The Rising Use of Cell Phones in North Korea: Catalyst for Change or Instrument of Control?
One of the few privileges I had as a child in North Korea was living next to a post office (referred to as cheshinso in North Korea). Since most North Koreans didn’t have their own phones at the time, they had to make phone calls at the post office.
DPRK’s Increasingly Vulnerable Regime Desperate to Block Cross-Border Information Flows
North Korea has a long history of blocking and suppressing information from the outside world, so after the country finally reopened its borders about three years after the threat of COVID-19 somewhat subsided, the regime’s subsequent attempts to further stem the tide of information flows have caused concern among North Koreans and others outside the country.
Enforced Silence
“We stay silent not because our life is good enough, but to survive.” This was my response to a question from a member of the audience during my lecture on North Korea, who asked, “Aren’t the people of North Korea not protesting and staying silent because their life is good enough?”
To survive in North Korea, rules 1, 2, and 3 are “Watch your mouth.”
South Korea Bans Dog Meat but “Sweet Meat Stew” Still Cherished in North Korea
On January 9, 2024, South Korean legislators banned the breeding and slaughter of dogs for human consumption due to various factors like shifting cultural norms and international criticism of the consumption of dog meat.
Yet for many North Koreans and older generations of South Koreans, eating boshintang (dog meat stew) during the summer is an important culinary tradition.
For generations, Koreans have eaten nutritious, reinvigorating stews like boshintang during the hot summer months to restore energy, combat fatigue, and alleviate other symptoms caused by the summer heat.
Hundreds of North Korean Defectors Repatriated by China Face Miserable Fate
Chinese authorities captured North Korean defectors fleeing from human rights abuses and forcibly sent them back to North Korea, where they often face severe repercussions.
Speculation About Kim Ju Ae’s Succession in North Korea Is Premature and Unsubstantiated
Recently, Kim Jong Un’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, has received a lot of international media attention, and on January 4, 2024, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) determined that she is Kim Jong Un’s “most likely successor.”
Speculation about the third succession within North Korea’s ruling family – fueled by hype and arbitrary interpretations – has been treated as if it were an established fact by both South Korean and international media.
However, North Koreans interviewed for this article are skeptical.
DPRK’s Reorganized Military Automation General Bureau to Manage Integrated Computerized Command Network for Entire Armed Forces
Recently, the North Korean military appears to have promoted the “Command Automation Bureau” under the General Staff to the “Military Automation General Bureau” as a solution to establish and manage an integrated computer system for the entire armed forces in light of the new deployment of strategic units within the military.
North Korea Has Cash Cards?
“There are cash cards in North Korea?” When I tell people that there are cash cards in North Korea, they look surprised.
In fact, North Korea has had cash cards since 2005, when the North East Asia Bank (a joint bank now called the KKG Bank) issued the Sili Card, which was mainly used by foreigners and the upper class when they paid merchants.
In fact, North Korea has had cash cards since 2005, when the North East Asia Bank (a joint bank now called the KKG Bank) issued the Sili Card, which was mainly used by foreigners and the upper class when they paid merchants.
North Korean soldiers no longer believe war propaganda
The bellicose posture of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is stoking the flames of war. But morale in the Korean People's Army is low and...
North Korean Nuclear Doctrine Unveiled
The denuclearization of North Korea still remains elusive decades after the DPRK conducted its first nuclear test in 2006, but the reason for its nuclear threats is becoming clearer and more dangerous as time passes.
The Hidden Tragedy of North Korea’s Camp 16
The persistence of the Kim dynasty’s human rights abuses in North Korea for over 70 years is appalling, and the international community must continue to make efforts to end this multi-generational savagery. Tragically, Kim Jong-un continues to perpetuate these crimes with impunity.
Striving Toward the Depoliticization of North Korean Human Rights
“If you really want to tell people about the current human rights situation in North Korea, fly there and talk to North Koreans since that would be faster. Why would you give our president an extra burden?”
Rampant Bribery and Graft in North Korea
The international organization Transparency International publishes an annual “Corruption Perceptions Index” (CPI) to evaluate corruption in 180 countries and North Korea has consistently been ranked as one of the most corrupt nations worldwide.