Ken Gause

Ken Gause is an expert on the North Korean leadership and political system. He has written several books on North Korea, focusing on its politics, military apparatus and internal security system. These include “North Korean House of Cards,” which has become a widely referenced book for the leadership structure and dynamics under Kim Jong-un. Gause created the Adversary Analytics Program at CNA, devoted to developing methodologies and frameworks for understanding hard-target regimes such as Russia, North Korea and Iran. He now serves as a senior advisor for CNA's North Korean portfolio. He is also the director of CNA's Unidentified Aerial Phenomena community of interest.

Prior to joining CNA,  Gause worked in the U.S. government and a number of think tanks on international security issues. He has a Master of Arts in Soviet and East European Studies from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Vanderbilt University.