Blaine Harden tells the story of Shin Dong-hyuk, who fled a North Korean forced-labor camp but not before turning in his mother and brother for executions.

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Books of The Times: ‘Escape From Camp 14,’ by Blaine Harden

With President Obama in Korea this week, we will hear a lot about the dangers of North Korea’s nuclear aspirations. We’re unlikely to be hear about a young man named Shin Dong-hyuk, who was bred, like a farm animal, inside a North Korean prison camp after guards ordered his prisoner-parents to mate. But Shin arguably has as much to teach about Korea’s past and future as about the cycle of negotiation, bluster and broken promises over the nuclear issue . Read full article > >

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North Korea’s dehumanizing treatment of its citizens is hiding in plain sight

A senior US official says a North Korean rocket due to be launched next month may affect an area between Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines, reports say.

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US warning on North Korea rocket

Japan orders missile defence systems to be prepared in response to the planned launch of a North Korean long-range rocket next month.

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Japan prepares missile defences

PYONGYANG, North Korea — North Korea announced Saturday that Kim Jong Eun has been officially named supreme commander of the military, further strengthening his authority after the death of his father, longtime North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. Officials and state media have bestowed on Kim Jong Eun, who is in his late 20s, a string of titles as North Korea’s elite rally around him in the wake of his father’s death this month after 17 years in power. Read full article > >

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North Korea officially names Kim Jong Eun supreme commander of its 1.2 million-strong military

SEOUL — With snow falling and thousands packing Pyongyang’s wide streets, North Korea on Wednesday choreographed a dramatic state funeral for leader Kim Jong Il. In a ceremony that began early afternoon, perhaps delayed several hours by the weather, Kim’s hearse departed from a memorial palace and turned through the North Korean capital city. Read full article > >

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North Korean heir, Kim Jong Eun, leads funeral for father

A delegation of South Korean citizens left for North Korea on Monday, passing through the demilitarized zone between the two countries to express condolences over the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

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S. Koreans enter North to pay respects

North Korean state media for the first time describes new leader Kim Jong-un as the “supreme commander” of the country’s armed forces.

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Kim hailed NK ‘supreme commander’

BEIJING — The death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has set off a wave of anxiety among the country’s neighbors and beyond, focused on possible instability on the Korean Peninsula and the unpredictable nature of the succession in the isolated, nuclear-armed country. But along with the concern were some cautious expressions of optimism, and hopes that the sudden and unexpected leadership transition in Pyongyang might offer an opportunity for the country to pursue desperately needed reform of its dysfunctional economic system. Read full article > >

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With elder Kim’s death, some see window for change in North Korea

William Hague urges North Korean’s new leadership to engage with the international community after the death of Kim Jong-il.

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Hague: N Korea at ‘turning point’

As many as 83,000 South Korean civilians were kidnapped by North Korean troops during the Korean War, and relatives of the abductees are still struggling to learn their fate.

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Abductee’s Daughter Speaks of Korean War Kidnappings

MOSCOW — North Korea is ready to resume international talks over its nuclear weapons program without “preconditions,” according to a Russian official describing the meeting Wednesday between North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Kim also told Medvedev that North Korea is willing to consider a moratorium on nuclear testing and production, said Natalya Timakova, a spokeswoman for the Russian president, who met with Russian news agency reporters after the meeting adjourned. Read full article > >

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North Korea may return to nuclear talks, Russia says

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea expelled all remaining South Korean workers Tuesday from a stalled joint tourism resort in the North, putting what was once a symbol of inter-Korean cooperation in danger of collapse. The two Koreas launched joint tours at the scenic Diamond Mountain in 1998 as part of reconciliation efforts. But the tours, which were a rare legitimate source of hard currency for the impoverished North, were suspended in 2008 after a North Korean guard fatally shot a South Korean tourist. Read full article > >

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North Korea kicks out South Korean workers from joint mountain resort in North

TOKYO — In a rare foreign visit confirmed by Pyongyang’s state-run media, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrived Saturday via armored train in Russia, where he is to discuss economic projects and meet with President Dmitry Medvedev. A Kremlin statement described the meeting between the leaders as the “main event” during Kim’s trip to the Far East and Siberian regions. The trip comes at a time when the Stalinist dictatorship is pushing for aid and facing international pressure to resume nuclear talks, suspended since early 2009. Read full article > >

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N. Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrives in Russia ahead of Medvedev meeting

Police in South Korea charge four people with smuggling North Korean artwork into the country to sell for profit.

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N Korea ‘art smugglers’ charged