North Korea: The Struggle Against American Power: Tim Beal: 9780745320137: Amazon.com: Books
North Korea: The Struggle Against American Power Paperback – October 20, 2005
by Tim Beal (Author)
3.4 out of 5 stars 4 customer reviews
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Editorial Reviews
Review
'Significantly more even handed than the vast majority of what Americans read or hear' -- Reference & Research Book News, May 2006 'Timely, important, and provocative. A useful corrective to the stereotypes and misinformation that pervade 'conventional wisdom' about North Korea' -- Professor Charles Armstrong, Director, The Center for Korean Research, Columbia University. Author of The North Korean Revolution, 1945-1950
About the Author
Tim Beal studied Chinese and Business Administration at Edinburgh University, where he also wrote a PhD on Chinese foreign trade. He has researched and taught widely on Asian politics and business and is currently focused on North Korea. He is senior lecturer in the School of Marketing and International Business at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.
Product details
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Pluto Press (October 20, 2005)
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Customer reviews
3.4 out of 5 stars
Top customer reviews
2.0 out of 5 starsPotentially great book goes bad: Plagued by severe bias and virulent anti-Americanism
ByDavid M.on April 9, 2017
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
Virulently anti-American and offers a severely unprofessional level of bias. As one who supports the DPRK's right to exist and to self-determination free of constant American interference I was excited to read this book and it's successor. Sadly, the text is thoroughly unprofessional from an academic stand point with it's end to end virulent anti-Americanism, avoidance of the use contrary sources and and it's unwillingness to confront the DPRK for it's own shortcomings.
Beal stacks the deck to make his claims by avoiding the use of or confrontation with sources that disprove his arguments. Beal's attempt to blame the American government for almost for every problem the DPRK has is simply not credible. Add to this a severe bias that causes him to underplay (read outright ignore) the mistakes of Democratic POTUS' actions in regards to the DPRK while bashing Republicans, especially Bush 2, to an absolute pulp. A quick example would be Beal's placing the full blame for the collapse of the Agreed Framework on Bush 2 while denying problematic actions on the part of the DPRK and ignoring the fact that Clinton, who instituted the Agreed Framework, did almost nothing to further it as the Clinton Administration was waiting for the DPRK to collapse and did not feel a need to live up to the Agreement he had entered into. There are many problems in the way the US government has chosen to deal with the DPRK. The fact that we have technically been at war with them for what is now entering it's fourth generation speaks loudly to that point. Sadly, Beal's highly skewed and biased view does very little to shine a light where it needs to go.
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5.0 out of 5 starsNorth Korea Explained
ByPeter Wilsonon May 8, 2013
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
When it comes to the Korean situation, it is hard to sort the wheat from the chaff. This book provides sufficient background to provide an understanding of the context in which current day events on the Korean peninsula are taking place. Everybody who seeks to comprehend what is going on in Korea should read this book.
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5.0 out of 5 starsA Good Book to Help Balance a DPRK Collection
ByPuppetkonon April 27, 2009
Format: Paperback
This book does a decent job at portraying the DPRK in a light that might help create some form of deeper understanding in that it does provide insight into the many accusations against the DPRK. The most powerful piece of this book is its job at reminding the reader not to trust only one source of information.
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5.0 out of 5 starsNorth Korea Explained
ByPeter Wilsonon May 8, 2013
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase
When it comes to the Korean situation, it is hard to sort the wheat from the chaff. This book provides sufficient background to provide an understanding of the context in which current day events on the Korean peninsula are taking place. Everybody who seeks to comprehend what is going on in Korea should read this book.
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5.0 out of 5 starsA Good Book to Help Balance a DPRK Collection
ByPuppetkonon April 27, 2009
Format: Paperback
This book does a decent job at portraying the DPRK in a light that might help create some form of deeper understanding in that it does provide insight into the many accusations against the DPRK. The most powerful piece of this book is its job at reminding the reader not to trust only one source of information.
Tim Beal brings to question the many criticisms of the DPRK by outsiders, and while not necessarily saying that their accusations are wrong, it does reveal that some of the more heavily biased accusations only serve to further alienate the DPRK from the global community. In all, this book does provide some interesting perspectives on the DPRK in general, and the different perspective provided by Beal that is different from the typical bias in the Western sources does help in providing a fairer balance to the view of the DPRK.
