Rating: 
Summary: An excellent study
Review: If you ever wanted to get inside North Korea, then this book provides excellent insight and a revealing study of that totalitarian regime. After reading this informative book you'll know why North Korea is probably the most dangerous threat to world peace. ...
Rating: 
Summary: Best Read for Big Picture Understanding of Korean Politics
Review: Oberdorfer's account of the historical, political, and cultural perspectives on the Korean peninsula are extremely well framed for both foreign policy experts and laymen.If you have an interest in the Korean Peninsula -- business person, servicemember, diplomat, student -- I strongly recommend this book as an effective tool in establishing a solid baseline for further study and analysis or if you only want to get a "scratch the surface" understanding of Korea. Additionally, Oberdorfer has written an effective and readable work rather than simply a pedantic academic dissertation.
Rating:
Summary: Good overview of North-South relations
Review: Oberdorfer's book focuses primarily on North-South relations, and also the United States' involvement. It could be written a bit better. It's kind of like reading a bunch of newspaper articles. But it provides an essential overview of the issue, and Oberdorfer's use of declassified material (from the US, former USSR and others) is very illuminating. I read Korea's Place in the Sun after this book, and found that they balanced each other nicely. Oberdorfer's views are very much from the right. Don't expect anything other than the standard views here. ie. North Korea are evil communists, they invaded the South, the South is good because they are capitalists, the US has done wonderful things on the peninsula etc. If you're looking for some more depth you'll have to consult other books.
Rating:
Summary: Great behind-the-scenes insight into Korean Foreign Policy
Review: Oberdorfer's book on "The Two Koreas" is well-named. The book's focus is on the relationship of North and South Korea told from the perspective of an American journalist. Oberdorfer's credibility as a journalistic scholar is high especially when he frankly admits that, during the Carter administration, as a journalist, he didn't understand the depth of the divisiveness of the issue of pulling out of South Korea among Carter's subordinates. The book's historical lens is largely focused on events of the 1970s, the period when Oberdorfer was a foreign correspondent. While this does not diminish the value of the book, it restricts its usefulness to those readers interested mainly in events during that era. A couple of things seem to be missing. Reading between the lines, it is possible to string together some consistency in the North Korean position. It would have been nice if Oberdorfer had done more to summarize the exchange of dialogue and the events in a table to facilitate this kind of analysis. The same could be said of South Korea's economic development. It occurred so rapidly with government assistance, it would have been nice to have it contrasted with other economic models to see more clearly how the economic development came about. With that said, however, it may simply be that these topics were outside of the scope of Oberdorfer's objectives. I really enjoyed Oberdorfer's description of the political considerations that were going on behind-the-scenes in American foreign policy circles. At times, it is a sad story of ignorance and emotion (e.g., Carter's position) and, at other times, it is a story of rational behavior (e.g., the American response to the Ax incident). I recommend this book to anyone interested in a primer on Korean politics. The still-curious reader will need to move beyond this book to understand the Korean economic situation and to understand the North Korean position better.
Rating:
Summary: Great behind-the-scenes insight into Korean Foreign Policy
Review: Oberdorfer's book on "The Two Koreas" is well-named. The book's focus is on the relationship of North and South Korea told from the perspective of an American journalist. Oberdorfer's credibility as a journalistic scholar is high especially when he frankly admits that, during the Carter administration, as a journalist, he didn't understand the depth of the divisiveness of the issue of pulling out of South Korea among Carter's subordinates. The book's historical lens is largely focused on events of the 1970s, the period when Oberdorfer was a foreign correspondent. While this does not diminish the value of the book, it restricts its usefulness to those readers interested mainly in events during that era. A couple of things seem to be missing. Reading between the lines, it is possible to string together some consistency in the North Korean position. It would have been nice if Oberdorfer had done more to summarize the exchange of dialogue and the events in a table to facilitate this kind of analysis. The same could be said of South Korea's economic development. It occurred so rapidly with government assistance, it would have been nice to have it contrasted with other economic models to see more clearly how the economic development came about. With that said, however, it may simply be that these topics were outside of the scope of Oberdorfer's objectives. I really enjoyed Oberdorfer's description of the political considerations that were going on behind-the-scenes in American foreign policy circles. At times, it is a sad story of ignorance and emotion (e.g., Carter's position) and, at other times, it is a story of rational behavior (e.g., the American response to the Ax incident). I recommend this book to anyone interested in a primer on Korean politics. The still-curious reader will need to move beyond this book to understand the Korean economic situation and to understand the North Korean position better.
Rating:
Summary: Informative and interesting but a bit dry
Review: overall, it is a very good book. It has tons of information, and one learns just how precarious the Korean Penisula has been since the Armistace back in 1953 (i think that's the correct year). The only issue I have with the book is it is a bit on the dry side and it is clear a journalist wrote the book. That is, it does not go in-depth much, but instead just spits out the facts and tells it like it happened. In other words, don't expect much analysis of the events or the people involved in those events.
Rating:
Summary: Informative and interesting but a bit dry
Review: overall, it is a very good book. It has tons of information, and one learns just how precarious the Korean Penisula has been since the Armistace back in 1953 (i think that's the correct year). The only issue I have with the book is it is a bit on the dry side and it is clear a journalist wrote the book. That is, it does not go in-depth much, but instead just spits out the facts and tells it like it happened. In other words, don't expect much analysis of the events or the people involved in those events.
Rating: 
Summary: Sibling Rivalry?
Review: The most interesting impression left from reading The Two Koreas is how little the two Koreas have played a role in their own history. The previous sentence smacks of macro-world naiveté, but one hopes for more Korea and less Cold War. Impossible given the circumstances? Doubtful. Off topic? In Dan Oberdorfer's view, yes. He states from the beginning that his version of modern Korean Peninsular history would focus mostly on the relationships of the two feuding governments with the three principle foreign actors shaping them, making Korea what it is today. The result is every Korean's nightmare: a world view of them being pawns in the great spherical powers' chessboard. Like a family divided from bitter divorce, the Soviet Union jealously takes North Korea and moves to a hippie community, while the United States keeps South Korea in Battery Park. As such, the two Koreas jealously watch each other and marshal their resources in attempts to upstage each other. North Korea grows into a rebellious teenager who exploits the ideological conflict between mother Russia and China for personal gain until its benefactors have a change of heart. South Korea, following in the footsteps its chairman-of-the-board American father, achieves junior executive status by 1980, and senior executive by 1990. Oberdorfer's book is a dual edged sword. It provides a necessary history of the Cold War's begrudging last battle ground. It counters many DPRK characterizations that it is a reckless or insane government (if only its domestic policies were as successful as its diplomatic brinkmanship). It is a wonderful demonstration of successful modern diplomacy: networking and aid Vs. military power and imperialism. It does a remarkable, albeit obtuse job covering the first Korean nuclear crisis, being the most comprehensive retelling we will get. It also counters specific South Korean accusations of American domestic meddling and "colonization." On the other hand, Oberdorfer is as respectful as he can be of a country he condescends to. As the Washington Post's Asian Correspondent from the 1970's, one would expect more poignant observations than smells of garlic in elevators. The insultingly trivial conclusion, "Hold on your hats. Korea is a land of surprises," gives credence to Korean / Eastern complaints of Western cultural arrogance. Imagine the outrage if France wrote an American history book portraying the Revolutionary Army and the Founding Fathers as self-righteous, unclean children. The development of the North and South is glossed over as Oberdorfer concentrates on building the context of the next big international standoff. Incomprehensibly, progress in the modern Korean story is defined by outside recognition, not by domestic progress. This is not helped by Korean obsession over its international image, particularly in Europe. Sadly, this book will be the most substantial source of knowledge and exposure to Korea for Americans (Korean barbeque and Samsung don't count); it is a shame that it couldn't be less self-satisfying. Korea has been a subject to international powers for hundreds of years. Independence achieved, history proved it is not without its cruel irony. One country developed two political systems more contrasting than the yin-yang on the South Korean flag. Today, South Korea is the 12th richest country in the world. Its people are urbane, educated, and hardworking. It has modern infrastructure and the latest in technology. It is one of the great success stories of the second-half of the 20th century. North Korea, on the other hand, redefines hermetically sealed. Its singularity of consciousness is both dehumanizing and terrifying. The snippets of information collected from it astound: human meat markets, mass performance art, the Potemkin capital Pyongyang, outrageous propaganda from Korean Central News Authority, and its "illusive" leader, Kim Jong Il. Without a doubt, it is the most unique society on earth. Surely, the two Koreas deserve more introspection than what they are given here. But as smug elistists would say, only successful adults deserve such navel gazing.
