Mark James Russell is a journalist, writer, and North Korea expert based in Seoul. He moved to South Korea in 1996 and has since worked as an editor for The Korea Herald and written about various aspects of Korean society. He is known for his reporting and analysis on North Korea, having visited the country several times. His works include "Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea" and "Korea: The Impossible Country". He has also collaborated with other authors on books about Korean culture and politics.