The son of an influential father who runs an orphan work camp, Pak Jun Do rises to prominence using instinctive talents and eventually becomes a professional kidnapper and romantic rival to Kim Jong Il.

North Korea strictly limits contact between its citizens and the outside world. Rare occasions, such as the North Korean Mass Games, offer a glimpse of what's often called the secret state. The country typically broadcasts an image of a strong and unified people, but what is the daily reality of life in North Korea? In this look at a major current events topic, state propaganda, defector's accounts, and other annotated quotes highlight conflicting...

"Opens in 1988, when a Korean American teenager is kidnapped from a South Korean beach by North Korean operatives. Twenty-two years later, her brilliant twin sister, Jenna, is still searching for her, and ends up on the radar of the CIA. When evidence that her sister may still be alive in North Korea comes to light, Jenna will do anything possible to rescue her--including undertaking a daring mission into the heart of the regime. Her story is masterfully...

Somewhere Inside is the electrifying, never-before-told story of Laura Ling's capture by the North Koreans in March 2009, and the efforts of her sister, journalist Lisa Ling, to secure Laura's release by former President Bill Clinton. This riveting true account of the first ever trial of an American citizen in North Korea's highest court carries readers deep inside the world's most secretive nation while it poignantly explores the powerful, inspiring...

A brutal murder investigation with connections to corruption at the very highest level threatens not just the career but also the life of Inspector Lu Fei in Brian Klingborn's latest mystery...--

"A rare, jaw-dropping glimpse of everyday life in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang: Zin-Mi is an adorable 8-year-old girl, who, as she prepares to join the prestigious Children's Union, participates in colorful, joyous patriotic school pageants, eats delicious evening meals at her family's well-appointed apartment, and is doted on by her attractive parents who work in model factories that regularly exceed their production targets. Sounds too...