North Korea

All of the stories in The Accusation take place in North Korea, a communist state under the dictatorial rule of Kim Il-sung, and then Kim Jong-il at the time the action is taking place. It is a rare glimpse at life in the notoriously secretive country where the borders are heavily guarded, censorship is abundant, and the government employs propaganda to shape the national narrative, both locally and globally. Through these stories, the reader can see the myriad ways the totalitarian government oppresses and exploits its citizens, through the eyes of someone who is living there. In most of the stories, the exact city or village setting goes unnamed, the major exception being "City of Specters," which takes place in Pyongyang, the nation's capital.

Kim Il-sung Square

The events in "City of Specters" take place in Pyongyang in the area of Kim Il-sung Square. The Square is...