Donald Kirk

February 22, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

The assassination of Kim Jong-Nam promises to go down as one of those weird acts of terrorism that North Korea, in the face of all evidence to the contrary, will forever deny having perpetrated.

The prevarication and obfuscation in this case would appear a little more  Read More 

By World Tribune on February 16, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com
By Donald Kirk

Kim Jong-Nam showed the warm and human face of North Korea’s dynastic family.

You had to like the guy, judging from sightings in the gambling enclave of Macau, across the Pearl River estuary from Hong Kong off China’s southeastern coast.  Read More 

February 9, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

President Donald Trump’s most fearsome offensive on the world stage has nothing to do with immigration reform, or building that wall all along the U.S. border with Mexico, or defense or treaty alliances or the North Korean nuke-and-missile threat.

It’s all about U. Read More 

January 26, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com
By Donald Kirk

President Donald Trump has now made his first substantive move in foreign policy with broad repercussions for Northeast Asia, including both Korea and Japan. The consequences may be far-reaching.

By signing an executive order formally withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Trump has signaled that he  Read More 

January 20, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

As Donald Trump is inaugurated in Washington, it may be timely to wonder what if anything did Edward Snowden, in Moscow, have to do with his election.

Would Snowden be letting his skills go to waste? Might he be sharing notes with Russian friends on cyber-sleuthing  Read More 

January 12, 2017
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

WASHINGTON – Once upon a time, in an era that’s faded into the near-forgotten history of The Cold War, Moscow was the enemy, and those who believed otherwise were labeled “comsymps” for Communist sympathizers.

The phenomenon of “the Red scare,” meaning the  Read More 

World Tribune on December 29, 2016
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

WASHINGTON – The U.S. refusal to veto the UN Security Council resolution attacking Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory as “a flagrant violation” of international law has triggered cries of outrage worthy of full-scale hostilities.

You might think, from the responses of Israeli Prime  Read More 

By World Tribune on December 15, 2016
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

The populist revolt against President Park Geun-Hye has grave implications for governance amid economic unease and high youth unemployment.

In this uncertain transition period, Korea’s relationship with the United States is sure to undergo strains if not change while foes of  Read More 

By World Tribune on December 8, 2016
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

The many thousands of protesters who’ve been marching toward the walls of the restored palace of Korea’s dynastic kings toward the Blue House of latter-day presidents have been ignoring a likely target. That’s the American embassy, looming large, brightly  Read More 

By World Tribune on December 1, 2016
Special to WorldTribune.com

By Donald Kirk

Enough, enough, we want no preachment – It’s time to vote on his impeachment!

That rhyme from a Broadway classic, “Of Thee I sing,” words by Ira Gershwin, music by his brother George, comes to mind as talk of impeachment ricochets around  Read More