The South clings to hope that North Korea is scrapping its nukes
As more summits loom, there is no sign that Kim Jong Un is keeping his word
IT HAS been a busy month for theatrics in Pyongyang. On September 9th North Korea celebrated its 70th anniversary with a big parade through the city centre (pictured). It also kicked off weeks of “mass games”—synchronised gymnastics by thousands of performers in homage to the eternally ruling Kim clan. This year’s games have featured flip-card displays of a meeting in April between the North’s despot, Kim Jong Un, and the South’s elected president, Moon Jae-in. In North Korea summitry is showbiz. Mr Kim will be starring again on September 18th when Mr Moon is due to travel to Pyongyang for the first visit to the city by a South Korean leader in more than a decade.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Keeping hope alight”
Asia September 15th 2018
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- Donald Trump still has no proper Asia policy
- Pakistan’s new government betrays the Ahmadi minority
- Economies of scale: why Asia is obsessed with arowanas
- Ten Indian activists are arrested over a far-fetched conspiracy
From the September 15th 2018 edition
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A good news story? Maybe