The modern history of a nation that’s been to some extent marginalised by wider geopolitics. It begins with domination by Japan in the late 19th century, which continued until the end of the Second World War – only to be replaced by domination through “trusteeship” by the US and others, which itself was a direct precursor to the partition of the nation, a vicious war, and a long and convoluted evolution of two very different political and economic outcomes.

There are times when it feels a little superficial: the Korean War gets only a few pages. But that’s a consequence of the breadth of coverage, and especially the time spent analysing the politics as they evolve through repression (in the North) and authoritarianism becoming dictatorship and finally vibrant and raucous democracy (in the South).

The fact that both authors are Korea specialists (and in one case ethnically Korean) certainly helps. They have seen close-up the evolution of both Koreas’ places in the world, and their personal observations and anecdotes bring the story alive without being distracting.

The last chapter is a detailed analysis of when and whether any re-unification of the pennisula will happen. It’s a balanced and well-informed view, albeit one that’s too sanguine with respect to the expectation of continued US support and engagement: the recent (as I write) events in Ukraine don’t give confidence in whether the US would act as an honest broker in any crisis. But it remains a clear and well-reasoned (if largely non-committal) analysis of where Krean history may go next.

4/5. Finished Sunday 9 March, 2025.

(Originally published on Goodreads.)