North Korea’s Kim Jong Un pledged “full and unconditional support” for Russia’s Vladimir Putin in a meeting yesterday that the U.S. has warned could lead to an arms deal in supplying Russia with weapons for its war in Ukraine, according to The Associated Press. The two leaders met for the first time in four years at a space facility in Russia’s far east.
Faculty experts at the George Washington University can offer insight, commentary and analysis. If you would like to speak with an expert, please contact GW Media Relations at [email protected].
Yonho Kim is an associate research professor of international affairs and associate director of the Institute for Korean Studies. Kim directs the policy programs at the Institute, which include North Korea Economic Forum, North Korea Certificate Program, and Korea Policy Forum. He specializes in North Korea’s mobile telecommunications and U.S. policy towards North Korea.
Thom Shanker is the director of the Project for Media & National Security at the GW School of Media and Public Affairs. He was named director after a nearly quarter-century career with The New York Times, including 13 years as Pentagon correspondent covering the Department of Defense, overseas combat operations and national security policy. Before joining The Times, he was foreign editor of The Chicago Tribune. He spent five years as The Tribune's Moscow correspondent, covering the start of the Gorbachev era to the death of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the communist empire in Eastern Europe.
David Szakonyi, an associate professor of political science, is an expert on Russian politics. His research focuses on corruption, clientelism, and political economy in Russia, Western Europe, and the United States. His book -- Politics for Profit: Business, Elections, and Policymaking in Russia examines why business people run for elected political office worldwide, how their firms perform as a result, and whether individuals with private sector experience make different policy decisions. Other research looks at the effectiveness of anti-corruption campaigns, employers mobilizing their voters to turnout during elections, and nepotism under authoritarian rule.
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