The Impossible State Podcast
Podcast

The Impossible State

North Korea is the Impossible State. Each episode, join the people who know the most about North Korea for an insiders’ discussion with host Victor Cha about one of the United States’ top national security priorities. 

 

The Impossible State is produced by David Lotfi

Podcast Series by Victor Cha and Sydney Seiler

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The Impossible State

Bridge to Beijing? Kim Jong-un Crosses the Yalu

Dr. Victor Cha and Mr. Sydney Seiler discussed the significance of Kim Jong-un’s surprise visit to China, via the New Yalu River Bridge, exploring why Kim chose to visit China at this time and what the visit means ahead of President Trump’s upcoming trip to Asia.

Podcast Episode by Victor Cha and Sydney Seiler — October 27, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast
The Impossible State

Missile Madness: Prelude to Summit?

Dr. Victor Cha, Mr. Ankit Panda, and Ms. Jenny Town discussed North Korea’s recent missile launches, focusing on what the tests reveal about North Korea's military capabilities and the strategy behind the accelerated pace of launches.

Podcast Episode by Victor Cha — October 23, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast
The Impossible State

Brewing Korea Crisis? Mines, Missiles, & POWs

Dr. Victor Cha, Mr. Wonchul Kim, and Ms. Jeehye Yoo discussed President Lee’s North Korea initiative, recent tensions involving the DMZ and North Korean POWs, and the broader outlook for inter-Korean relations. 

Podcast Episode by Victor Cha — October 8, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast
The Impossible State

Lips and Teeth? China, North Korea, and the Korean Peninsula

Dr. Victor Cha, Dr. Bonny Lin, and Mr. Sydney Seiler discussed recent developments in China–North Korea relations and the broader implications of the Trump–Xi summit for regional security and geopolitics in Northeast Asia.

Podcast Episode by Victor Cha, Bonny Lin, and Sydney Seiler — September 25, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast
The Impossible State

Poisoning the Well: U.S.-Korea Trade Tension

Dr. Victor Cha, Adam Farrar, Eunjoong Kim, and Wonchul Kim discussed the recent U.S. House Judiciary Committee report on discriminatory practices, expiration of Section 122 tariffs, and the Korean investment deals. 

Podcast Episode by Victor Cha, Adam Farrar, Eunjoong Kim, and Wonchul Kim — July 31, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast
The Impossible State

What is North Korea learning from Russia's war in Ukraine?

Dr. Victor Cha, Ms. Kate Bondar, and Mr. Bruce Klingner discussed how the Ukraine war is reshaping warfare, what North Korea may learn from Russia, and the implications for Korean Peninsula security. 

Podcast Episode by Victor Cha and Kateryna Bondar — July 1, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast
The Impossible State

How Should the United States Counter the CRINK Axis?

Dr. Victor Cha, Igor Khrestin, Joseph Kim, and Dr. Maria Snegovaya join Will Todman to assess CRINK’s vulnerabilities and U.S. policy options on democracy, rights, and security.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman, Victor Cha, and Maria Snegovaya — June 12, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast
The Impossible State

The CRINK Challenge: Implications for North Korea and Global Security

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha, Dr. Edward Howell, and Mr. Sydney Seiler discussed North Korea's relationships with the CRINK countries and examine Beijing’s priorities heading into an imminent Xi-Kim summit. 

Podcast Episode by Sydney Seiler and Victor Cha — June 10, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast
The Impossible State

Cold Peace: Engaging DPRK to Reduce Risk and Threat

In this episode, Sydney Seiler, Ambassador Joseph Yun and Mr. Adam Farrar, discussed Dr. Victor Cha’s Foreign Affairs article “North Korea as It Is,” exploring frameworks for engaging Pyongyang, recognizing its nuclear reality, reducing risks, and pursuing conditions for future denuclearization.

Podcast Episode by Sydney Seiler, Adam Farrar, and Amb. Joseph Yun — May 27, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast
The Impossible State

Privileged But Powerless

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Dr. Jieun Baek discussed her new book, Privileged but Powerless: How North Korean Elite Grievances Reveal the Regime’s Greatest Weakness, and examined how grievances among North Korea’s elites may shape the regime’s future stability and security, while also exploring new approaches to addressing the North Korean threat.

Podcast Episode by Victor Cha — May 12, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast