Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This study explores effects of humanitarian food aid offered by the South Korean government during the Sunshine Policy on North Koreans’ rights to food. Secondary research and data shows continuous and enormous food aid was offered, but not with proper monitoring system. This was carried out by policy, and resulted diversion of donated food and unfair food distribution in North Korea, which disturbed to improve North Korean’s rights to food. Furthermore, this research also presents that the food aid without monitoring system gives several challenges to both South Korea and international society to plan or operate future humanitarian food aid to North Korea.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: In the arena of the mass media, black female music artists are important figures in the struggle to fight stereotypical images and representations, especially since this is a site where black women have been highly visible in both dominant and black popular culture. With this in mind, I ask the following questions: How do Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott and Kimberly “Lil' Kim” Jones present their bodies/selves in the public realm as constructions of black womanhood? Do either of them break or transform existing stereotypes of black women? Do they create new options for black representation? And if so, how?

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Black women’s bodies are constantly put on display for public consumption. They have been valued in the entertainment industry for various ends. With various forms of mass media, black women’s bodies are daily put on display and dissected. Black women have had to deal with and fight stereotypical images and representations that continue to persist throughout the mass media. One may look to three black female sex symbols in order to evaluate how media portrayals of black women have and have not changed: Josephine Baker, Tina Turner and Kimberly “Lil’ Kim” Jones. Each of these women has had a larger degree of success than almost all women in their respective genres of entertainment. All of them acknowledge that sexuality in some form plays a major role in how they present themselves on stage. Although each woman embodies very different genres and time periods (which sometimes overlap), they all have striking similarities in the popular culture icon status: all have similar background narratives, all managed to crossover into mainstream acceptance while keeping connections with their black audiences and all embrace Eurocentric notions of beauty while playing on a black stereotype. The question becomes how do we make sense of black women who are willing participants in the exploitation of their sexuality? The answer may lie in several phenomena: institutional constraints hindering black female performers’ attempt to gain agency, attempts to crossover into a “mainstream” audience, and, to a larger extent, white male consumption of black female sexuality.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Psychological characteristics and behavior of Kim Jong Il as viewed from a psychoanalytic perspective. Major events in the life of Kim Jong Il will be discussed in relationship to his decision making, his secretiveness and his personal behavior. Some discussion of negotiation strategies will also be covered. This paper could also be combine with a panel on North Korea or with another presenters view of the Korean leader.

Supporting Publications:
Supporting Document

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: In the 1990s, the DPRK went through two major systemic crises. The first crisis came in 1989-1991 when the Soviet empire collapsed suddenly, and the second one in 1994 when Kim Il-Sung, the “great leader” who ruled the country with iron-fist for five decades dies unexpectedly. These developments had far-reaching repercussions for North Korea’s foreign relations in general and with Russia in particular. Against this backdrop, North Korea’s foreign relations with Russia played out in the 1990s and beyond.

This paper examines DPRK-Russia relations under Kim Jong-Il. The study raises the following questions and seeks to answer them. First, how did the DPRK-Russia normalization proceed in 2000, and why? Second, how has North Korea’s second nuclear crisis affected Moscow-Pyongyang relations. Third, how have the bilateral relations evolved after the normalization? Finally, what are the problems and prospects for Moscow-Pyongyang relations?

With Putin’s arrival in the Kremlin in 2000, a new era for Moscow-Pyongyang relations dawned. After a decade of estrangement, the two neighbors were finally ready to normalize their relations. Both Putin and Kim Jong-Il had high hopes for a new relationship. Putin hoped to regain lost influence on the Korean affairs after achieving rapprochement with Pyongyang, but he was not willing to “pay for the price.” Kim Jong-Il harbored unrealistic expectations of Russia as well. He was hopeful that Putin, as in the Soviet era, would readily grant his requests for military items, energy provision, and economic assistance, and provide them gratis. Moscow and Pyongyang soon lowered their expectations and became realistic. While trying to stay on Pyongyang’s good side, Moscow now focuses mostly on economic projects (the iron silk road plan, the multinational gas pipeline project etc.). Pyongyang, on the other hand, looks to Russia mostly as a counterbalance against the U.S. in political and security realms. All in all, U.S. foreign policy and U.S.-DPRK relations hold the key to Russia-DPRK relations. Without the resolution of North Korea’s nuclear crisis between Washington and Pyongyang, Russia’s ambitious economic projects are unlikely to be realized. If U.S.-Russia relations improve, Russia’s political and security value to North Korea will proportionately diminish.