It tells the story of jang jin sung and his work with the udf an organization that writes propoganda as poetry under kim jongil. Jang jinsung s book tends to support the latter view, depicting a regime run by a paranoid and powerhungry leader who cares little for what happens to anyone but himself. Jang jinsung came to the attention of the leadership during college with his poetry and writi. North koreas senior propagandist exposes shocking truths behind the regime by jin sung, jang isbn. Dear leader book by jang jinsung official publisher. My escape from north korea one reason why north korea is unable to pursue reform and open itself more to the world is that this would risk exposing core dogmas of the state as mere fabrications. With food provisions even as the country suffered through its great famine, a travel pass, access to strictly censored information, and audiences with kim jongil himself, his life in pyongyang seemed safe and secure. This book is an absolutely mesmerising account of how a senior propagandist in north korea fled to china. Never before has a member of the elite described the inner workings of this totalitarian state and its propaganda machine. Jang ist mit einer sudkoreanerin verheiratet, sie haben ein kind.
Jang jinsung was one of kim jongils favourite propaganda poets until he defected. Jang jin sung is a former poet laureate for north korean leader kim jongil. Dear leader by jang jin sung the story they couldnt hack. We recently saw that the korea economic institute and the committee on human rights in north korea are sponsoring a talk this week by jang jinsung the program is linked here. At age 28, in 1999, upon the publication of his ingratiating epic poem spring rests on the gun barrel of the lord, written for kim jongil, jinsung earned a personal endorsement of the great leader and the privilege of immunity as one of the few admitted in the upper cadre of the organization and guidance department of the workers party, which wielded the real power behind the leader. He gives an intimate view of the struggles of refugees, their plight, and the threat of returning. That rare audience with north koreas late supreme leader in 1999 should have been the proudest day of his life. How kim jongils favourite poet propagandist fled north korea. The core of the book is an account of jangs decision to escape north korea, along with a friend. We recently saw that the korea economic institute and the committee on human rights in north korea are sponsoring a talk this week by jang jin sung the program is linked here.
North koreas opacity is its greatest strength, writes new focus international editor in chief jinsung in this powerful, heartrending tale of one young mans ability to infiltrate the locus of power, then escape. In this nonfiction tale of living and working in north korea, jang jin sung takes the reader through his life from a young age, through his schooling successes, his recognition by the dear leader himself kim jongil, and then to his flight from north korea to china and eventually south korea. Translator shirley lee has done a remarkable job in bringing those emotions to the english version of the book. Poet, spy, escapee a look inside north korea by jang jinsung in this rare insiders view into contemporary north korea, a highranking counterintelligence agent describes his life as a former poet laureate to kim jongil and his breathtaking escape to freedom. Every chance i got i put these on my headphones time to make dinner listen to dear leader. Works edit memoirs crossing poetry collection i am selling my daughter for 100 won. Young and ambitious, he had access to state secrets, including information about military and diplomatic policies, and the distribution of power.
Poet, spy, escapee a look inside north korea by jang jin sung translated by shirley lee rider books 4. Jun 06, 2014 in dear leader, jang jinsung pulls back the curtain, revealing an inbred world of sycophancy, full stomachs and fear. Jang jin sung is editor of new focus, a news organisation run by north korean exiles, and author of dear leader 2014, published by rider books. Jang jinsung was 28 yearsold when he first met kim jongil. The author explains the role he played in the constant program of propaganda that has come to define north korea. In this international bestseller, a highranking counterintelligence agent describes his life as a. Jang claims to have been one of the late north korean leader kim jong ils favored propaganda poets. Among his tasks were developing the founding myth of north korea, posing undercover as a south korean intellectual and writing epic poems in support of the dictator, kim jongil. Jang jin sung held one of the most senior ranks in north koreas propaganda machine, helping tighten the regimes grip over its people.
Dear leader is written by one of the most informed defectors to leave the country in years. Dear leader by jang jinsung penguin books australia. A defector of kim jongils rarefied inner circle reveals the desperate, despicable machinations of north koreas police state. Reading almost like a thriller, rather than a memoir, jang jinsung, a talented writer who came to the attention of dear leader himself, explains how he felt increasingly compromised working for the regime, until he had to run for his life. February 2, 2015 author jang jinsung, on his first visit to the u. Our cheap used books come with free delivery in australia. Sunday times top 10 bestseller dear leader contains astonishing new insights about north korea which could only be revealed by someone working. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. My escape from north korea ebook written by jang jinsung. The core of the book is an account of jang s decision to escape north korea, along with a friend. Dear leader contains astonishing revelations about north korea that could only be disclosed by a regime insider.
