An American Spy Inside North Korea (2nd Revised Edition): U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency Operations Above the 38th Parallel

by Theodore Schweitzer

Theodore Schweitzer, an American working clandestinely with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), travels to North Korea more than a dozen times over a two and a half year period posing as a simple tourist and humanitarian. His intelligence reports from inside North Korea are so strategically significant that they are read by President Obama personally. Now you can read the exact same intelligence reports that were read by President Obama and U.S. intelligence chiefs to make policy decisions about North Korea. This new 2nd Edition of An American Spy Inside North Korea is the true story of Theodore Schweitzer’s nearly three-year series of secret missions to North Korea involving a dozen trips to the world’s most dangerous country on behalf of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. Mr. Schweitzer secretly visited North Korea more times than nearly almost any other American and spent more time there than almost any other American has. A chapter on Otto Warmer has also been added to this new 2nd Revised Edition.

519 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2017

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's more like 3.5 stars. This could have been a much better book if he expanded on his visits a little more. Instead, he seemed to rush through his visits, bounce back and forth, and leave a lot out. I fully understand that there is a LOT that he couldn't say or explain due to the nature of why he was going, but he seemed to defend a lot of the country, dispelled some rumors, while not doing anything to address others (such as does extreme poverty and starvation truly exist throughout the country, as reported, or did he just not/was not allowed to witness that?) He only said that the West claims such things, but nothing more.
In part 2, he explained that the people he was going to talk about were going to contain psychological profiles as well. There wasn't any such thing. He was correct about repeating himself, as many of the people had the same introductions and explanations as he gave during the first part, including height, weight, and general descriptions.
While I know that the EFC was part of his cover, he never said whether he was going to continue the work from the US, turn it over to someone else, or help the orphans and disabled in some other way.

[Mary Rush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a fantastically written book, but a story that needs to be read.

[Read a Book · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly edited, and highly suspect. Even if you are willing to believe that a DIA intel source in DPRK would be allowed to tell their story openly, so soon after their last mission to DPRK (I do not), the analysis presented in this book is naive to the point of foolishness. Between an emphasis upon 400-1000 year policy timelines, to a lack of critical introspection into the political science of the Korean Peninsula, to an incomplete view of technological development and military policy, leaves the reader with significant skepticism.

Is the author truthful? If so, how would he gain access to such insight into the most candid thoughts of DPRK citizens - especially when he is an American that has triggered the awareness of Security Forces? If not, what parts are embellished, and why?

Does the author have real knowledge of Otto Warmbier's life in DPRK, or is he telling stories to sell copy? Mr. Warmbier's tragic end is extremely regrettable, yet no physician has indicated that Mr. Warmbier was tortured.

Did the author interact with everyday DPRK citizens? He makes multiple claims regarding the economic development, and relative financial prosperity of its citizens, that runs contrary to THOUSANDS of published reports worldwide (not just in Westernized sources).

If the author is truthful, he has made life MUCH more difficult for any American mission to DPRK. If the author is dishonest - in any way - shame on them. In either scenario, this book is both spurious in its claims, and repetitive at times.

The photos are nice, and the book would be a credit to the field if it was nothing more than a holistic view of the country based upon someone given the rare opportunity to visit all provinces, and all cities, of DPRK. However, it is impossible to take seriously given its angle, narrative, and questionable background.