Pyongyang, North Korea
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il ended years of official denial this week when he admitted that Korean spies kidnapped 11 Japanese citizens decades ago to steal their identities. During a landmark visit by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Kim expressed regret for the kidnappings, which he said had occurred in a different era. The apology could be a first step toward a rapprochement. The two enemies have never had diplomatic relations, and talks two years ago broke down over the issue of kidnapping victims.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Bluetoothing: the phenomenon driving HIV spike in FijiUnder the Radar ‘Blood-swapping’ between drug users fuelling growing health crisis on Pacific island
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetimeFeature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