Reading almost like a thriller, rather than a memoir, jang jin sung, a talented writer who came to the attention of dear leader himself, explains how he felt increasingly compromised working for the regime, until he had to run for his life. Reading jang jin sung s firstperson account of living and escaping from north korea feels like a full body immersion into a eerie, tensionladen dystopian novel. Jang jin sung worked at the heart of north koreas propaganda machine. Since leaving the country he has become a bestselling author and media sensation. Dear leader by jang jinsung the story they couldnt hack. He has been awarded the rex warner literary prize and read his poetry at londons cultural olympiad in 2012. He gives an intimate view of the struggles of refugees, their plight, and the threat of returning to their homeland or being caught by officials.
I had no idea that north koreans had such foulmouth habits. Feb 03, 2015 february 2, 2015 author jang jinsung, on his first visit to the u. Dear leader book by jang jinsung official publisher page. He has been awarded the rex warner literary prize and read h. Dear leader poet spy escapee a look inside north korea. Since leaving the country he has become a bestselling author and widely solicited commentator on north korea. Read dear leader north koreas senior propagandist exposes shocking truths behind the regime by jang jin sung available from rakuten kobo. Dear leader book grand rapids public library bibliocommons. Dear leader is the incredible biographical account of the writer, jang jin sung and his journey to be free of north korea. Jang jinsungs story is one of desperation, endurance, and freedom. Jang jinsung is a former poet laureate for north korean leader kim jongil. In fact, one imagines that dear leader could be the basis of a divergentlike film series. Dear leader by jang jinsung penguin books new zealand. But this privileged existence was about to be shattered.
In his book dear leader, jang jin sung offers a personal journey, a humane story of one man who is forced to escape the country leaving behind his family. What they can do to change the way the regime operates is a far. North koreas senior propagandist exposes shocking truths behind the regime by jang jin sung, in very good condition. Jang jin sung is a former court poet, and propagandist, for north korean leader kim jongil.
Jang jinsung held one of the most senior ranks in north koreas propaganda machine, helping tighten the regimes grip over its people. An astonishing expose told through the heartstopping story of jang jinsungs escape to south korea, dear leader is a rare and unprecedented insight into the worlds most secretive and repressive regime. Jang jin sung s book tends to support the latter view, depicting a regime run by a paranoid and powerhungry leader who cares little for what happens to anyone but himself. Poet, spy, escapee a look inside north korea by jang jinsung translated by shirley lee rider books 4. What they can do to change the way the regime operates is a. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read dear leader. In dear leader, jang jinsung pulls back the curtain, revealing an inbred world of sycophancy, full stomachs and fear.
Jang jin sung s story is one of desperation, endurance, and freedom. Sunday times top 10 bestseller dear leader contains astonishing new insights about north korea which could only be revea. My escape from north korea 9781476766560 by jin sung, jang and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. It gives you an up close and personal, insider point of view of north korea, and one mans desperate escape. Written by a former poetlaureate and a member of the admitted the elite of the elite who have been allowed in the presence of the dear leader for more than 20 mins. An astonishing expose told through the heartstopping story of jang jinsungs escape to south korea, dear leader is an impossibly dramatic storyone of the best depictions yet of north koreas nightmare publishers weekly. Dear leader poet, spy, escapee a look inside north korea book. Book to screen in the news video interviews fully booked podcast. Dear leader, a look inside north korea, by jang jin. As north koreas state poet laureate, jang jinsung led a charmed life. Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the kindle edition of this book. Jang jinsung is a former court poet, and propagandist, for north korean leader kim jongil. Jang jinsungs book tends to support the latter view, depicting a regime run by a paranoid and powerhungry leader who cares little for what happens to anyone but himself.
Becky i dont believe jang jinsung has ever discussed embellishing, which i dont think he did. If the sixnation talks on pyongyangs nuclear programme resume, jang jin sung s book should be in every delegates briefing bag. If anyone thinks north korea is opening up, they are. Jul 20, 2019 dear leader is the incredible biographical account of the writer, jang jinsung and his journey to be free of north korea. He had worked as a psychological warfare officer within the united front department of the korean workers party. Jang jinsung s memoir of his life and escape from north korea tries to pierce some of the murkiness by giving an inside look into the country and the kim dynasty that has led it. Just when i think no new revelation about the brutality and indifference of the north korean regime towards its own people will be sufficient to. Without a doubt, this book is the best source of information about the north korean.
Jang jin sung tells of his horrible journey from being a north korean government insider to defecting through china in an effort to eventually escape to seoul. Jang jinsung wrote about his journey of defecting in his 2014 book, dear leader. Near the end of his book, jang writes that there are many things. Not moving my head, i direct my eyes to a point halfway up the archway where kim jongils face will soon appear. May 26, 2014 j ang jinsung, a 27yearold north korean poet, could hardly believe it when he received a summons to meet the first deputy director of the united front department udf in pyongyang. Dear leader by jang jinsung 2014 through his writing and poetry, jang jin sung became a member of the inner member of the korean leader kim jongil.
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