Jonathan Cheng on the Realities of Uncovering North Korea episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 21, 2026 · 33 MIN

Jonathan Cheng on the Realities of Uncovering North Korea

from The Gist · host Mike Pesca

Today on the Gist, exploring the consequences of relocating Afghan allies to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Then, Wall Street Journal China Bureau Chief Jonathan Cheng is back to discuss the complexities of reporting on a closed society like North Korea, the strategic thinking behind the Kim dynasty's ruthless tactics, and what it’s actually like to attend church in Pyongyang. He is the author of Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult. Finally, in the spiel, we dive into the fascinating, brutal, and ultimately ineffective history of expert Korean stone throwers. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠ For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/ Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pescagist/ X https://x.com/pescami TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 21, 2026

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Jonathan Cheng on the Realities of Uncovering North Korea

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Today on the Gist, exploring the consequences of relocating Afghan allies to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Then, Wall Street Journal China Bureau Chief Jonathan Cheng is back to discuss the complexities of reporting on a closed society like...

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