Description
Book SynopsisIn Kim Jong-un’s Strategy for Survival, David W. Shin contends that Kim Jong-un's consolidation of power at home and the leveraging of Beijing, Moscow, Seoul, and Washington, and others abroad show that he is not a madman and, like the two earlier Kims, has consistently been underestimated. Shin presents an alternative framework for Kim Jong-un’s behavior through his analysis of Kim's background and his development as the successor to his father, Kim Jong-il; the evolution of the totalitarian system Kim inherited from his grandfather, Kim Il-sung; and the security environment after Kim Jong-il’s death in 2011. This book is recommended for scholars and students of political science, Asian studies, international relations, and history.
Table of Contents1 Madness, Brinkmanship, and Madman Theory
2 The Ambitious Third Son as Natural Heir to His Grandfather
3 North Korea’s Totalitarianism: Balancing Terror with Co-option
4 Kim Jong-Un’s Understanding of the Security Environment in 2012
5 New Byungjin Line and Kim Jong-Un’s Successful Nuclear ICBM Gambit
6 August 2015 Landmine Incident: Limited War of Legitimacy
7 Nuclear Crisis in 2017 with a “Madman” and Perfecting Kim’s Nuclear ICBMs
8 Kim Jong-un’s Charm Offensive and Diplomatic Stalemate with the U.S.
