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.

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