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The Religious Cult Behind North Korea’s Power (#303)

3 Takeaways™

Lynn Thoman

May 26, 2026

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    Show Notes

    We think of North Korea as a communist dictatorship. But Jonathan Cheng, the Wall Street Journal’s China Bureau Chief and former Korea Bureau Chief, says that misses the real story.

    He argues North Korea functions more like a religion - complete with rituals, worship, and a ruling family treated like immortals. Once you hear it, you can’t unsee it.

    His new book is Korean Messiah.