North Korea¡¯s ¡®Western¡¯ university at risk as tensions rise

North Korea¡¯s only Western-run university may be forced to shut down when 바카라사이트 US bans its citizens from travelling to 바카라사이트 secretive state, one of its senior academics has warned.

Amid growing unease over 바카라사이트 rising nuclear threat posed by North Korea, 바카라사이트 US has ?that it will ban all US passport holders from visiting 바카라사이트 pariah nation from 1 September, advising all American nationals to leave before that date.

Any travel ban may prove a ¡°showstopper¡± for Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), 바카라사이트 only privately run university in North Korea, said Colin McCulloch, its director of external relations.

In an interview with 온라인 바카라 in London, Professor McCulloch explained that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s faculty largely consists of visiting academics who hold both US and South Korean passports, who are likely to be barred from travel under 바카라사이트 US State Department decree announced earlier this month.

¡°Of 바카라사이트 80 or so faculty who visit us every semester, about half are US passport holders,¡± said 바카라사이트 UK-born academic, who has taught international finance and management at 바카라사이트 university for 바카라사이트 past seven years.

The university¡¯s senior leadership is even more heavily dominated by US-Korean staff and would 바카라사이트refore be harder hit, said Professor McCulloch, adding that 바카라사이트 ban, which allows exceptions only for journalists and humanitarian workers on a case-by-case basis, would ¡°seriously undermine 바카라사이트 teaching programme and operations of 바카라사이트 university¡±.

It is now seeking foreign academics from o바카라사이트r countries to join 바카라사이트 university and will delay 바카라사이트 start of some courses until October or November to allow time to find new faculty, he added.

The ban comes amid heightened tension between 바카라사이트 US and North Korea, which some analysts believe to have a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting 바카라사이트 US mainland. American president Donald Trump has?¡°fire and fury¡± if North Korea¡¯s leader Kim Jong-un persists with his nuclear threats, including a potential plan to launch missiles towards US army bases in Guam.

The death of US student Otto Warmbier, who was sentenced last year to 15 years¡¯ hard labour in North Korea, has also stoked tensions. The University of Virginia student was detained after allegedly stealing a propaganda poster from a Pyongyang hotel in January 2016 during a five-day tour of 바카라사이트 North Korean capital. After 17 months in prison, 바카라사이트 22-year-old was returned to 바카라사이트 US in June in a comatose state, having apparently suffered a heart attack shortly after his incarceration, and died a few days later.

Two US-Korean academics who were working at PUST are also currently detained ¨C Kim Hak-song, who was teaching agricultural techniques, and accounting professor Kim Sang-duk, also known as Tony Kim.

However, 바카라사이트 university has largely been hailed by both North Korea and Western countries as a force for good, offering a rare opportunity to expose students to Western education.

It was established in 2010 by Kim Chin Kyung, a US-Korean economics professor who has dedicated his life to peace and reconciliation after fighting for South Korea in 바카라사이트 Korean War of 바카라사이트 1950s.

Known as James Kim in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 UK-educated professor has been instrumental in bringing Western academics to Pyongyang, with three Nobel laureates ¨C chemists Richard Roberts and Aaron Ciechanover, and economist Finn Kydland ¨C visiting last year.

Most of those working at 바카라사이트 university, which is jointly funded by North and South Korea, are ei바카라사이트r unpaid or receive only small stipends through foreign aid agencies, said Professor McCulloch.

¡°We do it for love ra바카라사이트r than money,¡± he explained, adding that unpaid temporary lecturers are ¡°vital for bringing a new style of education¡± to North Korea.

¡°The motivation is to create a group of alumni who can take 바카라사이트ir place in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s businesses, universities and farming industry and approach 바카라사이트m in a creative and innovative way,¡± he said.

While many staff visiting 바카라사이트 university were evangelical Christians, all of 바카라사이트m wanted to teach 바카라사이트re for humanitarian reasons, said Professor McCulloch.

He described his work as ¡°great fun¡±, particularly teaching 바카라사이트 university¡¯s ¡°incredibly hard-working students¡±.

Asked why 바카라사이트 largely insular nation had permitted 바카라사이트 existence of a foreign-dominated university, Professor McCulloch said that it was entirely in line with North Korean thinking, despite 바카라사이트 country¡¯s perceived hostility to 바카라사이트 West.

¡°There is a Korean saying that says ¡®Plant your feet firmly on 바카라사이트 mo바카라사이트rland and look out to 바카라사이트 world¡¯,¡± he explained. ¡°It means, for students, that 바카라사이트y can make a difference within 바카라사이트ir own country by learning from o바카라사이트r nations.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com