Join us for this installment of our popular Chat & Chowder series, featuring Sung-Yoon Lee, Wilson International Competition Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, to discuss his new book, The Sister: The Extraordinary Story of Kim Yo Jong, the Most Powerful Woman in North Korea.

Chat & Chowder programs are an excellent opportunity to engage with expert speakers and to network with other globally-oriented participants in an informal environment. Each event features a presentation, audience Q&A, dedicated time for networking, and (of course!) a selection of chowders and beverages.

Thanks to the generous support of The Lowell Institute, Chat & Chowder is now free of charge for all participants (Zoom live-streams remain free as well). We sincerely appreciate The Lowell Institute’s commitment to our mission, as well as the support of our venue, Foley & Lardner LLP. Please consider helping sustain this work by making a contribution here.

This program will be streamed to Zoom from 6:15 to 7:15. To attend the virtual program, please register here.

Advance registration is required. We cannot accommodate walk-ins for the in-person program.

Dr. Sung-Yoon Lee is Wilson International Competition Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Previously, he taught Korean history at the Fletcher School, Tufts University.

He has written on the politics of the Korean peninsula for numerous publications including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. He has testified as an expert witness at the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee hearings on North Korea policy and has advised senior leaders, including the President of the United States.

Dr. Lee is the author of The Sister: The Extraordinary Story of Kim Yo Jong, North Korea’s Most Powerful Woman. It was published by Pan MacMillan in the United Kingdom in June and by PublicAffairs in the United States and Canada in September under the title, The Sister: North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong, the Most Dangerous Woman in the World, with translation rights sold to nine other countries to date.

Scott Steindorff, renowned for his productions such as “Station Eleven” and “The Lincoln Lawyer,” as well as numerous other acclaimed projects through Stone Village Films, has secured the documentary feature film rights for Lee’s critically acclaimed bestseller. Lee will serve as Executive Producer.

Written by Dr Sung-Yoon Lee, a scholar and specialist on North Korea who has advised the US government, The Sister is a jaw-dropping account of the spectacular rise of Kim Yo Jong, de-facto deputy to her brother, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, and the most powerful woman in North Korea.

In 2022, in a particularly fiery speech, Kim Yo Jong threatened to nuke South Korea, reminding the world of the dangers posed by her state. But how did the youngest daughter of Dear Leader Kim Jong Il, his ‘sweet princess’, become the ruthless chief propagandist, internal administrator and foreign policymaker for her brother’s totalitarian regime?

The Sister uncovers the truth about Kim Yo Jong, her close bond with Kim Jong Un and the lessons in manipulation they learned from their father. He also examines the iron grip the Kim dynasty has on their country, the grotesque deaths of family members deemed disloyal, and the signs that Kim Yo Jong has been positioned as her brother’s successor should he die while his own children are young.

Readable and insightful, this book is an invaluable portrait of a woman who might yet hold the survival of her despotic dynasty in her hands.

WorldBoston’s Chat & Chowder series features key authors on international affairs in an engaging setting. In addition to discussion of a featured book (usually sold at a significant discount), the program offers the opportunity for discussion among members and guests – and of course a selection of chowders and beverages. This Chat & Chowder will be hosted in-person (from 6:00 to 7:30PM ET) and live-streamed to Zoom (from 6:15 to 7:15 PM ET only).