SEOUL, January 25, 2010 - The Asia Society Korea Center hosted a special book signing cocktail reception for Barbara Demick, Beijing bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times, at the Lotte Hotel Seoul's Pierre's Bar in celebration of her newly published book, Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea. This was Demick's second talk to Asia Society members, her first being at the New York Center on January 7.

Prior to the book signing, Demick briefly discussed her visits to North Korea and Nothing to Envy, which focuses on refugees from Chongjin, an impoverished industrial capital that is North Korea's third-largest city. H. Kim, one of the North Korean refugees Demick interviewed for the book, was also on hand for this portion of the program. 

Demick served as Seoul bureau chief for the Times from 2001-2006 and during that time became increasingly interested in North Korean human rights issues. So far, she has visited Pyongyang on three occasions, and also covered the New York Philharmonic Orchestra's performance there in 2008.

Demick also has longtime ties to the Asia Society, having been a recipient of the its 2006 Osborn Elliott Prize for Excellence in Asian Journalism.