That being said, I also recommend that other sources are combined with this one to provide a more balanced look at the situation. The only other criticism I have is that some of the statistics are a bit misleading, but I have never seen a fair and balanced presentation of the DPRK by anyone. The best thing to do is to actually go there and see it with your own eyes if you can, but even then it is difficult to understand. However, this book is definately a decent book to add to your collection of DPRK information.
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3.0 out of 5 starsInteresting argument, but hard reading
ByJared Mon February 3, 2007
Format: Paperback
An interesting book, which discusses North Korea's relationship with the outside world, particularly the United States. The main thrust of the book is the various diplomatic agreements and negotiations of the past 10 years or so concerning the use and development of nuclear technology. In particular, the events surrounding the withdrawal of NK from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty are under considerable spotlight.
Tim Beal argues that the wide spread view of North Korea as a belligerent nation, actively pursuing nuclear technology for manufacture of weapons is in fact largely based on myth. The myth is encouraged and perpetuated by the US, which benefits in a number of ways from maintaining the NK state in isolation, not the least of which is maintaining a strong US influence on the Korean penisula. The US is particularly aggressive in discussions with the state, posturing when it considers the North Koreans has broken an agreement or acted in bad faith. In fact, according to Beal, the United States have broken a number of negotiated agreements relating to nuclear agreements, much more than NK. NK wants to develop a more constructive relationship with the outside world, but finds itself hamstrung on the image front, with the US convincing the world at large of NK's misintentions. However, at times Beal makes hard work of his arguments, as the text is quite dry and academic particularly as he recounts the various agreements and treaties relating to nuclear technology. Nonetheless, he makes some very convincing arguments, and given the way the US has conducted much of its foreign policy recently, I'm very receptive to his case.
Of course, arguing that NK don't have the capability to make weapons grade uranium is now a moot point, with the news that NK had detonated a nuclear weapon late last year. Therefore in some respects, this book is now out of date. However, some interesting points are made, particularly with respect to the hypocritical manner in which United States conducts itself in talks with NK, insisting the reclusive state must give an arm and a leg without the US conceding a inch. One could consider there are interesting parallels in the way the US deals with Iran over the development of nuclear technology in the Islamic state.
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That being said, I also recommend that other sources are combined with this one to provide a more balanced look at the situation. The only other criticism I have is that some of the statistics are a bit misleading, but I have never seen a fair and balanced presentation of the DPRK by anyone. The best thing to do is to actually go there and see it with your own eyes if you can, but even then it is difficult to understand. However, this book is definately a decent book to add to your collection of DPRK information.
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3.0 out of 5 starsInteresting argument, but hard reading
ByJared Mon February 3, 2007
Format: Paperback
An interesting book, which discusses North Korea's relationship with the outside world, particularly the United States. The main thrust of the book is the various diplomatic agreements and negotiations of the past 10 years or so concerning the use and development of nuclear technology. In particular, the events surrounding the withdrawal of NK from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty are under considerable spotlight.
Tim Beal argues that the wide spread view of North Korea as a belligerent nation, actively pursuing nuclear technology for manufacture of weapons is in fact largely based on myth. The myth is encouraged and perpetuated by the US, which benefits in a number of ways from maintaining the NK state in isolation, not the least of which is maintaining a strong US influence on the Korean penisula. The US is particularly aggressive in discussions with the state, posturing when it considers the North Koreans has broken an agreement or acted in bad faith. In fact, according to Beal, the United States have broken a number of negotiated agreements relating to nuclear agreements, much more than NK. NK wants to develop a more constructive relationship with the outside world, but finds itself hamstrung on the image front, with the US convincing the world at large of NK's misintentions. However, at times Beal makes hard work of his arguments, as the text is quite dry and academic particularly as he recounts the various agreements and treaties relating to nuclear technology. Nonetheless, he makes some very convincing arguments, and given the way the US has conducted much of its foreign policy recently, I'm very receptive to his case.
Of course, arguing that NK don't have the capability to make weapons grade uranium is now a moot point, with the news that NK had detonated a nuclear weapon late last year. Therefore in some respects, this book is now out of date. However, some interesting points are made, particularly with respect to the hypocritical manner in which United States conducts itself in talks with NK, insisting the reclusive state must give an arm and a leg without the US conceding a inch. One could consider there are interesting parallels in the way the US deals with Iran over the development of nuclear technology in the Islamic state.
Read less
1 comment|4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNoReport abuse
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