On Kim Jong-un’s “two hostile enemy states” theory and de-emphasis on unification policy
For two years now, one of the most written about and discussed topics among Korea watchers, analysts of Asian security, and international affairs experts in...
Remembering the Yeonpyeong Island bombardment
At 2.30 p.m. on November 23, 2010, the peace on the small, quiet, South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in the West Sea, was shattered in...
The people at the front are the poorest: The life of a Party member
Today, watching the news, I suddenly found myself thinking about North Korea again. There was the propaganda, once again declaring that “the Party devotes itself...
Party intensifies promotion of Kim Jong-un’s achievements… “Political study sessions sharply increased”
North Korea is intensifying propaganda efforts to highlight the achievements of Kim Jong-un ahead of the upcoming Party Congress, according to sources inside the isolated...
Erased yet feared: How North Korea sees defectors
On the screen in my home in Seoul, a report was airing about how North Korea refers to defectors. Actually, when I lived there, I...
Kim observes missile test… More than a technical display, a signal to neighboring states
On January 27, North Korea tested an upgraded large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system, once again stressing the need to “strengthen strategic deterrence.” The test, carried...
How to explain the appearance of EVs on Pyongyang streets?
Here's what happens every time an electric vehicle is reportedly spotted in North Korea: everybody stops and asks the same questions. How can EVs be...
North Korea: How much longer will their hollow dynasty last?
In November 2022, North Korea broke from its usual practice. Kim Jong-un presented his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, to the world. For a regime that keeps...
New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership
Study reference materials for the party faithful published last month by the Korea Workers’ Party Publishing House, provide a good indication of how the Kim...
Can Chanel bags spark a revolution?
For those who have fled North Korea in search of freedom and arrived in the South, certain questions always follow. For example, how can we...
Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)
An educational video, produced by North Korean authorities and obtained by NK Insider, highlights recent propaganda efforts to eradicate “anti-socialist” and “non-socialist” behavior. The video,...
Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?
One of the questions I was asked most often as I settled in South Korea was whether I preferred to be called a defector (talbukmin),...
2026: In a world hungrier than ever for electricity, nuclear-armed North Korea is unable to power daily life
Dandong, the Chinese port of 2.4 million on the North Korean border, remains brightly lit well into the night. At 9 p.m., neon signs glow...
Suppression of protests in Iran as viewed by pro-North Korean forces
Pro-North Korean forces in the U.S. have opposed any U.S. military action against Iran in light of the massacre of thousands of unarmed civilian protesters...
The illusion of a photo with Kim Jong-un: The tears behind North Korea’s military parades
Pyongyang’s military parades are portrayed by global media as dazzling displays of power. The world is familiar with the images of thousands of soldiers goose-stepping...
Weapons modernization and anti-U.S. strategic calculations amid the Russia–Ukraine war
North Korea has supplied Russia with large quantities of artillery shells and military equipment during what Moscow calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine. This...
Reporting the unreachable: why we need to keep paying attention
Journalists who cover North Korea face a simple reality: they do so despite knowing they almost certainly won’t get into the country itself — not...
Briefing January 9 ~ January 13
In a strongly worded statement, North Korea denounced what it claims was a “serious violation of sovereignty” after shooting down a drone which it said...