“[Cha and Kang’s] contribution is important for its frank discussion of the possibility of a nuclear attack and their presentation of potential courses of action.”

~ Concepción De León, The New York Times

This week we’ve been featuring works of Korean literature translated into English, but today we’re bringing you an excerpt that relates to current events. Nuclear North Korea was first published in 2003 amid the outbreak of a lasting crisis over the North Korean nuclear program. With a new chapter on the way forward for the international community in light of continued nuclear tensions, this book is of lasting relevance to understanding the state of affairs on the Korean peninsula.

The excerpt below is from the book’s foreword, written by Stephan Haggard, and its preface by authors Victor D. Cha and David C. Kang.