Rating:
Summary: Sibling Rivalry?
Review: The most interesting impression left from reading The Two Koreas is how little the two Koreas have played a role in their own history. The previous sentence smacks of macro-world naiveté, but one hopes for more Korea and less Cold War. Impossible given the circumstances? Doubtful. Off topic? In Dan Oberdorfer's view, yes. He states from the beginning that his version of modern Korean Peninsular history would focus mostly on the relationships of the two feuding governments with the three principle foreign actors shaping them, making Korea what it is today. The result is every Korean's nightmare: a world view of them being pawns in the great spherical powers' chessboard. Like a family divided from bitter divorce, the Soviet Union jealously takes North Korea and moves to a hippie community, while the United States keeps South Korea in Battery Park. As such, the two Koreas jealously watch each other and marshal their resources in attempts to upstage each other. North Korea grows into a rebellious teenager who exploits the ideological conflict between mother Russia and China for personal gain until its benefactors have a change of heart. South Korea, following in the footsteps its chairman-of-the-board American father, achieves junior executive status by 1980, and senior executive by 1990. Oberdorfer's book is a dual edged sword. It provides a necessary history of the Cold War's begrudging last battle ground. It counters many DPRK characterizations that it is a reckless or insane government (if only its domestic policies were as successful as its diplomatic brinkmanship). It is a wonderful demonstration of successful modern diplomacy: networking and aid Vs. military power and imperialism. It does a remarkable, albeit obtuse job covering the first Korean nuclear crisis, being the most comprehensive retelling we will get. It also counters specific South Korean accusations of American domestic meddling and "colonization." On the other hand, Oberdorfer is as respectful as he can be of a country he condescends to. As the Washington Post's Asian Correspondent from the 1970's, one would expect more poignant observations than smells of garlic in elevators. The insultingly trivial conclusion, "Hold on your hats. Korea is a land of surprises," gives credence to Korean / Eastern complaints of Western cultural arrogance. Imagine the outrage if France wrote an American history book portraying the Revolutionary Army and the Founding Fathers as self-righteous, unclean children. The development of the North and South is glossed over as Oberdorfer concentrates on building the context of the next big international standoff. Incomprehensibly, progress in the modern Korean story is defined by outside recognition, not by domestic progress. This is not helped by Korean obsession over its international image, particularly in Europe. Sadly, this book will be the most substantial source of knowledge and exposure to Korea for Americans (Korean barbeque and Samsung don't count); it is a shame that it couldn't be less self-satisfying. Korea has been a subject to international powers for hundreds of years. Independence achieved, history proved it is not without its cruel irony. One country developed two political systems more contrasting than the yin-yang on the South Korean flag. Today, South Korea is the 12th richest country in the world. Its people are urbane, educated, and hardworking. It has modern infrastructure and the latest in technology. It is one of the great success stories of the second-half of the 20th century. North Korea, on the other hand, redefines hermetically sealed. Its singularity of consciousness is both dehumanizing and terrifying. The snippets of information collected from it astound: human meat markets, mass performance art, the Potemkin capital Pyongyang, outrageous propaganda from Korean Central News Authority, and its "illusive" leader, Kim Jong Il. Without a doubt, it is the most unique society on earth. Surely, the two Koreas deserve more introspection than what they are given here. But as smug elistists would say, only successful adults deserve such navel gazing.
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