Generated by All in One SEO Pro v4.9.10, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # NK Insider Informed analyses about North Korea by North Koreans ## Posts ### [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) **Published:** July 15, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![group of uniformed officials and executives standing in a spacious modern train station listening to a speaker](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/화면-캡처-2026-07-03-204855-e1783342182548.jpg "화면 캡처 20260703 204855 | nk insider")When Kim Jong-un inspected a new station on the country’s east coast last month, his visit highlighted a strange feature of North Korea. That is that leisure is not for locals. Kim was checking on newly built facilities in the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone and, in particular, the railroad station and an emergency treatment center. According to state-run media, he gave detailed instructions on tourist transportation, the organization of tourist trains, medical services, and station operations. “It seems only yesterday that we selected a site near the coastal tourist zone so as to ensure convenience for passengers visiting the tourist area, but in just one year a modern railway station has been built,” he said. He also expressed satisfaction with the station’s design and layout. “(It) has been harmoniously composed in line with our Party’s architectural-aesthetic ideas, practical layout principles, and the demands of the times,” he said. The state’s media packaged this as an achievement of modernization. But the photos revealed a different message, one that is so normal for North Koreans that their media would not have seen anything unusual. ![group of uniformed officials and civilians lined up on the upper level of kalma tourist railway station beside a blue sign reading kalma tourist railway station](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/화면-캡처-2026-07-03-204937.jpg "화면 캡처 20260703 204937 | nk insider")*Image:KCNA*The most striking feature in the photos is the large sign inside the station that spells out the station’s name in English – the Kalma Tourist Railway Station. I should point out that, while South Koreans use American English and say “railroad station,” the North Koreans use British English. Hence the use of “railway.” But this is not the strange part. What is distinctly odd is the insertion of the word “tourist” into the station’s name. What this reveals is that the facility is intended for foreigners, not locals. It exists to earn foreign currency. Inside the gleaming station, generals and party officials took in the broad platforms and the modern escalators, shops, and restaurants. Rather than the formal opening of a beach resort, their presence gave it the feel of a military-style inspection of a foreign currency earner run by a dictatorship. ![modern train station with a green passenger carriage on tracks beneath a glass and metal canopy a group of people on the platform](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/화면-캡처-2026-07-03-204916-e1783342226448.jpg "화면 캡처 20260703 204916 | nk insider")*Image:KCNA*The dark-green passenger car on one side of the photo, which appears to be Kim’s personal armored train, captures the contradiction. South Korea’s Yonhap News also interpreted the report as showing North Korea’s[ intent to earn hard currency by attracting foreign tourists](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260626001800315). The Sejong Institute in Seoul assessed the recently completed Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone as a[ strategically pursued flagship tourist-zone development](https://sejong.org/web/boad/22/egoread.php?bd=24&itm=&pg=1&seq=12424&txt=) project from the early years of Kim’s rule, analyzing that North Korea is trying to cultivate the tourism industry in order to secure scarce foreign currency and improve its image. 38 North has also pointed out that[ developing the tourism industry has been a high priority](https://www.38north.org/2023/01/north-koreas-tourism-industry-a-grand-initiative-in-limbo/) during Kim’s rule. Sanctions hinder much of the North’s economy, but tourism is something of a grey area. American tourism is effectively blocked, and potential visitors from other western countries face major safety, sanctions, and reputational risks. That leaves Russians and Chinese. The recent tightening of North Korea’s ties with Moscow and Beijing makes this calculation even clearer. Whether Kalma can become a savior for the economy, however, remains to be seen. A few groups of tourists, several Russian package tours, and some Chinese border tourism will not erase North Korea’s low productivity, energy shortages, sanctions risks, or outdated financial and logistics systems. Moreover, tourism in North Korea is “glass-box,” in that movement, contact, and consumption are tightly controlled. Even if Kalma succeeds, those most likely to smile are not ordinary residents, but the party, the military, and foreign-currency-earning agencies. That is why the shiny floor of Kalma Tourist Railway Station reflects North Korea’s reality in an even colder light. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20inspects%20a%20new%20station%20for%20%E2%80%9Ctourists%E2%80%9D%20that%20locals%20won%E2%80%99t%20be%20able%20to%20use.&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20inspects%20a%20new%20station%20for%20%E2%80%9Ctourists%E2%80%9D%20that%20locals%20won%E2%80%99t%20be%20able%20to%20use. https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20inspects%20a%20new%20station%20for%20%E2%80%9Ctourists%E2%80%9D%20that%20locals%20won%E2%80%99t%20be%20able%20to%20use. "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20inspects%20a%20new%20station%20for%20%E2%80%9Ctourists%E2%80%9D%20that%20locals%20won%E2%80%99t%20be%20able%20to%20use.&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20inspects%20a%20new%20station%20for%20%E2%80%9Ctourists%E2%80%9D%20that%20locals%20won%E2%80%99t%20be%20able%20to%20use. "Reddit") **Categories:** Articles, Economy --- ### [Pyongyang's lights are North Korea's greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) **Published:** July 12, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![nighttime cityscape with a tall twisting illuminated skyscraper and other lit buildings against a dark sky](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Istock-628318194.jpg "Night view of pyongyang city | nk insider")To outsiders, North Korea seems to be changing and for the better. More cars fill the streets. Young people carry smartphones. New apartment buildings glow at night. The Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone even welcomes visitors with signs in English. It is easy to conclude that the once sealed-off country is doing okay and opening up. I understand the temptation. When the photos you see show the same scenes for decades, small changes naturally encourage hope. And it is true that there are new buildings. Mobile phones are indeed more common. Markets have expanded, and more goods circulate. Sometimes a small crack really does become the beginning of a larger opening. But when I see those photographs, I remember a different North Korea. In May 2023, I crossed the West Sea to South Korea with my family of nine. The country I left behind was not the one shown in tourist publicity photos. It was a place where we never knew when the electricity would return. We worried that the rice we had cooked would grow cold before the power came on again. A freezer without electricity was simply a large empty box. In summer we hurried to eat food before it spoiled. In winter, the outdoors became our refrigerator. During COVID, that suffocating feeling grew even worse. With the borders and sea routes closed, trade collapsed, goods became scarce, and daily life tightened. “Disease prevention” meant more than fighting a virus. It meant tighter restrictions on movement, speech and business. Some people feared hunger more than COVID itself. In North Korea, every crisis arrives twice: first as a disaster, then as government control. That is why, whenever I see those impressive nighttime photographs of Pyongyang, I ask myself: Where did that light come from? You see, even electricity is distributed according to status. Pyongyang is the showroom. It is where foreigners visit, senior officials live, and Kim Jong-un appears before the cameras. Keeping the capital lit up is part of maintaining the illusion. Everywhere else, though, power cuts are routine. People do not live by the clock; they live by the moments when electricity happens to arrive. What I am saying is that a bright capital does not mean a bright country. More often, it means the regime decides who deserves the light, and who remains in the dark. The same illusion surrounds mobile phones. There are certainly more of them today. People use them to trade in the *jangmadang* markets and keep in touch with relatives. Young people take photographs, listen to music and play games. To an outsider, this looks like a society becoming more connected. But the important thing about a North Korean smartphone is not what it is. It is what it cannot do. For ordinary people, a mobile phone is not a window onto the world. It is more like a lamp that shines only inside a room permitted by the state. The global internet is inaccessible. Foreign news, South Korean dramas, and K-pop are treated as dangerous contraband rather than ordinary entertainment. One of the greatest culture shocks after arriving in South Korea was the discovery that I could search for anything on my phone. If I was curious, I could simply look it up. The freedom felt so unnatural that, at first, my fingers hesitated. In South Korea, curiosity begins with a search bar. In North Korea, it can end in an interrogation room. Censorship is woven into daily life. Officials can inspect homes without warning, checking phones and storage devices. Around markets they question people about what they have watched, who gave it to them, and whether they shared it with others. Deleting a file does not necessarily erase the danger. A phone may help someone earn a living, but it can also become evidence against them. What this tells me is that technology does not automatically take the side of freedom. In a dictatorship, it can become a more sophisticated shackle. Some readers may still ask whether these visible changes are at least steps in the right direction. If English signs appear, tourist zones expand and smartphones become common, couldn’t they eventually lead to deeper reform?Perhaps. More goods, more information and more outside contact can gradually change even a tightly controlled society. I would welcome that. But we must distinguish between changes that expand people’s freedom and changes that simply help the regime polish its image and earn foreign currency. A beach resort with English signs tells us little about the lives of the people who cannot leave their own country. A brightly lit apartment block tells us little about the families who still wait hours for electricity. A smartphone that cannot freely connect to the world is not a symbol of liberty but of carefully managed control. I do not oppose small changes. On the contrary, I want North Koreans to have more light, more information and more choices. What concerns me is how readily outsiders applaud the spotlight created by a dictatorship without a mind to the millions left in the shadows. Those people still light oil lamps. They hide foreign videos. They own phones that cannot connect them to the world. The North Korean regime understands how to put on a show. It cleans the roads, polishes the hotels, and trains the guides to smile, and to cry when they wave goodbye. Even a dictatorship can learn the language of tourism promotion. What it has never learned is how to treat its own citizens as human beings. When I fled, I tried not to look back. I feared my resolve would fail if I did. Now I look back often, not at the glittering photographs of the false city, but at the homes those lights never reached. To understand North Korea, do not look only at the lights of Pyongyang. Look at the shadows they create. North Korea’s greatest lie is not simply what it hides. It is that it turns on the lights to conceal the darkness. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Pyongyang%27s%20lights%20are%20North%20Korea%27s%20greatest%20lie%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Pyongyang%27s%20lights%20are%20North%20Korea%27s%20greatest%20lie%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Pyongyang%27s%20lights%20are%20North%20Korea%27s%20greatest%20lie%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Pyongyang%27s%20lights%20are%20North%20Korea%27s%20greatest%20lie%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Pyongyang%27s%20lights%20are%20North%20Korea%27s%20greatest%20lie%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [New destroyer signals North Korea's push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) **Published:** July 9, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![bow view of a gray military destroyer docking at a harbor with large white cranes and people on the pier in the background](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/화면-캡처-2026-07-03-204040.jpg "화면 캡처 20260703 204040 | nk insider")North Korea commissioned a new multipurpose destroyer on June 23 at Nampho Port, according to the state-run KCNA news agency. The *Choe Hyon*, named after the late resistance comrade and defense minister under founding father Kim Il-sung, was immediately assigned to the West Sea Fleet. In his speech at the commissioning ceremony, Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader and grandson of the country’s founder, claimed that “the era in which our navy existed as a force for coastal defense is now clearly a thing of the past.” “The nuclear armament of the navy is proceeding along its course exactly as planned,” Kim said, in a speech that revealed[ an ambitious plan](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-should-build-two-warships-year-next-five-years-kim-says-2026-06-23/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) to build two surface ships of 5,000 tons or more every year over the next five years, and to launch a 10,000-ton-class strategic vessel. This commissioning ceremony can be seen as a result of the “five-year plan for the development of defense science and weapons systems” that Kim presented at the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea in January 2021. This plan led to the operational deployment of long-range cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, solid-fuel ICBMs, military reconnaissance satellites, and other systems in line with those priorities, according to[ Japan’s Ministry of Defense](https://www.mod.go.jp/en/d_act/sec_env/pdf/dprk_d-act.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com). 38 North also noted that Kim at the time had[ set out goals including](https://www.38north.org/2025/06/north-koreas-failed-ship-launch-failure-or-a-step-toward-progress/) nuclear-powered submarines, underwater-launched nuclear strategic weapons, tactical nuclear weapons, hypersonic glide vehicles, and multiple-warhead technology. The *Choe Hyon*, therefore, is not so much a showpiece that suddenly appeared out of nowhere but is an extension of the “diversification of nuclear forces” and the “strategic transformation of the navy.” The commissioning ceremony sent three broad signals. First, North Korea’s navy is trying to move up in weight class from a small coastal force. Second, this shift is not so much modernization as part of an expansion of sea-based nuclear forces linked to the five-year weapons-development plan. Third, the missiles, air-defense systems, radars, and fire-control equipment believed to be installed on the *Choe Hyon* may be connected to Russian technical support, making the ship a potential new product of North Korea-Russia military cooperation. Photos released by KCNA show that the new vessel belongs to a completely different weight class from the small fast attack craft and patrol ships that have traditionally made up the North Korean navy. ![gray naval destroyer with sailors on deck sailing near a port hull marked 51](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/화면-캡처-2026-07-03-204332-e1783618158586.jpg "화면 캡처 20260703 204332 | nk insider")*Image: KCNA.*Visible features include a sloped stealth-style hull at the bow, a large mast, square panels that appear to be phased-array radars, a bow gun, an area presumed to contain vertical launch cells, and a flight deck at the stern. CSIS’s “Beyond Parallel” project assessed the *Choe Hyon* class as[ the largest North Korean combat ship to date](https://beyondparallel.csis.org/north-korea-launches-the-choe-hyon-guided-missile-destroyer/), saying that it appears to be equipped with a 127 mm-class gun, multiple vertical launch cells, close-in weapon systems, electronic-warfare equipment, and space for operating a helicopter or unmanned aircraft. However, it should not immediately be regarded as being on the same level as the American Arleigh Burke-class, the South Korean Sejong the Great-class, or the Japanese Maya-class Aegis destroyers. The external appearance is akin to a modern destroyer, but the core lies in the combat system: long-range detection and tracking, simultaneous multi-target engagement, and fleet-network integration. There is still no evidence that North Korea has secured that level of capability. The *Choe Hyon* appears to be closer to a transitional vessel combining a Russian-style heavily armed frigate with a North Korean nuclear and missile platform than to a “North Korean Aegis ship.” The possibility of Russian support remains a key possibility. Shortly after the *Choe Hyon* was unveiled, Lee Sung-joon, spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that, judging by the shape of the weapons and equipment, there was a possibility that North Korea had[ received technology, funding, and assistance from Russia](https://www.rfa.org/korean/in-focus/2025/05/01/north-korea-choe-hyun-guided-missile-destroyer/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). RFA reported his remarks, noting that suspicions of[ Russian technical support](https://www.rfa.org/korean/in-focus/2025/05/01/north-korea-choe-hyun-guided-missile-destroyer/) were fueled by the ship’s supersonic cruise missiles, phased-array radar, and advanced naval equipment. Business Insider also reported that military analysts had focused on the resemblance between the *Choe Hyon*’s air-defense system and Russia’s Pantsir series. However, conclusions should not be drawn too quickly. There is no physical evidence that Russia handed over the entire ship design. At present, it is more realistic to believe that Russian-style technology or assistance may have been introduced in areas such as missiles, air-defense systems, radar, fire control, electronic equipment, and propulsion or operational advice. ![north korean flag beside a red carpet parade of uniformed cadets officials photographers and a large crowd watch from the stands](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Kju.jpg "Kju | nk insider")*Image: KCNA.*The significance of the *Choe Hyon* becomes clearer when viewed alongside North Korea’s recent submarine-development trajectory. In September 2023, Pyongyang launched the *Hero Kim Kun Ok*, which it described as a[ “tactical nuclear attack submarine”](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-launches-new-tactical-nuclear-attack-submarine-kcna-2023-09-07/) and reported that the submarine had been assigned to[ a fleet responsible for waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-launches-new-tactical-nuclear-attack-submarine-kcna-2023-09-07/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). Experts, however, believed that it was not a nuclear-powered submarine but rather a potential nuclear-armed platform converted from an existing diesel submarine. Later, in 2025, North Korea released for the first time photos of what it called a “nuclear-powered strategic guided-missile submarine” under construction. AP quoted Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert at Hanyang University in Seoul, saying the vessel appeared to be a 6,000- to 7,000-ton-class submarine capable of carrying around 10 nuclear-capable missiles. CSIS explained that North Korea’s goal of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines was first[ officially set out in the five-year weapons-development plan announced at the Eighth Party Congress](https://www.csis.org/analysis/north-korea-announces-nuclear-powered-submarine-development) in 2021. In other words, North Korea appears to be trying to create two pillars of sea-based nuclear forces: nuclear submarines below the surface, and *Choe Hyon*-class destroyers on the surface. ![ceremonial artillery battery firing from wheeled cannons on a red carpet by a lake soldiers in dress uniforms](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/화면-캡처-2026-07-03-204214-e1783618207656.jpg "화면 캡처 20260703 204214 | nk insider")***I****mage: KCNA.*The gun salute depicted in the photos is not mere ceremony. The sight of guns ceremonially firing along a red carpet, with white smoke wafting toward the sea, says more than “a new warship has joined the navy.” It is staged to elevate the new vessel into a national strategic asset. North Korean media reports said that the naval flag was raised as the ship’s horn was sounded and nine rounds fired. Compared with the earlier launch for the *Hero Kim Kun Ok*, which featured[ a Western-style ceremony in which Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui appeared to break a champagne bottle](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/submarine-09142023194505.html), gunpowder replaced the bubbly. This is somewhat comic, but the message is serious. North Korea is now reinventing its navy for nuclear deterrence. That does not mean the *Choe Hyon* should be overestimated. Large surface ships are exposed to satellites, patrol aircraft, submarines, unmanned aircraft, and electronic-intelligence collection networks. To conduct actual blue-water operations, a navy needs maintenance, supply, at-sea refueling, anti-submarine helicopters, trained crews, integrated command and control, and modern naval bases. Kim Jong-un himself, in fact, suggested in his speech that the navy lacks sufficient bases for mooring large combat ships. In addition, the *Kang Kon*, known as the second ship of the *Choe Hyon* class, suffered an accident during its launch at Chongjin in 2025, which 38 North said was[ an example of the limitations](https://www.38north.org/2025/06/north-koreas-failed-ship-launch-failure-or-a-step-toward-progress/) in reliably building, launching, and operating large combat ships. In conclusion, the *Choe Hyon* is not a “fully formed naval capability” capable of matching U.S., South Korean, and Japanese Aegis destroyers. But it is a signal that North Korea is expanding the military five-year plan presented at the Eighth Party Congress in 2021 into sea-based nuclear forces. The North Korean nuclear and missile platforms that South Korea, the United States, and Japan must detect and track in the future have now expanded beyond land and underwater systems to include surface ships as well. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=New%20destroyer%20signals%20North%20Korea%27s%20push%20for%20a%20nuclear%20navy&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=New%20destroyer%20signals%20North%20Korea%27s%20push%20for%20a%20nuclear%20navy https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=New%20destroyer%20signals%20North%20Korea%27s%20push%20for%20a%20nuclear%20navy "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=New%20destroyer%20signals%20North%20Korea%27s%20push%20for%20a%20nuclear%20navy&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=New%20destroyer%20signals%20North%20Korea%27s%20push%20for%20a%20nuclear%20navy "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [2026 Midterm Reports Show Progress Across HRF’s North Korea Grant Portfolio](https://www.nkinsider.org/2026-midterm-reports-show-progress-across-hrfs-north-korea-grant-portfolio/) **Published:** July 8, 2026 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** *Because the work described in this brief is sensitive, this article is not publicly listed and is accessible only to those with the direct URL.* This update provides a midterm overview of five North Korea-focused projects supported by HRF’s 2025 microgrants and being implemented in 2026. The grantees’ midterm reports demonstrate strong progress despite difficult, uncertain, and, in some cases, dangerous operating conditions. All five projects remain on budget and on track for completion. Once the projects are completed, and after HRF receives the final deliverables and reports by December, selected outcomes may be shared publicly through HRF’s annual reports and social media platforms. However, in accordance with the grantees’ requests and due to safety and security concerns, the names of Vision North, North Korean Writers in Exile PEN Center, and Korea Campus Crusade for Christ should be anonymized in any public-facing materials. **Midterm report highlights** **Vision North’s project**, led by Heyokha Lee, a North Korean defector and the group’s director, received $28,000 for the project, [Continuing the Record: Documents and Videos on Human Rights Violations in North Korea](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yppOaNbyE6krHOOD_C2eXpgwVwD4gxFx/view?usp=sharing), covering May 5-December 20, 2026. The project seeks to obtain and smuggle out 12 internal documents produced by the North Korean regime, along with 10 pieces of footage exposing human rights violations and the regime’s evolving methods of control. During the first phase, the team traveled to Dandong, China, met with trusted collaborators, assessed border conditions, selected smart cameras and storage devices, and delivered operational funds from the grant to their contacts. The main uncertainty is whether contacts can safely return from North Korea to China with target materials; delivery is expected between September and November, “depending on operational conditions.” The group has responded by prioritizing security, trust, discreet equipment, emergency precautions, and in-person coordination. The group noted in the report, regarding the project’s operating ethic: “Throughout this process, we have carefully prioritized security, trust, and operational discipline.” For more details, please see the group’s [midterm report](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m_sm3Szg3vK4fK6GgiBkHuJqVY9MC4bQ/view?usp=sharing). **North Korean Writers in Exile PEN Center’s project**, led by Kim Jungae, a North Korean defector and the group’s chair, received $10,000 for the project, [Uncovering North Korea: Reports Based on Internal Documentation](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p8YH3Z-s7sf9K47tKKWJpJlFlinKbueu/view?usp=sharing), for January – December 2026. It has produced 25 of 50 planned analytical articles on repression, ideological control, surveillance, youth control, women’s policing, labor exploitation, public backlash, and regime anxiety. The main challenges have been security and publication capacity: collaborators inside North Korea face risk, and sensitive information is often difficult to timely verify. The group has adopted by carefully reviewing incoming information, protecting sources, publishing articles through HRF’s NK Insider and other outlets, and continuing coordination with HRF’s Korea Desk for the second half of the year. Its appreciation for HRF’s support is reflected in the rights-focused articles “despite the sensitive and restricted nature of the work.” Please see the group’s [midterm report](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BPHeN77RDAvyuSdoOxZNn8fDHoZBGIHm/view?usp=sharing), for more details. **Lumina**, led by Kim Yu-mi, a North Korean defector, OFF speaker, and the group’s president, is carrying out the [Project 100 & Promoting NK Insider](https://drive.google.com/file/d/17kQlaAN1uU8-zmzILnmj7gVeN-Ox_V1I/view?usp=sharing)[ ](http:)from January 1- December 30, 2026. As of June 18, it has produced 50 of 100 planned videos and reached 1.1 million views. These videos humanize North Korean human rights issues through testimonies, interviews, commentary, escape stories, and depictions of surveillance, propaganda, resettlement, women’s experiences, and outside information. A striking example was Kim Yumi’s recent [encounter ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upop6Sp7xSY&list=PLllxoRMZlwayvTuV_tyohHi2hIM4lniH3&index=5)at Incheon International Airport in Seoul with visiting North Korean athletes, who had travelled to South Korea in May to attend the AFC Women’s Champions League semifinals. Under tight surveillance, the North Korean athletes “could not even make eye contact with her or respond to her message: ‘Welcome to South Korea. I also recently came from North Korea!’” Lumina’s challenge is to sustain quality and reach while covering painful, politically sensitive stories in a way board audiences will watch. Yumi expressed deep appreciation for HRF’s support, noting that it has been instrumental in expanding public understanding and making North Korean human rights issues emotionally accessible rather than abstract. The group’s midterm report can be accessed [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pXg-RcxY1pULf5AvthfDv1pO7oMPt9A2/view?usp=sharing). **Korea Campus Crusade for Christ**’s project, led by Timothy Kim, a defector and the NK project director, received $23,000 for the project, [Helping Realize the Potential of Tomorrow’s Leaders in North Korea II: The 2025–2026 Academic Year](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oak15pRfGe_nAmZ5HCTLApwO8CJe4q1S/view?usp=sharing), covering January-December 2026. The project aims to support North Korean escaped graduate students with tuition and essential academic living expenses. In the first half of the year, support went to three Ph.D students who were studying in the United States, helping them remain on track academically. One especially powerful result is that Park, an HRF-supported recipient, became the first North Korean escapee appointed as a professor at a prestigious university in Japan. The project’s challenge is long-term: preparing a small number of highly capable escapees for leadership while protecting their identities and families still in North Korea. KCCC will distribute the remaining funds to two additional graduate students in the second half of 2026. The group expressed its appreciation for HRF’s support, writing, “No matter what difficulties we face, we will never stop this project.” It also shared its hope that one day North Koreans will “rejoice and express gratitude for HRF’s help and support.” The group’s full midterm report can also be read [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AkYRMaoQcdM0Zz4wEeX0bhh_fF5y4VRv/view?usp=sharing). **NK Times**’s project, led by Kim Sewon, a North Korean defector and the group’s CEO, received $10,000 for its [News Strengthening Project](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V2WTmrMdisswZEfAMOUCYsaEIhOCzAQz/view?usp=sharing),running from January 10 – December 31, 2026. During January-May, it produced 72 news and analytical articles and conducted ten journalist trainings. Its most important achievement was obtaining and reporting on three internal Ministry of Social Security reports, including materials on border blockade work, social security task forces, and crime-prevention regulations. The NK Times team is working in an increasingly restricted reporting environment, as North Korean authorities continue to treat outside information as a regime threat.The organization is addressing this through stronger source-based reporting, propaganda analysis, verification training, and capacity-building for journalists. HRF’s support has strengthened both its output and organizational capacity, helping NK Times move beyond event reporting toward deeper analysis of “the gap between North Korean policies and realities.” Its Korean-language articles produced under the HRF-sponsored project can be found on [its website](https://nktimes.kr/) and their midterm report can be accessed [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_HEgIxDdc0dN3zJuTVgpfvV8Q31Md1pj/view?usp=sharing) for full details. Together, these projects demonstrate the impact of HRF’s support across key areas of the North Korean human rights field, including evidence preservation, research and analysis, public outreach, leadership development, and independent reporting. Thank you for taking the time to review this report. Should you request additional details on any of the projects mentioned above, Seongmin Lee, HRF’s Director of the Korea Desk, can privately brief you. Please reach out to . - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") [Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/) Seongmin is the director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation. [![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") Latest posts by Seongmin Lee ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/)) - [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) - March 10, 2026 - [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) - January 10, 2025 - [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - January 9, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=2026%20Midterm%20Reports%20Show%20Progress%20Across%20HRF%E2%80%99s%20North%20Korea%20Grant%20Portfolio&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=2026%20Midterm%20Reports%20Show%20Progress%20Across%20HRF%E2%80%99s%20North%20Korea%20Grant%20Portfolio https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=2026%20Midterm%20Reports%20Show%20Progress%20Across%20HRF%E2%80%99s%20North%20Korea%20Grant%20Portfolio "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/2026-midterm-reports-show-progress-across-hrfs-north-korea-grant-portfolio/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=2026%20Midterm%20Reports%20Show%20Progress%20Across%20HRF%E2%80%99s%20North%20Korea%20Grant%20Portfolio&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/2026-midterm-reports-show-progress-across-hrfs-north-korea-grant-portfolio/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=2026%20Midterm%20Reports%20Show%20Progress%20Across%20HRF%E2%80%99s%20North%20Korea%20Grant%20Portfolio "Reddit") **Categories:** HRF Grants --- ### [Report on HRF-Supported USB Distribution into North Korea in May](https://www.nkinsider.org/report-on-hrf-supported-usb-distribution-into-north-korea-in-may/) **Published:** July 8, 2026 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** *Because the work described in this brief is sensitive, this article is not publicly listed and is accessible only to those with the direct URL.* The Human Rights Foundation recently supported NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language media outlet founded by North Korean defector and journalist Sewon Kim, with 750 USB drives for distribution into North Korea. NK Times specializes in reporting on North Korean politics, the economy, military affairs, culture, and human rights violations, and has continued to work closely with HRF and NK Insider on information access efforts. This distribution took place under urgent and sensitive circumstances. NK Times had been maintaining a secure, in-person network connected to North Korean workers and managers in China, primarily in Changbai Korean Autonomous County and Dandong. At present, this Northeast China route remains one of the only viable channels for this work, particularly as the South Korean government continues to restrict information dissemination activities near the inter-Korean border. In mid-May, one of NK Times’ contacts in Changbai was unexpectedly ordered to return to North Korea on a business trip. The team learned that the vehicle had enough concealed space to carry 1,000 USB drives. NK Times had only 250 drives available at the time, so HRF’s support of 750 additional 16GB USB drives enabled the group to meet this urgent opportunity. The drives were quickly prepared and allocated across four target regions, with approximately 250 drives designated for each area. The materials were first brought into Hyesan City, Ryanggang Province, after crossing through China’s Changbai Customs. From Hyesan, they were redistributed to Pyongyang, Nampo, Sariwon, and Haeju, with the expectation that the content would continue circulating covertly into surrounding counties and villages. ![truck trailer on a road with a guardrail during an inspection adjacent text panel describes north koreachina border scene read as truck photo from a border inspection context](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Nkt-midterm-report-image.jpg "Nkt midterm report image | nk insider")Still image from the NKT midterm report.The content was selected based on internal demand, not merely availability. NK Times tailored materials for different audiences, including officials, middle-class residents, ordinary citizens, and young people. For officials and middle-class residents, the USBs included foreign news and current affairs unavailable through North Korean state media, including reports on the U.S.-Iran conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war, North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia, and North Korean prisoners of war who expressed a desire to go to South Korea. Feedback from inside North Korea suggests that international security issues and global perceptions of North Korea are of particular interest to some officials. One instructor at the Hyesan City People’s Committee in Ryanggang Province requested further updates on North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces, noting the painful contrast between the deaths of young North Korean soldiers abroad and how those deaths are glorified inside the country. A Workers’ Party official at a factory in Hyesan also expressed surprise at new information about North Korean troops in Russia and the U.S.-Iran conflict, and requested more reporting on U.S. policy toward North Korea and how the international community evaluates the regime. For younger audiences, South Korean films, dramas, music, speech, clothing, and lifestyle materials remain highly sought after despite intensified crackdowns. One young person from Samsu County said she enjoyed the Korean dramas *Dear X* and *Love Scout*, both included in this shipment. She explained that South Korean films and dramas are not only entertainment, but also a way to understand daily life, living standards, language, and culture beyond North Korea’s borders. NK Times also found that mixed content is more effective than exclusively political material. Films, dramas, music, lifestyle content, and international news are more likely to attract repeated viewing, especially among young people, and may be consumed in a comparatively safer manner than overtly political materials. This finding is especially important as the North Korean regime has expanded laws and punishments targeting people who watch unauthorized foreign content. The security environment remains extremely dangerous. North Korean authorities continue to intensify surveillance, surprise inspections, and enforcement through bodies such as the 82nd Unified Command and the 617th Command. Inspections are now more unpredictable and frequent, targeting households suspected of watching South Korean or other foreign films and dramas. Individuals may also be stopped and searched at random. Despite these risks, residents continue to adapt. One collaborator reported that people have “developed a kind of immunity,” finding creative ways to hide and consume outside content. Some reportedly purchase two identical USB drives: one containing state-approved content to show inspectors, and another containing banned content that can be quickly hidden or switched. Others hide memory devices in pits, storage areas, and other concealed locations. The most important finding from this project is that demand for outside information remains strong. Young people seek entertainment and lifestyle content, the jangmadang generation is interested in practical economic and livelihood-related information, and some officials want international news and analysis of how North Korea is viewed abroad. These trends point to the need for more targeted, discreet, and multi-layered information delivery strategies. HRF’s support has strengthened NK Times’ ability to reach North Koreans living under one of the most restrictive information environments in the world. In North Korea, USB drives are more than storage devices. They are rare windows into outside realities, cultures, ideas, and freedoms. As one resident who accessed the content said, “When can we live a life like theirs? I hope the next generation can live freely in a world like free people.” For more details, the full report can be accessed [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P53nsznQrc8lRyyXLePi1Ullihj3_Lag/view?usp=sharing "here"). If you have requests for further details, please reach out to Seongmin for a briefing at . - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") [Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/) Seongmin is the director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation. [![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") Latest posts by Seongmin Lee ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/)) - [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) - March 10, 2026 - [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) - January 10, 2025 - [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - January 9, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Report%20on%20HRF-Supported%20USB%20Distribution%20into%20North%20Korea%20in%20May&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Report%20on%20HRF-Supported%20USB%20Distribution%20into%20North%20Korea%20in%20May https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Report%20on%20HRF-Supported%20USB%20Distribution%20into%20North%20Korea%20in%20May "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/report-on-hrf-supported-usb-distribution-into-north-korea-in-may/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Report%20on%20HRF-Supported%20USB%20Distribution%20into%20North%20Korea%20in%20May&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/report-on-hrf-supported-usb-distribution-into-north-korea-in-may/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Report%20on%20HRF-Supported%20USB%20Distribution%20into%20North%20Korea%20in%20May "Reddit") **Categories:** Flash Drives for Freedom --- ### [Can Technology Safely Connect North Koreans to the Outside World?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-technology-safely-connect-north-koreans-to-the-outside-world/) **Published:** July 7, 2026 **Author:** Ahryanna McGuirk **Content:** ![earth viewed from space at night illuminated cities along coastlines with several satellites in orbit and a bright logo in the bottom right corner nkin](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Chatgpt-image-jun-26-2026-07_59_59-pm.jpg "Chatgpt image jun 26 2026 075959 pm | nk insider")North Korea’s information blockade is central to the regime’s survival. By restricting access to the internet, foreign media, and outside communication, the government isolates citizens from information that could challenge state propaganda, weaken ideological control, or expose the realities of life beyond its borders. The Human Rights Foundation’s [Tyranny Tracker ](https://tyrannytracker.org/map/north-korea/ "Tyranny Tracker ")classifies North Korea as a fully authoritarian regime: a hereditary dictatorship built around the cult of personality of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un, sustained through systematic repression, severe limits on freedom, and the elimination of political opposition. Against this backdrop, a small number of activists, defectors, and outside organizations have worked to break through North Korea’s information blockade by sending in outside media and exploring ways for North Koreans to communicate safely with the world. As an Oslo Scholar interning with NK Insider through the Human Rights Foundation’s [Oslo Scholars Program](https://hrf.org/program/oslo-scholars/ "Oslo Scholars Program"), I became especially interested in authoritarian information control and the methods activists can use to challenge it. This research grew out of that interest and asks a difficult question: how can outside organizations support safer access to information and communication for people inside North Korea, where surveillance is pervasive and the consequences of detection can be severe? My research finds that there is currently no fully safe technology for secure two-way communication with ordinary North Korean citizens. Every available channel, from broker-mediated Chinese cell phones near the China–North Korea border to satellite devices, carries serious risks for users inside the country. Chinese cell phones remain the most practically functional two-way communication tool today, but North Korea’s strengthened radio-wave surveillance and detection capabilities have made even this method increasingly dangerous. The paper also examines future possibilities, including satellite messengers, satellite phones, and low-earth-orbit satellite internet systems such as Starlink. While these technologies may hold long-term promise, they are not yet meaningfully deployable in North Korea because of legal, technical, and security barriers. Rather than searching for a single “safe” solution, I argue for a layered, risk-aware approach: sustaining one-way information channels such as radio broadcasts, USBs, and SD cards; limiting two-way communication to carefully managed networks with strong operational security and informed consent; and investing in safer technologies, legal pathways, digital security tools, and continued research with defectors and technical experts. This research was conducted using publicly available information, existing research papers, and the perspectives of recent North Korean defectors. Readers should keep these sources and limitations in mind. The findings and views expressed are solely my own and do not represent the official position of the Human Rights Foundation or NK Insider. Readers may follow me, Ahryanna McGuirk, on \[**X link**\] and \[**LinkedIn\]** for updates on my work. Read the full research paper in the attached PDF. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Ahryanna McGuirk](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/ahryanna-mcguirk_oslo-scholars-2026.jpeg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/27f3603a7afa3c78b3f9ffb4d030c4b84c48fdfc/ "Ahryanna McGuirk") [Ahryanna McGuirk](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/27f3603a7afa3c78b3f9ffb4d030c4b84c48fdfc/) Ahryanna is a Jefferson Scholar at the University of Virginia studying Global Development Studies with minors in Economics and Public Writing & Rhetoric. Her work focuses on public policy, human storytelling, education, and democratic advocacy. She has contributed to policy reform in Hawaii, supported student entrepreneurs at UVA, co-founded HumanTYS to promote human connection in the age of artificial intelligence, and previously represented Hawaii’s 170,000+ K–12 students on the Hawai’i State Board of Education. [![Ahryanna McGuirk](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/ahryanna-mcguirk_oslo-scholars-2026.jpeg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/27f3603a7afa3c78b3f9ffb4d030c4b84c48fdfc/ "Ahryanna McGuirk") Latest posts by Ahryanna McGuirk ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/27f3603a7afa3c78b3f9ffb4d030c4b84c48fdfc/)) [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Can%20Technology%20Safely%20Connect%20North%20Koreans%20to%20the%20Outside%20World%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Can%20Technology%20Safely%20Connect%20North%20Koreans%20to%20the%20Outside%20World%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Can%20Technology%20Safely%20Connect%20North%20Koreans%20to%20the%20Outside%20World%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-technology-safely-connect-north-koreans-to-the-outside-world/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Can%20Technology%20Safely%20Connect%20North%20Koreans%20to%20the%20Outside%20World%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-technology-safely-connect-north-koreans-to-the-outside-world/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Can%20Technology%20Safely%20Connect%20North%20Koreans%20to%20the%20Outside%20World%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Oslo Scholars --- ### [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) **Published:** July 5, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![missile launch from a desert terrain with a launcher vehicle firing and a large orange flame and smoke plume](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/화면-캡처-2026-07-03-203855-e1783342156401.jpg "화면 캡처 20260703 203855 | nk insider")On June 25 – the day his grandfather invaded South Korea in 1950 to start the Korean War – Kim Jong-un attended an “important weapons test” demonstrating what analysts say are[ upgraded firepower systems](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korean-leader-kim-oversees-weapons-tests-kcna-reports-2026-06-25/) aimed at the South. The systems tested were an upgraded 240 mm 24-tube multiple rocket launcher, a “special-mission warhead” for a tactical ballistic missile, and a 65 km extended-range shell for a 155 mm self-propelled howitzer. “(The test) proved a major technological advance achieved in realizing the three principles of automation, long-range capability, and ultra-precision,” Kim said. “Our Party’s self-defensive defense policy is not a policy of merely enhancing defensive functions based on defensive means, but a policy of raising a lethal and destructive offensive posture so that no adversary can confront us,” Kim said. The 240 mm 24-tube multiple rocket launcher shown in the photos released by KCNA appears to be a rectangular launch module mounted on a large armored wheeled vehicle. In appearance, it shares the concept of a “high-mobility wheeled vehicle plus rear launch pod” with the U.S. HIMARS. ![split image left a heavy missile launcher vehicle in a dusty orange scene right an armored transport with missiles on a sandy beach by the water](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Himar-nk-multile-launcher-system-1024x614.jpg "Himar nk multile launcher system | nk insider")***HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) vs North Korea’s new system. Images: iStock/MikeMareen, KCNA.***However, whereas HIMARS operates six 227 mm rockets or one tactical missile, North Korea’s new system is closer to a corps-level multiple rocket launcher for mass firepower, carrying 24 rockets of roughly 240 mm caliber. North Korea’s stated range of 90 km reveals its intention to threaten targets deeper into the rear than existing long-range artillery can reach. In particular, the phrase “autonomous precision guidance system” is meant to emphasize precision-strike capability using guided rockets, rather than simple area bombardment. ![group of uniformed military officers walking on a sandy beach with a large armored vehicle parked behind them](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/화면-캡처-2026-07-03-203638-e1783342427235.jpg "| nk insider")***Image: KCNA.***The staging of the photos also sends an important message. The image of Kim with his generals and a large launcher vehicle behind them serves to promote both the supreme leader’s direct control and the operational deployment of new weapons. ![military briefing on a sandy beach with a large armored vehicle and missile launcher nearby officers in uniform gathered in a circle](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/화면-캡처-2026-07-03-203704.jpg "화면 캡처 20260703 203704 | nk insider") ***Image: KCNA.***Another photo shows generals holding notebooks surrounding Kim in a semicircle, a scene that can be read as an attempt to give the impression that the weapon is not merely a prototype, but has reached the stage where operational concepts and deployment plans are being discussed. The “special-mission warhead” for the tactical ballistic missile is the most sensitive part of this report. In its report, KCNA explained that the warhead is intended to destroy “enemy airfields, ports, and power facilities.” This suggests it could be a high-explosive device, or a special warhead hinting at dual nuclear-conventional use. When the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency confirmed that[ debris found in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on January 2, 2024, came from a North Korean short-range ballistic missile](https://www.dia.mil/News-Features/Articles/Article-View/Article/3848524/dia-report-confirms-north-korean-missile-debris-found-in-ukraine/), analysts said North Korea may have obtained performance data from the use of tactical ballistic missiles on the battlefield. ![missile launch from a mobile launcher on a sandy beach bright flame and large smoke plume rising into the sky](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/North-korea-missile-launch-1024x683.avif "North korea missile launch | nk insider") ***Image: KCNA.***The test of the 65 km extended-range shell for the 155 mm self-propelled howitzer should also be examined separately. North Korea’s existing artillery systems have been centered on Soviet-style or North Korean calibers such as 122 mm, 152 mm, 170 mm, 240 mm, 300 mm, and 600 mm. The 155 mm caliber, however, is the same as South Korea’s K9 self-propelled howitzer, the U.S. M109, and NATO-standard artillery systems. This suggests it is more accurate to view the 155 mm system not as simply a copy of Russian equipment, but rather North Korea’s response aimed at catching up with the long-range capability of South Korea’s long-range self-propelled artillery forces, especially the K9 series. Reuters reported that[ Kim had also inspected a production facility for 155 mm self-propelled howitzers](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-leader-kim-inspects-navy-destroyer-weapons-production-plants-2026-05-07/) on May 7, when North Korea claimed a range of more than 60 km. Based on currently available public evidence, it cannot be concluded that Russia directly provided the designs for this 240 mm 24-tube multiple rocket launcher or the 155 mm self-propelled howitzer. The site 38 North noted that North Korea’s 155 mm self-propelled howitzer does not match the Russian military’s standard caliber, analyzing that[ it is difficult to define the weapon as a direct product of Russian assistance](https://www.38north.org/2025/02/north-koreas-lethal-aid-to-russia-current-state-and-outlook/). However, there is a strong possibility that military cooperation with Russia has accelerated North Korea’s weapons modernization with the battlefield serving as a combat test site for improving North Korean weapons. RUSI has also analyzed that North Korea is[ incorporating lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war into its military modernization](https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/how-north-korea-modernising-its-defence). In particular, AI-assisted target identification, layers of autonomy, guidance and acquisition technologies in electronic-warfare environments, and the integration of reconnaissance drones with artillery and multiple rocket launcher systems are cited as important trends in North Korea’s military modernization. This aligns with the phrases “automation of the firepower service system” and “autonomous precision guidance system” that appeared in the Korean Central News Agency report. It means North Korea is not merely building weapons that can fire farther, but is pursuing a modern firepower system that rapidly connects detection, decision-making, launch, and corrective strikes. The most direct target of this weapons test is South Korea. The peninsula has short north-south depth, the Seoul metropolitan area is very close to the Military Demarcation Line, and mountainous terrain and coastal axes are intricately intertwined. Under these conditions, the upgraded 240 mm 24-tube multiple rocket launcher with a range of 90 km is not simply a weapon for striking frontline areas. If deployed in North Korea’s forward areas, it could threaten northern parts of the Seoul metropolitan area, military facilities in Gyeonggi and Incheon, access routes to air bases, port and logistics hubs, and command-and-control facilities. The U.S. Army’s Modern War Institute has assessed that North Korea’s long-range artillery has long been deployed around the Demilitarized Zone and regarded as[ a key means of threatening Seoul](https://mwi.westpoint.edu/why-north-koreas-artillery-threat-should-not-be-exaggerated/). What is even more burdensome for the South Korean military is that the battlefield environment on the Korean Peninsula makes the “detect-decide-strike” timeline extremely short. A 240 mm guided multiple rocket launcher or 65 km-class 155 mm extended-range shell fired from North Korea’s forward areas would have a short flight time, placing great pressure on South Korea’s counter-battery detection, interception, runway repair, and distributed operation of command facilities. In particular, the western front and the Seoul metropolitan axis are densely packed with roads, railways, ports, and air bases. If North Korea fires a mix of multiple rockets and tactical ballistic missiles in the early stages of a war, it could disrupt the rhythm of South Korea’s reinforcement, resupply, and air operations. The threat to Japan is different in character. The 240 mm multiple rocket launcher and 155 mm self-propelled howitzer cannot reach the Japanese mainland. However, the “special-mission warhead” for the tactical ballistic missile included in the test was relevant for Japanese security. North Korea identified “airfields, ports, and power facilities” as targets, and Japan is a key hub for U.S. reinforcement and rear-area logistics support in the event of a crisis on the peninsula. Ultimately, the significance of the June 25 weapons test lies in North Korea’s effort to transform its forward artillery from a simple mass-bombardment tool into a long-range precision-strike system that threatens South Korea and Japan. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20tests%20new%20weaponry%20for%20use%20against%20South%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20tests%20new%20weaponry%20for%20use%20against%20South%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20tests%20new%20weaponry%20for%20use%20against%20South%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20tests%20new%20weaponry%20for%20use%20against%20South%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20tests%20new%20weaponry%20for%20use%20against%20South%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) **Published:** June 25, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![two men stand indoors beside a green flag featuring a blue map silhouette of korea and red korean text with golden fringe along the bottom edge](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/북준련-조보얼-사무총장-e1782424684708.jpg "Cho boeol a north korean defector and human rights advocate image lawrencerfa | nk insider")As a defector living in the United States, Cho Bo-eol attended a number of pro-North Korean events – to protest against them. That was when I met him. I remember one time when an activist recognized him and shouted “Scum!” accusing him of betraying his country by defecting. That same fellow traveler, Kim In-sook, received a warm welcome in South Korea and was even invited to meet with President Lee Jae-myung, who at the time was the mayor of Seongnam city. Of course, to be fair to him, Lee was not aware of that particular incident in Los Angeles. However, he was aware that the person he welcomed into his office was an extreme leftist and should have known that the group she led was a North Korean front. I also remember seeing Cho become enraged at a rally when activists proudly waved a North Korean flag. The event that time was staged by Minjok Tongshin, the Korean American National Coordinating Council, Code Pink, the Workers World Party, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and similar groups. When Cho tried to grab the flag, the fanatics physically attacked him and the police came in and rescued him. When the police learned his story, they decided not to detain him. Through such encounters, Cho has been very active to inform Americans about the crimes of the Kim Jong-un regime and to oppose pro-North forces in the U.S. His day job, on the other hand, is very different. Cho is a practitioner of traditional Korean medicine and coaches Korean Americans on maintaining healthy lifestyles. I describe him as an “ordinary” North Korean defector because he is not from the elite and did not enjoy a privileged lifestyle. His story reflects the life experience of the average North Korean. That said, he was relatively better off than most of his fellow countrymen in that he was born in Pyongyang and thus benefited during his early years from the city’s higher economic and cultural standards. But then his family, like many others, was exiled from the city when he was still a young boy. His life experience and insights are therefore those of the more typical former resident of the North. Lawrence: Tell me about your life in the North. Cho: I was born in Pyongyang in 1969. But, in 1976, my entire family was exiled and sent to live in a border area in North Hamgyeong Province. We were there for the next 23 years, working on a collective farm. In the official parlance of the regime, we were “socialist cooperative farmers.” As a person expelled from Pyongyang, I was classified by the regime as part of the “hostile class” and could neither join the army nor the ruling Workers’ Party. Under the *songbun* classification system that is applied to everyone, I was assigned to the “38th level” group within the hostile class. This *songbun* system is more rigid and oppressive than the class structure which prevailed under the *yangban*-dominated system in ancient Korea or the Indian caste system. It left people with no opportunity or even hope to better their lives. In addition, those of us condemned for life as “hostiles” were constantly monitored and harassed. There was no real life for us. If I had to sum up my time in the North, it would be nothing more and nothing less than slavery. Indeed, the vast majority of North Koreans were basically slaves of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un. My family and I were among the lowest of such slaves. People would often say, “War or no war, our fate is to die of starvation or malnutrition.” Living in such extreme poverty, war would have almost been a relief to us. Lawrence: When and how did you escape? Cho: I escaped in February 2000. I was able to because my village was very close to the border with China. On a clear day, I could even see people in the Chinese villages on the other side of the Tumen River which forms the border. Since it was winter and the river was frozen, I could cross the ice on foot. In the North, defection is a crime. Wandering around Chinese cities such as Yanji, Shenyang, Fushun, Dalian, and Beijing, I met pastors, who were working to rescue defectors, and international human rights activists, who were working to improve human rights in the North. With their help, I got into Mongolia in September that year. In Mongolia, I was caught by border guards. I spent about 13 days in jail and was then allowed to go to South Korea on October 6. Lawrence: Why did you leave the North? Cho: I left because I did not want to live as a slave. I wanted to live like a human being, so I fled in search of freedom. I left with the determination to fight to inform the world about North Korea’s horrific human rights abuses, to work for the destruction of the dictatorship, and to try to inform the people in the North about liberal democracy. Lawrence: What was your life like in South Korea? Cho: I was very satisfied there. I gained freedom. I was free from the burden of being forced to do things I didn’t want to do. I could do whatever I wanted to do. I was able to eat nutritious and delicious food. North Koreans often ask, “When will we be able to eat as humans?” In South Korea, I was able to eat “human meals” every day, at every meal. I was able to wear decent clothes of a type I had never worn in the North. I was able to experience true freedom. While in the South, I established and operated civic groups, ran as a candidate for the National Assembly, and had the opportunity to travel abroad. These were things that had been unimaginable for me in North Korea. Lawrence: What made you decide to emigrate to the U.S.? Cho: I thought that in order to enlarge, broaden, and strengthen the North Korea human rights movement, I should expand my efforts into the international community. Since South Korea is a relatively small country, many people there have a somewhat narrow perspective on international affairs. Also, I found that the left-wing forces in the South were not of the democratic left. They were a pro-North Korean left. Whenever the left came to power in the South, it suppressed the human rights activities of North Korean defectors. Human rights activism in the South was therefore weakened and under serious threat. Upon learning this, I thought that I should expand my activism to the international community. I did not immigrate to the U.S. to live a comfortable life, but to obtain political asylum in order to more effectively advance the struggle for the liberation of North Korea. First, I went to Europe, where I was deeply engaged in North Korea human rights activism. That was from 2012 to 2015. I left Europe and arrived in the U.S. in December 2015. I lived in Los Angeles for six years, and was very engaged in human rights activities there. For the past five years, I have been living in New York, and I am continuing to do my utmost to promote human rights. Lawrence: How can we promote the cause of human rights for the North Korean people? Cho: There is only one way. That is to overthrow the hereditary dictatorship of the Kim dynasty in Pyongyang and establish a liberal democratic government. There is no other way. Many righteous activists have fought hard in various ways to improve human rights in the North, and although it can’t be said that their efforts were totally ineffective, the results were insufficient when measured against the time and effort invested. I used various means such as radio broadcasts, leaflets, USBs, and Bibles sent to the North, but to put it metaphorically, it was as ineffective as investing $100 to earn a profit of $1. That is why I say the only way to succeed is to replace the Pyongyang regime and establish a new liberal democracy in the North with a market economy, a multi-party system, and the rule of law. ![three police officers confront a woman in black outside a tall dark wall on a city sidewalk the woman wears sunglasses and beige wedge shoes](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Signal-2026-06-17-140217_002.jpeg "Activist kim insook is detained by u S Police after assaulting a north korean defector Image lawrence peck | nk insider")*Activist Kim In-sook, who called Cho “scum” for having defected, is detained by U.S. police after assaulting another defector. (Image/Lawrence Peck)* Lawrence: What has your experience been of pro-North Korean forces in the U.S.? Cho: I was surprised about this when I lived in South Korea, and was even more surprised when I arrived in the U.S.. I encountered many communists and admirers of communism. There are not any real communists in North Korea, China, Vietnam, Laos, or Cuba. There are no real communists in other countries. Is Kim Jong-un a real communist? Is Xi Jinping? Is Raul Castro?Not at all. They are all simply dictators. But in South Korea, I came across many crazy far-left people who longed for the North Korean system and praised the Chinese dictatorship. From what I have seen here in the U.S., there are also people with “Korean faces and bright red hearts” who praise and defend North Korea while engaging in pro-North activities, and who in some cases have even been involved in espionage activities on behalf of the North. In my campaign for human rights here, I have encountered almost every day and at almost every event some Koreans who are pro-North. Most of them don’t really know much about communism. I would say they have been deceived by the lies of the communists, which is why they are acting in support of Pyongyang. In a few cases, they have unforgivably acted as agents. I am actively confronting and struggling against these pro-North forces. In the future, after the liberation of North Korea, such fellow travelers in South Korea and in the U.S. will be rightly disgraced. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Interview%3A%20The%20ordinary%20defector%20who%20fights%20for%20human%20rights%20in%20the%20U.S.&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Interview%3A%20The%20ordinary%20defector%20who%20fights%20for%20human%20rights%20in%20the%20U.S. https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Interview%3A%20The%20ordinary%20defector%20who%20fights%20for%20human%20rights%20in%20the%20U.S. "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Interview%3A%20The%20ordinary%20defector%20who%20fights%20for%20human%20rights%20in%20the%20U.S.&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Interview%3A%20The%20ordinary%20defector%20who%20fights%20for%20human%20rights%20in%20the%20U.S. "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Kim Jong-un signals military overhaul as North Korea pushes modern warfare and ideological control](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-signals-military-overhaul-as-north-korea-pushes-modern-warfare-and-ideological-control/) **Published:** June 20, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![commander giving a speech to a large audience of uniformed soldiers in a grand wood paneled hall with red flags and gold trim](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Kju-overseeing-a-military-commanders-meeting-1.jpg "Kju overseeing a military commanders meeting 1 | nk insider")North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has signaled a new phase in the modernization of the Korean People’s Army, combining military reform with intensified ideological control as Pyongyang seeks to adapt its forces to the realities of modern warfare while preserving regime loyalty. The message emerged from an unprecedented gathering of division and brigade commanders from across the military, reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 18. Rather than focusing solely on senior military leaders, Kim directly addressed commanders responsible for frontline combat units, ordering them to overhaul training, strengthen border defenses, restructure military organizations and reinforce ideological discipline. The meeting is significant because it suggests North Korea is moving beyond simply developing new weapons systems and is now attempting to transform how its forces are organized, trained and employed on the battlefield. South Korean and foreign media [assessed](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/northkorea/20260518/n-koreas-kim-chairs-army-commanders-meeting-orders-southern-border-defense-build-up) that it was the first publicly reported meeting of division- and brigade-level commanders from across the military since Kim came to power. According to KCNA, the meeting was attended by Ri Yong Gil, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army, and Pak Jong Chon, adviser to the Ministry of National Defense. Kim told commanders that “the historic mission of building our army into the strongest army in the world” rested with them, underscoring that military modernization must extend beyond weapons development to the operational level. A central theme was the need to adapt to evolving forms of warfare. Kim emphasized that “training to complete combat readiness is the main duty of the army” and called for training reforms reflecting “the changing aspects of modern warfare.” The remarks suggest Pyongyang is closely studying lessons from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, where drones, precision strikes, electronic warfare, long-range artillery and networked battlefield operations have reshaped military planning. Kim also referred to “organizational measures” to renew the military in terms of both organization and technology, indicating that North Korea may be preparing structural changes to combat units rather than merely introducing new equipment. The emphasis on frontline forces was equally notable. Kim ordered the strengthening of units stationed along the inter-Korean border and called for transforming the frontier into an “impregnable fortress.” The comments come as South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff have reported increased North Korean [construction activity](https://english.aawsat.com/world/5274403-north-korea%E2%80%99s-kim-calls-make-border-south-korea-%E2%80%98impregnable-fortress%E2%80%99), including defensive barriers and fortifications near the Military Demarcation Line. The gathering appears to have served three strategic purposes. First, it was intended to improve the military’s ability to absorb new technologies and weapons systems. North Korea has recently accelerated development of guided multiple-launch rocket systems, short-range ballistic missiles, tactical cruise missiles, drones and new naval platforms. Kim’s message was effectively that new equipment must be matched by new tactics, training methods and operational concepts. Second, the meeting reinforced North Korea’s shift toward treating South Korea as a permanent adversary rather than a partner for eventual reunification. Kim instructed commanders to strengthen both “class consciousness” and awareness of the “principal enemy,” reinforcing Pyongyang’s recent redefinition of inter-Korean relations as those between two hostile states. Third, the gathering sought to tighten [ideological discipline](https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-korea-kim-jong-un-special-forces-anniversary-order-political-education/) within the armed forces. Kim stressed that the country must defend itself “first with ideology and conviction” and argued that ideological commitment remains the ultimate source of military strength. ![kim jong un in a black suit standing among a large group of military officers in green uniforms with caps](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Kju-taking-a-photo-with-commanders.jpg "Kju taking a photo with commanders | nk insider")*Kim poses for a commemorative photo (Image: KCNA)*The emphasis reflects persistent concerns within the regime. Economic hardship, long military service periods, growing exposure to outside information and overseas deployment experiences linked to North Korea’s expanding military cooperation with Russia all have the potential to create strains within the ranks. Yet the meeting should not necessarily be interpreted as evidence of instability within the military. By summoning commanders from across the country to Workers’ Party headquarters and posing for commemorative photographs, Kim was also demonstrating confidence in his personal control over the military modernization process. Historically, North Korea has reorganized military leadership during major policy transitions. Under the previous leader Kim Jong-il, “military-first politics” elevated the armed forces as a pillar of regime survival. Kim Jong-un later restored [party dominance](https://www.cfr.org/backgrounders/north-koreas-power-structure) over the military while replacing older commanders with loyalists. This latest gathering differs in that it combines military modernization, frontline fortification, organizational reform and ideological education into a single policy package directed at operational commanders. North Korea’s growing military [relationship with Russia](https://beyondparallel.csis.org/north-korea-russia-cooperation/) provides important context. Expanded cooperation is widely believed to be providing Pyongyang with economic support, technological assistance and access to battlefield lessons from the war in Ukraine. If North Korean personnel are gaining exposure to modern combat operations through that relationship, the military would need to incorporate those lessons into training and force structure. Kim’s call to redefine operational concepts “in all spaces” suggests North Korea is preparing for a battlefield environment shaped by drones, electronic warfare, precision-strike systems, long-range artillery and special operations forces. From a regional security perspective, the meeting indicates that Pyongyang is seeking not only to expand its nuclear deterrent but also to improve the conventional capabilities of frontline units. Kim claimed that by the end of the current five-year plan, the military’s strategic capabilities would be transformed to a level “incomparable” with today. For South Korea and the United States, this points to a more complex threat environment in which North Korea combines nuclear weapons with increasingly sophisticated conventional capabilities, including guided artillery, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones and enhanced border defenses. Ultimately, the May 18 meeting was more than a routine military gathering. It was a political-military event designed to advance two goals simultaneously: modernization and control. Kim’s message to field commanders was clear—embrace new weapons, new operational concepts and a new era of confrontation with South Korea, but maintain unwavering loyalty to the regime. The combination of technological modernization and intensified ideological discipline may prove to be the defining feature of the next phase of North Korea’s military development. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20signals%20military%20overhaul%20as%20North%20Korea%20pushes%20modern%20warfare%20and%20ideological%20control&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20signals%20military%20overhaul%20as%20North%20Korea%20pushes%20modern%20warfare%20and%20ideological%20control https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20signals%20military%20overhaul%20as%20North%20Korea%20pushes%20modern%20warfare%20and%20ideological%20control "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-signals-military-overhaul-as-north-korea-pushes-modern-warfare-and-ideological-control/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20signals%20military%20overhaul%20as%20North%20Korea%20pushes%20modern%20warfare%20and%20ideological%20control&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-signals-military-overhaul-as-north-korea-pushes-modern-warfare-and-ideological-control/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20signals%20military%20overhaul%20as%20North%20Korea%20pushes%20modern%20warfare%20and%20ideological%20control "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) **Published:** June 22, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![person with short dark hair in a red sweater sits on a couch watching tv while holding a glass](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Istock-1221977001-recep-bg.jpg "Rear view of young woman watching movie at home at night | nk insider")Last weekend, while watching news reports about North Korea’s latest policy shift, I was stunned into silence. Before my escape, I grew up with the word “reunification.” It was everywhere—in schools, at public events, and on state broadcasts. Phrases like “a reunified fatherland” and “liberating the poor people of South Korea” were repeated so often that they became part of the background noise of daily life. But now I learn from television that, in North Korea, the word itself is being airbrushed out of existence. There is something deeply disturbing about a state that spent decades proclaiming the sacred task of reunification—and ending the division that supposedly justified so much deprivation—suddenly making an about-face. Yesterday, we were told we were one people with South Koreans. Today, we are told they are our enemies. Of course, change is common in North Korea. When it happened, we did not ask why. Curiosity was too dangerous. Not asking questions was safer. We learned instead that who said something mattered more than what was being said. The same words could become truth when spoken from above and treason when spoken from below. What was right yesterday could be wrong today. What was condemned yesterday could become mandatory tomorrow. People did not accept such contradictions because they understood them. They memorized them because survival required it. I witnessed many such moments. One day a slogan changed. One day the enemy changed. One day the regime’s priorities shifted overnight. Even when people felt confused, they could not show it. In private, they might have thought, “It has changed again.” In public, they had to say, “That is correct.” That is why, when I hear North Korea now describe South Korea as an enemy with increasing intensity, my first thought is not of Kim Jong-un, nuclear weapons, missiles, or diplomatic strategy. I think of ordinary people. I think of the woman sitting in the market selling whatever goods she can find. I think of the neighbor struggling after the collapse of the public distribution system. I think of young people secretly watching South Korean dramas and mothers trying to give their children one more spoonful of food. What are those people thinking now? No matter how loudly the authorities insist that South Koreans are the enemy, can they really erase the curiosity that already exists in people’s minds? The millions who have listened to South Korean songs, watched South Korean dramas, copied South Korean accents, or used South Korean products know something important. They know that the South Korea described in propaganda is not the same South Korea they have secretly glimpsed. When I lived in North Korea, stories about South Korea were forbidden. Yet that prohibition only made the country more fascinating. Human curiosity does not disappear because it is suppressed. It finds a safe place and grows stronger. For many people living difficult and constrained lives, stories about the outside world became a window. Even when that window opened only slightly, people turned toward it. I remember lying awake at night, listening to the silence of darkened neighborhoods. The streets were quiet. Dogs barked in the distance. Questions lingered in my mind. “Is this really the only world?” “Do South Koreans really live like us?” “Why do we have to live this way?” Those questions were difficult to speak aloud. In North Korea, a question can be dangerous. If handled carelessly, it can harm not only the person asking it but also their family. So people swallow their questions. But swallowed questions do not disappear. They remain. Sometimes they become fear. Sometimes they become anger. Sometimes they become the spark that inspires someone to escape. Today, the regime speaks ever more forcefully about nuclear weapons. Officials declare that they will never back down. Yet whenever I hear such statements, I cannot help asking a different question: As the country’s nuclear arsenal grows larger, are its people’s rice bowls becoming smaller? As missiles fly higher, are ordinary lives sinking lower? Throughout my childhood, I was told that North Korea was a great nation, a powerful nation, a strong nation. Yet there was often not enough food at home. Electricity regularly failed. Hospitals frequently lacked medicine. The country was described as strong, but the people were weak. The country was described as great, but daily life was marked by hardship. I have never forgotten that contradiction. Isn’t a truly strong country one where people do not go hungry? Isn’t a truly great country one where children are not punished for speaking their minds? Isn’t a truly proud country one where mothers do not spend sleepless nights wondering how to find medicine for their children? The more North Korea deepens its ties with China, strengthens its partnership with Russia, and presents itself as a nuclear power, the farther ordinary North Koreans seem to be pushed from the world beyond their borders—farther from freedom, farther from opportunity, and farther from the ability to shape their own futures. State television may broadcast grand ceremonies and handshakes between leaders. But the worries of a mother wondering what she will feed her family that evening never appear on those screens. I remember the homes where I once lived. In winter, my hands were cold even indoors. Sometimes warm words were harder to find than warm rice. Yet people endured. They laughed in markets. They hid their hardships from their children. They shared what little they had. North Koreans are not weak people. If anything, they have endured more than most. The tragedy is that the regime exploits that endurance. It packages survival as loyalty. Hunger becomes revolutionary spirit. Silence becomes unity. Fear becomes patriotism. Perhaps that is one reason North Korea now insists so loudly that South Korea is the enemy. Because the authorities understand something important. South Korea’s strength is not merely military. Its greatest strength is freedom. People can speak. They can criticize. They can choose. They can leave and return. They can disagree without fearing punishment. What the North Korean authorities may fear most is not a missile but a USB drive. A song, a television drama, or a single photograph from the outside world can shake a person’s assumptions in ways no weapon can. After arriving in South Korea, I discovered what a profound freedom it is to speak openly. Words I once swallowed can now be written down. I can say, “That is wrong.” I can say, “I disagree.” For many people around the world, those statements seem ordinary. For some North Koreans, they remain dangerous. That is why I feel uneasy whenever discussions of North Korea become focused solely on military tensions and geopolitical calculations. The phrase “the situation on the Korean Peninsula” often sounds cold and abstract. Hidden within it are millions of individual lives. I think about the mothers, children, students, and elderly people who remain in North Korea. Even today, they cannot choose what news they consume. They must listen to the words they are given. Will the day come when they can choose for themselves? Will the day come when they no longer have to memorize the slogan that South Korea is the enemy? Will the day come when they can simply recognize South Koreans as people who speak the same language and share the same history? Can the idea of reunification one day be reclaimed—not as a slogan imposed from above, but as a human connection between people who have been separated for generations? I still want to believe so. North Korea may be able to remove the word “reunification” from its constitution, but it cannot erase memories from people’s hearts. It cannot erase the memory of a young person secretly laughing while watching a South Korean drama. It cannot erase the curiosity of a girl staring at the lights across the border. It cannot erase a line from a South Korean song overheard in a market. Those things endure. Governments can redraw maps, rewrite constitutions, and redefine friends and enemies. But once a question takes root in a person’s heart, it is not so easily erased. Even tonight, somewhere in North Korea, someone may be quietly wondering: “What is the outside world really like?” “Do we really have to live only this way?” “Will I ever be able to speak freely?” I believe those questions will one day become a road. And at the end of that road, I hope North Koreans will be able to speak about their lives not through the language of missiles, slogans, and hostility, but through the language of food, freedom, family, and hope. As I watched the news last weekend, I made a promise to myself. When we talk about North Korea, let us not focus only on the words of its rulers. Let us pay attention to the lives of the people living beneath those words. Let us remember not merely the regime’s declaration that South Korea is an enemy, but the quiet curiosity of ordinary North Koreans who still wonder about the world beyond their borders. I lived in North Korea. That is why I know this: Even in the most closed society, the human heart never closes completely. When even the smallest light enters, people remember that light for a very long time. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Cry%20unification%3A%20the%20word%20that%20refuses%20to%20die&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Cry%20unification%3A%20the%20word%20that%20refuses%20to%20die https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Cry%20unification%3A%20the%20word%20that%20refuses%20to%20die "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Cry%20unification%3A%20the%20word%20that%20refuses%20to%20die&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Cry%20unification%3A%20the%20word%20that%20refuses%20to%20die "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [North Korea rejects denuclearization and broadens the Indo-Pacific confrontation ](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-rejects-denuclearization-and-broadens-the-indo-pacific-confrontation/) **Published:** June 17, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![four officials posing for a formal group photo with multiple national flags in the background](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Quad-meeting-2026.jpg "Quad meeting 2026 | nk insider")North Korea has sharply condemned the Quad grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia and India, using a recent joint statement by the four countries to reiterate its rejection of denuclearization and frame the issue as part of a broader struggle against what it calls U.S.-led bloc politics in the Indo-Pacific. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on May 28 that a spokesperson for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry criticized the joint statement issued after the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on May 26. The statement “seriously distorted” the security challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region and exposed “hostile intent” toward specific countries, the spokesperson said. The immediate trigger was the Quad’s reaffirmation of its commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions. The statement also urged Pyongyang to comply with those resolutions, condemned its ballistic missile and weapons programs as illegal, and expressed concern that North Korea’s cyber activities and overseas IT worker operations are helping fund prohibited weapons development. Pyongyang reacted most strongly to the reference to denuclearization. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson accused the Quad, led by the United States, of challenging North Korea’s “legitimate exercise of sovereign rights” under the pretext of denuclearization and described the grouping as a “political and diplomatic tool” serving U.S. ambitions for global dominance. “We make it clear once again: there will absolutely and eternally be no ‘denuclearization’ of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” the KCNA report quoted the spokesperson as saying. The statement is consistent with North Korea’s long-term effort to entrench its status as a nuclear-armed state. In recent years, Pyongyang has embedded its nuclear doctrine in law and constitutional provisions, redefining denuclearization not as a negotiating objective but as a question of regime survival and national sovereignty. At the United Nations in 2025, North Korea argued that demands to abandon its nuclear arsenal were effectively demands to surrender its sovereignty. Pyongyang’s latest response appears to serve three strategic purposes. First, it seeks to remove denuclearization from any future negotiating agenda. By accusing the Quad of promoting “bloc confrontation” while claiming to support regional stability, Pyongyang is signaling that it will reject dialogue frameworks premised on denuclearization. This assessment aligns with comments made by Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan following visits to both Koreas in May, when he observed that North Korea appeared focused on self-reliance and military deterrence rather than diplomatic engagement with the United States, South Korea or Japan. Second, Pyongyang is attempting to reframe the North Korean nuclear issue as part of wider U.S.-China strategic competition. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized the Quad’s positions on the South China Sea and East China Sea, claiming they were intended to justify Japan’s military expansion and Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines. The spokesperson also attacked the Quad’s critical minerals initiative, portraying it as an effort by Washington to extend security competition into the economic sphere and dominate global supply chains. The criticism reflects the Quad’s increasingly broad agenda. In New Delhi, the four countries announced cooperation in areas including critical mineral supply chains, maritime security, energy security and infrastructure development in the Pacific. Third, North Korea is using the Quad issue to reinforce its alignment with China and Russia. By portraying the Quad as a U.S.-led “sub-alliance,” Pyongyang is positioning itself alongside Beijing and Moscow in opposition to what it characterizes as U.S.-led bloc confrontation. The strategy complements expanding North Korea-Russia military cooperation and its continuing efforts to strengthen strategic ties with China. North Korea’s response highlights several challenges for the Quad and its partners. Besides rejecting denuclearization as a legitimate subject for negotiation and recasting it as a hostile attempt to undermine its sovereignty, North Korea is linking its nuclear and missile programs to a broader Indo-Pacific security agenda encompassing cyber threats, maritime security, economic resilience and supply-chain competition. At the same time, Pyongyang may seek to exploit differences among Quad members. Unlike a formal military alliance, the Quad remains a consultative framework whose members maintain varying strategic priorities. India, in particular, continues to emphasize strategic autonomy. By depicting the Quad as merely an instrument of U.S. policy, North Korea appears intent on testing those internal fault lines. Yet Pyongyang’s argument also relies on selective interpretation. While the Quad statement addressed North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, it also focused extensively on maritime security, development cooperation, energy security and supply-chain resilience. North Korea highlighted only those sections directed at its own activities while portraying the entire grouping as an instrument of “U.S. unipolar domination.” This reflects a familiar pattern in North Korean messaging. Rather than engaging with denuclearization as a legal and security issue, Pyongyang reframes the debate as part of a broader struggle against U.S. hegemony, a narrative designed for both domestic and international audiences. The significance of the May 28 statement lies in the fact that North Korea increasingly views the Quad itself as a strategic challenge. In the past, Pyongyang’s criticism focused primarily on U.S.-South Korea military exercises, trilateral cooperation among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo, UN sanctions, and G7 statements. By directly targeting the Quad, North Korea is acknowledging the grouping’s growing role as an Indo-Pacific platform addressing not only China-related concerns but also North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, cyber operations and economic-security issues. Ultimately, the statement should be viewed as more than a routine diplomatic protest. It represents a broader political message combining North Korea’s determination to preserve its nuclear status with its opposition to emerging U.S.-led security frameworks. By declaring that denuclearization will “absolutely and eternally” never occur while simultaneously condemning the Quad as an instrument of U.S. hegemony, Pyongyang is signaling that recognition of its nuclear status, sanctions relief, military deterrence and closer ties with China and Russia will remain higher priorities than any return to denuclearization negotiations. For the Quad and its partners, the central challenge is that North Korea is no longer treating its nuclear issue as a narrowly Korean Peninsula problem. Instead, it is placing the issue within the wider context of Indo-Pacific strategic competition and portraying regional multilateral cooperation as evidence of hostile bloc politics. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20rejects%20denuclearization%20and%20broadens%20the%20Indo-Pacific%20confrontation%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20rejects%20denuclearization%20and%20broadens%20the%20Indo-Pacific%20confrontation%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20rejects%20denuclearization%20and%20broadens%20the%20Indo-Pacific%20confrontation%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-rejects-denuclearization-and-broadens-the-indo-pacific-confrontation/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20rejects%20denuclearization%20and%20broadens%20the%20Indo-Pacific%20confrontation%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-rejects-denuclearization-and-broadens-the-indo-pacific-confrontation/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20rejects%20denuclearization%20and%20broadens%20the%20Indo-Pacific%20confrontation%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [North Korea isn’t building the next ChatGPT. It’s building something else.](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/) **Published:** June 14, 2026 **Author:** Yoonseo Im **Content:** ![propaganda style urban scene with holographic graphics and large nk in text over silhouettes in a city street plus a red star badge](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/1.jpg "1 | nk insider")When people hear that North Korea is investing in AI, they often imagine a familiar race to build the next ChatGPT, the next breakthrough AI model, or perhaps a homegrown version of Silicon Valley’s latest innovation. But that does not appear to be what Pyongyang has in mind. Instead, North Korea seems to view AI less as a consumer technology revolution and more as a strategic tool for national development. A closer look at recent rhetoric helps explain this perspective. Over the past few weeks, official speeches and articles in state-run newspapers have repeatedly returned to the topic of AI, signaling that it occupies an increasingly prominent place in the leadership’s vision for the future. On June 5, the Rodong Sinmun described cutting-edge technology as a “key driver of national development” and highlighted the strategic importance of AI. The newspaper noted that AI was “once considered little more than a dream of the future” but had “developed with surprising speed over the past several years.” The paper reinforced this message by citing comments previously made by leader Kim Jong-un, who stressed that “both the country’s present and future development would be shaped by advances in science and technology.” It called on researchers and engineers to accelerate innovation in high-tech sectors and portrayed AI as an increasingly important asset for achieving long-term national goals. Yet North Korea’s interest in AI appears to be driven by priorities that differ from those seen in many other countries. Rather than focusing primarily on consumer applications or commercial innovation, officials tend to frame the technology in terms of national development and state objectives. Whereas many governments emphasize AI’s potential to raise productivity, boost economic growth and improve everyday life, Pyongyang generally presents it as a strategic asset capable of strengthening national capabilities and reinforcing state authority. This framing is reflected in the language used by state media. Official outlets have repeatedly called on scientists and engineers to devote themselves to technological development, portraying scientific progress as a patriotic duty tied to the country’s future. The rationale appears clear: the technology is viewed as a means of strengthening state control, automating key systems and enhancing regime stability. Rather than emphasizing competition, Pyongyang stresses the importance of collective effort, calling on research institutes, universities and factories to work together within a coordinated national framework. North Korea’s AI ambitions therefore appear less focused on creating a Silicon Valley-style innovation ecosystem than on building a tightly managed, state-directed digital economy. ![four men sit at a long desk with laptops in an office a green framed plaque hangs on the wall and nkin logo appears in the top right corner](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/3-1024x576.jpg "3 | nk insider")*This grab from a North Korean propaganda video shows North Korean researchers conducting AI research.*- [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") [Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/) Yoonseo Im is a Seoul-based trilingual journalist and researcher. Growing up in three different countries has shaped her international perspective on the Korean Peninsula. She is a Ph.D. candidate in International Studies and holds prior degrees in Political Science and International Relations. She is also active in multiple research organizations focused on regional issues, including North Korean affairs. Her work explores the intersection of economics, industry, politics, and security in Korea and the broader region, combining academic expertise with reporting experience gained through field journalism. Contact: yxn.contact@gmail.com [![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") Latest posts by Yoonseo Im ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/)) - [North Korea isn’t building the next ChatGPT. It’s building something else.](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/) - June 14, 2026 - [May Day and the unheard cry beneath the propaganda ](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/) - May 13, 2026 - [North Korea’s new cybercriminals](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/) - April 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20isn%E2%80%99t%20building%20the%20next%20ChatGPT.%20It%E2%80%99s%20building%20something%20else.&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20isn%E2%80%99t%20building%20the%20next%20ChatGPT.%20It%E2%80%99s%20building%20something%20else. https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20isn%E2%80%99t%20building%20the%20next%20ChatGPT.%20It%E2%80%99s%20building%20something%20else. "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20isn%E2%80%99t%20building%20the%20next%20ChatGPT.%20It%E2%80%99s%20building%20something%20else.&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20isn%E2%80%99t%20building%20the%20next%20ChatGPT.%20It%E2%80%99s%20building%20something%20else. "Reddit") **Categories:** Science & Tech --- ### [Kim Jong-un inspects new facility as North Korea openly asserts its status as a nuclear state](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-inspects-new-facility-as-north-korea-openly-asserts-its-status-as-a-nuclear-state/) **Published:** June 12, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![north korean leader kim jong un and officials tour a large textile factory with rows of knitting machines lining the production floor](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Kju-visiting-a-nuclear-facility.jpg "Kju visiting a nuclear facility | nk insider")North Korea has revealed a new nuclear production facility in what analysts say is a deliberate effort to showcase its determination to expand its nuclear forces. Leader Kim Jong-un conducted an on-site inspection on June 3 of a “newly operational nuclear material production facility,” KCNA reported. The country’s capacity to produce weapons-grade nuclear material had [“more than doubled”](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-kim-inspects-new-nuclear-material-plant-urges-expansion-arsenal-2026-06-03/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) since five years ago, Kim claimed. He made it clear that the country would continue increasing its number of nuclear weapons. The significance of this report is threefold: the expansion of Pyongyang’s nuclear production capacity, the increase in the number of weapons, and the exercise of its status as a nuclear-weapons state. Touring the new production processes, Kim reviewed operational indicators and future production plans, and praised nuclear experts for strengthening the “foundation for producing weapons-grade nuclear material.” His comments follow the “new five-year plan for strengthening nuclear forces” announced at the Ninth Party Congress earlier this year. ![group of officials and military officers observing workers at computer desks in a control room facility inspection](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Kim-jong-un-visits-new-nuclear-facility-kcna-reports-on-june-4-2.jpg "Kim jongun visits new nuclear facility kcna reports on june 4 2 | nk insider")*(Image/KCNA)*Kim’s remarks reveal a strong political intent to make North Korea’s “status as a nuclear-weapons state” appear irreversible. He said that “further expanding and strengthening the state’s nuclear forces and thoroughly exercising its status as a nuclear-weapons state” is an “unchanging political and military position.” AP also assessed that the disclosure [signaled ](https://apnews.com/article/8b8cb67751916637e0db62d6bc0147a2?utm_source=chatgpt.com)Kim’s effort to cement North Korea as a nuclear-weapons state and showed that he has no intention of putting his nuclear program on the negotiating table. AP suggested that photos released by KCNA showed Kim walking through what appeared to be a centrifuge hall. South Korea’s military and experts believe the facility is likely a new uranium enrichment site within the Yongbyon nuclear complex. Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told AP that it appears to be a two-story structure and represents a significant expansion of enrichment capacity. He also said there is “no near-term end in sight” to North Korea’s continued nuclear expansion. Reuters, citing satellite imagery and expert analysis, also [reported](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-kim-inspects-new-nuclear-material-plant-urges-expansion-arsenal-2026-06-03/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) that the facility may be at Yongbyon. The timing of the disclosure is also significant. Kim’s visit may have been intended to raise North Korea’s bargaining power ahead of the visit this week of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, [told ](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-kim-inspects-new-nuclear-material-plant-urges-expansion-arsenal-2026-06-03/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)Reuters that South Korea’s push for nuclear-powered submarines and discussions with the United States over uranium enrichment rights could be used by North Korea as justification to accelerate and expand its nuclear weapons program. Recent assessments by the International Atomic Energy Agency also underscore the seriousness of the report. According to The Guardian, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned during a visit to Seoul in April that North Korea was making “very serious” progress in its nuclear weapons production capacity. He said activity had intensified at Yongbyon’s 5-megawatt reactor, reprocessing facility, light-water reactor, and other facilities, and noted that North Korea’s nuclear program is a “[clear violation](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/15/north-korea-nuclear-weapons-capability-un-watchdog-rafael-grossi?utm_source=chatgpt.com)” of UN Security Council resolutions. Another notable point in Kim’s remarks is that he defined nuclear forces not simply as a deterrent, but as the backbone of North Korea’s “war deterrence strategy and war-fighting strategy.” This goes beyond the previous explanation that North Korea possesses nuclear weapons only as a last-resort defensive measure. It more openly reveals an intent to operate nuclear weapons within actual war-fighting scenarios. In other words, North Korea is integrating tactical nuclear weapons, strategic nuclear weapons, nuclear material production capacity, and advanced delivery systems into a single operational framework. Ultimately, this report shows that North Korea’s nuclear policy is moving from the stage of “possession” to the stage of “mass production and operational deployment.” Kim said North Korea had “updated important figures in its nuclear activities” and “confirmed the sequence and guarantees for implementing the vast plan ahead to exponentially strengthen the state’s nuclear forces.” This is not merely political rhetoric. It is closer to a systematic declaration that North Korea intends to expand nuclear material production, the number of nuclear warheads, delivery systems, and operational planning all at once. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20inspects%20new%20facility%20as%20North%20Korea%20openly%20asserts%20its%20status%20as%20a%20nuclear%20state&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20inspects%20new%20facility%20as%20North%20Korea%20openly%20asserts%20its%20status%20as%20a%20nuclear%20state https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20inspects%20new%20facility%20as%20North%20Korea%20openly%20asserts%20its%20status%20as%20a%20nuclear%20state "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-inspects-new-facility-as-north-korea-openly-asserts-its-status-as-a-nuclear-state/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20inspects%20new%20facility%20as%20North%20Korea%20openly%20asserts%20its%20status%20as%20a%20nuclear%20state&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-inspects-new-facility-as-north-korea-openly-asserts-its-status-as-a-nuclear-state/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20inspects%20new%20facility%20as%20North%20Korea%20openly%20asserts%20its%20status%20as%20a%20nuclear%20state "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Tactical weapons test signals more complex threats on the Korean peninsula amid growing Russia factor](https://www.nkinsider.org/tactical-weapons-test-signals-more-complex-threats-on-the-korean-peninsula-amid-growing-russia-factor/) **Published:** June 10, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![a man in a black suit walks beside a line of uniformed officers next to a large beige rocket launcher mounted on a heavy truck in a dirt area with a rocky hillside behind](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Kju-at-a-missile-test-site-1.jpg "Kju at a missile test site 1 | nk insider")North Korea’s latest test of advanced tactical weapons highlights a broader effort to modernize its artillery and missile forces, potentially creating more complex military challenges on the Korean Peninsula while raising fresh questions about the role of expanding cooperation with Russia. The country’s Missile Administration and Academy of Defence Sciences conducted tests on May 26 of a newly developed lightweight multipurpose missile launch system and a multiple-launch tactical cruise missile weapon system. According to KCNA, the tests formed part of a broader effort to modernize North Korea’s artillery and missile forces under its five-year defense development plan. The report said leader Kim Jong-un personally observed the launches. The tests reportedly evaluated the effectiveness of a “special-mission warhead” for a tactical ballistic missile, the reliability of an “ultra-precision autonomous guidance and navigation system” for an extended-range 240-millimeter guided multiple rocket projectile, and the accuracy of “artificial intelligence-guided” strikes by a tactical cruise missile. The South Korean military assessed the launches as involving short-range ballistic missiles and multiple rocket projectiles fired from the Jongju area in North Pyongan Province. The significance of the KCNA report lies not merely in the fact that North Korea conducted another weapons test. Rather, Pyongyang portrayed the event as evidence of progress in modernizing its artillery and missile forces. It quoted Kim expressing satisfaction that “important, high-level national defense science and technologies” had been incorporated into practical weapons testing. He described the launches as “a clear signal of the renewal of our military power” and “a major technological advance” in strengthening combat capabilities. Kim also claimed that the fire-control and automation systems of all launch vehicles had been “completely renewed” to meet the demands of modern warfare. The weapons highlighted in the report fall into three main categories.The first is the lightweight multipurpose missile launch system. Based on an analysis of images released by North Korean state media, *USNI News*[ assessed](https://news.usni.org/2026/05/27/north-korea-tests-new-lightweight-launch-system-and-tactical-cruise-missiles) that the platform appears capable of firing both tactical ballistic missiles and 240-millimeter guided rockets. The ballistic missile shown in the images is believed to belong to the Hwasong-11D series. ![mobile missile launcher fires a rocket billowing dust and smoke as the missile lifts off the launch vehicle sits on rough terrain with a forested backdrop](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Kju-at-a-missile-test-site-2-1024x684.jpg "Kju at a missile test site 2 | nk insider")![military truck mounted rocket launcher firing a rocket into the sky flames and smoke billowing from the launcher on a grassy field in overcast weather](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Kju-at-a-missile-test-site-3-1024x695.jpg "Kju at a missile test site 3 | nk insider")![military rocket launcher firing a rocket smoke and dust plume rising from the ground](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Kju-at-a-missile-test-site-4-1024x683.jpg "Kju at a missile test site 4 | nk insider")*Multiple tactical cruise missile weapon system released by KCNA on May 26*The second is the extended-range 240-millimeter guided multiple rocket projectile. North Korea claims the projectile is equipped with an “ultra-precision autonomous guidance and navigation system.” Traditional multiple-launch rocket systems are designed primarily for saturation attacks and area suppression. Guided rockets, however, could enable North Korea to strike more specific targets, including military facilities, command posts, air bases and radar installations. The third system is a tactical cruise missile with a reported range of about 100 kilometers. KCNA said the missile combines an “ultra-precision autonomous navigation system” with terrain-contour matching navigation and an “artificial intelligence terminal guidance function.” According to state media, the missile is designed to conduct precision strikes against targets within a range of approximately 100 kilometers. *The Associated Press*, citing North Korean media, [reported](https://apnews.com/article/720cea7dfc5f7ec555ff9bb1f423507c) that the test involved an AI-guided tactical cruise missile, 240-millimeter precision-guided rockets and a tactical ballistic missile warhead test. North Korea’s claims should be treated cautiously. Terms such as “ultra-precision,” “artificial intelligence” and “completely renewed” are common features of its military propaganda. Publicly available information does not allow outside analysts to verify the capabilities of the cruise missile’s purported AI guidance system. Nor is it clear whether the system could operate effectively under electronic warfare conditions or in environments where satellite navigation signals are jammed or degraded. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has [assessed](https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/online-analysis/2026/03/assessing-north-koreas-ai-ambitions/) that North Korea has demonstrated ambitions to integrate AI into military systems, but continues to face significant technical hurdles in developing operationally reliable capabilities. For that reason, North Korea’s reference to “AI guidance” is more likely to describe some form of automatic target recognition or terminal-stage course correction using imagery, terrain data or sensor inputs. It should not be interpreted as evidence that North Korea has developed a fully autonomous weapon capable of independent battlefield decision-making. It is plausible that North Korea is developing 100-kilometer-class tactical cruise missiles and guided multiple rocket projectiles. Whether those systems can deliver the level of “ultra-precision” performance claimed by Pyongyang under real combat conditions remains unproven. Even so, the test points to a broader trend in North Korea’s weapons development: the pursuit of more precise, automated and integrated tactical firepower. Pyongyang is not focused solely on strategic systems such as intercontinental ballistic missiles. It is also seeking to combine short-range ballistic missiles, multiple rocket launchers and tactical cruise missiles into a coordinated force that could be employed in a conflict on the Korean Peninsula. Such a combination could complicate defense planning for South Korea and the United States. A mix of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and guided rockets could be used to overwhelm missile defense systems, reduce warning and response times, and blur the line between conventional operations and tactical nuclear strikes. One detail in the KCNA report is particularly noteworthy: the reference to deploying tactical cruise missiles to “long-range artillery brigades in the southern border area.” This suggests North Korea may be seeking to expand missile operations beyond rear-area strategic units and integrate them into forward-deployed artillery formations. Each system serves a different purpose. Short-range ballistic missiles can challenge defenses through speed and maneuverability. Cruise missiles can fly at low altitudes and follow indirect flight paths, making detection more difficult. Guided rockets can be launched in large numbers to saturate and exhaust interception systems. The significance of the test, therefore, lies not in any single weapon but in North Korea’s apparent effort to build a more complex and integrated tactical strike architecture. Russia remains an important part of the equation. There is no public evidence conclusively showing that the specific technologies tested on May 26 were transferred directly from Russia. However, North Korea’s growing military cooperation with Moscow may be improving the overall environment for Pyongyang’s weapons development. The Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Beyond Parallel project has [noted](https://beyondparallel.csis.org/north-korea-russia-cooperation/) that North Korea–Russia military cooperation has expanded significantly since 2022. It has also identified possible Russian assistance related to North Korea’s 2023 launch of its Malligyong-1 military reconnaissance satellite as a major development. The Royal United Services Institute has similarly [assessed](https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/how-north-korea-modernising-its-defence) that North Korea’s defense industry is increasing its pace and scale with the benefit of Russian fuel supplies and financial support. The institute has also noted Pyongyang’s growing investments in artificial intelligence, space technologies and integrated military systems. Even so, it would be premature to conclude that the 240-millimeter guided rocket or the 100-kilometer-class tactical cruise missile showcased in this test is a direct product of Russian technology. North Korea has spent years developing its own short-range ballistic missiles, large-caliber multiple rocket systems and cruise missiles. Russia’s contribution may be less about transferring specific weapon designs and more about providing fuel, funding, components, technical cooperation and operational feedback. This single test does not mean the military balance on the Korean Peninsula has suddenly shifted in North Korea’s favor. South Korea and the United States continue to hold substantial advantages in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; precision-strike capabilities; air and naval power; missile defense; and command-and-control systems. However, the burden on South Korean and U.S. forces could increase if North Korea succeeds in integrating short-range ballistic missiles, guided rockets, tactical cruise missiles and tactical nuclear capabilities into a more coordinated strike network. Such a force would be designed not only to inflict damage but also to overwhelm defenses and create uncertainty during the opening stages of a conflict. Ultimately, the May 27 KCNA report suggests that North Korea is seeking to make its tactical firepower more precise, more automated and longer-range. Its claims regarding “AI guidance” and “ultra-precision strikes” remain unverified and should be viewed partly through the lens of propaganda. The broader trend, however, is real. North Korea is attempting to transform its forward-deployed artillery and missile forces into a more mobile, precise and integrated combat force. Military cooperation with Russia may be helping Pyongyang accelerate that effort by expanding the resources available to its defence sector. The key takeaway is not that North Korea has unveiled a single new weapon, but that it is broadening its options for deterrence, coercion and attack in the early stages of a conflict by strengthening both its nuclear forces and its conventional precision-strike capabilities simultaneously. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Tactical%20weapons%20test%20signals%20more%20complex%20threats%20on%20the%20Korean%20peninsula%20amid%20growing%20Russia%20factor&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Tactical%20weapons%20test%20signals%20more%20complex%20threats%20on%20the%20Korean%20peninsula%20amid%20growing%20Russia%20factor https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Tactical%20weapons%20test%20signals%20more%20complex%20threats%20on%20the%20Korean%20peninsula%20amid%20growing%20Russia%20factor "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/tactical-weapons-test-signals-more-complex-threats-on-the-korean-peninsula-amid-growing-russia-factor/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Tactical%20weapons%20test%20signals%20more%20complex%20threats%20on%20the%20Korean%20peninsula%20amid%20growing%20Russia%20factor&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/tactical-weapons-test-signals-more-complex-threats-on-the-korean-peninsula-amid-growing-russia-factor/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Tactical%20weapons%20test%20signals%20more%20complex%20threats%20on%20the%20Korean%20peninsula%20amid%20growing%20Russia%20factor "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) **Published:** June 9, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![woman in a red floral hanbok joins hands with a partner during an outdoor traditional dance in front of a building](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Upscaleda-woman-participating-in-a-mass-dance-a-common-public-performance-in-north-korea.jpg "upscaled a woman participating in a mass dance a common public performance in north korea image istockredonion1515 | nk insider")There is a song beloved by many people in North Korea. It is called *My Country Is the Best*. Even the flowers blooming in a foreign land, Were not as beautiful as the flowers of my country. When I look back, the world may be vast and wide, But the country where I live is the best of all. It is truly a masterpiece. The melody is beautiful, and so are the lyrics. Of course, I know that claiming the flowers of one’s own country are more beautiful than identical flowers elsewhere is an expression of bias. Yet people naturally feel more affection for what is theirs than for what belongs to others. The desire to believe that one’s own country is the best place to live is a deeply human feeling. But how much better would it be if that were true—not merely a wish? For someone born in North Korea, going abroad is as difficult as winning the lottery. Foreign travel is effectively forbidden. Strictly speaking, most North Koreans have no way of knowing whether their country is a good place to live or not. How could they, when they have never seen another country? The government maintains tight control over its people because it fears that the lies it has told will be exposed. Only a tiny number of citizens—those who pass an exhaustive screening process that extends even to distant relatives—are permitted to travel abroad. Becoming one of those few is as difficult as a camel passing through the eye of a needle. My brother was one of the people who passed through that needle’s eye. As a student, he traveled to China for a programming competition. He was stunned by the seemingly endless expanse of Beijing Airport. The vast glass structures, the rows of airplanes, the countless shops, and the abundance of goods filling them from end to end were unlike anything he had ever seen. One thought kept returning to him: *The world is wide. So wide.* Before returning home, he was required to sign a pledge promising that, under no circumstances, would he reveal what he had seen or heard abroad. As expected, many people questioned him after he returned. “What is a foreign country like?” His answer was always the same. “The song *My Country Is the Best* came to me naturally,” he said. After that trip, my brother made a life-changing decision. His dream had once been to live in Pyongyang. For North Koreans, that is a privilege among privileges. Because there is no freedom of movement within the country, only those born in Pyongyang are normally allowed to reside there. In fact, it may be easier for you to immigrate overseas than for a North Korean to move to Pyongyang. When someone from the provinces manages to relocate to the capital, people call it a “regional revolution.” It is considered something so extraordinary that it could only happen through a revolution. Such a revolution had occurred in our family. Yet my brother voluntarily gave up his right to live in Pyongyang and chose to return to our hometown of Chongjin. To be honest, I thought he had lost his mind. But he explained things simply. “After visiting China, Pyongyang felt like a rural village,” he said. His choice meant more than giving up a place to live. It was, in many ways, a surrender of his faith in the regime. What brought him to that point? It was not simply the realization that our country was poor. When he flew to China on an Air Koryo aircraft, he was deeply uneasy. The plane looked old, and it shook so violently that he spent much of the two-hour flight staring at the propeller, wondering whether it might fail. On the return journey, he flew on an American-made Boeing aircraft. The flight was so smooth that he could barely distinguish takeoff from landing. My brother wanted his country to prosper. Even if it did not, he was willing to accept that reality. As his flight crossed back into North Korean airspace, he was overcome with emotion. “From this point on, we are entering the territory of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” the pilot announced. *At last, I am home,* he thought. But home rejected him at the door. The moment he arrived at the airport, uniformed soldiers began searching his luggage item by item. They pushed him into a corner as though he were a criminal. They demanded to know whether he had brought back anything “bad” from capitalism. My brother was not singled out. Every North Korean returning from abroad was treated the same way. They had received a welcome in foreign countries. Not in their own. One acquaintance with overseas experience told me she felt ashamed of being North Korean while she was abroad. She had been sent overseas as a doctor and met professionals from several countries. They were free to call their families whenever they wished. The North Koreans were forbidden from doing so. She envied them deeply. What made it harder was that she had never considered herself inferior to people from other countries. Yet in that situation, she felt diminished. She wrote letters home to her children. Knowing government censors would read them first, she could not write honestly. Every letter began in much the same way: “Now that I have come here, I realize once again how good a place my country is to live …” But she later told me she did not believe those words. North Korea is a beautiful place. Its mountains are clear, its waters clean. I love the sky of my hometown, the green fields, and the sea I have known since birth. But if human rights are not protected, if people are not rewarded for their labor, and if leaving in search of a better life is treated as a crime, can such a place truly be called a good place to live? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=When%20seeing%20the%20world%20makes%20%E2%80%9CMy%20Country%20is%20the%20Best%E2%80%9D%20harder%20to%20sing&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=When%20seeing%20the%20world%20makes%20%E2%80%9CMy%20Country%20is%20the%20Best%E2%80%9D%20harder%20to%20sing https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=When%20seeing%20the%20world%20makes%20%E2%80%9CMy%20Country%20is%20the%20Best%E2%80%9D%20harder%20to%20sing "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=When%20seeing%20the%20world%20makes%20%E2%80%9CMy%20Country%20is%20the%20Best%E2%80%9D%20harder%20to%20sing&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=When%20seeing%20the%20world%20makes%20%E2%80%9CMy%20Country%20is%20the%20Best%E2%80%9D%20harder%20to%20sing "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) **Published:** June 5, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![womens soccer team on a podium celebrating with trophy and medals as confetti falls](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/North-koreas-naegohyang-womens-fc-players-celebrate-after-defeating-tokyo-verdy-beleza-in-the-afc-womens-champions-league-final-in-suwon-south-korea-on-may-23-2026.jpg "S naegohyang womens fc players celebrate after defeating tokyo verdy beleza in the afc womens champions league final in suwon south korea on may 23 2026 | nk insider")Sign up [here](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s Football Club lifted a trophy on South Korean soil. On May 23, in the AFC Women’s Champions League final in Suwon, Naegohyang defeated Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza 1-0 to claim the title. The mere fact that a North Korean women’s football team was competing in an international tournament hosted in South Korea was unusual. The news that it went on to win the championship was enough to attract widespread attention. For me, having left North Korea only three years ago, the scene was more than a sports story. Even after arriving in South Korea, news about home still brings back memories of the air there and the faces of the people I left behind. So when I saw the team lifting that trophy on South Korean soil, I felt both proud and heavy-hearted. On one hand, I admired the players. Life as an athlete in North Korea is never easy. From a young age, they endure grueling training. Failure is rarely treated as a personal setback alone. Sports are not simply about individual dreams or talent. An athlete’s effort is wrapped in the language of national prestige, Party glory and loyalty to the homeland. After the victory, Naegohyang’s coach thanked the Workers’ Party and the motherland for their support. That was according to established practice. Even extraordinary individual achievement must be explained through “the embrace of the Party” and “the grace of the leader.” Yet as I watched the players celebrate, another thought occurred to me. How freely were they able to see South Korea beyond the stadium? What did they think of the brightly lit streets, spectators freely taking photos with their phones, and people laughing and speaking without fear? To South Koreans, these scenes are ordinary. To many North Koreans, they can feel like glimpses of an alien world. Even after three years in South Korea, there are still moments when everyday life here strikes me as surprising. Back then, I could not freely watch what I wanted to, listen to what I wanted to, or go where I chose. A single word, song or television drama could become a political issue. After living in such a society, the freedom of South Korea is difficult to believe at first. Of course, the fact that the North Korean footballers came does not mean they experienced the South Korea that its citizens know. The North’s sports delegations typically move under tightly controlled schedules when they are abroad. Where they go, who they meet, what they see and what they say are carefully managed. Setting foot on enemy South Korean soil and freely experiencing South Korean society are not the same thing. This was not an inter-Korean reconciliation event. Naegohyang was not playing a friendly match against a South Korean team. It was competing in an international club tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation. Rather than assigning excessive political meaning to the result, we should recognize both the skill displayed by athletes and the reality of the society that shaped them. Inter-Korean relations today are far from warm. Pyongyang has become increasingly explicit in its hostility toward Seoul, while military tensions on the peninsula remain high. The regime does not encourage its citizens to imagine life in the South. Instead, it portrays it as hostile. On one side, North Korean athletes were competing in a South Korean stadium. On the other, propaganda and control continue to make them view the South as distant and dangerous. That is why I could not applaud the victory without reservation. The talent displayed by the North Koreans was undeniable. Their speed, strength, organization and focus until the final whistle came from years of discipline and hard work. Their achievement deserves respect and celebration. But that talent was developed in an environment very different from that experienced by athletes in free societies. In North Korea, sports, art and education are often subordinated to the purposes of the state. Even when an athlete scores a goal, the celebration is not primarily about the individual. The homeland, the Party and the leader come first. I would also point out that the victory also highlighted the strength of North Korean women. In North Korean society, women often shoulder the burdens of family, livelihood and state-imposed obligations at the same time. Women are frequently responsible for supporting their families through market activity while also fulfilling organizational duties and various mobilization campaigns demanded by the state. Despite these challenges, North Korean women endure and persevere. Naegohyang’s victory showcased that resilience and potential. Yet one question remains. If those players could live freely, how different might their lives be? If they could choose what to say, what to see, where to go and what dreams to pursue—not only inside the stadium but outside it as well—how much more could they achieve? If they could listen to the music they liked, watch the films they wanted to see, travel where they wished and meet whomever they chose, what possibilities might open before them? I congratulate them on their victory. The sweat and effort behind it deserve genuine respect. But celebrating their achievement should not mean celebrating the regime. What we should recognize is not the propaganda of the state but the people who have survived within that system and developed their talents despite it. North Korean athletes, North Korean women and North Korean young people deserve the opportunity to see a wider world. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20North%20Korean%20team%20wins%20a%20trophy%20in%20South%20Korea.%20The%20victory%20raised%20harder%20questions%20about%20freedom.&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=A%20North%20Korean%20team%20wins%20a%20trophy%20in%20South%20Korea.%20The%20victory%20raised%20harder%20questions%20about%20freedom. https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=A%20North%20Korean%20team%20wins%20a%20trophy%20in%20South%20Korea.%20The%20victory%20raised%20harder%20questions%20about%20freedom. "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=A%20North%20Korean%20team%20wins%20a%20trophy%20in%20South%20Korea.%20The%20victory%20raised%20harder%20questions%20about%20freedom.&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=A%20North%20Korean%20team%20wins%20a%20trophy%20in%20South%20Korea.%20The%20victory%20raised%20harder%20questions%20about%20freedom. "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) **Published:** June 3, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![uniformed traffic officer in a blue coat and cap directs traffic with an outstretched arm](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Istock-1148823773.jpg "Traffic police officer in pyongyang 2018 credit istockomer serkan bakir | nk insider")What is it that makes a person endlessly tyrannical? Is it the power that supports him? Or is it our own weakness in submitting to his authority? Today I want to tell the unforgettable story of one man. Through it, I will explain the kind of character that a social system can produce. I currently work as a hotelier. In the course of my work, I meet people from many different countries. They include Japanese and Germans. I find them to be more polite than anyone else. Frankly, this confuses me. I learned from history books that they were once unspeakably cruel. The human experiments carried out during wartime force us to reflect on human nature itself. So the question arises: What makes them appear so utterly different today? In considering this, let us look at North Korea. There, security agents and guards act as the henchmen of power, controlling and oppressing ordinary people. You find no warmth or human kindness in them. Only cold-hearted cruelty, as they abuse people to curry favor with authority. Yet when these same people defect, they become as meek as lambs. The only thing that has changed is the social system. Let me tell you the story of one man shaped by a corrupt system. His name was “Oppasi.” He lived in the apartment below mine. Oppasi enjoyed the privilege of being the child of an anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter. Anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter! What a noble title. From childhood, we studied in revolutionary history classes how they bravely fought the Japanese. I was always awed by their courage. But their children, proud of their lineage, often surprised me in other ways. For example, Oppasi would stand on street corners and commit petty theft. Thanks to his ancestry, he landed a job as a policeman. Wearing his uniform, he stopped passersby and extorted money from them. If people did not have cash, they handed over noodles or bundles of anchovies. People felt wronged but dared not protest because they feared his authority. At first, I was outraged. Wasn’t a policeman supposed to be the people’s protector—moral, just and self-sacrificing? He was none of these things. I thought the state simply did not know his true nature and that, if it did, it would act. But people called him “Oppasi.” This was the name of a Japanese policeman in films, one of the most vicious villains imaginable. That was how much resentment they felt toward him. Yet instead of being dismissed or criticized, he continued to be promoted. His children all gained admission to the country’s most prestigious universities. As an aside, his daughter was in my class. I swear she was utterly incompetent, yet she went on to medical school. After that, I stopped going to hospitals. For my own safety, I thought it best. In my eyes, she was no different from a butcher wielding a scalpel. Within North Korea’s system, his family thrived. The state was not ignorant. His abuses were carried out under its protection. “Do you even know whose land you’re living on?” he often said. “Why doesn’t the tiger of Mount Paektu come and take this man away?” people muttered. But not aloud. That was too dangerous. They muttered it only in their hearts. Oppasi’s madness and arrogance grew without limit. No longer a petty thief, he became a robber in broad daylight. One day, he claimed a neighbor’s land as his own. A fierce dispute broke out, so intense that the whole neighborhood came to watch. Everyone knew the land belonged to the neighbor. Nobody intervened. They justified their cowardice with a saying: “Do you avoid dung because you fear it? No, because it’s filthy.” Since it was not their affair, people turned away. I know because my mother and I were among them. In the end, the land became Oppasi’s. Then came the incident I can never forget. Our home was a beautiful two-story house. The sea stretched before it and the mountains rose behind it, like something from a fairy tale. Perhaps it felt even more precious because my father had built it. In North Korea, building a private house required the patronage of a powerful man. So my father built it together with Oppasi. In return, Oppasi took the first floor. After my father passed away, he coveted the second floor as well. He stormed upstairs with an axe, smashing the house in a violent rage. As my beloved home splintered under his blows, I burned with anger. I longed for his absurd tyranny to be judged. But the authorities ruled otherwise. “Endure it patiently,” they said. I hoped the neighbors would speak out. But everyone remained silent, just as my mother and I once had. So I ask: Who created Oppasi? The social system? Or our silence? Martin Niemöller, the German Lutheran pastor, expressed the danger of such silence in his famous confessional poem after World War II: “When the Nazis came for the Communists, I remained silent; I was not a Communist. When they locked up the Social Democrats, I remained silent; I was not a Social Democrat. When they came for the Jews I said nothing; I was not a Jew. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak for me.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Who%20created%20%E2%80%9COppasi%E2%80%9D%3F%20How%20tyranny%20thrives%20on%20power%20and%20silence%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Who%20created%20%E2%80%9COppasi%E2%80%9D%3F%20How%20tyranny%20thrives%20on%20power%20and%20silence%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Who%20created%20%E2%80%9COppasi%E2%80%9D%3F%20How%20tyranny%20thrives%20on%20power%20and%20silence%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Who%20created%20%E2%80%9COppasi%E2%80%9D%3F%20How%20tyranny%20thrives%20on%20power%20and%20silence%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Who%20created%20%E2%80%9COppasi%E2%80%9D%3F%20How%20tyranny%20thrives%20on%20power%20and%20silence%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn't be enough': North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) **Published:** June 1, 2026 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![group of farmers transplanting rice seedlings in a flooded paddy field bending over with wet feet](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/North-korean-workers-planting-rice-seedlings -photo_nk-times.jpg "North korean workers planting rice seedlings photonk times | nk insider")With the start of the busy farming season, North Koreans are facing a sharp increase in street inspections. In addition to officers from the Ministry of Social Security, authorities have mobilized members of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, the Socialist Women’s Union and other organizations in an all-out effort to crack down on unauthorized movement. “In Jaeryong County, patrols have been checking people since May 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” a source in South Hwanghae Province said. “Residents caught up in the inspections are forced to perform at least two hours of labor before being allowed to return home.” People are being targeted for violating restrictions on movement during the nationwide rural support mobilization period, the source said. Those found on the streets without official business or lingering around market areas are stopped and questioned about their identity and reason for travel. They are then taken to nearby farms and compelled to work. Street inspections have long been one of the regime’s standard methods of social control and are repeated annually during the farming season. To address labor shortages in rural areas, authorities mobilize students, women and office workers to support agricultural work while simultaneously tightening restrictions on the movement of residents who are not participating in the mobilization. This year’s crackdown has reportedly fueled growing frustration. Residents who rely on trade, transport services, errands and other informal economic activities for their livelihoods have been particularly affected. “These days, people say, ‘We have to participate in rural mobilization, but we also have to trade to survive. Even if we had 12 bodies, it still wouldn’t be enough,'” the source said. “Residents who live hand to mouth are being hit hard.” “Many complain that the state only cares about farming and has no interest in how people actually survive,” he said. “People say it would make more sense if one person from each household participated in rural mobilization while the rest of the family were allowed to earn a living.” “In the end, amid already difficult living conditions, the burden of various mobilizations and crackdowns is placed on ordinary citizens, who have no power to resist,” he said. “With the economy in such a difficult state, restricting livelihood activities will inevitably increase resentment.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%98Even%2012%20bodies%20wouldn%27t%20be%20enough%27%3A%20North%20Koreans%20struggle%20under%20farm%20mobilization%20crackdown&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%E2%80%98Even%2012%20bodies%20wouldn%27t%20be%20enough%27%3A%20North%20Koreans%20struggle%20under%20farm%20mobilization%20crackdown https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%E2%80%98Even%2012%20bodies%20wouldn%27t%20be%20enough%27%3A%20North%20Koreans%20struggle%20under%20farm%20mobilization%20crackdown "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%E2%80%98Even%2012%20bodies%20wouldn%27t%20be%20enough%27%3A%20North%20Koreans%20struggle%20under%20farm%20mobilization%20crackdown&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%E2%80%98Even%2012%20bodies%20wouldn%27t%20be%20enough%27%3A%20North%20Koreans%20struggle%20under%20farm%20mobilization%20crackdown "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Kim Il-sung's long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) **Published:** May 25, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![black and white photo of soldiers in early 20th century uniforms with rifles in a forest setting](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Soldiers-of-the-northeast-counter-japanese-united-army.jpg "Soldiers of the northeast counterjapanese united army | nk insider")Sign up [here](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). When it comes to his crimes against the Korean people, the record of the North’s founding dictator, Kim Il-sung, is long and varied. Those familiar with his tyrannical rule are aware of the[ bloody political purges](https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/leadership-purges.htm) which he undertook from the late 1940s through the late 1960s. His first focus was on the repression and deprivation of supposedly “guaranteed” rights of Christians, Buddhists, non-communist nationalists, native religious and social groups, farmers, and large and small private businesspeople. He then moved against rival communists. He acted to eliminate communists who had been active in the North during the Japanese occupation, and South Korean communists who had fled there after independence. He then targeted communists with close ties to the Soviet Union and Mao’s forces in China. Finally, he even liquidated some members of his own guerrilla faction. The victims included longtime loyalists, as well as officials he saw as a threat to himself or to the rise of his son Kim Jong-il, or simply whose job performance did not please him in some way. With the opening of archives after the fall of the Soviet Union, we now know that, in the late 1940s, Kim and his cadres in the North, as well as the Soviets, ordered and funded a series of assassinations, guerilla raids, and armed uprisings in the South. In 1950, of course, he launched the fratricidal war. From the end of that conflict until his death,[ he continued his war](https://beyondparallel.csis.org/database-north-korean-provocations/) against his fellow Koreans, by establishing the[ notorious GULAG system](https://www.nkhiddengulag.org/about-the-camps.html) of political prisons and concentration camps, by kidnapping people from the South and overseas, and by mismanaging the North’s command economy to such an extent that it faced a horrible famine which could have been avoided even after support from the Soviet bloc had ended. From the 1960s through the 1980s, Kim ordered infiltrations of guerrillas, who murdered South Koreans who had the misfortune to come into contact with them. The late 1970s to the late 1980s, in particular, saw several deadly terrorist bombings targeting the South. Defectors from the North, within the South and elsewhere, were assassinated, as were some South Korean diplomats abroad. A little-known aspect of the murderous nature of Kim and his communist colleagues, however, dates from over a decade before his coming to power in the aftermath of World War Two. Kim in fact began his long career of murder, abduction, and plunder in the mid-1930s, when he and his comrades were guerrillas serving under the Chinese Communist Party and fighting the Japanese forces in occupied Manchuria. This history has of course been thoroughly concealed by state propagandists. Rather than portray him as one of several junior Korean officers leading bands of Chinese and Korean guerrillas in relatively small hit-and-run raids against the Japanese, they transformed Kim into the “Peerless, Ever-Victorious General” who led a fictional “Korean People’s Revolutionary Army.” He was even alleged to possess superhuman powers. It was also preposterously claimed that he and his band single-handedly defeated Japan and liberated the northern part of the peninsula. The dirty truth, however, is a matter of[ historical record](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Kim_Il_Sung/PjGDZlMTHPQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Kim+Il-sung+dae-sook+suh&printsec=frontcover). In Manchuria in the late 1930s, Kim was neither[ a “Robin Hood” ](https://en.koreadaily.com/the-myth-of-kim-il-sung-north-koreas-founder-and-his-shadowy-parallels-with-stalin/)robbing from the rich and giving to the poor, nor an independence fighter totally focused on the battle with Japanese troops. He sometimes had fewer than 50 men under his command, and at other times nearly 300. Their raids on remote police outposts were daring, but hardly major battles. A significant aspect of his “struggle” consisted of directly targeting Korean civilians in the region. While claiming to be fighting on their behalf, he in fact spent much of the time preying upon them. When they raided small villages in Manchuria and on a few occasions within Korea, Kim and his men would threaten the inhabitants and plunder their few possessions and foods. They would also abduct youngsters and force them to serve in their units, while attempting to indoctrinate them. Many of these victims deserted as soon as they had the chance. The relatively wealthy, the ordinary farmers, and the poor – all were forced at the point of a gun to give up their livestock, grain, and other possessions. Those who did not have anything of value were forced to issue promissory notes which the guerrillas would seek to collect upon their next raid. One tactic was to take hostages and threaten to execute them unless and until their families paid ransom. Kim’s guerrillas warned that they would first cut off their ears, and then cut off their heads. “There will be numerous ways to take care of the people in your village,” they warned. One message put it quite bluntly that “if you love your money and goods you lose your men.” Another threat, mentioned by Kim in his biography, was to “give guns if you have guns, people if you have people, money if you have money, and good if you have goods.” Given these brutal methods, it is not surprising that Koreans who were victimized in such a manner considered Kim and his guerrillas to be ordinary bandits rather than genuine independence fighters worthy of support. As Professor[ Dae-sook Suh](https://books.google.com/books/about/Korean_Communism_1945_1980.html?id=b2o5AQAAIAAJ), the historian and biographer of Kim Il-sung, who is not biased against him, noted, “The resentment is understandable; there was constant pilferage, harassment, and threats by Communist bandits.” One of the guerrillas, Choe Hyon, was older than Kim and held a higher rank Chinese Communist Party. In a threat issued “to all the householders” of one targeted Korean village, Choe declared that “we have been demanding and collecting supplies from the masses,” and ordered that “you, the householders, must gather three and a half *sok* \[approximately eighteen bushels\] of corn, beans and other grains, and not even one grain less than ten catty of salt within two days….If the supplies do not reach us within two days, you will be punished mercilessly.” Even though he was almost illiterate, Choe became a top-ranking military official of Kim’s regime, and unlike so many others, was never purged. Some historians claim that it was he who actually led the raids against Japanese troops which later were well-publicized in the propaganda and attributed solely to Kim. Some photos taken during their years as guerrillas were later[ altered by the regime](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2014/06/03/politics/Jonguns-Japan-deal-could-be-tough/2990103.html) to depict Kim at the center of a group including Choe, whereas in the original photo it was Choe who was at the center. Choe’s son, Choe Ryong-hae, held several high political and military posts under Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un, but[ was demoted](https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-policy/2026/02/23/2BOICQPAP5GYNGCDW2VRCFFFMA/) by Kim Jong-un early this year. It is not known how many Korean villagers were murdered by Kim for failing to supply his fighters. Kim and his guerrillas also offered protection to opium producers, while seizing their crops for resale. The abductions and dealings in narcotics presaged the North Korean[ regime’s later years](https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/JIPA/Display/Article/3285265/the-state-as-a-transnational-criminal-organization-a-north-korea-case-study/) of kidnappings of Koreans, Japanese, Europeans, and others, as well as the North’s illegal drug trade around the world by its diplomats overseas. This criminality is reminiscent of the robberies committed by Stalin and the Bolsheviks in Georgia during the first years of the last century, the plunder and kidnapping of villagers by Mao and his communist rebels in and around their “base areas” during the early 1930s, and the executions and requisitions carried out by Che Guevara during his guerrilla days in Cuba in the 1950s and Bolivia in the mid-1960s. All of these communist leaders made a habit of brutalizing and murdering the countrymen who they claimed to be “liberating.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Il-sung%27s%20long%20record%20of%20murder%2C%20kidnapping%2C%20and%20plunder%20in%20the%20decade%20before%20he%20came%20to%20power&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Il-sung%27s%20long%20record%20of%20murder%2C%20kidnapping%2C%20and%20plunder%20in%20the%20decade%20before%20he%20came%20to%20power https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Il-sung%27s%20long%20record%20of%20murder%2C%20kidnapping%2C%20and%20plunder%20in%20the%20decade%20before%20he%20came%20to%20power "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Il-sung%27s%20long%20record%20of%20murder%2C%20kidnapping%2C%20and%20plunder%20in%20the%20decade%20before%20he%20came%20to%20power&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Il-sung%27s%20long%20record%20of%20murder%2C%20kidnapping%2C%20and%20plunder%20in%20the%20decade%20before%20he%20came%20to%20power "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) **Published:** May 22, 2026 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![split screen news image top shows masked officers and attendees in a chamber with green seats bottom shows two people in a courtroom leaning over a desk toward each other with a korean caption visible](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Prisioners-no-return-1.jpg "Prisionersnoreturn 1 | nk insider")Authorities in North Korea are intensifying propaganda against so-called “anti-socialist” behavior, condemning women’s clothing, hairstyles, speech, and other foreign cultural influences, according to a source inside the country. Materials circulated through regular ideological education sessions warn residents that even minor personal choices can be treated as signs of ideological corruption, the source said. The state claims that “enemies” are trying to plant “the eggs of capitalism” in the country in order to “degenerate and destroy our revolutionary ranks from within.” If women in particular are not properly guided, “even the slightest changes in their ideological and spiritual life” could push them “onto the path of betraying the revolution,” the propaganda material says. The message is clear: clothing is not private. It is political. The material states that wearing clothes and hairstyles “in a modest and sound way that suits the socialist lifestyle” is “by no means a practical matter.” In other words, a woman’s shirt, pants, or haircut is treated not as a matter of comfort or taste, but as a test of loyalty. It cites as an example a woman wearing a T-shirt with English lettering under a suit jacket. Such offenders can be stopped in the street and “inspected.” Once caught, the person may be reported to her workplace, factory, institution, or social organization, then forced to face public criticism before colleagues. Another section condemns tight pants that cling to the legs and reveal the body’s shape as part of “rotten capitalist culture.” Wearing them is described as an “anti-socialist” act influenced by hostile forces seeking to corrupt North Korea from within. Thus, a young woman’s desire to look stylish or slim is recast as participation in an enemy plot. The content describes women as “a wheel of the revolution,” implying that their appearance must serve the state’s political project. Women are not treated as individuals with dignity, preferences, or autonomy, but as bodies to be disciplined in the name of socialism. Punishment is not limited to warnings. Offenders can be made to stand publicly as examples of “anti-socialist” behavior and then subjected to collective criticism afterward. The restrictions also extend to jeans, which the regime associates with foreign culture. According to the source, when women are caught wearing tight pants or jeans, patrols may cut the clothing with scissors in public. One reported incident in the Pohang District of Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province, shows how such abuse can provoke public anger. A woman wearing tight pants was stopped by a patrol, which cut her pants so severely that her legs were exposed. “Do you feel satisfied after tearing the pants of a woman who could be like your own sister?” some bystanders reportedly shouted at the male patrol members. “What about those pants is anti-socialist?” As more people gathered and the situation grew tense, the patrol group reportedly called the Ministry of Social Security, and armed security officers arrived to disperse the crowd. The incident shows that forced obedience should not be mistaken for acceptance. Many North Koreans may comply because they have no choice, but they understand the cruelty and absurdity of these controls. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=War%20on%20women%E2%80%99s%20clothing%3A%20How%20fashion%20has%20become%20a%20political%20crime&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=War%20on%20women%E2%80%99s%20clothing%3A%20How%20fashion%20has%20become%20a%20political%20crime https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=War%20on%20women%E2%80%99s%20clothing%3A%20How%20fashion%20has%20become%20a%20political%20crime "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=War%20on%20women%E2%80%99s%20clothing%3A%20How%20fashion%20has%20become%20a%20political%20crime&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=War%20on%20women%E2%80%99s%20clothing%3A%20How%20fashion%20has%20become%20a%20political%20crime "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [North Korea’s COVID quarantine was a performance built on fear and deception](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-covid-quarantine-was-a-performance-built-on-fear-and-deception/) **Published:** May 20, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![three workers in bright orange hazmat suits disinfect a spacious indoor lobby with spray wists wearing face shields and gloves](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/North-korean-quarantine-workers-disinfect-pyongyang-station-on-may-17-2022-image-kcna.jpg "ºÏÇÑ Æò¾çª ºñó¹æª °­µµ³ôÀÌ Àü°³ | nk insider")One night during the COVID-19 pandemic, while I was still living under quarantine in North Korea, I saw a group of people gathered around a large water tank authorities had publicly described as containing “special sterile disinfectant water.” Then I watched them refill it — with seawater. That memory came back to me last week as I followed reports about hantavirus. My mind returned to North Korea’s quarantine system: outwardly strict and disciplined, but internally shaped by deception, shortages, and privilege. North Korea responded to COVID-19 with unusual intensity. Authorities sealed the border, severely restricted movement, and tightened control over coastal areas, including the region where I lived. On the surface, these measures appeared decisive. But the regime feared more than the virus itself. It feared the collapse of its long-promoted slogan, “We have nothing to envy in the world,” and exposure of its poor medical infrastructure and chronic shortages of medicine. Under the banner of protecting the people, the authorities imposed what they called a “maximum emergency quarantine system.” State media repeated quarantine slogans daily, while institutions and work units received a flood of extralegal orders. Movement was heavily restricted, and market traders who relied on day-to-day commerce saw their livelihoods devastated. The controls were especially harsh in coastal communities. Fishing companies and related businesses were banned from going to sea. Anyone caught sneaking out on a raft or fishing boat to earn a living faced threats of severe punishment, imprisonment, or even execution. Yet during the same period, the sea remained open to the powerful. The production and transport of seafood for the so-called “No. 8 supplies” — goods reserved for a privileged elite that included senior Central Party officials in Pyongyang and the Kim family — continued uninterrupted. (“No. 8” refers to the system that manages goods for the leadership.) These supplies included pine mushrooms, fruit, rice, wild blueberries from Mount Paektu, and a variety of seafood. Boats designated to transport these goods received special permission to bypass quarantine restrictions entirely. A virus, of course, does not distinguish between rich and poor. It does not avoid infecting a boat simply because it serves senior officials. From the perspective of COVID-19, a label reading “No. 8 supplies” meant nothing. The contradictions did not end there. On paper, all goods — especially “No. 8 supplies” — were supposed to undergo thorough disinfection. Officials kept logs, and inspectors conducted rounds to create the appearance of strict enforcement. In reality, even the most basic quarantine materials were scarce. Proper disinfectant had long since run out amid chronic shortages and the border shutdown. Managers improvised. Large disinfection tanks were filled with seawater drawn nearby. Seawater may wash away visible dirt, but it cannot reliably disinfect surfaces contaminated with COVID-19. It was no substitute for approved disinfectants. Yet officials referred to it as “special sterile disinfectant water” with powerful sterilizing effects. In reality, it was simply salt water with no meaningful quarantine function. The system reminded me of The Truman Show — a world in which appearances mattered more than reality. North Korea’s quarantine system existed perfectly in slogans, paperwork, and staged inspections. At my workplace, the white “disinfectant” sprayed by workers in protective suits was seawater. Even more revealing was how the rules changed for the elite. Seafood destined for “No. 8 supplies” — supposedly among the goods requiring the strictest disinfection — was not sprayed at all. Officials worried that moisture might reduce freshness or leave a smell on seafood intended for senior Party leaders. Outwardly, paperwork claimed the products had been thoroughly disinfected. In practice, authorities prohibited spraying entirely to avoid damaging food reserved for the powerful. I still remember standing beside that tank late at night, holding my breath as workers glanced around to make sure no one was watching. They emptied the remaining liquid and refilled the tank with seawater. At that moment, my belief in the “powerful disinfectant” promoted by the authorities collapsed. It became clear to me that North Korea’s quarantine campaign was not a serious public health policy. It was a performance. This was not simply the result of individual workers cutting corners or temporary administrative failure. It reflected a system in which officials were expected to demonstrate success regardless of whether resources existed, and where survival depended more on false reporting than truth. The system that claimed to protect life was, in reality, designed first to protect power. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20COVID%20quarantine%20was%20a%20performance%20built%20on%20fear%20and%20deception&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20COVID%20quarantine%20was%20a%20performance%20built%20on%20fear%20and%20deception https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20COVID%20quarantine%20was%20a%20performance%20built%20on%20fear%20and%20deception "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-covid-quarantine-was-a-performance-built-on-fear-and-deception/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20COVID%20quarantine%20was%20a%20performance%20built%20on%20fear%20and%20deception&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-covid-quarantine-was-a-performance-built-on-fear-and-deception/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20COVID%20quarantine%20was%20a%20performance%20built%20on%20fear%20and%20deception "Reddit") **Categories:** Health --- ### [Fate of two POWs held in Ukraine hands in the balance](https://www.nkinsider.org/fate-of-two-pows-held-in-ukraine-hands-in-the-balance/) **Published:** March 6, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-10-at-2 41 27-pm.jpg "Screenshot 20260310 at 2 41 27 pm | nk insider")These two North Korean POWs in Ukrainian custody face a danger that is not theoretical. It is an escalating reality. Russia has already attempted to place them on a prisoner‑exchange list, raising the real possibility that they could be handed over and then dispatched to Pyongyang, where they would likely face execution or long prison terms for having surrendered on the battlefield. South Korean lawmaker Yoo Yong‑won traveled to Ukraine and confirmed firsthand that this is a very real possibility. Ukrainian authorities have also acknowledged the political complexity of the case. In 2023, Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, stated publicly that if the POWs wished to go to South Korea, the matter would require discussion “at the level of the leaders of both countries.” That remark signaled that the fate of these two young men could become entangled in high‑level political bargaining. There is also the possibility of tension between the two countries’ interests. Ukraine has repeatedly requested lethal weapons and other forms of advanced military support from South Korea. If Kyiv were to link the POWs’ transfer to such requests, it would raise serious concerns about the use of human lives as leverage in wartime negotiations. South Korea has taken initial steps. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told the National Assembly that Ukraine has pledged not to send the POWs to Russia or North Korea. Despite these assurances, concern is growing among lawmakers, civil society, and human‑rights advocates. They are urging the government to act more proactively to secure the safety of the two men. Diplomatic statements alone may not be enough when their lives hang in the balance. In an issue of this nature, South Korea carries a unique legal and moral responsibility. Under the country’s Constitution, North Koreans are citizens of South Korea. Far from being symbolic, this clause imposes a real obligation on the government to protect them. Failing to act decisively would contradict both constitutional principles and the values South Korea claims to uphold. The willingness of the prisoners to seek refuge in South Korea is a stark reminder that, even under the most repressive conditions, North Koreans can still recognize the difference between two fundamentally different systems. Preventing their forced return is not only a humanitarian duty. It is a message to millions in the North that their lives and choices matter. For the international community, this case exposes a broader responsibility. When authoritarian regimes attempt to erase human dignity, democratic nations must decide whether their principles are merely words or commitments worth defending. The fate of these two young men will reveal how firmly South Korea and the world intend to uphold universal human rights when they are most at risk. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Fate%20of%20two%20POWs%20held%20in%20Ukraine%20hands%20in%20the%20balance&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Fate%20of%20two%20POWs%20held%20in%20Ukraine%20hands%20in%20the%20balance https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Fate%20of%20two%20POWs%20held%20in%20Ukraine%20hands%20in%20the%20balance "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/fate-of-two-pows-held-in-ukraine-hands-in-the-balance/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Fate%20of%20two%20POWs%20held%20in%20Ukraine%20hands%20in%20the%20balance&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/fate-of-two-pows-held-in-ukraine-hands-in-the-balance/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Fate%20of%20two%20POWs%20held%20in%20Ukraine%20hands%20in%20the%20balance "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) **Published:** May 18, 2026 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![two pages of densely printed korean text likely official meeting minutes or a report left page shows a title and date 2026년 2월 23일 right page continues numbered sections](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/김정은-9차-당대회-강연자료.jpg "김정은9차당대회강연자료 | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). North Korea is rolling out a program for party members and workers at factories and enterprises, telling them they must become standard-bearers and shock troops as part of a plan to tighten internal cohesion. The move follows decisions made at the 9th Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea in February. A political agitation session at the Hoeryong Coal Mine Machinery Factory last week ordered party members to play an exemplary role in implementing the decisions of the Congress. Participants were repeatedly told they must “become standard-bearers and shock troops,” according to a source contacted in North Hamgyong Province. Particular emphasis was placed on the responsibilities and discipline of party members, he said. They were told they should observe labor discipline, including punctual attendance and compliance with workplace regulations. “Isn’t this ultimately an attempt to increase pressure over production performance?” the source said, quoting some participants. “One party member said that implementation of decisions made at the Congress was being used as an excuse to tighten control over people’s daily lives,” he said. “It is absurd to force party members to make unconditional sacrifices and show devotion without any compensation, while offering no improvement in rewards or treatment.” “People are worried that organizational life, evaluations, and disciplinary control will become even stricter going forward,” he said. “In particular, anxiety is spreading that the weekly self-criticism ‘life review’ sessions and general meetings aimed at the ideological inspection of party members may be held even more frequently and with greater intensity.” Analysts say the frequency and intensity have indeed increased this year, as the regime seeks to secure both economic performance and internal cohesion. “The authorities are trying to maintain organizational control through ideological work amid prolonged economic hardship and signs of loosening discipline among residents,” a prominent defector said. “In particular, after the 9th Party Congress, they are likely to continue strengthening political lectures, loyalty pledge meetings, and performance mobilization efforts at each unit.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Party%20members%20told%20they%20must%20become%20standard-bearers%20and%20shock%20troops&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Party%20members%20told%20they%20must%20become%20standard-bearers%20and%20shock%20troops https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Party%20members%20told%20they%20must%20become%20standard-bearers%20and%20shock%20troops "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Party%20members%20told%20they%20must%20become%20standard-bearers%20and%20shock%20troops&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Party%20members%20told%20they%20must%20become%20standard-bearers%20and%20shock%20troops "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [The unspoken burden of being a woman in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-unspoken-burden-of-being-a-woman-in-north-korea/) **Published:** May 18, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![toddlers blue overalls and striped cap stands in busy outdoor market holding a cup](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Woman.jpg "Woman | nk insider")A few days ago, I was interviewed about the lives of women in North Korea. At first, I thought I would simply speak about what I knew, what I had lived through, and what I had seen. But as the questions continued, memories buried deep inside began to return. They were memories of things that once felt normal. Moments I had passed over in silence. Things I had endured without knowing I had the right to object. Experiences I did not even recognize as human rights violations. After the conversation with the journalist, my heart would not settle. When I lived in North Korea, I had never really thought about the phrase “women’s rights.” I never learned those words. At school, I was taught over and over to be loyal to the leader and the party. But I do not remember anyone ever telling me that women have the right to protect their own bodies and minds. I did not know I had the right to say no. I did not know I could speak up when someone treated me carelessly. Like all women there, I learned to endure. Endurance is treated almost like a virtue. Silence becomes a way to survive. If a woman is harassed, hears degrading remarks, or experiences unwanted physical contact, it is difficult to make an issue of it. Women move on. “I was unlucky,” they tell themselves. “If I speak up, I’ll only suffer more.” In a society where the state, the organization, and the family come before the individual, women’s suffering is easily buried. Women who trade in the jangmadang markets are often vulnerable to inspectors and people with power. If someone speaks to them inappropriately, comes too close, or makes them uncomfortable, they cannot protest. If they speak up, they could be banned from trading. Their goods could be confiscated. Or worse. So they pretend nothing is wrong, even when they feel humiliated, even when they are afraid. That is how women learn to survive. The same is true in workplaces and organizational life. If a superior or official makes offensive jokes, treats a woman carelessly, or looks down on her because she is a woman, challenging him can be dangerous. Power relations in North Korea are too strong. A person’s position and connections can determine another person’s life. For a woman to say, “I don’t like this,” is not always simple. It can become a risk. We learn to put survival before feelings. After coming to South Korea, I learned many things anew. One thing struck me deeply: harassment and sexual violations against women are not tolerated here. Of course, women in South Korea also face difficulties and discrimination. But at least there is a social standard that recognizes such acts as wrong. There are laws and systems that allow victims to speak out. When I realized that a woman’s body and dignity should not be treated carelessly — not at work, not at school, not on the street, not in public spaces — I thought of the faces of so many women I had known in North Korea. Did they know what they endured was wrong? Did they know they had the right to reject someone who treated them carelessly? What breaks my heart now is the realization that women in the North do not have the language to explain their suffering. If you do not know the phrase “human rights,” it is hard to understand that what happened to you was a violation of them. If you do not know the term “sexual harassment,” you may not know how to name the shame and fear you felt when it happened to you. If you have never learned the word “freedom,” it is hard to recognize how oppressed your life is. North Korean women are strong. But that strength does not come from freedom. It comes from having to endure for too long. They feed their families by working in the markets. They carry the responsibilities of wives and mothers at home. They participate in organizational life and state mobilizations. Yet despite carrying so much, they are not taught the rights that would allow them to protect themselves. The right to have their bodies and dignity respected. The right to reject injustice. The right to speak about harm. These rights barely exist in their daily lives. After the interview, I thought for a long time about the women I had seen in North Korea. Women who swallowed their tears in silence. Women who laughed off injustice after being wronged. Women who were broken inside but still had to return to the market the next day. Their silence did not mean they were okay. They were silent because they could not speak. They endured because they could not raise the issue. They blamed themselves because they had never imagined they could be protected. I want to tell North Korean women this: the discomfort you felt was not wrong. If you were afraid, it was not because you were weak. What happened to you was not nothing. No one has the right to treat your body or your heart carelessly. There is nothing women should have to endure simply because they are women. The human rights I learned about after coming to South Korea were not some grand, distant idea. They were the strength to protect myself in daily life. The right to say no. The right to ask for help. The right to believe that my body and mind deserve respect. That interview was not just an interview. It was a moment to look back on my own life and once again confront the silence and pain North Korean women still carry. One day, women in North Korea must come to know this: they are human beings who deserve respect. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20unspoken%20burden%20of%20being%20a%20woman%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20unspoken%20burden%20of%20being%20a%20woman%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20unspoken%20burden%20of%20being%20a%20woman%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-unspoken-burden-of-being-a-woman-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20unspoken%20burden%20of%20being%20a%20woman%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-unspoken-burden-of-being-a-woman-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20unspoken%20burden%20of%20being%20a%20woman%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [North Korea amends constitution to finalize rejection of unification](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-amends-constitution-to-finalize-rejection-of-unification-2/) **Published:** May 16, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![kim jong un speaking at a wooden podium with multiple microphones north korean flag in the background](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Image.jpeg "Image | nk insider")Sign up [here](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/ "here"). North Korea has revised its constitution to remove references to reunification with South Korea, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said on May 5. The amendment, reportedly adopted during the March session of the Supreme People’s Assembly, further institutionalizes leader Kim Jong-un’s view that the two Koreas should no longer be treated as parts of a single nation. It is one of the clearest indications yet that Pyongyang is redefining the peninsula as permanently divided. According to South Korean officials, the revised constitution deletes language associated with peaceful reunification, ethnic unity, and the long-standing idea that North and South Korea remain one people separated by history and war. Instead, the North now reportedly defines its territory independently, reinforcing the regime’s position that South Korea is a separate and openly adversarial state. For decades, both governments — despite military confrontation, ideological hostility, and competing political systems — officially maintained that reunification remained the ultimate national goal. That principle helped preserve the notion that the peninsula’s division was temporary, even during periods of extreme tension. Pyongyang now appears to be discarding that framework altogether. The shift has accelerated under Kim in recent years. North Korean state media and official rhetoric increasingly describe inter-Korean relations not as ties between fellow Koreans, but as relations between hostile states. Kim has repeatedly referred to South Korea as the North’s “main enemy” while reducing references to shared nationhood. The legal change follows a broader campaign to erase symbols connected to Korean unity. Since late 2023, North Korean authorities have reportedly dismantled reunification monuments, removed language referring to “fellow countrymen,” and altered official imagery to depict only the DPRK rather than the entire peninsula. Taken together, these developments suggest more than a temporary political message. They point to a deliberate ideological restructuring. One likely explanation for this strategic shift is the widening contrast between the two Koreas themselves. South Korea has become a globally integrated democracy with a highly advanced economy and broad international influence. North Korea, by contrast, remains economically isolated and heavily sanctioned. As awareness of outside conditions spreads inside the country through smuggled media and informal markets, maintaining the old reunification narrative may pose growing ideological risks for the regime. Encouraging people to think in terms of eventual unity also invites comparisons between the two systems that could undermine loyalty to the North’s model. The shift also strengthens the regime’s military narrative. Framing South Korea as a permanently hostile foreign state, rather than a separated counterpart, may make threats, nuclear expansion, and military confrontation easier to justify domestically. The revision comes amid the near-total collapse of inter-Korean diplomacy, expanding military cooperation with Russia, and continued advances in the North’s nuclear and missile programs. Together, these trends suggest Kim sees little strategic value in returning to reconciliation-centered engagement with Seoul. The constitutional change may also be aimed at younger North Koreans. Increased exposure to foreign media and outside information has altered how many perceive South Korea. For some, the South may no longer appear primarily as an enemy state, but as a society associated with prosperity, consumer culture, and personal freedom. By redefining South Korea as an entirely separate hostile country, the regime may be attempting to weaken the sense of shared national identity itself. At the same time, the broader legal and political reality of the peninsula remains unresolved. North Korea’s constitutional changes do not alter the armistice structure established after the Korean War, nor do they change South Korea’s constitutional position, which still treats the peninsula as a single national territory and maintains reunification as an official objective. That divergence may deepen future political debate in South Korea over whether reunification remains realistic, or whether the peninsula is gradually moving toward an accepted two-state system. For older Koreans, the removal of reunification language carries symbolic and emotional weight beyond politics alone. It marks the weakening of a national narrative that shaped identities for generations on both sides of the border. More than a technical legal revision, the constitutional amendment signals a fundamental shift in how Pyongyang defines the future of the peninsula. North Korea is no longer treating division as an unresolved condition awaiting eventual reunification, but increasingly as a permanent reality. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20amends%20constitution%20to%20finalize%20rejection%20of%20unification&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20amends%20constitution%20to%20finalize%20rejection%20of%20unification https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20amends%20constitution%20to%20finalize%20rejection%20of%20unification "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-amends-constitution-to-finalize-rejection-of-unification-2/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20amends%20constitution%20to%20finalize%20rejection%20of%20unification&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-amends-constitution-to-finalize-rejection-of-unification-2/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20amends%20constitution%20to%20finalize%20rejection%20of%20unification "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors:  Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) **Published:** May 11, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![middleaged man in a dark suit and striped tie wearing a small flag pin with a handheld video camera visible in the background](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/South-korean-president-lee-jae-myung -news1.jpg "South korean president lee jaemyung news1 | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). In 2024, when President Lee Jae-myung was leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), he was indicted over allegations tied to the transfer of $8 million to North Korea. Prosecutors alleged that the illegal remittances were arranged in 2019 and 2020, when Lee served as governor of Gyeonggi Province. According to the [indictment](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-06-12/national/politics/DP-chief-Lee-Jaemyung-indicted-for-masterminding-illegal-payments-to-North-Korea/2067042), the scheme was organized by former Gyeonggi vice governor Lee Hwa-young, who was pursuing inter-Korean cooperation projects but allegedly acted on Lee Jae-myung’s behalf. The case also involved the Ssangbangwool Group, which prosecutors said provided and transferred the funds in violation of international sanctions and South Korean law. Prosecutors alleged the money was intended to persuade North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to agree to a visit by Lee Jae-myung. Lee Hwa-young was [convicted](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-12-19/national/politics/Appellate-court-sentences-exGyeonggi-vice-governor-to-7-years-8-months-for-illegal-payments-to-North-Korea/2204866) in 2024. However, Lee Jae-myung’s trial was [suspended](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/07/22/LOVNQT5GFFBEJK4LCT7WE7XJ2E/) after he became president, as South Korean law bars the prosecution of sitting presidents for crimes other than treason or insurrection. Conservative critics and opposition lawmakers now argue that the case may never proceed even after Lee leaves office. Over recent months, DPK lawmakers, who hold a majority in the National Assembly, have strongly [criticized](https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=8506037) the indictment and called for the charges to be dropped. More recently, the party has considered [legislation](https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2026/05/02/MGJFH5255FGSFJ7CWE2FG6DTHY/) that would grant a special counsel authority to dismiss the indictment. At around the same time, the prosecutor who originally brought the case against Lee was [removed](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/04/08/D6T7EPYWOVFYFGJRBOXM3I26P4/) from his position and later named as a [suspect](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/04/09/P7ZDU6ZLIRALTHDXQAZJSKPZMI/) in a separate alleged offense connected to the investigation. During testimony before a legislative committee, the prosecutor [declined](https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/04/05/parliamentary-inquiry/9901775423761/) to testify against himself and attempted to explain his position, but DPK lawmakers blocked him from speaking further. The DPK and figures aligned with the pro-Lee special counsel argue that the previous administration pursued a politically motivated campaign against Lee and that the charges in the remittance case, as well as several other cases, should therefore be dismissed. Critics, however, point to the conviction of Lee Hwa-young, who prosecutors described as Lee Jae-myung’s alleged co-conspirator. The conservative People Power Party has accused the DPK and the special prosecutor of attempting to create a “bulletproof” legal [shield](https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-policy/2026/05/01/JFELRHI6Z5GYHFK42BQVZBU3UU/) for the president. Some South Korean [media](https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2026/04/29/C7FSMMCEWFFN3JLLT4GTWEF4DY/) outlets have also questioned efforts to dismiss the remittance case, noting that the special prosecutor has not publicly presented hard evidence that the original indictment was improperly influenced by the previous administration. Supporters of Lee Jae-myung have argued that Lee Hwa-young’s testimony was improperly coached or coerced. Opposition figures counter that such claims are intended to raise unsubstantiated doubts and shield Lee from scrutiny over the alleged remittance scheme. The controversy has fueled broader debate over political influence on South Korea’s judicial system. Some media outlets, lawyers and legal scholars have [described](https://en.sedaily.com/society/2026/05/02/legal-community-slams-fabrication-indictment-special) the moves against the original prosecutor as politically motivated retaliation. A conservative lawyers’ group issued a [statement](https://hanbyun.or.kr/mailing/239112) titled: “Immediately stop the political retaliation against the prosecutor aimed at shielding President Lee Jae-myung!” Separate controversy has also resurfaced over the Moon Jae-in administration’s 2019 forcible repatriation of two North Korean defecting fishermen. The case involved two fishermen accused of killing fellow crewmembers before fleeing to South Korea. The administration of former President Moon Jae-in, which pursued engagement with Pyongyang, defended the repatriation by describing the men as “dangerous criminals.” The two men were blindfolded and taken to the Demilitarized Zone. Footage released later showed them resisting and screaming after realizing they were being returned to North Korea. The [images](https://chrissmith.house.gov/uploadedfiles/2022-07-12_photos_of_fishermen_handed_over_to_north_korean_communists.pdf) sparked outrage among human rights activists, defectors and many South Koreans. The case became a major political scandal after critics argued that the men, who are considered South Korean citizens under the Constitution, were denied a trial and basic due process protections. The repatriation was carried out just five days after the fishermen arrived in South Korea and marked the first forcible repatriation of North Koreans by Seoul since the Korean War ended in 1953. Many legal experts described the move as a possible [violation](https://www.koreaherald.com/article/2168839) of both South Korean and [international](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/skorea-violated-rights-deported-nkorean-fishermen-un-investigator-2022-06-29/) humanitarian law. An initial [probe](https://www-jayupress-com.translate.goog/news/articleView.html?idxno=33050&_x_tr_sl=ko&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc) launched in 2021 during the Moon administration was dropped without indictments. After Moon left office, a new investigation was launched. In 2025, four former senior officials [received](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-court-finds-former-officials-guilty-forcible-return-nkoreans-2025-02-19/) suspended sentences, including former National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong, former presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min, former National Intelligence Service director Suh Hoon and former Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul. Moon himself was not charged. Moon was later invited to speak in Los Angeles by the Pacific Century Institute and by the RAND Corporation. Chung Eui-yong also traveled to the United States for an interview hosted by the Hoover Institution. According to critics, the repatriation case was not raised publicly at either event, though both men criticized the foreign policy of U.S. President Donald Trump. Conservative critics argue that both the repatriation case and the North Korea remittance case illustrate what they see as growing political interference in the justice system. They also warn that several other criminal trials involving Lee Jae-myung, which were suspended after he assumed office, could eventually be dismissed under arguments that the prosecutions were politically motivated. Some conservatives further speculate that efforts could eventually emerge to overturn Lee Hwa-young’s conviction as well.The debate comes amid heightened political tensions in South Korea, where the DPK [controls](https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2026/04/29/2FMPEAWOR5BXRESLIFJJIKDS3U/) both the presidency and the National Assembly. Conservative opponents have also raised concerns over proposals to expand the Supreme Court, arguing [the move](https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2026/05/04/AD4MQPOFDNACFNUKGJA36L65TU/) could further strengthen the administration’s influence over the judiciary. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Illegal%20transfer%20of%20funds%20to%20North%20Korea%20and%20forcible%20repatriation%20of%20defectors%3A%C2%A0%20Will%20justice%20ever%20be%20served%20at%20the%20highest%20levels%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Illegal%20transfer%20of%20funds%20to%20North%20Korea%20and%20forcible%20repatriation%20of%20defectors%3A%C2%A0%20Will%20justice%20ever%20be%20served%20at%20the%20highest%20levels%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Illegal%20transfer%20of%20funds%20to%20North%20Korea%20and%20forcible%20repatriation%20of%20defectors%3A%C2%A0%20Will%20justice%20ever%20be%20served%20at%20the%20highest%20levels%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Illegal%20transfer%20of%20funds%20to%20North%20Korea%20and%20forcible%20repatriation%20of%20defectors%3A%C2%A0%20Will%20justice%20ever%20be%20served%20at%20the%20highest%20levels%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Illegal%20transfer%20of%20funds%20to%20North%20Korea%20and%20forcible%20repatriation%20of%20defectors%3A%C2%A0%20Will%20justice%20ever%20be%20served%20at%20the%20highest%20levels%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Kim Jong-un inspects new long-range artillery for deployment against Seoul](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-inspects-new-long-range-artillery-for-deployment-against-seoul/) **Published:** May 14, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![officials and soldiers listen to a briefing beside a massive battle tank with a long cannon inside a warehouse](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-10-at-2 54 51-pm.jpg "Screenshot 20260510 at 2 54 51 pm | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). Kim Jong-un visited a key munitions plant producing a new 155mm self-propelled howitzer on May 6 in what analysts see as a public display of the country’s plan to strengthen long-range artillery aimed at South Korea, according to Korean Central News Agency. Kim provided field guidance and reviewed the “production status of major weapons and combat technical equipment,” the report said. Kim was accompanied by senior officials in the weapons and defense sectors, including Jo Chun-ryong, secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea Central Committee; Kim Jong-sik, the Central Committee’s first deputy department director; Pak Jong-chon, adviser to the Ministry of National Defense; and Kim Kang-il, vice minister of National Defense and director of the General Equipment Bureau. Notably, Kim Jong-un inspected the production status of “three battalions’ worth of new self-propelled howitzers” scheduled to be deployed this year to “long-range artillery units on the southern border.” This refers to the frontline area facing South Korea. Officials briefed Kim on the results of recent tests of the new 155mm self-propelled howitzer. These included driving, terrain-crossing, underwater-crossing, and improved artillery shell-firing tests. The system is a “new-generation artillery weapon with very high mobility and firepower strike capability,” Kim was quoted as saying. He also emphasized that it would bring about a qualitative improvement in artillery capability. ![group of military officers in uniform standing together among a line of tanks inside a large green hangar](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-10-at-2 54 02-pm-1024x674.jpg "Screenshot 20260510 at 2 54 02 pm | nk insider") ![group of military officers in uniform inspect rows of large green cylindrical components inside an industrial facility tanks are in the background](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-10-at-2 54 14-pm-1024x680.jpg "Screenshot 20260510 at 2 54 14 pm | nk insider")*Images: KCNA*In particular, Kim referred to the expanded range, saying it would exceed 60 kilometers. “Such a rapid expansion of the firepower strike range and a dramatic improvement in target-destruction capability will provide great change and advantages to our army’s ground operations,” he said. The planned deployment of large-caliber artillery systems with such a range represents a [significantly increased threat](https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-kim-artillery-destroyer-south-4e25362f8d7d0311d85bb3505a46c1cf) to the densely populated capital area of South Korea. Some 26 million people live in Seoul, Incheon, and surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Seoul lies 40 kilometers from the Demilitarized Zone, and the greater capital region contains key political, economic, and military facilities. Kim emphasized that the weapons system does not simply extend artillery range, but could also change the way artillery is operated on the battlefield. “(This) is a new type of artillery weapons system equipped with outstanding mobility, high combat-environment information-processing capability, and an automatic firing system” that would “completely renew the composition of our artillery forces,” Kim said. The visit is in the context of Pyongyang’s aim to pressure South Korea and shift the balance of power in its favor by strengthening not only weapons of mass destruction but also conventional forces, according to the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In a report last year, CSIS [describes the existing 170mm Koksan](https://www.csis.org/analysis/north-korea-revisionist-ambitions-and-changing-international-order?utm_source=chatgpt.com) self-propelled gun as one of the country’s representative long-range non-rocket artillery systems. The new howitzer represents a more mobile and more automated upgrade. North Korea’s experience supporting Russia is also worth noting. CSIS has [documented the expansion](https://beyondparallel.csis.org/north-korea-russia-cooperation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) of bilateral cooperation 2022, noting among other things the transfer of around 200 pieces of long-range artillery equipment to Russia. South Korean officials and experts say that North Korea may be gaining battlefield data from the war in Ukraine by supplying Russia with artillery and missile systems. This suggests that Pyongyang could be using the war in Russia to assess the performance and limitations of its own artillery systems and reflect those lessons in the development of new weapons. ![group of officials in military uniforms and suits listen to a man in a gray jacket speaking inside a factory with workers taking notes and large machinery in the background](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-10-at-3 30 34-pm-1024x678.jpg "Screenshot 20260510 at 3 30 34 pm | nk insider")*Image/KCNA*Touring the plant, Kim Jong-un expressed dissatisfaction, pointing out shortcomings in the “production system structure, processing zones, and equipment layout,” Korean Central News Agency said. He instructed officials to introduce an “automated flow production system supported by a more efficient and innovative concept.” Analysts say this suggests he is not merely producing a prototype or a limited number of new weapons, but is seeking to secure mass-production and sustained-supply capabilities. Kim also inspected a new main battle tank and various launcher vehicles, saying the technological upgrading of key munitions enterprises was a matter of urgency. They should attain the most advanced level in the shortest possible time and establish modern production and management systems, he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20inspects%20new%20long-range%20artillery%20for%20deployment%20against%20Seoul&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20inspects%20new%20long-range%20artillery%20for%20deployment%20against%20Seoul https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20inspects%20new%20long-range%20artillery%20for%20deployment%20against%20Seoul "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-inspects-new-long-range-artillery-for-deployment-against-seoul/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20inspects%20new%20long-range%20artillery%20for%20deployment%20against%20Seoul&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-inspects-new-long-range-artillery-for-deployment-against-seoul/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20inspects%20new%20long-range%20artillery%20for%20deployment%20against%20Seoul "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Can South Koreans change how they see North Koreans?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-south-koreans-change-how-they-see-north-koreans/) **Published:** May 14, 2026 **Author:** Jun Hae-song **Content:** ![athlete in blue and white jacket takes a selfie on a podium with teammates holding awards olympic rings visible on the podium](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/화면-캡처-2026-05-14-150316.jpg "화면 캡처 20260514 150316 | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). When North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC arrives in Suwon on May 17, how will South Koreans view them? This is far from the simple question it appears to be. There is already a sense of emotion and excitement. North Koreans have not appeared live and in person in South Korea for years. They are a club side, not the national team. Nevertheless, the name itself — Naegohyang means “my hometown” — stirs something deep in the South Korean heart. The team will be the first North Korean women’s football side to compete in the South since the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. They will face Suwon FC Women in the semi-finals of the AFC Women’s Champions League on May 20. If they win, they will advance to the final on May 23 against either a Japanese or Australian team. Inter-Korean exchanges were never frequent, but they occurred often enough for the novelty to wear off. In recent years, however, there has been nothing. This will be the first sports delegation to set foot in the South since athletes arrived for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. It was after that event that inter-Korean ties began to deteriorate sharply. Noting the timing, analysts argue that Kim Yo-jong — the powerful sister of Kim Jong-un — returned from her exposure to the South convinced that any form of reunification would mean the end of the North Korean state and perhaps the end of the Kim family itself. What the leadership appears to have realized, in other words, was that the decades-long contest to be the “real Korea” was over. The South had won. I admit there is some projection in this interpretation because nobody can know exactly what Kim Yo-jong thought. But it is a reasonable inference given what followed. Dialogue and exchanges collapsed, and Pyongyang dramatically demolished the inter-Korean liaison office built with South Korean funds for bilateral engagement. The realization that the revolution launched by Kim Il-sung in the 1940s — or the 1920s, if one believes official propaganda — had ultimately failed found its clearest expression in December 2023, when Kim Jong-un formally abandoned reunification as a national objective. South Koreans were now to be regarded as foreigners and enemies. Since then, Kim has systematically dismantled the very concept of reunification. Laws and state doctrine have been revised. School textbooks have been rewritten. This is crucial because national identity is taught; it is not simply absorbed from the surrounding air. A new generation of North Koreans is no longer being educated as incomplete Koreans awaiting national reunification. North Korea may believe it lost the race for legitimacy, but rather than reconcile with the South or simply ignore it, Pyongyang has become more belligerent. It now defines South Koreans as non-Koreans and hostile outsiders. In this sense, South Korea has shifted in the North’s worldview from a fraternal threat to a foreign threat. Yet few people in Seoul truly absorbed the significance of this shift. Public debate was limited. Many ordinary South Koreans assumed Kim Jong-un was bluffing and still pursuing reunification by other means. Many still think that way. Given this, how will they feel when the North Korean players walk onto the pitch? I ask because, having known Koreans on both sides, I can say that northerners understand they are now expected to regard southerners as foreigners. The existence of the gulag system alone makes North Koreans acutely sensitive to ideological shifts. Southerners, by contrast, live in a free society and are not being instructed to reinterpret the relationship. Naturally, many will struggle to see these visitors differently from the past. That perception is itself deeply complicated. To South Koreans, North Koreans are not foreigners. Yet neither are they fully regarded as fellow citizens, despite what the South Korean Constitution says. They occupy a category entirely their own: family separated by blood and time. Pitied, feared, cared for, yet also looked down upon. For decades after the Korean War, South Koreans were saturated with grim images of the North. Its forbidden territory and rigid society seemed almost touched by evil. There were reasons for such perceptions, but they also reflected fear and insecurity. That changed as South Korea grew wealthier, more democratic and more globally confident. Confidence produced a different emotional framework. Fear gradually gave way to empathy. South Koreans wanted to be loved rather than feared, but many did not realize that the very desire for reunification could itself appear threatening — and still does. But perhaps this football tournament will begin forcing South Koreans to recognize that history has moved on. Spectators will almost certainly give the North Korean players a warm welcome. It may be somewhat restrained because Pyongyang has made clear that the team is in Suwon only because it happens to be the venue for an international fixture, not because the North seeks renewed engagement with the South. Even so, the emotional yearning will remain. South Koreans will see the players as more than representatives of a rival state. They will see them as sisters. Hostages. Every smile, photograph and wave will be scrutinized for hidden meaning. This tournament may become one of the first moments in which ordinary South Koreans encounter young North Koreans not as symbols of reunification or relics of the Cold War, but as citizens of another state forming its own distinct identity. Truly seeing them that way may take South Koreans a while. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jun Hae-song](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-11.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/ "Jun Hae-song") [Jun Hae-song](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/) Hae-song is a Seoul-based analyst and writer on North and South Korean affairs. Having grown up overseas, he has lived his working life in South Korea where he consults on South Korean political and economic issues and on North Korea and defector related issues. [![Jun Hae-song](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-11.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/ "Jun Hae-song") Latest posts by Jun Hae-song ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/)) - [Can South Koreans change how they see North Koreans?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-south-koreans-change-how-they-see-north-koreans/) - May 14, 2026 - [The Korean paradox: Why giving up on reunification could make it happen](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-korean-paradox-why-giving-up-on-reunification-could-make-it-happen/) - April 15, 2026 - [Is South Korea starting to give up on re-unification?](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-south-korea-starting-to-give-up-on-re-unification/) - March 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Can%20South%20Koreans%20change%20how%20they%20see%20North%20Koreans%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Can%20South%20Koreans%20change%20how%20they%20see%20North%20Koreans%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Can%20South%20Koreans%20change%20how%20they%20see%20North%20Koreans%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-south-koreans-change-how-they-see-north-koreans/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Can%20South%20Koreans%20change%20how%20they%20see%20North%20Koreans%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-south-koreans-change-how-they-see-north-koreans/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Can%20South%20Koreans%20change%20how%20they%20see%20North%20Koreans%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [May Day and the unheard cry beneath the propaganda ](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/) **Published:** May 13, 2026 **Author:** Yoonseo Im **Content:** ![control room with two large crt screens showing a crowd in an urban setting bold nk in text with a red star overlayed in the center](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1.jpg "1 | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). What began in 1886 with Chicago laborers demanding an eight-hour workday in response to brutal working conditions has since evolved into International Workers’ Day, or May Day, on May 1 — a global occasion dedicated to protecting workers’ dignity and guaranteeing time for rest. This year, the occasion carried particular significance in South Korea. For the first time in 63 years, May 1 was designated a full national holiday. On the northern side of the peninsula, however, one might assume there are no days off. Surprisingly, North Korean workers also celebrated “May Day” last week. State media publicly honored workers and praised the dignity of labor. ![collage of three scenes a formal speaker at a podium during a ceremony a tugofwar event with uniformed participants and a crowd of people in colorful hanbok watching a street celebration](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2-1024x576.jpg "2 | nk insider")This year’s May Day in Pyongyang. KCNACoverage of this year’s celebrations depicted scenes of joy and happiness: workers relaxing, lively festivities filling the streets and officials warmly mingling with laborers. In Pyongyang’s official narrative, labor carries dignity and honor, and the regime portrays itself as a guardian rewarding the devotion of its workers. At the center of that carefully staged performance this year were officials declaring that workers were the “true owners of society,” fully enjoying the fruits of their labor and creativity. State media also claimed that the ruling party valued workers’ well-being more than industrial output itself, pointing to welfare facilities, holiday resorts and state-provided housing as evidence. The reality, however, appears starkly different. More revealing than the regime’s carefully curated archives are the records preserved beyond state control: defector testimonies, reports of forced labor and evidence of public executions. The United Nations Human Rights Council has documented a far harsher reality of labor conditions in North Korea. ![close up of a dense printed paragraph discussing forced labor and government mobilization with phrases like forced labour has become deeply institutionalized](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/3-1024x572.jpg "3 | nk insider")A UN report in September revealed serious labor abuses According to a report released in September by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the human rights situation in North Korea has deteriorated significantly over the past decade, with forced labor deeply embedded in prisons, military-style mobilizations, student work assignments and overseas labor deployments. The report described political prison camps as continuing centers of enforced disappearance, forced labor, summary executions and other grave human rights abuses. The contrast between these competing narratives presents sharply different portraits of labor in North Korea. Pyongyang’s propaganda depicts labor as a source of dignity and national identity. U.N. documentation, by contrast, suggests labor is extracted through pressure and stripped of dignity altogether. The irony is difficult to ignore. The same regime that glorifies labor stands accused of sustaining it through fear and coercion. The tragedy is that North Korean workers exist within both narratives simultaneously. What makes this contradiction significant is not merely the possibility that the propaganda is false, but the role propaganda itself plays within North Korea. It does more than praise workers — it conditions them into obedience. Through relentless images of cheerful factory workers, state welfare and grateful citizens, the regime transforms labor into a symbol of political loyalty and state legitimacy rather than treating it as a matter of rights. The government praises workers as masters of society enjoying the fruits of their labor, while simultaneously demanding the unconditional fulfillment of production targets under its current Five-Year Plan. ![shadows of people including photographers cast on a concrete surface around large white text reading'NK IN' with a red star logo nearby.](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/4-1024x576.jpg "4 | nk insider")The irony is embedded even in the term itself. While “May Day” refers to a holiday celebrating workers, in aviation the phrase “mayday” is universally recognized as a distress call. Viewed through the lens of the U.N. report, the phrase takes on a different meaning: not “May Day” as a celebration of labor rights, but “MAYDAY” as a cry of alarm. If one listens closely to the silences beneath those carefully orchestrated photographs — to the words left unspoken out of fear — what emerges may not be celebration at all, but a MAYDAY: a plea for rescue echoing across the peninsula, unheard and unanswered. Are North Korean workers crying “MAYDAY” on May Day? The answer is unlikely to appear in official speeches or regime photographs. Instead, it survives in international documentation, satellite imagery and the testimonies of defectors — realities that propaganda, no matter how meticulously crafted, cannot fully erase. And so the unheard MAYDAY of North Korean workers continues to echo across the peninsula. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") [Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/) Yoonseo Im is a Seoul-based trilingual journalist and researcher. Growing up in three different countries has shaped her international perspective on the Korean Peninsula. She is a Ph.D. candidate in International Studies and holds prior degrees in Political Science and International Relations. She is also active in multiple research organizations focused on regional issues, including North Korean affairs. Her work explores the intersection of economics, industry, politics, and security in Korea and the broader region, combining academic expertise with reporting experience gained through field journalism. Contact: yxn.contact@gmail.com [![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") Latest posts by Yoonseo Im ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/)) - [North Korea isn’t building the next ChatGPT. It’s building something else.](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/) - June 14, 2026 - [May Day and the unheard cry beneath the propaganda ](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/) - May 13, 2026 - [North Korea’s new cybercriminals](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/) - April 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=May%20Day%20and%20the%20unheard%20cry%20beneath%20the%20propaganda%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=May%20Day%20and%20the%20unheard%20cry%20beneath%20the%20propaganda%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=May%20Day%20and%20the%20unheard%20cry%20beneath%20the%20propaganda%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=May%20Day%20and%20the%20unheard%20cry%20beneath%20the%20propaganda%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=May%20Day%20and%20the%20unheard%20cry%20beneath%20the%20propaganda%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) **Published:** May 11, 2026 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![group of women in brown military style uniforms listening to a woman in a cap outdoors near signboards with korean text by a dirt path in a rural area](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Female-soldiers.jpg "Female soldiers | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). A teenage soldier who was 14 months into her mandatory military service has been discharged and sent home after becoming pregnant. The 18-year-old was serving in a unit under the Army’s 10th Corps when she received a “lifestyle discharge,” a form of administrative release, according to a source in Ryanggang Province. The soldier, from Anak County in South Hwanghae Province, enlisted in March last year and, after completing basic training, was assigned to a wireless communications company directly under the corps command. According to the source, the soldier was repeatedly subjected to inappropriate acts allegedly forced upon her by superiors. She reportedly discovered she was pregnant in early March. She was discharged earlier this month without any formal investigation. The soldier is said to have returned home without explaining how the pregnancy occurred. Taken together, the circumstances suggest the case may have been handled through a so-called “quiet discharge,” with no official complaint or investigation. Some analysts believe the matter was quietly resolved to prevent it from spreading beyond the military. Critics also point to the military’s closed structure and rigid hierarchy as factors contributing to the handling of such incidents. In an environment where superiors wield overwhelming authority, lower-ranking soldiers often find it extremely difficult to report abuse or raise concerns. There is also reportedly a widespread perception that speaking out as a victim can lead to negative evaluations or punishment. As a result, such cases are often minimized as personal matters or resolved behind closed doors. “Cases of soldiers becoming pregnant are extremely common within the military, but there is effectively no way to prevent them,” the source said. “At the center of these problems are commanders who hold the power to determine the soldiers’ futures.” “There are many cases in which young female soldiers become pregnant and are quietly sent back home carrying the disgrace of a ‘lifestyle discharge,’ unable even to speak out about what happened,” the source said. “This case is just one example that clearly illustrates the reality of women’s rights conditions within our military.” “Everyone is taught from a young age to obey Party instructions unconditionally, regardless of the situation. They are never educated on how to respond when they experience injustice,” the source said. “Because of this kind of educational environment, young women often suffer abuse but are unable to properly raise objections.” North Korea’s 10th Corps is an infantry mountain warfare unit established in September 2010 through the reorganization of the former 4th District Command under the old 9th Corps. It is headquartered in Chundong, Hyesan, Ryanggang Province. The corps is reportedly composed of the active-duty 43rd Brigade, two training divisions — the 267th and 268th — and around 10 training regiments. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Teenager%20sent%20home%20from%20military%20service%20after%20becoming%20pregnant&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Teenager%20sent%20home%20from%20military%20service%20after%20becoming%20pregnant https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Teenager%20sent%20home%20from%20military%20service%20after%20becoming%20pregnant "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Teenager%20sent%20home%20from%20military%20service%20after%20becoming%20pregnant&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Teenager%20sent%20home%20from%20military%20service%20after%20becoming%20pregnant "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Women footballers return to the South but an invisible DMZ remains](https://www.nkinsider.org/women-footballers-return-to-the-south-but-an-invisible-dmz-remains/) **Published:** May 8, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![military personnel in green uniforms stand near bright blue temporary buildings with a large concrete government building and steps in the background](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Istock-916185938-georgeclerk.jpg "Dmz at the border between north and south korea | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). As May warms the land, one piece of news has lingered in my mind. On May 20, [women from a North Korean football club will play in South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-to-send-a-club-team-to-play-in-hostile-state-of-south-korea-could-a-womens-football-match-open-a-small-crack-in-the-glacier-of-inter-korean-relations/ "women from a North Korean football club will play in South Korea") for the first time in eight years. For many, this may seem like a welcome moment of sports exchange. But to me, it carries more complex and deeply personal emotions. North Korea’s women have long been recognized for their prowess on the international stage. With rigorous training and strong organization, they have demonstrated competitiveness in Asia and around the world. Yet behind that success lies a reality hidden from outsiders. As someone who once lived in North Korea, I experienced that system firsthand. In fact, I once came close to becoming a player myself. As a child, I was known at school for being good at football and was given an opportunity to be selected by a higher-level institution. At the time, I saw it as a life-changing moment. “If I work hard, I can make it to Pyongyang and give my parents a better life,” I thought. With that determination, I trained harder than anyone else. It was a time filled with sweat and exhaustion, but I endured because I had hope. But the outcome was completely different from what I had expected. In the end, the spot did not go to me. It went to the child of a wealthy family. In North Korea, background and money often carry more weight than ability. It was then that I first experienced, painfully and directly, how bribery can determine opportunities. Watching a place I believed I had earned through hard work slip away for no good reason left me with deep shock and anger. Those feelings did not fade easily. A sense of injustice and a shattered dream lingered. For a long time, I could not forget what had happened. The incident remained in my heart like a grudge. The question, “Why not me?” kept echoing in my mind. As I look back on that moment now, I see it very differently. In fact, I sometimes think it was a turning point that changed my life for the better. If I had been selected, I would likely be living a completely different life. I would have been bound to a path dictated by the state, and it would have been difficult to live as I do now—thinking freely, speaking freely, and choosing the life I want. Today, I live in South Korea, doing the work I want to do and pursuing the values and dreams I believe in. This life is not something to be taken for granted. What felt like despair at the time was, in hindsight, an opportunity. Because of these personal experiences, I cannot help but view the visit of the North Korean players differently. They are undoubtedly talented athletes, but they are also individuals shaped within a highly restricted environment. I can imagine how much competition—and how many unseen criteria—must have influenced their journey to this stage. They also move not as individuals, but as representatives of the state. Even during overseas visits, their behavior and speech are strictly controlled, and opportunities for free interaction are limited. It is difficult to know what South Korea will mean to them or what they will see and feel. But one thing is certain: every moment they experience here will carry significance beyond a simple visit. There is one hope I quietly hold. I hope that their time in South Korea will not end as just another match. I hope that what they see beyond the stadium—the freely moving people, the streets, the everyday scenes, the natural expressions of daily life—might offer them a glimpse of another world. And within that, even if they cannot express it in words, I hope they may feel a sense of possibility and hope—something they can begin to dream of for themselves. At the same time, however, this hope comes with a heavy feeling. They have families in North Korea. Their loved ones are also the greatest constraint on their choices. Even if they see more, feel more, and come to understand more, they cannot necessarily act on it. To encounter dreams and possibilities, yet be forced to set them aside—that is a burden I understand all too well. They, too, will likely see and feel many things during this visit. Those moments will stay with them, somewhere deep in their hearts. But at the same time, they will have to accept the reality that they must return, carrying those memories quietly within them, without the freedom to choose differently. That is why this moment feels all the more poignant: under the same sky, speaking the same language, yet unable to fully reach one another. And still, I quietly hope that within this brief encounter, even the smallest seed of change might take root—and that one day, that seed will be able to grow freely, without constraint. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Women%20footballers%20return%20to%20the%20South%20but%20an%20invisible%20DMZ%20remains&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Women%20footballers%20return%20to%20the%20South%20but%20an%20invisible%20DMZ%20remains https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Women%20footballers%20return%20to%20the%20South%20but%20an%20invisible%20DMZ%20remains "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/women-footballers-return-to-the-south-but-an-invisible-dmz-remains/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Women%20footballers%20return%20to%20the%20South%20but%20an%20invisible%20DMZ%20remains&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/women-footballers-return-to-the-south-but-an-invisible-dmz-remains/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Women%20footballers%20return%20to%20the%20South%20but%20an%20invisible%20DMZ%20remains "Reddit") **Categories:** Sports --- ### [North Korea–Russia alliance is being built on war, hard currency, and sanctions evasion](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-russia-alliance-is-being-built-on-war-hard-currency-and-sanctions-evasion/) **Published:** May 8, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-06-at-11 17 14-pm.jpg "Screenshot 20260506 at 11 17 14 pm | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). Relations between North Korea and Russia have evolved far beyond simple diplomatic cooperation in recent years. What was once a relationship centered on limited political ties and arms transactions is increasingly taking the shape of a strategic alliance forged around war. A major turning point came in June 2024, when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty,” which included a mutual defense clause pledging assistance if either side came under attack. The depth of the relationship became even clearer in a letter from Putin to Kim published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 27. The letter coincided with the opening of a new museum in Pyongyang commemorating overseas military operations and directly referenced North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region. What stood out most was Putin’s effort to connect the current military cooperation to historical ties. “At the end of the Second World War, Soviet troops, together with Korean patriots, liberated Korea from Japanese colonial rule, and in the 1950s provided assistance in defending the independence of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in its struggle against foreign invaders,” he wrote. The language reflects Moscow’s broader attempt to frame current military cooperation as part of a longstanding tradition of “joint struggle.” In effect, Russia appears to be reviving the narrative that the two countries have historically fought together against common enemies. One notable aspect of the letter was Putin’s decision to avoid directly mentioning the United States in relation to the Korean War, instead using the phrase “foreign invaders.” The wording may reflect Moscow’s desire to avoid completely closing the door on future relations with Washington. At the same time, both Moscow and Pyongyang continue to portray themselves as confronting a Western-led international order. In that sense, the phrase also echoes North Korea’s longstanding rhetoric surrounding a shared “anti-imperialist front.” Putin reinforced the message at the conclusion of the letter, writing: “I am confident that we will continue to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea through our joint efforts.” The statement captures the broader trajectory of current North Korea–Russia relations. What once appeared to be a temporary alignment of interests is increasingly resembling a long-term strategic partnership. According to [South Korean intelligence assessments](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250626145251001?utm_source=chatgpt.com), North Korea has supplied Russia with tens of millions of artillery shells, missiles and long-range artillery systems. In return, Moscow is believed to be providing Pyongyang with drone-related technologies, air defense systems, electronic warfare equipment, space-launch technology and missile guidance assistance. North Korea’s gains from the relationship extend beyond military technology. Economically, Pyongyang is also securing significant practical benefits. One major example involves labor exports. In 2025, [Russia reportedly issued](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/northkorea/20260408/russia-issued-over-36000-visas-to-north-koreans-in-2025-almost-all-for-education?utm_source=chatgpt.com) more than 36,000 visas to North Korean nationals, most of them categorized as “education visas.” Analysts, however, believe many of the recipients are in fact laborers working under the[ guise of students](https://www.voakorea.com/a/russia-employs-north-korean-workers-on-student-visas-scholarships-suspected-to-be-forced-labor-wages-20260325/8130809.html). The arrangement allows North Korea to earn foreign currency while circumventing U.N. sanctions. For Russia, it helps ease labor shortages caused by the prolonged war and mounting economic pressure. Human rights groups investigating the issue have reported that some Russian universities are effectively functioning as registration hubs for North Korean workers. Companies are said to provide funds labeled as scholarships, though the payments reportedly function more like wages. The relationship is ultimately rooted in pragmatism. Russia needs artillery shells, manpower and labor, all of which North Korea can provide. Pyongyang, meanwhile, needs foreign currency, diplomatic support and technological assistance to cope with international isolation and sanctions. At the same time, it would be inaccurate to conclude that North Korea has shifted entirely away from China. While some observers have suggested that ties between Pyongyang and Beijing are weakening, the reality appears more complex. Even as North Korea deepens military cooperation with Russia, it remains heavily dependent on China economically. High-level exchanges between Pyongyang and Beijing have also become more active in recent months. In practice, North Korea appears to be using Russia to expand its strategic room for maneuver while continuing to rely on China as its primary economic lifeline. One of the most significant military developments is that North Korean troops are now gaining [firsthand experience](https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-ukraine-war-russia-0f34fb82cfdd267652f8df8bc3c574ec?utm_source=chatgpt.com) in modern warfare. On the Kursk front, they have reportedly encountered large-scale drone warfare, electronic warfare and long-range artillery combat — forms of conflict largely unfamiliar to the Korean People’s Army. The experience could mark a major turning point for North Korea’s military. The significance lies not only in the deployment itself, but also in the opportunity to learn directly from active battlefield conditions. Analysts believe such exposure could influence future North Korean military doctrine and tactics. The same dynamic applies to the missile and space sectors. Russia remains one of the few countries capable of providing meaningful technological assistance for North Korea’s satellite launches, long-range missile development and launch vehicle programs. Many analysts believe Pyongyang’s recent acceleration in missile and satellite capabilities cannot be separated from expanding cooperation with Moscow. Cyber operations also remain a critical part of the picture. North Korea is widely believed to generate substantial foreign currency through cryptocurrency theft and cyberattacks. International security institutions have repeatedly warned that Pyongyang’s cyber capabilities are becoming increasingly sophisticated, enabling the regime to bypass sanctions through digital means. As ties deepen, the growing North Korea–Russia partnership is emerging as a major factor that could reshape the security landscape of Northeast Asia in the years ahead. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%93Russia%20alliance%20is%20being%20built%20on%20war%2C%20hard%20currency%2C%20and%20sanctions%20evasion&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%93Russia%20alliance%20is%20being%20built%20on%20war%2C%20hard%20currency%2C%20and%20sanctions%20evasion https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%E2%80%93Russia%20alliance%20is%20being%20built%20on%20war%2C%20hard%20currency%2C%20and%20sanctions%20evasion "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-russia-alliance-is-being-built-on-war-hard-currency-and-sanctions-evasion/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%E2%80%93Russia%20alliance%20is%20being%20built%20on%20war%2C%20hard%20currency%2C%20and%20sanctions%20evasion&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-russia-alliance-is-being-built-on-war-hard-currency-and-sanctions-evasion/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%E2%80%93Russia%20alliance%20is%20being%20built%20on%20war%2C%20hard%20currency%2C%20and%20sanctions%20evasion "Reddit") **Categories:** Russia --- ### [North Korea amends constitution to finalize rejection of unification](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-amends-constitution-to-finalize-rejection-of-unification/) **Published:** May 7, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![kim jong un speaking at a wooden podium with multiple microphones north korean flag in the background](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Image.jpeg "Image | nk insider") *Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). North Korea has revised its constitution to remove references to reunification with South Korea, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said on May 5. The amendment, reportedly adopted during the March session of the Supreme People’s Assembly, further institutionalizes leader Kim Jong-un’s view that the two Koreas should no longer be treated as parts of a single nation. It is one of the clearest indications yet that Pyongyang is redefining the peninsula as permanently divided. According to South Korean officials, the revised constitution deletes language associated with peaceful reunification, ethnic unity, and the long-standing idea that North and South Korea remain one people separated by history and war. Instead, the North now reportedly defines its territory independently, reinforcing the regime’s position that South Korea is a separate and openly adversarial state. For decades, both governments — despite military confrontation, ideological hostility, and competing political systems — officially maintained that reunification remained the ultimate national goal. That principle helped preserve the notion that the peninsula’s division was temporary, even during periods of extreme tension.Pyongyang now appears to be discarding that framework altogether. The shift has accelerated under Kim in recent years. North Korean state media and official rhetoric increasingly describe inter-Korean relations not as ties between fellow Koreans, but as relations between hostile states. Kim has repeatedly referred to South Korea as the North’s “main enemy” while reducing references to shared nationhood. The legal change follows a broader campaign to erase symbols connected to Korean unity. Since late 2023, North Korean authorities have reportedly dismantled reunification monuments, removed language referring to “fellow countrymen,” and altered official imagery to depict only the DPRK rather than the entire peninsula. Taken together, these developments suggest more than a temporary political message. They point to a deliberate ideological restructuring. One likely explanation for this strategic shift is the widening contrast between the two Koreas themselves. South Korea has become a globally integrated democracy with a highly advanced economy and broad international influence. North Korea, by contrast, remains economically isolated and heavily sanctioned. As awareness of outside conditions spreads inside the country through smuggled media and informal markets, maintaining the old reunification narrative may pose growing ideological risks for the regime. Encouraging people to think in terms of eventual unity also invites comparisons between the two systems that could undermine loyalty to the North’s model. The shift also strengthens the regime’s military narrative. Framing South Korea as a permanently hostile foreign state, rather than a separated counterpart, may make threats, nuclear expansion, and military confrontation easier to justify domestically. The revision comes amid the near-total collapse of inter-Korean diplomacy, expanding military cooperation with Russia, and continued advances in the North’s nuclear and missile programs. Together, these trends suggest Kim sees little strategic value in returning to reconciliation-centered engagement with Seoul. The constitutional change may also be aimed at younger North Koreans. Increased exposure to foreign media and outside information has altered how many perceive South Korea. For some, the South may no longer appear primarily as an enemy state, but as a society associated with prosperity, consumer culture, and personal freedom. By redefining South Korea as an entirely separate hostile country, the regime may be attempting to weaken the sense of shared national identity itself. At the same time, the broader legal and political reality of the peninsula remains unresolved. North Korea’s constitutional changes do not alter the armistice structure established after the Korean War, nor do they change South Korea’s constitutional position, which still treats the peninsula as a single national territory and maintains reunification as an official objective. That divergence may deepen future political debate in South Korea over whether reunification remains realistic, or whether the peninsula is gradually moving toward an accepted two-state system. For older Koreans, the removal of reunification language carries symbolic and emotional weight beyond politics alone. It marks the weakening of a national narrative that shaped identities for generations on both sides of the border. More than a technical legal revision, the constitutional amendment signals a fundamental shift in how Pyongyang defines the future of the peninsula. North Korea is no longer treating division as an unresolved condition awaiting eventual reunification, but increasingly as a permanent reality. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20amends%20constitution%20to%20finalize%20rejection%20of%20unification&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20amends%20constitution%20to%20finalize%20rejection%20of%20unification https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20amends%20constitution%20to%20finalize%20rejection%20of%20unification "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-amends-constitution-to-finalize-rejection-of-unification/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20amends%20constitution%20to%20finalize%20rejection%20of%20unification&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-amends-constitution-to-finalize-rejection-of-unification/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20amends%20constitution%20to%20finalize%20rejection%20of%20unification "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [North Korea to send a club team to play in “hostile state” of South Korea… Could a women’s football match open a small crack in the glacier of inter-Korean relations?](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-to-send-a-club-team-to-play-in-hostile-state-of-south-korea-could-a-womens-football-match-open-a-small-crack-in-the-glacier-of-inter-korean-relations/) **Published:** May 6, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![south korean mens soccer team in red uniforms celebrate together on the field after a goal](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/북한-여자-축구-대표팀이-u-17-월드컵-결승에서-승부차기-끝에-스페인을-물리친-뒤-기뻐하고-있다-epa-연합뉴스.jpg "북한 여자 축구 대표팀이 u17 월드컵 결승에서 승부차기 끝에 스페인을 물리친 뒤 기뻐하고 있다 epa 연합뉴스 | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). Despite long-frozen inter-Korean relations, North Korea’s women’s football team, the Naegohyang Women’s Football Club, will arrive in South Korea on May 17 to participate in the semifinal of a regional tournament. This club is one of the final four teams in this year’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Champions League. It will face South Korea’s Suwon FC Women at the Suwon Sports Complex, about 30 kilometers south of Seoul, on May 20. The winner will play either Melbourne City FC or Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the final in Suwon on May 23. This marks the first visit by a North Korean delegation to the South since 2018, and the first by a North Korean women’s football team since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. Significantly, the visit is not the result of any agreement between the two Koreas. Rather, it stems from North Korea’s advancement to the semifinals of the regional club competition, with both the semifinal and final matches scheduled in Suwon. Mindful of this, the South Korean government is downplaying the development and emphasizing that it is part of an international sporting event, rather than attaching broader political significance. “We welcome Naegohyang Women’s Football Club’s participation in the AFC Women’s Champions League semifinal,” a [statement](https://www.fnnews.com/news/202605041508480405?utm_source=chatgpt.com) from the presidential Blue House said. “The government will cooperate with the AFC and Suwon FC to ensure the team can compete smoothly.” Despite the low-key response, the Unification Ministry [expressed](https://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/6512181?utm_source=chatgpt.com) cautious hope for a thaw. “We will prepare to ensure that a positive precedent can be established,” an official said. The match comes after a steady deterioration in inter-Korean relations since the collapse of the U.S.–North Korea summit in Hanoi in 2019. Tensions deepened further after North Korea formally dropped reunification as a national objective in late 2023, redefined relations with the South as those between “two hostile states,” and cut off exchanges. Recent developments following a civilian drone incident have added another layer of complexity. After President Lee Jae-myung expressed regret that a drone had been flown from the South into the North, Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Workers’ Party of Korea and sister of Kim Jong-un, said, “We view it as highly fortunate and a wise decision for the President to have personally expressed regret and mentioned measures to prevent recurrence.” She added that Kim Jong-un regarded this as “an attitude showing honesty and boldness,” marking a rare instance of North Korea positively evaluating a statement by a South Korean president. However, there are limits to interpreting the response as a signal for dialogue. In the same statement, the North warned the South to “abandon any attempt at contact.” In other words, while Pyongyang appeared to use the conciliatory gesture to claim its pressure had been effective, it maintained its distance. North Korea’s motives for allowing its women’s football team to play in the South are complex. First, the fact that the competition involves clubs, not national teams, reduces the political burden. This allows Pyongyang to avoid contradicting its two-state doctrine, even while entering what it calls a “hostile state.” At the same time, the match offers an opportunity for domestic propaganda. North Korean women’s footballers have demonstrated strong international competitiveness, and Naegohyang previously defeated Suwon 3–0 in the group stage. Domestically, this can be framed as “a proud victory over a hostile state on the international stage.” Economic incentives also cannot be ignored. The tournament offers $1 million in prize money for the champion and $500,000 for the runner-up. For a country under sanctions and facing economic hardship, such sums represent a meaningful source of foreign currency. Ultimately, the visit is less a sign of a broader thaw in inter-Korean relations than a limited, calculated move by North Korea to minimize political costs while securing practical benefits. Even so, the match is not without significance. In inter-Korean relations, sports have often served as a narrow channel through which political barriers are temporarily eased. What matters is that the South Korean government manages the event carefully—without over-politicizing it—while ensuring it proceeds safely and smoothly. The 90 minutes in Suwon will not spark dialogue. Yet on a frozen peninsula where hostile rhetoric has prevailed, the sight of players from rival sides sharing the same field offers a rare crack in the ice. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20to%20send%20a%20club%20team%20to%20play%20in%20%E2%80%9Chostile%20state%E2%80%9D%20of%20South%20Korea%E2%80%A6%20Could%20a%20women%E2%80%99s%20football%20match%20open%20a%20small%20crack%20in%20the%20glacier%20of%20inter-Korean%20relations%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20to%20send%20a%20club%20team%20to%20play%20in%20%E2%80%9Chostile%20state%E2%80%9D%20of%20South%20Korea%E2%80%A6%20Could%20a%20women%E2%80%99s%20football%20match%20open%20a%20small%20crack%20in%20the%20glacier%20of%20inter-Korean%20relations%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20to%20send%20a%20club%20team%20to%20play%20in%20%E2%80%9Chostile%20state%E2%80%9D%20of%20South%20Korea%E2%80%A6%20Could%20a%20women%E2%80%99s%20football%20match%20open%20a%20small%20crack%20in%20the%20glacier%20of%20inter-Korean%20relations%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-to-send-a-club-team-to-play-in-hostile-state-of-south-korea-could-a-womens-football-match-open-a-small-crack-in-the-glacier-of-inter-korean-relations/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20to%20send%20a%20club%20team%20to%20play%20in%20%E2%80%9Chostile%20state%E2%80%9D%20of%20South%20Korea%E2%80%A6%20Could%20a%20women%E2%80%99s%20football%20match%20open%20a%20small%20crack%20in%20the%20glacier%20of%20inter-Korean%20relations%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-to-send-a-club-team-to-play-in-hostile-state-of-south-korea-could-a-womens-football-match-open-a-small-crack-in-the-glacier-of-inter-korean-relations/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20to%20send%20a%20club%20team%20to%20play%20in%20%E2%80%9Chostile%20state%E2%80%9D%20of%20South%20Korea%E2%80%A6%20Could%20a%20women%E2%80%99s%20football%20match%20open%20a%20small%20crack%20in%20the%20glacier%20of%20inter-Korean%20relations%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Sports --- ### [The Korean paradox: Why giving up on reunification could make it happen](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-korean-paradox-why-giving-up-on-reunification-could-make-it-happen/) **Published:** April 15, 2026 **Author:** Jun Hae-song **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Istock-459200873studiocasper.jpg "Magnifying glass over a map of korea | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). For decades, reunification has been the central, sacred objective of both Koreas. It has shaped constitutions, justified policies, and defined national identity. And yet, for all that, it has achieved precisely nothing. Now, in a shift that would have been unthinkable until recently, North Korea has abandoned the goal altogether. It wants to go it alone. South Korea still formally supports reunification but, in practice, is edging toward a focus on peace and coexistence. At first glance, this looks like the end of the reunification project. But it may, in fact, be the beginning of its most plausible path. This is the Korean paradox: the less reunification is pursued, the more achievable it may become. For decades, reunification has not been a shared aspiration but a contested one. Each side pursued it on its own terms, with no room for compromise. Unity hasn’t happened for a simple reason: there is no basis for a country whose people are free, democratic, and wealthy, and believe in liberties and rights, to merge as co-partners with another whose people are poor, have no liberties or rights, and are required to obey a tyrannical, god-like leader. In such a situation, only one side can win. Hence, every move has been viewed through a zero-sum lens. For example, when Seoul proposed economic engagement, Pyongyang saw it as a prelude to absorption. When Seoul showed restraint, it was read as deception. Even humanitarian gestures were interpreted as propaganda. Far from bringing Koreans together, the idea of reunification has kept them apart. In any realistic scenario, reunification can only occur on the South’s terms. For Pyongyang, that turned reunification from a national goal into an existential threat. Seen this way, Kim Jong-un’s decision two years ago to abandon it is not a rupture but a rational adjustment. By dropping an unattainable objective, he has removed a core source of insecurity. That is where the paradox begins. If engagement is no longer viewed in Pyongyang as a pathway to absorption, it may become less threatening, and therefore more possible. Seoul’s evolving stance matters here. While still committed in principle to reunification, the government of President Lee Jae-myung is clearly prioritizing stability over urgency. His April 6 expression of “regret” over drone incursions, which is a first for a South Korean leader and one that feels like appeasement, was a signal of that shift. Pyongyang’s response was cautious but notable. Kim Yo-jong said her brother, leader Kim Jong-un, “praised” the move as the act of a “great person,” even as she warned Seoul to halt provocations and abandon attempts at contact. The mistrust remains deep. But the tone has changed. And tone, in inter-Korean relations, is substance. A North that no longer fears absorption, and a South that no longer presses the issue, creates space for something long absent: sustained, low-risk engagement. That space is where realistic pathways to reunification emerge. None of them resemble the grand, sudden unification once imagined. One scenario is gradual convergence: the slow knitting together of economic, social, and institutional ties until formal unification becomes a technicality rather than a shock. Another is internal change in the North through reform, evolution, or controlled opening, leading to a negotiated process over time. This is the change the world has long been waiting for. But with a heavily armed South Korea seeking reunification, the North’s leaders have always used the threat of absorption to maintain tight control and prevent even the slightest opening that could lead to reform. A third scenario lies in geopolitics. The peninsula has always been shaped by great power dynamics. A shift in those relationships could open doors that are currently sealed. Then there is the quietest scenario: reunification by erosion. No dramatic moment, just the steady weakening of barriers until division loses its meaning. These scenarios share a common feature and an underlying assumption. The underlying assumption is that most Koreans will continue to want reunification. A lifetime of education has created a distinct identity shared by all Koreans—that they are a people divided by outsiders against their will who will naturally reunite once the ideological and political obstacles are gone. The assumption is that, despite the apparent lack of interest among many South Koreans and despite anti-reunification education in the North, deep down most Koreans still want it. What these scenarios share is simple: none depends on reunification being aggressively pursued. Rather, it is a question of stepping back and letting something shift. And in that quieter, less pressured environment, the conditions for reunification become more imaginable. The paradox is uncomfortable but clear. Korean reunification is most likely to begin not with a push, but with a pause. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jun Hae-song](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-11.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/ "Jun Hae-song") [Jun Hae-song](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/) Hae-song is a Seoul-based analyst and writer on North and South Korean affairs. Having grown up overseas, he has lived his working life in South Korea where he consults on South Korean political and economic issues and on North Korea and defector related issues. [![Jun Hae-song](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-11.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/ "Jun Hae-song") Latest posts by Jun Hae-song ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/)) - [Can South Koreans change how they see North Koreans?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-south-koreans-change-how-they-see-north-koreans/) - May 14, 2026 - [The Korean paradox: Why giving up on reunification could make it happen](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-korean-paradox-why-giving-up-on-reunification-could-make-it-happen/) - April 15, 2026 - [Is South Korea starting to give up on re-unification?](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-south-korea-starting-to-give-up-on-re-unification/) - March 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Korean%20paradox%3A%20Why%20giving%20up%20on%20reunification%20could%20make%20it%20happen&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Korean%20paradox%3A%20Why%20giving%20up%20on%20reunification%20could%20make%20it%20happen https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Korean%20paradox%3A%20Why%20giving%20up%20on%20reunification%20could%20make%20it%20happen "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-korean-paradox-why-giving-up-on-reunification-could-make-it-happen/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Korean%20paradox%3A%20Why%20giving%20up%20on%20reunification%20could%20make%20it%20happen&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-korean-paradox-why-giving-up-on-reunification-could-make-it-happen/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Korean%20paradox%3A%20Why%20giving%20up%20on%20reunification%20could%20make%20it%20happen "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [“Set your eyes upon the world” the regime said, so why does watching a TV drama carry a 10-year sentence?](https://www.nkinsider.org/set-your-eyes-upon-the-world-the-regime-said-so-why-does-watching-a-tv-drama-carry-a-10-year-sentence/) **Published:** April 21, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Image-zhuanlan.jpg "Image zhuanlan | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/). What is life? For me, it is a journey of discovery, of understanding what I am good at and enjoy, and then engaging in work and hobbies that reflect my interest and ability. In some societies, though, such an ordinary life is not allowed. A place that appears orderly on the surface may, in reality, be a prison without bars. In a world where personal tastes are criminalized and subject to surveillance, the phrase “a happy life” becomes nothing more than an empty echo. In December 2009, North Korea’s then-leader Kim Jong-il remarked, “*Plant your feet firmly on your own soil, and set your eyes upon the world.”* This comment made sense, as a call to young people to remain grounded in reality while learning from global developments and advanced cultures. However, in its context in North Korea, it was pure deception. The eyes of the people were deliberately blindfolded. The freedom to learn never existed. External ideas and cultures were defined as threats to the nation, and merely accessing them became grounds for harsh punishment. Who, then, is North Korea’s proclaimed socialism truly for? Ideologically, it emphasizes equality and community, yet in reality, it functions as a tool to justify control and domination by a privileged ruling class. A striking example is the “Law on the Elimination of Reactionary Thought and Culture.” Since its implementation in 2020, control over the thoughts and cultural lives of citizens has intensified dramatically. “Anti-socialist inspection units” have penetrated deep into everyday life, monitoring and regulating the smallest personal preferences and choices. Individual lives are being carved into small pieces under the constant scrutiny of the state. The sharp edge of this crackdown is particularly aimed at young people who are more familiar with external culture. In recent years, secretly watching South Korean dramas has become an open secret among North Korean youth. But the consequences are severe. In 2022, there was a tragic case in which people in their twenties were sentenced to ten years in prison simply for watching South Korean dramas. How are we to comprehend a reality where young people must spend the most precious years of their lives behind cold prison walls for the mere act of consuming video content? The North Korean authorities claim to prioritize learning, yet in reality, the education they offer is limited to indoctrination that serves to protect the regime. While the leaders portray South Korea as a destitute society where people are too poor to go to school, they react with malevolent hysteria to something as simple as a TV drama. Paradoxically, this reaction reveals the regime’s awareness that it can only survive through continued deception. Knowing the system could collapse like a house of cards the moment truth enters, leaders desperately prevent people from looking beyond the horizon. Curiosity about the world is a fundamental human instinct. It can never properly be considered a crime. Yet in North Korea, just having the desire becomes grounds for punishment. Under constant surveillance and control, individual dreams are worn down, and life is reduced from a meaningful journey to a desperate struggle for survival. In a place where the freedom to learn, enjoy, and choose is denied, human dignity loses its foundation. This is not a special story. It is a fragment of the painful daily reality experienced by countless young people in the North at this very moment. The reason we must listen to their voices is clear. We must not stop telling their stories until the slogan “Set your eyes upon the world” ceases to be a deception and stands as truth. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CSet%20your%20eyes%20upon%20the%20world%E2%80%9D%20the%20regime%20said%2C%20so%20why%20does%20watching%20a%20TV%20drama%20carry%20a%2010-year%20sentence%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%E2%80%9CSet%20your%20eyes%20upon%20the%20world%E2%80%9D%20the%20regime%20said%2C%20so%20why%20does%20watching%20a%20TV%20drama%20carry%20a%2010-year%20sentence%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%E2%80%9CSet%20your%20eyes%20upon%20the%20world%E2%80%9D%20the%20regime%20said%2C%20so%20why%20does%20watching%20a%20TV%20drama%20carry%20a%2010-year%20sentence%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/set-your-eyes-upon-the-world-the-regime-said-so-why-does-watching-a-tv-drama-carry-a-10-year-sentence/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%E2%80%9CSet%20your%20eyes%20upon%20the%20world%E2%80%9D%20the%20regime%20said%2C%20so%20why%20does%20watching%20a%20TV%20drama%20carry%20a%2010-year%20sentence%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/set-your-eyes-upon-the-world-the-regime-said-so-why-does-watching-a-tv-drama-carry-a-10-year-sentence/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%E2%80%9CSet%20your%20eyes%20upon%20the%20world%E2%80%9D%20the%20regime%20said%2C%20so%20why%20does%20watching%20a%20TV%20drama%20carry%20a%2010-year%20sentence%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [What are they afraid of? Why are some of America's leading experts on Korea scared of criticizing the South Korean government?](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-are-they-afraid-of-why-are-some-of-americas-leading-experts-on-korea-scared-of-criticizing-the-south-korean-government/) **Published:** April 25, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![three colorful abstract heads facing each other with gears and clouds symbolizing collaboration and creativity](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Istock-1124485411.jpg "Mental power concept | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/)*.* Something rather unusual – and frankly welcome – occurred in late April 2026: the rare shattering of a Washington, D.C., taboo. A group of more than 50 Republican members of Congress issued a statement addressed to South Korea’s ambassador to the United States, criticizing the policies of the current leftist South Korean government under President Lee Jae-myung. Although the statement focused primarily on alleged discrimination against U.S.-owned companies in Korea, it also raised concerns of a political and foreign policy nature. The Lee administration was accused of being a “left-wing government closely aligned with China,” an opinion that is widely shared but not usually expressed in public statements by politicians, former military officers, current and former government officials, human rights activists, and Korea experts. The mere fact that a large number of American legislators have now found it necessary to openly criticize the policies of the South Korean government has certainly raised eyebrows. It is also being positively received by pro-U.S. forces in the Republic of Korea (ROK), who have long hoped for such frankness from American politicians. When it comes to U.S. allies in Europe and the Middle East, American area experts at major think tanks and in academia – as well as media pundits, politicians, and former high-ranking military officers serving as commentators or advisors – have rarely been reluctant to criticize governments and leaders. Even the closest U.S. allies have not escaped such scrutiny. At times, the criticism has been harsh, often focusing not only on relations with the United States and broader international issues, but also on the domestic policies of those nations. In recent years, however, South Korea has been a notable exception. Why is that? What factors might explain what amounts to a taboo in Washington, D.C.? This peculiar form of timidity – almost fear – appears to have five main sources. One source is a “don’t rock the boat” mentality. It is based on the notion that the U.S.-ROK relationship is like an extremely fragile piece of fine porcelain, which could suddenly and irreparably shatter if not handled with the utmost care. The theory seems to be that even justified and necessary criticism of a South Korean government by experts or politicians could damage the relationship and must therefore be avoided. This reluctance has not always been present, but over the past 30 years it has been most frequently applied to left-wing South Korean governments. It thus reflects, at least in part, a fear of criticizing the Korean left. Another source stems from careerism. American think tank experts, former government officials, and retired high-ranking military officers are often reluctant to speak out publicly against a South Korean government – even when they believe its policies may harm important U.S. interests – because they fear such criticism could limit future career opportunities. There is concern that open disapproval might reduce the chances of being appointed U.S. ambassador to Seoul or securing a senior position at a consulting, lobbying, or defense-related firm that does business with Korea. The prestige and financial incentives associated with such roles can act as powerful disincentives to speaking out. In these cases, career considerations may take precedence over principle. Conformism is another key factor. The relatively small number of individuals in Washington, D.C., whose work focuses on Korean political issues has resulted in a degree of cliquishness. This exclusivity, in turn, fosters a kind of “groupthink,” in which certain approaches to analyzing and discussing Korean issues are considered acceptable, while others are treated as taboo. To be regarded as part of the “inside” circle of Korea experts and commentators, individuals may feel pressure to adhere to these unwritten norms. This dynamic does not apply to everyone in the field, but it is a tendency that some more independent-minded and intellectually honest Korea experts privately acknowledge – and occasionally criticize. This reluctance to criticize leftist South Korean governments is not always rooted in ideology. Many experts and institutions involved are centrist or center-right, though ideological inhibitions do exist among some center-left individuals and organizations. Another often overlooked factor is a lack of detailed knowledge or sustained interest in South Korean domestic politics and how those politics shape foreign policy. Among Korea specialists, there is a strong focus on North-South relations—such as inter-Korean dynamics, North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, the role of U.S. forces in the South, and the broader military balance on the peninsula. While important, this focus can come at the expense of understanding domestic political dynamics in South Korea, even though those dynamics directly influence foreign policy decisions. In some cases, this has led to a false dichotomy between domestic and foreign policy, producing reluctance to comment on issues perceived – incorrectly – as purely domestic or partisan. This represents a clear double standard. Many in Washington are willing, even eager, to criticize the domestic politics of other U.S. allies, yet seem hesitant – almost fearful – when it comes to South Korea. A final factor is the presence of a “normalcy bias” regarding South Korea and its governments. This bias is more psychological than ideological. It manifests as a comforting but misleading belief that the U.S.-ROK alliance is so deeply institutionalized that it will endure indefinitely without serious disruption – regardless of how any particular government’s policies might affect U.S. interests. While this assumption may appear to reinforce confidence in the alliance, it can be dangerous. It risks downplaying or ignoring emerging problems and discourages serious consideration of potential changes in the relationship. Such normalcy bias may leave Korea experts unprepared for significant shifts driven by the policies of left-wing South Korean governments. It is entirely possible for the people of the United States and South Korea to share broad values, and this is undoubtedly important. At the same time, their respective governments may hold values that are not fully aligned. Although most South Korean governments have historically been pro-U.S. and supportive of the alliance, this should not necessarily be assumed to be a permanent or “normal” condition. Paradoxically, while many South Korean experts and commentators—particularly on the left—have become increasingly willing to criticize, and even harshly condemn, the United States, many American Korea experts have moved in the opposite direction, showing strong reluctance to openly criticize South Korean governments, especially those on the left. This trend is likely driven by one or more of the factors outlined above. A more intellectually honest and healthy approach would require greater willingness among Americans to move beyond cliquishness, conformism, and careerism—and to abandon the self-imposed taboo against publicly criticizing South Korean governments when such criticism is warranted. Since such frankness is routinely applied to other allied nations, South Korea should not be treated as an exception. Criticism of its current leftist government should not be considered “off-limits.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20are%20they%20afraid%20of%3F%20Why%20are%20some%20of%20America%27s%20leading%20experts%20on%20Korea%20scared%20of%20criticizing%20the%20South%20Korean%20government%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%20are%20they%20afraid%20of%3F%20Why%20are%20some%20of%20America%27s%20leading%20experts%20on%20Korea%20scared%20of%20criticizing%20the%20South%20Korean%20government%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%20are%20they%20afraid%20of%3F%20Why%20are%20some%20of%20America%27s%20leading%20experts%20on%20Korea%20scared%20of%20criticizing%20the%20South%20Korean%20government%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-are-they-afraid-of-why-are-some-of-americas-leading-experts-on-korea-scared-of-criticizing-the-south-korean-government/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%20are%20they%20afraid%20of%3F%20Why%20are%20some%20of%20America%27s%20leading%20experts%20on%20Korea%20scared%20of%20criticizing%20the%20South%20Korean%20government%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-are-they-afraid-of-why-are-some-of-americas-leading-experts-on-korea-scared-of-criticizing-the-south-korean-government/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%20are%20they%20afraid%20of%3F%20Why%20are%20some%20of%20America%27s%20leading%20experts%20on%20Korea%20scared%20of%20criticizing%20the%20South%20Korean%20government%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [The problem of the means of production ](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-problem-of-the-means-of-production/) **Published:** May 4, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![wooden gears interlocked on a reflective surface at sunset symbolizing teamwork and mechanical process](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Istock-2265881957sommart.jpg "Row of gears from small to large with bright sunlight on biggest gear for systematic teamwork and efficient business success concept growth process and industrial mechanical solution | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/)*.* These words are often thrown around, but what is the real difference between socialism and capitalism? At its core, it is a question of the means of production. Capitalism allows individuals to own the means of production. Socialism, on the other hand, insists that the means of production be collectively owned. So how does a socialist government control an individual’s means of production? And does such control still work in today’s world? To be clear, I am neither an economist nor a philosopher. I am an ordinary woman who was born and raised in North Korea, sharing stories from within a society that calls itself socialist. I will leave it up to you whether to accept my argument. When we were young, we were very poor. Few households had refrigerators. Fortunately, the people who lived behind us had one, so whenever we got thirsty while playing outside, we would run over there. As the number of children grew from one to five, then to ten, the lady of the house began selling us ice. We didn’t mind. Her ice was tastier than others because she added a bit of sugar and milk. It wasn’t as if she made much money. Her customers were limited to neighborhood children. But it seems the government saw things very differently. To the regime, her actions were capitalist. Selling ice was considered an anti-state act that threatened the socialist system. They confiscated her refrigerator, declaring it a means of production used for commercial activity. That humble fridge had been her only valuable possession. She had bought it with money her relatives had given her when she got married. She had only wanted to earn a little pocket money, but the result was devastating. After that incident, she fell ill and was left severely debilitated. Socialism claims that the means of production are owned by everyone, but in reality, a single entity ends up owning everything. These days, North Korea speaks of the “era of the knowledge industry.” It encourages production through intellect. Of course, intellectual production comes from individuals. Thus, the state ultimately claims not only people’s labor but also their mental capacity. Recently, North Korea introduced a new patent law called the “Intellectual Property Protection Law.” But we all know such measures are little more than empty promises. The fundamental problem of socialism is that the state does not protect individual property. Once, my mother lent money to a neighbor. The woman encouraged her not to let her money sit idle but to use it to generate more. She promised to pay interest. My mother gave in to that temptation. But this is a story with a predictable ending. At some point, the woman said she could no longer repay the debt, and the case went to the people’s court. My mother went there with the faint hope of recovering at least part of it. Instead of defending her, the lawyer began criticizing her. Together with the prosecutor, he accused my mother of engaging in usury and pressured her to reveal the source of her money. Because she had attempted to make money from money, it was deemed that the money itself had become a means of production. As a result, all of her money was confiscated by the state. After that, my mother lost all trust in government officials. She often laments how foolish she was to believe in the state. If a law is made in North Korea, it is often nothing more than a tool to justify the state’s unjust actions. Do you know why socialist systems remain poor? It is because they do not protect private property. The protection of private property is a driving force of the economy. If what you own is not secure, what incentive do you have to work hard? There is a well-known story from China that illustrates this. There were millions of migrant laborers in China—impoverished farmers who left the countryside for cities to try to make a living. As a result of this exodus, grain production kept falling. Despite numerous policies, the regime could solve neither rural poverty nor the resulting food shortages. As this vicious cycle continued, it is said that Deng Xiaoping invited a renowned American economist for advice. “How can we improve the lives of Chinese farmers?” The economist gave a simple answer: “Let farmers decide what to do with what they produce.” This idea became policy, and grain production increased sixfold. North Korea today faces a similar problem. Farmers continue to move to cities just to survive. And it’s no surprise. Farming is exhausting, yet all the produce is taken by the state. Who would work hard under such conditions? As long as the state takes both the means of production and the products themselves, this problem will never be solved. But even today, can the North Korean government effectively control the means of production? In the past, when society was less developed, the means of production were visible and tangible, making them easier to define and control. But in the digital age, even knowledge has become a means of production. This means that personal computers in each household can be a means of production. Even one’s own mind can be a means of production. Today, the concept has expanded beyond the tangible into the intangible. As the boundaries become increasingly blurred, can the state still claim ownership over individuals’ minds? Applying economic theories from 200 or 300 years ago to sustain socialism today presents countless problems. Perhaps this reflects the limits of Karl Marx’s imagination in predicting the modern world. Socialism has reached its limits. When I was in university, one of my professors once said: “Work according to your ability and receive according to your needs? Then can someone wake up in the morning, play card games all day, and still take as much bread as they want because they’re hungry?” It is an unattainable dream. Marx chose the wrong species to realize his grand vision. Human nature is inherently self-interested. What can be done about that? Let me confess something to you. My parents were true communists. Even when their children contributed very little, they allowed us to take as much as we wanted. Within the family, we are all true communists. Communism and socialism may function only within the intimate unit of a loving family. That is because, within the family, we teach fairness using even our fingers and toes. But beyond that small unit, there has yet to be a real example of such a system working properly. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20problem%20of%20the%20means%20of%20production%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20problem%20of%20the%20means%20of%20production%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20problem%20of%20the%20means%20of%20production%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-problem-of-the-means-of-production/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20problem%20of%20the%20means%20of%20production%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-problem-of-the-means-of-production/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20problem%20of%20the%20means%20of%20production%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [North Korea's Hidden Revolution: How the Information Underground Is Transforming a Closed Society](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-hidden-revolution-how-the-information-underground-is-transforming-a-closed-society/) **Published:** July 21, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** North Korea’s Hidden Revolution: How the Information Underground Is Transforming a Closed Society by Jieun Baek is a fascinating book that examines how ordinary North Koreans are challenging the regime’s tight control over information and media. Baek, a researcher at Harvard, draws on interviews with defectors, activists, and smugglers to reveal how USB drives, smartphones, and DVDs are circulating foreign content such as films, music, news, and books among the isolated population. The book shows how this information revolution is inspiring curiosity, dissent, and hope among North Koreans, and how it could potentially transform the closed society. The book is a well-researched and compelling read for anyone interested in the hidden realities and possibilities of North Korea. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%27s%20Hidden%20Revolution%3A%20How%20the%20Information%20Underground%20Is%20Transforming%20a%20Closed%20Society&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%27s%20Hidden%20Revolution%3A%20How%20the%20Information%20Underground%20Is%20Transforming%20a%20Closed%20Society https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%27s%20Hidden%20Revolution%3A%20How%20the%20Information%20Underground%20Is%20Transforming%20a%20Closed%20Society "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-hidden-revolution-how-the-information-underground-is-transforming-a-closed-society/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%27s%20Hidden%20Revolution%3A%20How%20the%20Information%20Underground%20Is%20Transforming%20a%20Closed%20Society&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-hidden-revolution-how-the-information-underground-is-transforming-a-closed-society/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%27s%20Hidden%20Revolution%3A%20How%20the%20Information%20Underground%20Is%20Transforming%20a%20Closed%20Society "Reddit") **Categories:** Books --- ### [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) **Published:** May 4, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![group of schoolchildren walking in front of a large monument with two framed portraits on the wall behind them](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Shutterstock_1304862112.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkoreaaug2012thefemalestudentswalking | nk insider")*Sign up* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/)*.* Today, I would like to begin my story by quoting a line from a North Korean song: “We, with 5,000 years of history and culture, are wise and civilized people.” Although cut off from the outside world, we North Koreans dreamed of being civilized. Deep down, we also hoped others would see us that way. Our mothers, despite their meager means, pushed us to attend elite science high schools. They believed that studying hard and becoming “civilized” would help their children navigate life in many ways. I am living proof of that belief. Through my parents’ tireless efforts, I graduated from one of the country’s top science universities. By that measure, wasn’t I a quintessential symbol of North Korean “civilization”? So now, I would like to tell you just how “civilized” I truly was. I believe my defection journey reveals that clearly. To me, North Korea felt as confined as a well. As someone who considered myself civilized, I longed to use my talents and intellect in a broader world. For those who make it to Thailand in search of a new life abroad, there is a common process: after being detained as an illegal immigrant and before being handed over to immigration authorities, there is a mandatory period in prison. Anyone who wanted to emigrate somewhere other than South Korea had to stay in a cell designated for foreigners. I was one of them. I wanted to immigrate to the United States. Someone once told me that even dogs there roam around carrying dollars in their mouths. Carrying a bundle of instant noodles that others had generously packed for me, I stepped into that unfamiliar room—unable to speak their language—taking my first step toward the world I had long dreamed of. I tried to appear confident, but inwardly, I was afraid. Most of the people in my cell were Black, and many of them were twice my size. Yet my concerns quickly proved unnecessary. They approached me warmly, gathering around the corner where I had settled. I smiled. It seemed my humanity and charm were visible to them at a glance. After a brief exchange, they asked me a question: “Could you lend us some ramen?” In my life, I had heard people ask to borrow erasers or pencils, but never ramen. Still, seeing my large supply, I decided to be generous. They lined up and took the noodles one by one. About fifteen minutes later, my entire stock was gone. It happened so quickly that I was stunned. Having lost everything, I felt so unsettled that I couldn’t even eat the meals provided in the cell. In that place, I was nothing but a complete fool. Next to me was a girl from Russia named Natasha. Though she was only seventeen, she seemed to understand the world far better than I did. She taught me many things. I learned about Facebook and YouTube, for example. I had never seen or heard of them, so I could hardly grasp what they were. What I did understand was astonishing: individuals could run their own broadcasting platforms and communicate with people all over the world—even strangers. To me, this was nothing short of an entirely new civilization. She also told me she was a fan of Spider-Man. She tried to explain his abilities, as well as those of other heroes: he shoots webs from his hands; another is a small tree that says, “I am Groot.” She even explained the meaning of “I love you 3000.” “I love you 3000”? Not “I love you to death,” but “3000”? I thought to myself: this world is full of incomprehensible things. I had once taken pride in being civilized, yet now I felt like a blind man. I had to prove that I knew something about her world. At that moment, as a youngster raised in a communist country, one name came to mind: Stalin. Yes, my connection to her world must be through Stalin and Lenin. So I asked her, “Do you know Stalin and Lenin?” She widened her eyes and asked, “Who are they?” My mind flooded with questions. Who are they? They weren’t ordinary people—they had led Russia. She was Russian. How could she not know them? How could someone living in Russia not know figures that even I, living in North Korea, had learned about? I wondered then: Why did we have to learn things that even Russians didn’t need to know? And why were we unable to know things that everyone else in the world seemed to understand? Before we parted, Natasha asked me seriously, “Where are you from?” In North Korea, there is an app called “Him-il-se,” which ranks number one in downloads. It provides all kinds of general knowledge and is immensely popular among young people. But what is the use of reading it cover to cover? Even a seventeen-year-old girl knew countless things that I did not. One person I know who arrived in South Korea before me truly believed he knew everything. When he came to the Hanawon processing center, he thought there was almost nothing about South Korean society that he didn’t know. But the first time he went to a coffee shop, his shoulders involuntarily shrank every time well-dressed people passed by. He became self-conscious about the blue uniform he had been given at Hanawon. He thought that if it weren’t for that uniform, people might believe he was an “original” South Korean. He tried to order coffee as naturally as possible, recalling what he had seen in movies. “An Americano espresso, please,” he said. The barista looked at him carefully. “Sir, do you mean an Americano?” “No, an Americano espresso. Just go ahead.” From his appearance and tone, she had already realized he didn’t know what an espresso was. A tiny cup was brought to him. He felt disappointed. The moment he took a sip, he tasted something he had never experienced before in his life. It was so bitter that it was impossible to swallow. Glancing sideways, he saw the barista still watching him, perhaps to check if he was okay. Summoning all his strength, he downed it in one gulp. “At least I have my pride,” he said to himself. This is the reality for people who studied hard and even graduated from university in North Korea. In a closed society, we struggle to expand our knowledge. Yet when we step into the outside world, we cannot even order a cup of coffee. No matter how much we polish ourselves, once we leave that system, we realize how insignificant we truly are. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20void%20of%20civilization&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20void%20of%20civilization https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20void%20of%20civilization "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20void%20of%20civilization&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20void%20of%20civilization "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) **Published:** April 25, 2026 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![six workers carrying a person between them on a rocky construction site with dirt and rubble](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-25-at-2 03 12-am.jpg "Screenshot 20260425 at 2 03 12 am | nk insider")North Korea has reportedly launched a sweeping ideological education campaign aimed at eradicating various illegal activities that have recently emerged among young people. Analysts say the authorities are feeling a significant sense of crisis as theft, violence, and unhealthy lifestyles spread throughout the population, particularly among the youth. Workers at a textile factory in Hyesan, Yanggang Province, were subjected on April 18 to a lecture titled, “Let Us Once Again Launch a Strong Campaign to Thoroughly Eliminate Illegal Acts Appearing Among Youth,” according to a knowledgeable source. The lecture reportedly emphasized that youth-related issues should not be seen as individual deviance, but rather as a broader problem of social discipline. During the session, the speaker described young people as “successors of the revolution” and key actors responsible for creating the “myth of heroic youth,” while noting that, in reality, a significant number are displaying the opposite tendencies. The speaker went on to describe specific forms of delinquency, stating that groups of students at some senior middle schools in Hyesan roam around stealing state and private property. They even confiscate and resell other students’ school supplies and personal belongings, the lecturer claimed. Such illegal acts “tarnish the image of our-style socialism” and must be recognized as acts of betrayal aligned with “decadent bourgeois ideology and culture” and the maneuvers of imperialists, the speaker said. In this sense, juvenile delinquency is being interpreted not only as a matter of discipline, but also as being linked to the infiltration of foreign ideology and culture. The lecturer also addressed the use of computers and recording devices in households, suggesting that exposure to outside media and electronic devices are contributing factors. The issue was framed not simply as a lack of education, but as one directly tied to the future of the state. “The youth issue is a critical matter that determines the rise and fall of the country and nation,” the lecturer said, warning that while shortcomings in other areas can be compensated for by future generations, failures in raising the next generation would lead to irreversible consequences. Workers were warned that even minors could face strict punishment for illegal acts. The lecture stressed that the era of leniency based on age is over and that those caught committing offenses would be subject to harsh penalties. The solutions proposed by the authorities include strengthening ideological education through youth organizations and schools, increasing teacher accountability, reinforcing family-based upbringing, encouraging participation in organizational life, and expanding social control. Although the speaker criticized outdated educational methods and mentioned adopting new approaches, the source noted that, in practice, the emphasis remains on ideological indoctrination, surveillance, and punishment. The source added that the authorities appear to attribute the causes of youth delinquency not to material hardship or social instability, but to ideological laxity and the infiltration of foreign culture. “Rather than addressing the underlying causes, they are responding by strengthening control over youth, families, and schools,” the source said. The source further observed that while the lecture focused on theft and violence among youth, its core intent was to tighten control and increase pressure on the population. “Under the pretext of correcting youth deviance, control, surveillance, and demands for discipline across schools, youth organizations, and families are likely to intensify further,” he predicted. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20links%20rising%20delinquency%20to%20foreign%20culture&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20links%20rising%20delinquency%20to%20foreign%20culture https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20links%20rising%20delinquency%20to%20foreign%20culture "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20links%20rising%20delinquency%20to%20foreign%20culture&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20links%20rising%20delinquency%20to%20foreign%20culture "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [The Rising Use of Cell Phones in North Korea: Catalyst for Change or Instrument of Control?](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-rising-use-of-cell-phones-in-north-korea-catalyst-for-change-or-instrument-of-control/) **Published:** January 31, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/NK-Phone-2.jpg "Nk phone 2 | nk insider")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. Our house was right next to the post office with a fence in between, and I was always so excited when a postal worker would come by and let me know when I had a phone call from a family member out of town. At any time, if someone was trying to contact us through the post office, the staff would come out and yell, “Come and answer the phone!” Just the fact that I could hear the voice of someone I couldn’t see and have a conversation with the person on the other side was thrilling. I loved it so much that in 2005, I bribed a post office staff member I had become close with. In exchange for a female sanitary pad, which was very hard to get in North Korea, I got to play all night in the room at a post office with a telephone. To many people, the post office might seem like a common or boring place, but to me, the post office was one of the most interesting places that made my childhood joyful. I recently met a fellow North Korean friend who has been living in South Korea for three years. When I told her about my experience with phone calls at the post office, she was surprised and said, “You still think they use that system? Not many North Koreans make calls in post offices these days.” **“Cheshinso” and** **North Korea’s Postal System** A “cheshinso” is a [post office in North Korea](https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/news/view.do;jsessionid=-IcDKa6diArJiSrsWeQ1veI2y_vDL6cSP3FQEFEm.ins22?menuId=MAIN_NEWS&cntntsMngNo=5414174#:~:text=%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%98%20%EC%B2%B4%EC%8B%A0%EC%86%8C%EB%8A%94,%EC%9D%98%20%EC%9A%B0%EC%B2%B4%EA%B5%AD%EC%97%90%20%ED%95%B4%EB%8B%B9%ED%95%A9%EB%8B%88%EB%8B%A4.) that handles postal services such as regular mail, parcels, and telegrams, as well as receiving and directing phone calls. When this author was living in North Korea, the post office operated through the Korea Posts and Telecommunications Co. (KPTC) under the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT). Each region has a telecommunication office (city, county), post office (city, county), and sub-post office (district, town). Overall, North Korea’s postal system today remains quite similar to postal systems in other countries, but one of the main differences was that North Koreans have also relied on post offices to make phone calls. Until 2005, post offices were the only places that most North Koreans could make or receive phone calls, but even in a country that is slow to change, the days of making calls from a post office have long gone. **From Post Office Phone Calls to Eagerly Awaiting New Cell Phone Models** I was amazed to hear when a friend who recently defected from North Korea told me that she changed her cell phone twice a year and that “no one goes to the post office to make calls anymore.” She said her TouchPhone 2416 phone model cost about $120 in 2019, and she used it to share photos via Bluetooth, make calls, and send texts. Before this phone, cell phone models produced in North Korea such as the Bar Phone 1106, 1007, and 1008 were popular and were commonly referred to as a *magdaegi* phone or “stick phone” among locals. Other cell phone models that were available at that time – the F109 and T95 – were more expensive because they were imported from China. Though it varies depending on specific models, the cost of buying one cell phone could be $120 for a touchscreen phone and $90 for a SIM card used to issue a cell phone number, for a total of $210. The process of obtaining a cell phone number is difficult and takes a long time, so people usually buy a U-SIM. An amount like $210 is considered a vast sum of money in North Korea. Many North Koreans [only earn a meager wage](https://www.nkinsider.org/rampant-bribery-and-graft-in-north-korea/) from their official jobs provided by the state. They struggle to earn money through unofficial means just to survive, which underscores how highly they value these relatively expensive cell phones. In this regard, one defector who escaped from North Korea in 2020 said, “Cell phones are expensive to many North Koreans, but interestingly, whenever a new phone comes out, people buy it.” The defector also noted, “Recently (as of November 2023), while talking to my family in North Korea, I heard about people downloading apps on their phones and buying things through apps. I can’t believe that in the less than 3 years since I came to South Korea, things have changed to the point where you can buy things through your phone.” In fact, there are approximately [4.9 million](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2023/07/13/5BRIPZBPBZGQPKGCNUJDYXDXIM/) cell phone users in North Korea, accounting for 19% of the total population. This is an increase of 1.3 million compared to [3.6 million](https://news.bizwatch.co.kr/article/policy/2018/04/26/0018) users in 2016. There are also many different types of cell phones, including the [Pyongyang Touch](https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-KRTB-5487), Arirang, Blue Sky, Samtaesong 8, and many others. Of course, these North Korean phones don’t have access to the internet, nor can people make calls on them to those outside the country as cell phones commonly used in the rest of the world would allow. But the popularity of cell phones as a tool of communication is a sign that North Korean society is changing. However, it’s important to remember that increased cell phone usage in North Korea doesn’t mean that North Korean society has become a more hospitable environment for people. In fact, defectors who have used these cell phones have reported that they often hear static during calls, as if someone were listening in. As horizontal communication increasingly expands in North Korean society today, it also helps the regime spread its propaganda and monitor citizens more effortlessly. It’s a double-edged sword, the paradox of technology. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Rising%20Use%20of%20Cell%20Phones%20in%20North%20Korea%3A%20Catalyst%20for%20Change%20or%20Instrument%20of%20Control%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Rising%20Use%20of%20Cell%20Phones%20in%20North%20Korea%3A%20Catalyst%20for%20Change%20or%20Instrument%20of%20Control%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Rising%20Use%20of%20Cell%20Phones%20in%20North%20Korea%3A%20Catalyst%20for%20Change%20or%20Instrument%20of%20Control%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-rising-use-of-cell-phones-in-north-korea-catalyst-for-change-or-instrument-of-control/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Rising%20Use%20of%20Cell%20Phones%20in%20North%20Korea%3A%20Catalyst%20for%20Change%20or%20Instrument%20of%20Control%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-rising-use-of-cell-phones-in-north-korea-catalyst-for-change-or-instrument-of-control/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Rising%20Use%20of%20Cell%20Phones%20in%20North%20Korea%3A%20Catalyst%20for%20Change%20or%20Instrument%20of%20Control%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Science & Tech **Tags:** Post office, communication, cheshinso, North Korea, cell phones --- ### [Russian Foreign Minister Visits Cuba on the Heels of Surprise Havana-Seoul Ties Announcement](https://www.nkinsider.org/russian-foreign-minister-visits-cuba-on-the-heels-of-surprise-havana-seoul-ties-announcement/) **Published:** February 20, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Cuba’s President and Communist Party First Secretary, Miguel Díaz-Canel, in Havana Monday at the start of a Latin American tour that appears designed to shore up Moscow’s declining influence in the region. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/라브로프-쿠바-도착-사진라시스카야-가제타-1-e1708412980262.jpg "라브로프 쿠바 도착 사진라시스카야 가제타 1 | nk insider")SEOUL – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Cuba’s President and Communist Party First Secretary, Miguel Díaz-Canel, [in Havana Monday](https://tass.com/politics/1748741) at the start of a Latin American tour that appears designed to shore up Moscow’s declining influence in the region. Lavrov is scheduled to travel to Venezuela Tuesday and will be in Brazil Wednesday and Thursday for the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Although the regional tour is timed for the G20 meeting, it is also significant that the visit to Havana follows so quickly on the [unexpected announcement on February 14](https://www.mofa.go.kr/eng/brd/m_5676/view.do?seq=322416&page=1) of the establishment last week of diplomatic relations between Cuba and South Korea. Skipping intermediary steps such as consular relations, the two countries immediately established relations at the ambassadorial level and agreed to open resident embassies. Cuba becomes the 193rd diplomatic partner for South Korea, leaving Syria as the only UN member state without formal ties. The announcement followed discussions between the two countries that were kept highly confidential. It is assumed, given Cuba’s status as a communist state and close ally of North Korea, that this was to preempt interference from Pyongyang. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Diaz-canel_square_crop-1024x744.jpg "Diazcanelsquarecrop | nk insider") Yoon Suk Yeol, President of the Republic of Korea (left), and Miguel Díaz-Canel, President of Cuba (right). Image remixed, licensed under CC0, via Wikimedia Commons / wikisourceThe South Korean government had been pursuing diplomatic relations with Cuba since the 2000s. Back in 2016, then-Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se made the first official visit to Havana, but there was otherwise no progress. Discussions accelerated last year under the presidency of Yoon Suk-yeol. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited active cultural exchanges contributing to the spread of mutual goodwill between the two countries. It said ties now have laid the institutional groundwork for economic cooperation between the two countries and will allow Seoul to provide consular assistance to Koreans visiting Cuba. - [Russia and North Korea Enter Practical Phase of Close Cooperation](https://www.nkinsider.org/russia-and-north-korea-enter-practical-phase-of-close-cooperation/ "Russia and North Korea Enter Practical Phase of Close Cooperation") - [US-DPRK Tensions Escalate as They Support Opposing Sides in Two Dangerous Regional Conflicts](https://www.nkinsider.org/us-dprk-tensions-escalate-as-they-support-opposing-sides-in-two-dangerous-regional-conflicts/ "US-DPRK Tensions Escalate as They Support Opposing Sides in Two Dangerous Regional Conflicts") - [Russian Universities Collude with North Korean Laborers to Evade UN Sanctions](https://www.nkinsider.org/russian-universities-collude-with-north-korean-laborers-to-evade-un-sanctions/ "Russian Universities Collude with North Korean Laborers to Evade UN Sanctions") In connection with this, the South Korean presidential office said on February 15 that the establishment of relations was the [final chapter of Seoul’s diplomacy towards the socialist bloc](https://world.kbs.co.kr/service/news_view.htm?lang=e&Seq_Code=183713). A senior official from the presidential office told reporters, “This establishment of diplomatic relations ultimately shows clearly in the flow of history what the trend is and who it belongs to.” North Korea, meanwhile, appears to be keeping news of the development under wraps. “There is concern that if citizens become aware of this, their disappointment with the leader and their fantasy about South Korea will grow,” one source inside North Korea told us. “North Korean residents consider China and Cuba as the only socialist countries left,” said Kim Mo, a defector who arrived in South Korea in May 2022. “They think these countries are more akin to North Korea than any others.” “This perception somewhat relieved the agony of North Koreans living in a country that is isolated from the international community, which is why Cuba-South Korea will be a considerable shock,” he said, adding, “It is a significant political and diplomatic victory for South Korea against North Korea.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Image-from-pdf-42-page-2.jpg "Image from pdf 42 page 2 | nk insider") Miguel Díaz-Canel receiving cheers from Pyongyang citizens on Nov. 4, 2018. North Korean state media outlets reported that Díaz-Canel visited North Korea upon the invitation of Kim Jong Un. Image via Rodong Sinmun.North Korean sensitivity was apparent in its reaction. When the day after South Korea and Cuba announced ties, diplomats attended a birthday event for Kim Jong Un,[ the Cuban envoy was mentioned by his name only](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgB8nEreE1g&t=1s). As if to provide some tit-for-tat balance, Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister, at the same time [sent a signal to Japan](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-15/kim-jong-un-s-powerful-sister-offers-japan-a-rare-opening-for-summit "sent a signal to Japan"), saying that there is a willingness on the part of Pyongyang for a summit. It was in this context that Russia, seemingly aware of its declining influence in Latin American countries, [swiftly announced Lavrov’s plan to visit the Latin American countries, choosing Cuba as his first destination.](https://tass.ru/politika/20020825?ysclid=lst7kpzt4p996935921) Moscow expressed appreciation for Cuba’s support in the military sphere regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The communication quoted Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, who said, “Our Cuban friends have shown an understanding of our attitude towards our country, including why we started special military operations in Ukraine.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Russian%20Foreign%20Minister%20Visits%20Cuba%20on%20the%20Heels%20of%20Surprise%20Havana-Seoul%20Ties%20Announcement&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Russian%20Foreign%20Minister%20Visits%20Cuba%20on%20the%20Heels%20of%20Surprise%20Havana-Seoul%20Ties%20Announcement https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Russian%20Foreign%20Minister%20Visits%20Cuba%20on%20the%20Heels%20of%20Surprise%20Havana-Seoul%20Ties%20Announcement "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/russian-foreign-minister-visits-cuba-on-the-heels-of-surprise-havana-seoul-ties-announcement/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Russian%20Foreign%20Minister%20Visits%20Cuba%20on%20the%20Heels%20of%20Surprise%20Havana-Seoul%20Ties%20Announcement&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/russian-foreign-minister-visits-cuba-on-the-heels-of-surprise-havana-seoul-ties-announcement/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Russian%20Foreign%20Minister%20Visits%20Cuba%20on%20the%20Heels%20of%20Surprise%20Havana-Seoul%20Ties%20Announcement "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Defectors Prefer a Preemptive Strike to Remove Kim Jong Un but Speaking Softly and Carrying a Big Stick is the Wiser Strategy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-prefer-a-preemptive-strike-to-remove-kim-jong-un-but-speaking-softly-and-carrying-a-big-stick-is-the-wiser-strategy/) **Published:** February 19, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Excerpt:** One of the options for dealing with North Korea’s military provocations is a preemptive strike, on military targets and/or on Kim Jong Un himself. Given what could go wrong, this is a scary idea, especially for those of us living close by in South Korea.  It also appears somehow undemocratic or certainly unpeaceful for a democracy to even consider it. Furthermore, why advocate war in a situation where war has been avoided for 70 years? **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Image-from-pdf-30-page-1.jpg "Imagefrompdf30page1 | nk insider")One of the options for dealing with North Korea’s military provocations is a preemptive strike, on military targets and/or on Kim Jong Un himself. Given what could go wrong, this is a scary idea, especially for those of us living close by in South Korea. It also appears somehow undemocratic or certainly unpeaceful for a democracy to even consider it. Furthermore, why advocate war in a situation where war has been avoided for 70 years? This is a good question. Those who advocate it must have a good reason. Many defectors from North Korea believe they do. They feel that they know Kim Jong Un better than South Koreans do. They believe that, for as long as Kim is free to keep growing his nuclear arsenal, the worse the threat will become and that one day, they are sure, he will use them. We may feel they prefer a preemptive strike against their own country because they are angry and want to see an end to the oppressive regime. We wouldn’t be wrong. But, at the same time, they have an argument that needs to be addressed with more than *ad hominem* claims. The idea of a preemptive attempt to remove North Korea’s capability to harm us is not new. [It was seriously considered](http://edition.cnn.com/US/9910/04/korea.brink/) by the United States in 1994. The then-defense secretary, William Perry, ordered the military to draw up plans to destroy the nuclear reactor at Yongbyon. Later, he changed his mind and decided to recommend to President Bill Clinton that the US opt for tougher sanctions. - [Workers’ Party Directive Instructs Diplomats to Gain Chinese Recognition of North Korea as a Nuclear Power](https://www.nkinsider.org/workers-party-directive-instructs-diplomats-to-gain-chinese-recognition-of-north-korea-as-a-nuclear-power/ "Workers’ Party Directive Instructs Diplomats to Gain Chinese Recognition of North Korea as a Nuclear Power") - [North Korean Nuclear Doctrine Unveiled](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-nuclear-doctrine-unveiled/ "North Korean Nuclear Doctrine Unveiled") If such a strike is ever approved, it would happen when the offensive side is ready and so take everyone by surprise. The other approach is to prepare and then wait for a provocation. In this case, while the enemy expects you to swing at him after he’s punched first, you hit back harder. So hard, in this case, that you obliterate him. His provocation, then, either confirms the seriousness of the threat, justifying your response, or provides the needed excuse, depending on how cycnically you want to look at it. Looking at the current policy of South Korea and the United States, we may characterize it as one of meaningful retaliation. It has been articulated as a “[swift, overwhelming, and decisive response](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/12/16/joint-press-statement-on-nuclear-consultative-group-meeting/)” to any provocation. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/52484814653_ac822f9af9_o-1024x649.jpg "52484814653ac822f9af9o | nk insider") The Republic of Korea’s F-16 and F-35A fighter jets are seen conducting training flights with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command B-1B bombers over the Korean Peninsula on Nov. 5, 2022. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young, licensed under [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ "CC BY-NC-ND 2.0").)But among some experts, we can see that rather than simply teach North Korea a lesson, there’s an appreciation of the necessity to push harder, to strike a blow from which it will not recover to fight again, at least not with nuclear weapons. Such a harsh approach was argued last week in an article in The National Interest, an online publication out of Washington D.C. Authors Ri Jong Ho, a former North Korean businessman and defector living in the U.S., and David Maxwell, the vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy, said “[immediate and decisive military responses must come at the time and place of the provocation](https://nationalinterest.org/blog/korea-watch/real-reason-north-korea-threatening-war-209331).” There is justification for this approach in that the best defense is a good offense. Or, as we say in North Korea, “you need to use a whip with a mad dog.” For those in favor of peaceful dialogue, this position appears like warmongering. This may be so. But we must agree that it is taken in response to changing conditions led by Kim Jong Un. There is no doubt that Kim’s recent re-characterisation of South Korea as a “principle enemy” has created a sense of crisis on the peninsula. Experts predict a physical clash this year and some even fear war. To those who say that North Korea is rational and would not choose a path that would end in its own destruction, others are now saying Pyongyang may well attack in order to survive. We defectors may openly debate these opposing claims. South Korea is, after all, a real democracy. In North Korea, meanwhile, there is no open debate, but a consensus is building. It is that war is inevitable. Among the people, this idea goes further. Many believe war is desirable to end poverty and suffering. Perhaps what ordinary North Koreans believe is not important. But we may say that, if the regime starts to see warfare as a strategy for survival, it will not find an argument among the populace. It is because of this meeting of sentiment that many defectors fear the worst and are calling for a preemptive strike to actually remove Kim. It is necessary, they say, to prevent war erupting on North Korea’s terms. Most South Koreans dismiss this as poor quality thinking that results from our “brainwashing” in the North Korean education system. “You don’t understand that there will never be war as long as the U.S. is here,” people argue. They may be right. It is always possible that we are misreading Kim. It is possible his recent saber-rattling is intended for the domestic audience. It may be his way of pushing to change the international preoccupation away from denuclearization towards cementing the country’s status as a nuclear power. Or, he may be making noise, and continue to do so, until the US presidential election in November in the hope he can influence things in favor of Donald Trump. His strategic goal in this case might be to get Trump to recognize the North as a nuclear state and drag Washington into a disarmament deal. Not least among the arguments against his intention to wage war is the question of what would happen if he won. How on earth would he subdue and rule over 52 million educated and uncooperative South Koreans? Surely he has thought this one through? In this uncertain environment, the possibility of miscalculation poses the most serious threat, especially as Kim has cut lines of communication with South Korea as part of his anti-unification posturing. For our part in South Korea, we need to demonstrate strength. We need to send an unambiguous message to Kim that he will pay a high price for any provocation. This is in fact what the Yoon and Biden administrations are doing. We also need to maintain our will for peace and dialogue so that we ourselves do not miscalculate and push the peninsula into war. In other words, to paraphrase the former US president Teddy Roosevelt, we should “carry a big stick” but at the same time “speak softly.” The good news in this picture is that our decision makers are experienced. North Korea has been posturing about taking over South Korea for seven decades now, but has been successfully contained. Perhaps our best hope may not lie in a proactive strike to get rid of Kim, but that task may be achieved eventually within North Korea by North Koreans. Until then, our strategy should be containment. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Defectors%20Prefer%20a%20Preemptive%20Strike%20to%20Remove%20Kim%20Jong%20Un%20but%20Speaking%20Softly%20and%20Carrying%20a%20Big%20Stick%20is%20the%20Wiser%20Strategy&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Defectors%20Prefer%20a%20Preemptive%20Strike%20to%20Remove%20Kim%20Jong%20Un%20but%20Speaking%20Softly%20and%20Carrying%20a%20Big%20Stick%20is%20the%20Wiser%20Strategy https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Defectors%20Prefer%20a%20Preemptive%20Strike%20to%20Remove%20Kim%20Jong%20Un%20but%20Speaking%20Softly%20and%20Carrying%20a%20Big%20Stick%20is%20the%20Wiser%20Strategy "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-prefer-a-preemptive-strike-to-remove-kim-jong-un-but-speaking-softly-and-carrying-a-big-stick-is-the-wiser-strategy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Defectors%20Prefer%20a%20Preemptive%20Strike%20to%20Remove%20Kim%20Jong%20Un%20but%20Speaking%20Softly%20and%20Carrying%20a%20Big%20Stick%20is%20the%20Wiser%20Strategy&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-prefer-a-preemptive-strike-to-remove-kim-jong-un-but-speaking-softly-and-carrying-a-big-stick-is-the-wiser-strategy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Defectors%20Prefer%20a%20Preemptive%20Strike%20to%20Remove%20Kim%20Jong%20Un%20but%20Speaking%20Softly%20and%20Carrying%20a%20Big%20Stick%20is%20the%20Wiser%20Strategy "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Secret Police Intensifies Pressure on Defectors’ Families](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-intensifies-pressure-on-defectors-families/) **Published:** February 18, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Excerpt:** The secret police in North Korea has increased surveillance and suppression of families of people known to have defected to South Korea. Defectors say they have been receiving more worrying news about their relatives since Kim Jong Un re-framed South Korea as the North’s number one enemy on January 15. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/439836.jpg "439836 | nk insider")SEOUL – The secret police in North Korea has increased surveillance and suppression of families of people known to have defected to South Korea. Defectors say they have been receiving more worrying news about their relatives since Kim Jong Un re-framed South Korea as the North’s [number one enemy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiH3dLRkNB4) on January 15. A defector named Park, from Sinuiju on the Chinese border, who escaped to the South while in China on a private tourist visa, says the Ministry of State Security (MSS) has intensified the harassment. “It’s not just my family that is suffering. I’m hearing the same thing from other defectors,” Park said. [The MSS is responsible for internal policing](https://spyscape.com/article/inside-north-koreas-top-spy-agency-the-ministry-of-state-security) and controls the labor camps. It reports directly to Kim and is known for its brutality. Park communicates with family members via a mobile phone they smuggled in from China. Park sends them money and also acts as a broker for other defectors’ families in Sinuiju. On February 5, an acquaintance informed Park that the MSS had raided the family home and a sibling had been detained and interrogated for several days. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Image-from-pdf-10-page-5-2.jpg "Imagefrompdf10page52 | nk insider") Kim Jong Un appointed Lee Chang Dae, a figure about whom little is known, as the new Minister of State Security (MSS) in June 2022. Image / Rodong Sinmun Sources in China told Park that, following Kim Jong Un’s policy change toward South Korea, the MSS is targeting the defectors’ families more vigorously. The main thrust is to convey the message that all acts related to defectors, such as providing them with information, importing content, helping others defect, and assisting in remittances, are now considered crimes against the state. Previously, receiving remittances from defectors was classified as a general economic offense under “non-socialist behavior” rules. The MSS is also trying to revise its system for monitoring and reporting on the families of the defectors. - [Enforced Silence](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/01/26/enforced-silence/ "Enforced Silence") - [Hundreds of North Korean Defectors Repatriated by China Face Miserable Fate](https://www.nkinsider.org/hundreds-of-north-korean-defectors-repatriated-by-china-face-miserable-fate/ "Hundreds of North Korean Defectors Repatriated by China Face Miserable Fate") - [DPRK’s Increasingly Vulnerable Regime Desperate to Block Cross-Border Information Flows](https://www.nkinsider.org/dprks-increasingly-vulnerable-regime-desperate-to-block-cross-border-information-flows/ "DPRK’s Increasingly Vulnerable Regime Desperate to Block Cross-Border Information Flows") Many family members of defectors are undergoing investigation, Park’s sibling said. Park was advised that the family would not be in contact until it is over. “I was also told that to keep my family safe, I should not get involved in human rights activities,” Park said. Two other defectors, a Jeong from North Hamgyong Province, and a Choi from Yanggang Province, said their families experienced similar incidents, receiving threats from the MSS that it is an offense against the state to contact defectors in South Korea. The MSS strategy to restrain defectors by using their families in this way as hostages is not new. It has been going on for a long time. Many defectors who were publicly vocal about the severe abuse experienced in North Korea stopped human rights activities at the request of their families as a consequence. But Kim Jong Un’s recent declaration of South Korea as a hostile state is intensifying the threat of families being used in this way as hostages. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Secret%20Police%20Intensifies%20Pressure%20on%20Defectors%E2%80%99%20Families&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Secret%20Police%20Intensifies%20Pressure%20on%20Defectors%E2%80%99%20Families https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Secret%20Police%20Intensifies%20Pressure%20on%20Defectors%E2%80%99%20Families "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-intensifies-pressure-on-defectors-families/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Secret%20Police%20Intensifies%20Pressure%20on%20Defectors%E2%80%99%20Families&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-intensifies-pressure-on-defectors-families/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Secret%20Police%20Intensifies%20Pressure%20on%20Defectors%E2%80%99%20Families "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [The Differing Views of North Korean Women on Human Rights Activism](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-differing-views-of-north-korean-women-on-human-rights-activism/) **Published:** February 20, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1-1-e1708483601671.jpg "11 | nk insider")Why is it that women who defect from North Korea and come straight to South Korea have a different attitude to human rights activism than those who lived for a while in third countries, especially China, before arriving?” I have experienced this difference meeting and talking to these two groups of defectors and have been asking myself this question for three years. When I became a journalist, I was put on the social news desk and was assigned mainly to report on North Korea-related human rights issues. I covered seminars and other such events and found that the speakers, as well as defectors among the activists, had one thing in common: most were women and nine out of ten of them had lived in China. Why was this? Where, I wondered, were the defectors who came directly from North Korea? Here is what I concluded. Female defectors in particular went through experiences in China that were so bad that they are hard to imagine. They were traumatized. They engaged with NGOs through seminars and other activities and told their stories to heal and to help others. Their activism has had a big influence and has resulted in broad public awareness about human rights. According to a 2023 survey by the Seoul-based [Database Center for North Korean Human Rights](https://en.nkdb.org/), more than 70% of South Koreans last year had overall awareness of the various issues, including the United Nations’ Human Rights Resolution on North Korea. With specific issues, 92% were aware of public executions, 85% knew about the forced repatriation of North Korean fishermen, and 80.3% knew about the political prison camps. These were all widely covered by the media. The fourth best known issue, with over 80% awareness, was human trafficking. Awareness of this would be zero if the women had not spoken up. In my opinion, the reason for the high awareness is due to the activists, as well as the fact that the international community embraced the victims as “courageous voices” and avoided shaming them. “When I was interrogated by the Ministry of State Security, several women were squatting in a small space,” said a woman named Ji, who was arrested in Yanji, China, and repatriated to the North in 2015. “It was hot. Some of the women were menstruating. There was a smell of blood. I was beaten. I still have scars on my thigh.” Ji eventually made it to South Korea and was able to settle down and make a living. “That moment kept coming into my head,” she said. “When the opportunity arose, I didn’t participate in human rights activities with huge ambitions. But after telling my story once or twice, I was comforted to have someone to listen to my pain.” - [Secret Police Intensifies Pressure on Defectors’ Families](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-intensifies-pressure-on-defectors-families/) - [Hundreds of North Korean Defectors Repatriated by China Face Miserable Fate](https://www.nkinsider.org/hundreds-of-north-korean-defectors-repatriated-by-china-face-miserable-fate/) - [One Pastor’s Rescue Mission](https://www.nkinsider.org/one-pastors-rescue-mission/) Another woman, named Song, fled to China during the Arduous March famine of the 1990s. She married, became pregnant, and was caught and repatriated. “Someone asked me once, ’You were due to give birth in two months when you were sent back. You said you miscarried after being kicked in the leg. I read this kind of story in a book. Is it true?’” Song decided to escape once more. “The first time I defected to make a living, but the second time was to live as a human being,” she said. She succeeded in crossing into China and returned to her Chinese husband. There, struggling with guilt over losing her child, she decided to defect to South Korea. “I hated North Korea so much I didn’t even want to step on the shadow of any North Korean defectors,” she said. “But by telling my story, I was able to overcome the trauma of losing my baby and realize that it wasn’t my fault. I then felt a sense of duty to educate North Korean women living in China about what happens to them after forced repatriation.” As her case illustrates, defectors who have lived in China participate in human rights activities to overcome their own trauma, as well as educate and warn others of the dangers women face in China. This brings us to why fewer women who come directly from the North participate in these activities. The fact is that they tend to be cynical, not because the human rights situation in the North has improved, but ironically because most of them lived relatively comfortably. Often, they were financially supported by family members who came to South Korea ahead of them. Also, their escape is often managed by brokers hired by family members in the South. This way, they are less likely to be exposed to trafficking, labor exploitation, and forced marriages. A third factor is that human rights violations in China tend to be considered more important than those in North Korea. To truly improve North Korean women’s rights, we need the participation and voices of all defectors with their different experiences. The reality of North Korean women’s rights, both inside and outside the country, should never be underestimated. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Differing%20Views%20of%20North%20Korean%20Women%20on%20Human%20Rights%20Activism&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Differing%20Views%20of%20North%20Korean%20Women%20on%20Human%20Rights%20Activism https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Differing%20Views%20of%20North%20Korean%20Women%20on%20Human%20Rights%20Activism "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-differing-views-of-north-korean-women-on-human-rights-activism/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Differing%20Views%20of%20North%20Korean%20Women%20on%20Human%20Rights%20Activism&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-differing-views-of-north-korean-women-on-human-rights-activism/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Differing%20Views%20of%20North%20Korean%20Women%20on%20Human%20Rights%20Activism "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Forced repatriation to North Korea: The silence of the victims](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-to-north-korea-the-silence-of-the-victims/) **Published:** March 10, 2024 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Kim-eun-ju.jpeg "Kim eunju | nk insider")*This feature is Part One of a four-part series. It is based on the writer’s personal experience* If silence is negligence, as the saying goes, continued silence is an inducement to violence. The silence of defectors invites further abuse and leads to abuse of others as well. With the resumption of North Korea-China exchanges last October, after the pandemic was over, more than 600 escapees were sent back to North Korea against their will. When they heard about this, human rights groups and international organizations raised legal and humanitarian concerns. But the voices of defectors themselves were not heard. This was in large part due to the Chinese government’s restriction of access by the international media. But at the same time, defectors choose to remain silent of their own accord. They chose silence in North Korea in order to survive. They chose silence in China to avoid being sent back to the North. And they choose silence in South Korea in order to forget. This silence today reminds me of my own story. It was an icy cold February day in 1999 when my mother held the hands of her 14-year-old and 12-year-old daughters and stepped onto the frozen Tumen River. The 12-year-old was me. “I’d rather die from a bullet than starve to death here,” my mother said. What led to her decision was not just the incompetence of North Korea’s leaders or her dissatisfaction with society. It was a single remark from an acquaintance. “If you go to China, there’s an abundance of food,” the acquaintance said. We found it indeed to be true. In North Korea, we couldn’t even get corn, but in China, dogs and pigs were fed rice. But that was all we found. As defectors, we couldn’t expect humane treatment, let alone anything resembling a decent life. The night we crossed, something happened that scarred us for life. We were walking along a road, not knowing where to go, when a car slowed and moved alongside us. Suddenly, its door opened and rough hands grabbed my sister. My mother and I tried to keep a hold of her, but the car sped up and we lost our grip. My sister was just a little girl who hadn’t yet gone through puberty. But she could not escape. SHe was raped. My mother never thought to report what happened. Even if she had, she wouldn’t have known where to go or what to say. Of course, if she had gone to the police, they would have treated us as the criminals and sent us back. As is well known by now, North Koreans escaping into China are vulnerable to sexual assault, human trafficking, forced prostitution and labor exploitation. The sort of people who help them often turn out to be human traffickers or rapists. Those who find work and eventually ask for their promised paycheck are often met with the words, “You’re from North Korea, right?” If defectors die in accidents or are murdered, they are buried in the raw ground without a marker. Nobody reports their disappearance. If other defectors ask about them, the voices raised are those of the criminals threatening to report them to the police. Thus their silence and the impunity of the perpetrators fuels the vicious cycle. Defectors continue to remain silent even after they arrive in South Korea. This is not only because they are afraid that their defection will be discovered and their families in North Korea will be harmed. It is also because it is painful to bring up the memories. My mother, my sister and I never spoke about what happened that first night in China. I didn’t have the courage to mention it when I was writing my book [A Thousand Miles to Freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/2023/07/21/a-thousand-miles-to-freedom-my-escape-from-north-korea/), which was published in 2012 (and written under Eunsun Kim, my pseudonym at that time). Then suddenly one day, at a casual dinner, my sister could hold it in no longer. “If I die without saying anything, it will be as if these things never happened, and my life will be so unjust,” she wailed. “I want to tell people everything before I die.” We had buried the pain deep in our hearts, hoping it would be forgotten, but at the same time ho\[ing that one day the world would know. We were finally able to publicly recount this episode in 2023, 16 years after we settled in South Korea and 11 years after the book was published. We may be sure that the publicly known cases like ours of abuse experienced in China are just the tip of the iceberg. Halting forced repatriation could melt this iceberg of suffering. If there was no longer a threat of being sent back, defectors would have no reason to remain silent. Publicizing cases of abuse not only ensures that perpetrators are punished but also deters potential criminals. The Chinese government could easily take this action. However, it denies reality. “There are no North Korean defectors in China, only illegal immigrants,” it says. This is why international cooperation and collaboration is an imperative. It is the only way. - [Forced repatriation: The suffering mothers and their abandoned children](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-the-suffering-mothers-and-their-abandoned-children/) - [Secret Police Intensifies Pressure on Defectors’ Families](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-intensifies-pressure-on-defectors-families/) - [Hundreds of North Korean Defectors Repatriated by China Face Miserable Fate](https://www.nkinsider.org/hundreds-of-north-korean-defectors-repatriated-by-china-face-miserable-fate/) - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Forced%20repatriation%20to%20North%20Korea%3A%20The%20silence%20of%20the%20victims&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Forced%20repatriation%20to%20North%20Korea%3A%20The%20silence%20of%20the%20victims https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Forced%20repatriation%20to%20North%20Korea%3A%20The%20silence%20of%20the%20victims "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-to-north-korea-the-silence-of-the-victims/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Forced%20repatriation%20to%20North%20Korea%3A%20The%20silence%20of%20the%20victims&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-to-north-korea-the-silence-of-the-victims/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Forced%20repatriation%20to%20North%20Korea%3A%20The%20silence%20of%20the%20victims "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Why North Korean news media don’t report news](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korean-news-media-dont-report-news/) **Published:** March 23, 2024 **Author:** Kim Dong-sik **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/shutterstock_1964000698.jpg "Pyongyangapril10th2019anewspaperondisplayon | nk insider")One day in Pyongyang, in the summer of 1993, I was walking along Tongil Street in the city’s Rangrang district, heading for a bus stop, when I saw a 20-story apartment block collapse before my eyes. All of a sudden, the building, which was under construction, became a pile of cement and bricks and dust. Police quickly arrived and cordoned the site off. Ambulances ferried the dead and injured away. I heard later from hospital officials that more than 200 soldiers died. In the immediate aftermath, hundreds of workers using heavy equipment rebuilt the block in a month. You would think everyone in the country would have learned of this tragedy. The news might even have been picked up overseas. But no, this was in North Korea. There were no media reports. I didn’t expect any. It didn’t occur to me that what I had witnessed might be on the TV news that night or in the paper the next morning. It’s not that these media don’t report the news. It’s that our concept of news is different. The regime controls all media and tells the people what it considers to be newsworthy. That is usually about how uniquely great our leader is and how well everything is going. A building collapse just doesn’t fit. It represents failure by the authorities and ultimately by the leader himself. To give a sense of how deep this runs, North Korean media did not even report the famine of the mid-1990s. Estimates ranged from 240,000 and 3,500,000 dead from starvation or hunger-related illnesses. But it was not news. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/iStock-1150076325-1024x683.jpg "Pyongyang north korea street scene | nk insider") A woman looks out the window of a bus on a street in Pyongyang on May 1, 2019. (iStock.com/znm) What do North Korean media report? I can’t remember what was in the papers that day. But it would have not been that different from a piece on page six of the *Rodong Sinmun* on March 14 this year. The headline was, “The worst reactionary society where the law of the jungle is absolute.” It informed readers that capitalist societies are the “most inhumane, anti-people, and worst reactionary societies in human history.” The story quoted a letter from an American to a European media that said, “‘In the United States, nobody can survive without money. The concept of democracy doesn’t exist because Americans are so hypocritical that voting is almost pointless, even though they have the right to vote.” It’s possible some American wrote this. Or, as I suspect, someone at the Rodong Sinmun made it up. Either way, the question is why is this news? Because the mission of North Korean media is to maintain unwavering loyalty to Kim Jong-un and keep citizens compliant and obedient to the Workers’ Party and the regime. > **The mission of North Korean media is to maintain unwavering loyalty to Kim Jong-un and keep citizens compliant and obedient to the Workers’ Party and the regime.** The role, in other words, is not to accurately report relevant news and information so that citizens at all levels, official and private, may make informed decisions, but to educate and control. For this reason, media are not competitive. They are published by a particular party, government or military body that doesn’t see the point in having two media. The main newspaper is *Rodong Sinmun,* the official daily of the ruling Workers’ Party. Coming under the party’s Propaganda & Agitation Department, it directly transmits Kim Jong-un’s directives and party policies. Others include: *Joson Inmingun,* published by the Korean People’s Army; *Minju Chosun,* the main newspaper of the government and the Supreme People’s Assembly; *Rodongja Sinmun* of the government-controlled Federation of Trades Unions of Korea; *Pyongyang Sinmun,* the paper of the Party’s Pyongyang Municipal Committee, and its English version, *The Pyongyang Times;* and *Chongnyon Jonwi*, the official organ of the Central Committee of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League. There are four broadcasting channels: Korean Central Television, Ryongnamsan Television, Kaesong Television which targets South Korea, and Sport Television. Generally, these media are not popular. This is because they do not provide readers with the information they want to know quickly and accurately. It’s also because the lack of competition gives them no reason to actually be interesting and report compelling news. Sometimes, however, something interesting does appear. For example, on May 18, 2014, an unusual event occurred. The *Rodong Sinmun* published a rare article about authorities [apologizing to the people](https://www.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/05/18/2014051800234.html). Five days earlier, a 23-story apartment building under construction in Ansan 1-dong in the Pyongchon district of Pyongyang collapsed. Casualty figures were not disclosed. But Choe Pu-il from the Ministry of People’s Security, Kim Su-gil, the party secretary of Pyongyang City, General Sunwoo Hyung-chul from the Ministry of Social Security, Cha Hui-rim, chairman of the Pyongyang City People’s Committee, and Ri Yeong-sik, the party secretary of Pyongchon District, publicly apologized to residents and bereaved families. The reason for this report was not to fulfill the citizens’ right to know or to improve public sentiment. Rather it was that, as survivors had used their mobile phones in the collapsed building to summon rescuers and contact their families, the news spread rapidly. Everyone in Pyongyang knew. As far as I understand, senior party officials typically only read the first two pages of *Rodong Sinmun* so they don’t miss news about Kim Jong-un or the editorials. They can do without the rest. - [North Korea’s Internal War Against South Korean Culture and Market Ideas May Be Unwinnable](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-internal-war-against-south-korean-culture-and-market-ideas-may-be-unwinnable/) - [Secret police start annual propaganda performances ](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-start-annual-propaganda-performances/) - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/ "Kim Dong-sik") [Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/) Dong-sik is the author of "No One Reported Me – the Story of an Agent from the North," and founder and director of the KAS Consultancy, an NGO based in Seoul, Korea. While in North Korea, he worked at the Department of the DPRK’s Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea focused on South Korea for 15 years. The mission of the department (대남공작부서) was to carry out various espionage activities in South Korea. During this time, he carried out two missions in the South for which he received the title of Hero of the Republic and the National Flag Medal, 1st Class. Originally coming from a construction background, he also had various other experiences in North Korea, ranging from the chairman of a youth league and the general secretary of a factory to the director of a district party, among others. He graduated from Kim Jong Il Politics and Military University in North Korea and received a doctorate in North Korean studies in South Korea. [![Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/ "Kim Dong-sik") Latest posts by Kim Dong-sik ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/)) - [Japan’s impasse over abductions. It’s the North Korean economy, stupid](https://www.nkinsider.org/japans-impasse-over-abductions-its-the-north-korean-economy-stupid/) - April 5, 2024 - [Why North Korean news media don’t report news](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korean-news-media-dont-report-news/) - March 23, 2024 - [With her Mount Paektu bloodline, there is nothing preventing Kim Ju-ae being the next leader](https://www.nkinsider.org/with-her-mount-paektu-bloodline-there-is-nothing-preventing-kim-ju-ae-being-the-next-leader/) - March 16, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20North%20Korean%20news%20media%20don%E2%80%99t%20report%20news&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20North%20Korean%20news%20media%20don%E2%80%99t%20report%20news https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20North%20Korean%20news%20media%20don%E2%80%99t%20report%20news "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korean-news-media-dont-report-news/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20North%20Korean%20news%20media%20don%E2%80%99t%20report%20news&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korean-news-media-dont-report-news/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20North%20Korean%20news%20media%20don%E2%80%99t%20report%20news "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Forced repatriation: Accountability](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-accountability/) **Published:** April 17, 2024 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock_1058013041-scaled.jpg "Xijinpingandkimjongunillustrationmarch302018 | nk insider")*The last of our four-part series on the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors in China. For parts one, two, and three, see* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-to-north-korea-the-silence-of-the-victims/), [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-the-suffering-mothers-and-their-abandoned-children/) *and* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/04/09/forced-repatriation-sent-back-to-hell/)*.* The influx into China of North Koreans escaping famine in the 1990s led the Chinese government to introduce its infamous policy of forced repatriation. As we have seen in this series, this has led to three decades of untold harm. Victims sent back face torture, hard labor, prison, forced abortions, infanticide and execution. The policy has also spawned human trafficking, sexual violence, and labor exploitation within China. Not to mention the question of the motherless Chinese-born children left behind. For all these reasons, the U.N. Commission of Inquiry into human rights in North Korea (COI) [recommended in its landmark 2014 report](https://www.nkhr.or.kr/publications/un%eb%b3%b4%ea%b3%a0%ec%84%9c/coi-un%eb%b6%81%ed%95%9c%ec%9d%b8%ea%b6%8c%ec%a1%b0%ec%82%ac-%eb%b3%b4%ea%b3%a0%ec%84%9c-%ea%b5%ad%ec%98%81%eb%ac%b82014%eb%85%84/) that the global community be made aware of the fate suffered by repatriated North Koreans and that Kim Jong-un be brought to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Sadly, nothing has changed. The continued occurrence of forced repatriation underscores the need for stronger international accountability to stop it and prevent the harm it causes. This requires the objective collection of data about the extent of the abuse. It also requires clear identification of the perpetrators. If they are not held accountable and punished, the abuse will simply continue. The COI was the first-ever such investigation into North Korea’s human rights issues at such a level. Its report confirmed that the regime perpetrates “widespread and systematic crimes” against humanity. With regard to escapees forcibly returned from China, it also identified the extent of abuse and who was responsible. It found that those caught trying to escape and those forcibly returned were subjected to long-term and arbitrary detention. Women faced sexual violence. Pregnant women were usually subjected to forced abortions, and infants born to repatriated women killed. It further noted that citizens who had been in contact with South Koreans or Christians in China disappeared into the gulag. In some instances, they were executed. The report criticized the Chinese government for treating victims as economic and illegal migrants and not as refugees fleeing persecution with a right to international protection. By forcibly repatriating them, China violated its obligation to adhere to international refugee and human rights laws, the report said. For the last decade it has been plain for all to see that the Chinese government bears some responsibility for the human rights abuses suffered by defectors. China is a signatory to the [Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees](https://www.unhcr.org/about-unhcr/who-we-are/1951-refugee-convention), which says that nobody should be returned to a country where they fear persecution, and to the [Convention against Torture](https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-against-torture-and-other-cruel-inhuman-or-degrading), which prohibits expelling, returning or extraditing people when there is a substantial reason to fear they will be at risk of torture. The international community expects the Chinese government to uphold its commitments based on these agreements. However, Beijing continues to evade responsibility, arguing the North Koreans are illegal aliens and that there is no evidence of torture in North Korea. It chooses instead to further strengthen ties, as indicated by [the visit this month of Zhao Leji](https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25242409) to Pyongyang. Zhao is the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and the third-ranking member of the ruling Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee. The international community should hold China accountable as both a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council and a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. We should recall the campaign in October by parliamentarians from 15 countries who called on member states to [leave the ballots blank](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/08/campaigners-aim-to-lower-support-for-china-on-un-human-rights-council) at the U.N. human rights council to signal disapproval of China over its treatment of its Uighur minority. In the same month, [North Korean human rights organizations](https://www.christiandaily.co.kr/news/129121) held a similar protest against China at the U.N. over forced repatriations. These campaigners should join forces and collectively pressure the Chinese government. At the same time, there needs to be sustained pressure on North Korea that includes the possibility of bringing Kim Jong-un before the ICC. In an indication that there is will to do this, the European Union and other countries last month [requested that the U.N.](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240322006100315) mark the release of COI report on human rights in North Korea by producing an update. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20Accountability&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20Accountability https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20Accountability "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-accountability/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20Accountability&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-accountability/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20Accountability "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Forced repatriation: The suffering mothers and their abandoned children](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-the-suffering-mothers-and-their-abandoned-children/) **Published:** March 17, 2024 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/iStock-1314524633.jpg "Young woman carrying baby looking throughout window | nk insider")*This is Part Two of a four-part series based on the writer’s personal experience. See Part One* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-to-north-korea-the-silence-of-the-victims/)*.* In the 17th century, when Korean women kidnapped and taken north by invading [Qing dynasty](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2010/12/29/fountain/The-tragic-fate-of-Joseon-women/2930274.html) forces were freed or escaped and were able to return home, they faced a new misery. Instead of being welcomed and comforted, they were condemned. Their families called them *hwa-nyang-nyeon* (woman returning to her hometown) which came to mean an impure woman who would sleep with a man other than her husband. The children they had from their Qing captors were called *ho-rae-ja-sik* (son of a barbarian slave). This pejorative term was used to describe a fatherless child who grew up uneducated and undisciplined. This sad history has returned to haunt thousands of North Korean women. These are the women who flee to China in search of food and fall victim to human trafficking and sexual violence. When the police catch them, they are forcibly returned to North Korea, where they are labeled dirty and are condemned. There is no question that such women are victims. They are unprotected by their country, rejected by their communities and live lives of victimization. Their babies are abandoned by their parents and by their country and disappear without ever really entering society. These abandoned children are 21st century *ho-rae-ja-sik*. They are rejected by the North Korean and Chinese governments. They might be forcibly repatriated alone. Or they might be born in detention facilities and sent back with their mothers. Two years after fleeing North Korea to avoid starvation and after being trafficked to a Chinese man, my mother gave birth to my baby brother. Although he was illiterate and couldn’t even write his own name, the desire to have a son ran through his veins more strongly than anyone. For this reason, we hoped that with the birth of my brother, our situation would improve at least a little. That didn’t happen. His father continued to see us as just laborers he had paid for. One freezing winter day, when my brother was just a few weeks old, this Chinese man became enraged in an argument with his parents about his inheritance and threw the baby, a little bundle of flesh and blood, down onto the frozen ground and stormed angrily inside. That night, for the first time, I pitied my brother and realized our fates weren’t that different. The Chinese man who pays for a North Korean wife is usually too poor to attract a Chinese woman. Or they have physical or mental disabilities. The children they have grow up in more fragile family environments than ordinary Chinese children because their mothers don’t have legal residence. In our case, the Chinese police turned up unexpectedly one night a year after my brother was born. He could stay with his father but the fact he was Chinese did not stop the authorities from taking his mother and sisters away. They seemed more eager to comply with North Korea’s demands than caring for their own. We were sent back over the border. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/iStock-1132788610-1024x680.jpg "A police car parked near the tv tower in downtown chengduchina | nk insider") Police Car in Chengdu, China. (iStock.com/caoyu36)Although China and North Korea have ratified the [UN Convention on the Rights of the Child](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/03/103_164431.html), my sister and I, who were 17 and 15 at the time, were denied all its protections, such as limits on detention, separation from adult prisoners and the prohibition of forced labor. Not only were we held with adults, but we experienced inhumane treatment, such as naked inspections. North Korea considers under-16 to be children, so my sister was obliged to perform daily adult labor. As a child, I had a different kind of forced labor. I had to pick stones and rotten corn kernels out of pig feed corn imported from China. Pregnant women faced a different level of suffering. They tried their best to hide their pregnancies. Once discovered, they pleaded that the fathers were not Chinese. They were not believed and, to the North Korean authorities, there was no reason to save any newborns. The least painful option was an induced miscarriage. Defectors say that many are forced to have abortions. They also report that, if a baby is born, it is often smothered on the spot, face down on the floor. Such is the fate, in the regime’s own words, of the “seeds of the filthy Chinese bastards.” After many ups and downs, on the day we managed to escape again into China, mother gave us a choice. We could return to the house where my brother was or to seek a new life elsewhere. My sister said she couldn’t go back there. But I said I wanted to return and check on him. And so, we went back. But it wasn’t long before we had to flee that place and leave my brother behind. Our life of rushing barefoot into the mountains at all times of day and night to escape the police made life intolerable. Not to mention that my sister was being lined up for forced matchmaking and was desperate to escape. So my brother was abandoned again. This is the lament of many North Korean mothers and the reality for their children. Treated as modern-day *hwa-nyang-nyeon* and *ho-rae-ja-sik*, these mothers and their children are victims of rotten relations between North Korea and China. Not only are they unprotected by their home countries, they are also despised and their lives are threatened. They are the protagonists of a life of misfortune, trapped in the shackles of forced repatriation, unable to maintain even the bonds between parent and child. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20The%20suffering%20mothers%20and%20their%20abandoned%20children&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20The%20suffering%20mothers%20and%20their%20abandoned%20children https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20The%20suffering%20mothers%20and%20their%20abandoned%20children "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-the-suffering-mothers-and-their-abandoned-children/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20The%20suffering%20mothers%20and%20their%20abandoned%20children&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-the-suffering-mothers-and-their-abandoned-children/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20The%20suffering%20mothers%20and%20their%20abandoned%20children "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Forced repatriation: Sent back to hell](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-sent-back-to-hell/) **Published:** April 9, 2024 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Shutterstock_1094048567.jpg "Forbiddencitybeijingchina 04112017policemaninuniformwhite | nk insider")*Part three of a four-part series based on the writer’s personal experience. For parts one and two, see* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-to-north-korea-the-silence-of-the-victims/) *and* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-the-suffering-mothers-and-their-abandoned-children/)*.* “If the Chinese police get you, they’ll wrap wire around your wrists or run it through your nose and you’ll be dragged back across the border.” The rumor went around the North Koreans hiding underground in China. Although nobody could confirm if such brutality was really true, the thought was enough to make everyone terrified of being caught. Our turn came one night in 2002, not long after my brother’s first birthday, when my mother, my sister and I were caught unexpectedly by police. They took us to a detention center where the Tumen River forms the border with North Korea. There, we shared a cell with other women, who had been caught like us. It had a black plastic bucket in the corner for detainees who were menstruating. With a surveillance camera high up in another corner and under the gaze of other inmates, we had no privacy when we used it. We had to try and act as if we were oblivious. This was how the dehumanizing process began. Five days later, on April 5, a bus took us across the river. We were handed over to North Korean authorities. They removed the Chinese handcuffs and bound our wrists with our own shoelaces. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Shutterstock_1614637093-1024x680.jpg "Namyangnorthkoreajuly2019asmallbordercitynamyangsurveyedfrom | nk insider") Taken from the Chinese side of the border in July 2019, this image shows the portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il on a building in the city of Namyang in North Korea. The Tumen River, also pictured in the image, serves as a border between the two countries, across which trade and the forced repatriations of defectors occur. (Shutterbug Tracy, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.)We were crammed onto trucks with dozens of others and taken to the local office of the Ministry of State Security (MSS), the secret police, for interrogation. We were immediately intimidated into compliance by the disdainful glares and harsh tone of the guards. We stood in line and obediently waited our turn. We were ushered into rooms in groups of five or six for a body search. “Undress,” a guard barked. We undressed. They ripped open our sanitary pads and squeezed out toothpaste. They were looking for money. “Lie down.” We lay down. “Open your mouth.” We opened our mouths. “Sit. Stand up.” We sat and stood up. Some detainees expressed embarrassment. Guards hit them and swore in the most vulgar manner. Shame was a luxury we subhumans were not allowed to feel. After the body search, we were put into a cramped cell with 40 other women. We hardly had space to sit. At night, we lay down, our bodies intertwined. The cell had a toilet with a basin. The toilet had no door. Soon, the cell was filled with a foul smell. The toilet became a source of contention at night. Some people wanted it exclusively for themselves, choosing to sit alone there rather than be squeezed in between others. Standing was prohibited unless under exceptional circumstances. Sitting all day on the hard floor, we developed sores on our buttocks. Like trash heaped up for collection, we awaited interrogation. We faced life imprisonment in the gulag or the possibility of offender institutions and rehabilitation. We were extensively questioned on every detail of our activities in China. Sometimes, people didn’t return from their interrogation. A few managed to bribe their way out. But most were found to have gone to a church, read the Bible, or expressed a desire to go to South Korea or another country. They didn’t come back and rejoin us. At the time, we had no way of knowing where they were taken. I presume it was the gulag. [That is what we have learned over time from defectors](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/PYH20240220024300315?section=image/general). The secret police was able to identify religious believers and would-be “traitors” with the help of spies in the detention centers on the Chinese side of the border. At least, that is my assumption. There was a woman there who openly talked about her intention to go to South Korea. She asked us if anyone wanted to join her or if we knew of anyone who did and how to contact them. When we were moved across the border, she disappeared. I remembered then a telltale sign of how she was the one person who wasn’t depressed. I remembered she had some red pepper powder, which she shared with other detainees for use against Chinese guards as part of an escape plan that never materialized. The other secret police method, of course, was torture. I often heard people screaming when they were being interrogated. A lot of women had bruises on their face when they came back into the cell. Those of us found to have had no contact with Christians, South Koreans or Americans were sent to the [Onsong County Labor Training Center](https://www.penalreform.org/blog/a-rare-assessment-of-the-penal-system-in/). This facility is run by the Ministry of People’s Security (MPS) law enforcement agency, and is in North Hamgyong Province a few hundred meters from the Chinese border. Here, we underwent physical examinations. Again, they were looking for money. This time, we were crammed in with men and women of all ages. In addition, repatriated escapees like us were mixed with people convicted of minor criminal offenses as well as people awaiting sentencing for murder and other serious crimes. We political offenders were thus policed on two levels, by MPS guards and common criminals in the cells. In our cell, a man in his twenties swore and verbally abused a woman in her seventies and nobody was there to stop him. If an ordinary criminal hit a defector, guards pretended not to notice. Sometimes they even ordered criminals to be rough with us. After being forcibly separated from my baby brother, who has Chinese citizenship and so was not sent back with us, my mother developed severe mastitis. She was nevertheless forced to work every day. Eventually, she collapsed. I then thought for the first time that I might lose her. My sister and I stayed by her side, quietly and without shedding tears. We had no more emotions left and had already become numb to death. We accepted it as if it were natural to think that maybe next it would be my sister’s or my turn. After being sent to provincial prisons after MPS labor training, adult defectors are required to work. If supervisors detect a problem, they give inmates a real problem, making them carry logs and run back and forth until they collapse. One day a body was there lying in the yard. Inmates said the man had died after suffering from diarrhea for several days. Such deaths are not even recorded. One man’s fierce struggle for survival was over and his life erased as if he had never existed. At that time, due to the high death count during the famine, the authorities presumed a person dead if nothing was heard about them for three years. As our repatriation was after four years in China, the system had already declared us dead. In prison, therefore, we were classified as unidentified individuals, and existing in a kind of limbo where there was nowhere else to be transferred. As it was not practically possible to keep two minors and one medical patient, which is what my mother had become, in the detention center forever, provincial authorities gave us our freedom after just two months. It didn’t take long to realize once again that we couldn’t survive in North Korea. We had no home to return to and faced starvation. We slept under bridges, traded the clothes we brought from China for food, and somehow endured. Sand and mud seeped into our shoes, worn out from forced labor, but we were grateful we could still cover our toes. We constantly felt the scrutiny of passing eyes as we were labeled as traitors, and had to be vigilant at all times, monitoring our every action. We came to realize there could be no greater hell than this. We knew we had to risk dying in order to live, and we made our plans to escape once more. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20Sent%20back%20to%20hell&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20Sent%20back%20to%20hell https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20Sent%20back%20to%20hell "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-sent-back-to-hell/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20Sent%20back%20to%20hell&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/forced-repatriation-sent-back-to-hell/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Forced%20repatriation%3A%20Sent%20back%20to%20hell "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Kim’s saber-rattling looks like a prolonged childish tantrum](https://www.nkinsider.org/kims-saber-rattling-looks-like-a-prolonged-childish-tantrum/) **Published:** March 18, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Untitled-3.jpg "Untitled 3 | nk insider")With Kim Jong-un now walking a path of military escalation, defense experts in South Korea and the United States are assessing the impact on their security. Kim’s frequent inspections of North Korean military facilities and defense industry sites – 11 times this year alone, according to my count from the Rodong Sinmun – suggest an effort to sustain an atmosphere of tension on the peninsula. As we watch this more closely, however, we find themselves shifting to the assumption that, rather than directly jeopardizing security, Kim’s actions represent a form of “provocative agitation.” Its main aim is not to threaten the outside, but to appease sentiment within North Korea and entice economic assistance. To make that point, we should review the recent history of Kim’s rule. In 2017, when then-US President Donald Trump vowed to “destroy” North Korea and pushed through tough [UN sanctions](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-koreans-would-vote-for-trump-if-they-could/), Kim sought a route to South Korea. This led to a [summit with the South’s Moon Jae-in](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=215R2F1JjeE), who mistakenly believed Kim was willing to denuclearize. Kim fueled Moon’s mistaken belief by [inviting him to Pyongyang](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45578491). There, in a speech at the May Day Stadium before 100,000 people, Moon declared, “There will be no more war on the Korean peninsula. A new era of peace has opened. Let us pledge to transform our beautiful land from Baekdu to Halla into a permanent foundation of peace without nuclear weapons and nuclear threats, to be inherited by future generations.” Kim’s justification for any military build-up evaporated into thin air that day. Though not officially confirmed or reported, North Koreans most likely believed the South Koreans were providing assistance. “People in Pyongyang assumed that a president visiting from the wealthier Korea wouldn’t come empty-handed,” said Choi, 56, who defected south this time last year. “People likely believed there was a considerable amount of financial aid.” In fact, they were wrong. South Korea did not provide cash assistance. Kim may have expected it, but it never materialized. All Kim got was a message of peace. Infuriated, he took to provocations again and dramatically [demolished the inter-Korean liaison office building](https://thediplomat.com/2020/06/north-korea-demolishes-inter-korean-liaison-office-in-kaesong/) in Kaesong. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/k-1024x679.jpg "K | nk insider") Kim sports a special tank helmet designed to match his jacket. Image/ Rodong SinmunOn May 4, 2019, he launched [two new KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20190725000858325) which involved 240-millimeter and 300-mm multiple rocket launcher systems. The launches, which came after an 18-month hiatus, violated a UN Security Council resolution banning launches using ballistic missile technology as well as the inter-Korea “September 19 Pyongyang Declaration, which called for the cessation of all hostile acts in all domains. Five days later, North Korea fired two more KN-23 missiles. On July 25, 2019, Kim directly supervised more missile launches, citing concerns about South Korea’s introduction of F-35A stealth fighter jets and the upcoming joint South Korea-US military exercises scheduled for August. At this event, Kim threatened Moon by stating, “South Korean authorities should recognize the danger of the situation in advance and refrain from self-destructive actions such as introducing the latest weapons or conducting military exercises. Do not make the mistake of ignoring today’s Pyongyang warning.” On August 10, 2019, he launched a new tactical surface-to-surface ballistic missile. In response, the South’s then-Director of National Security, Chung Eui-yong, led a video conference with government ministers at the presidential Blue House in Seoul. The next day, Kwon Jong-gun, the director of US affairs at the foreign minister in Pyongyang, dismissed South Korean leaders as “frightened dogs” and tried to [reach out for direct talks with Washington](https://english.khan.co.kr/khan_art_view.html?artid=201908121722527&code=710100). Four days later, on the eve of national liberation day, which is celebrated in both Koreas, the party’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland in Pyongyang issued a statement expressing its contempt for South Korea’s presidential office. “Laughing uproariously at oneself is the nature of a small-minded person,” it said. “How dare they recklessly insult us when we are right here, listening. South Korean authorities may find it amusing, but it is clear that they are incredibly laughable individuals. They should be the subject of ridicule for daring to speak so recklessly.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/JYJ-1024x678.jpg "Jyj | nk insider") Kim Jong-un’s daughter Ju-ae inspects anti-aircraft training Image/ Rodong SinmunEven Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un’s sister who had been a guest at the Blue House in 2018, expressed dismay at the presidential office’s “incompetent thinking,” calling it a “perfect fool” and “frightened dog.” Given this history, it is reasonable to view the current saber-rattling in the same context as part anger at not being given what he wants and part strategy to get it. “Kim Jong-un’s current military provocations are merely a continuation of the tantrum he had when he didn’t get the support he expected from former President Moon,” defector Choi said. Kim’s personal posturing seems to back up this assumption. In recent photos of Kim driving a tank, he seems more conscious of the camera than of the tank he is supposed to be driving. When he turns up to inspect military units with his 11-year-old daughter, they don’t look that different. Appearing with her in this way at this time of heightened military tension suggests he doesn’t really believe things are that tense at all. This raises a question about his awareness of the impact of what he says and does. Indeed, it raises questions about his grip on reality. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%E2%80%99s%20saber-rattling%20looks%20like%20a%20prolonged%20childish%20tantrum&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%E2%80%99s%20saber-rattling%20looks%20like%20a%20prolonged%20childish%20tantrum https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%E2%80%99s%20saber-rattling%20looks%20like%20a%20prolonged%20childish%20tantrum "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kims-saber-rattling-looks-like-a-prolonged-childish-tantrum/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%E2%80%99s%20saber-rattling%20looks%20like%20a%20prolonged%20childish%20tantrum&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kims-saber-rattling-looks-like-a-prolonged-childish-tantrum/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%E2%80%99s%20saber-rattling%20looks%20like%20a%20prolonged%20childish%20tantrum "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Quietly undermining the dictator's fortress: 375 balloons sent since early this year](https://www.nkinsider.org/quietly-undermining-the-dictators-fortress-375-balloons-sent-since-early-this-year/) **Published:** June 25, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Excerpt:** In the heart of Seoul, several activist groups have been working tirelessly since the beginning of the year. These are groups supported by the Human Rights Foundation’s Flash Drives for Freedom, a program that aims to disseminate information from the outside world to North Koreans. One of these groups recently confirmed to NK Insider that they have launched 375 balloons into North Korea since early this year. Some images the group shared with us are displayed in the slide above. **Content:** - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Photo_2024-06-22-18 27 45-951x634.jpeg "Photo_2024-06-22 18 27 45") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Photo_2024-06-22-18 27 56-1200x800.jpeg "Photo_2024-06-22 18 27 56") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Photo_2024-06-22-18 28 14-866x577.jpeg "Photo_2024-06-22 18 28 14") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Photo_2024-06-22-18 28 23-887x591.jpeg "Photo_2024-06-22 18 28 23") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Photo_2024-06-22-18 28 02-874x582.jpeg "Photo_2024-06-22 18 28 02") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Photo_2024-06-22-18 27 59-878x585.jpeg "Photo_2024-06-22 18 27 59") In the heart of Seoul, several activist groups have been working tirelessly since the beginning of the year. These are groups supported by the Human Rights Foundation’s [Flash Drives for Freedom](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/ "Flash Drives for Freedom"), a program that aims to disseminate information from the outside world to North Koreans. One of these groups recently confirmed to NK Insider that they have launched 375 balloons into North Korea since early this year. Some images the group shared with us are displayed in the slide above. These balloons are a beacon of hope for North Koreans living in the world’s most closed society, with the potential to spark meaningful change. They are packed with informational leaflets that defy the North Korean government’s propaganda, essential supplies such as medicine and food, and USB drives brimming with K-dramas, films, and Wikipedia materials. A local group’s representative involved in the latest launch this month, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the work, shared some details: “This time, we sent 60 packages with about 600 content-loaded USB thumb drives. Each balloon carried ten to twelve drives. At present, 120 more balloons are poised for release at night in the coming days from undisclosed locations near the inter-Korean border, contingent on wind direction.” In addition to thumb drives, the person noted that these balloons contained a mix of items such as candies, cookies, ramen, coffee, socks, jackets, and medicine, as well as leaflets with information closely guarded by the regime, such as the upbringing of North Korea’s ruler, Kim Jong-un, and his family tree. NK Insider was able to confirm some of these items through the shared images. This footage, shared recently by another local group, shows activists at night sending balloons, loaded with USBs and other items, to North Korea from an undisclosed location near the inter-Korean borderKim and the elites in his inner circle in Pyongyang view the [dissemination of external information to residents as an existential threat](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-internal-war-against-south-korean-culture-and-market-ideas-may-be-unwinnable/ "dissemination of external information to residents as an existential threat") to their rule and legitimacy. To isolate its 25 million people from the world, the regime blocks them from leaving the country without authorization and bans their access to the internet. Domestic media is tightly controlled, and citizens are not allowed to make calls outside the country. To address this issue, the HRF launched the Flash Drives for Freedom program in 2016. This multi-award-winning program accepts donations of new or unused flash drives from people around the world to support North Korean defector-led groups by providing them with flash drives. This initiative reduces the cost of equipment and enables these groups to use their limited resources on other priority areas of their work. The program continues to make a significant impact by challenging the dictator’s narrative control with knowledge and open-source information, and [it notably struck a nerve with the regime in Pyongyang back in 2018](https://hrf.org/press-release-north-korea-denounces-flash-drives-for-freedom/ "it notably struck a nerve with the regime in Pyongyang back in 2018"). To date, Flash Drives for Freedom has sent over 135,000 USB drives and SD cards to North Koreans in partnership with activist groups, reaching over 1.35 million people based on estimates from our field partners. For further details, please visit the program’s [official website](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/ "official website"). - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") [Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/) Seongmin is the director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation. [![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") Latest posts by Seongmin Lee ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/)) - [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) - March 10, 2026 - [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) - January 10, 2025 - [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - January 9, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Quietly%20undermining%20the%20dictator%27s%20fortress%3A%20375%20balloons%20sent%20since%20early%20this%20year&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Quietly%20undermining%20the%20dictator%27s%20fortress%3A%20375%20balloons%20sent%20since%20early%20this%20year https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Quietly%20undermining%20the%20dictator%27s%20fortress%3A%20375%20balloons%20sent%20since%20early%20this%20year "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/quietly-undermining-the-dictators-fortress-375-balloons-sent-since-early-this-year/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Quietly%20undermining%20the%20dictator%27s%20fortress%3A%20375%20balloons%20sent%20since%20early%20this%20year&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/quietly-undermining-the-dictators-fortress-375-balloons-sent-since-early-this-year/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Quietly%20undermining%20the%20dictator%27s%20fortress%3A%20375%20balloons%20sent%20since%20early%20this%20year "Reddit") **Categories:** Flash Drives for Freedom --- ### [A construction worker in Russia in the time of COVID](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-construction-worker-in-russia-in-the-time-of-covid/) **Published:** March 27, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/shutterstock_495904783-1.jpg "Sovetskayagavanrussiaoctober102016northkoreanworkers | nk insider")*In Part 2 of his story, Kang, a North Korean laborer in Russia who escaped to South Korea at the end of 2022, recounts his experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Part 1 is* [*here*](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-laborer-in-russia-tells-his-story/)*.* “Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but comedy in long-shot,” Charlie Chaplin said. That’s what my experience of COVID-19 restrictions in Russia over the new year of 2020 was like. As the pandemic swept across the world, Kim Jong-un closed the borders. We would be told in Russia that he had declared that people who caught the disease were “traitors” who had “not followed pandemic prevention measures.” “From now on, you must be more careful,” the North Korean secret policeman on our work site would tell us. “You must follow the prevention rules thoroughly, or you will get infected and betray the nation.” Nutrition and existing health conditions clearly didn’t factor. I heard the words “it’s ridiculous” come out of some of my friends’ mouths. Here’s how we were told that. Russia recognized the COVID threat in December 2019. It was still in Wuhan, but they worried it would spread. At that time, we heard about an outbreak of pneumonia in China from supervisors and foreign workers. We never imagined it might turn us into traitors. The North Korean embassy in Moscow relayed repeated instructions to us about prevention and control measures. Our boss and the party secretary always concluded with a warning about the seriousness of the situation. They said we should not talk to foreigners, shake hands with them, or even face them directly. We wondered if these lectures were really aimed at preventing COVID or merely an excuse to block interactions with foreigners. Looking back, it seems Kim Jong-un took advantage of the situation to tighten controls. So, this was how we went into the new year on January 1, 2020. For Russians, New Year celebrations last about ten days. Security guards anticipated an easy time watching over empty construction sites. But the Russian guards on our site had to work. North Korean workers only got January 1 and 2 off. As you can imagine, the two days of the New Year were truly a golden holiday for us. We never imagined we would have to spend it on the streets. After finishing work on December 31, we headed to the hotel where we were going to spend the holiday. We were in high spirits. After checking in and getting assigned rooms, some just couldn’t resist the temptation to drink. We were used to doing this after a hard day’s work. However, Russian hotels have rules about drinking. If someone is caught drinking outside of their room, they risk being kicked out. Predictably, once the alcohol started flowing in their system, the stress, built up because we were forbidden from complaining, exploded. One man in our group began loudly venting. “Damn it, it’s New Year today, so why can’t we even drink?” he shouted. He was, in fact, already drunk, but it seemed as if he was extremely annoyed by the rule against drinking. “We can’t even sing. What kind of prisoners are we? Huh, I’ve already drunk all I want, so I am good. I don’t need any more. But I need to sing something today. I’m going to sing. I’ll do whatever I want.” Some of the others in the same room joined in. “Yeah, what kind of prisoners are we?” they said. The restraints that had been tightened over two years abroad had finally snapped. North Korean songs echoed loudly in the Russian quiet night sky. At 1 am, hotel security guards kicked our entire group out. We trudged back in the cold to our regular accommodation on the building site. There we found another unexpected surprise. The security guards wouldn’t let us in. “Come back on January 3,” they said. We contacted our company, but there was nothing they could do either. That was how we ended up spending New Year’s Day 2020 on the streets with the specter of COVID-19 looming. We were finally able to get into our onsite accommodations on the evening of January 2. The three top bosses came to the site and severely reprimanded the intoxicated worker and his mates. We referred to the director of the company as Number One. The party secretary and the secret policeman were Two and Three. We had to call them that so foreigners wouldn’t know their actual roles. Number Three delivered the solemn directive from Kim Jong-un. Anyone who contracted the disease due to insufficient compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures would be treated as a “traitor to the nation,” he said. Everyone was dumbfounded. Nobody can reject a “national directive” sanctioned by Kim Jong-un. We faced a situation where we could be classified as traitors. When even advanced countries’ prevention systems couldn’t stop the pandemic from spreading, how could we be sure we wouldn’t get infected, especially as we were working in such a harsh environment? The message basically was, “Work all night. Don’t get infected. If you do, you’re a traitor.” We were not allowed to stop work until 1 or 2 a.m. Some men started to think it might be better to catch COVID. They started working without masks and without following the rules. Fortunately, in our company, none of us became traitors. But I did hear of cases in other companies. They were quietly dealt with within each company. I don’t know how many there were. Nobody was executed, despite Kim’s order. Instead, they were discreetly transferred to infectious disease wards in Russian hospitals. There, many quietly passed away with no one at their side. We often found ourselves thinking, “At this rate, I might very well get infected and end up buried as a traitor under the snow of a foreign land.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20construction%20worker%20in%20Russia%20in%20the%20time%20of%20COVID&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=A%20construction%20worker%20in%20Russia%20in%20the%20time%20of%20COVID https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=A%20construction%20worker%20in%20Russia%20in%20the%20time%20of%20COVID "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-construction-worker-in-russia-in-the-time-of-covid/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=A%20construction%20worker%20in%20Russia%20in%20the%20time%20of%20COVID&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-construction-worker-in-russia-in-the-time-of-covid/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=A%20construction%20worker%20in%20Russia%20in%20the%20time%20of%20COVID "Reddit") **Categories:** Overseas Workers --- ### ["Loyalty is a form of business marketing"](https://www.nkinsider.org/loyalty-is-a-form-of-business-marketing/) **Published:** April 22, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock_239002375.jpg "Northkoreajune13countrysidesceneinthenorthern | nk insider")Recent defectors from North Korea are different from the earlier generation who have settled in South Korea in one notable aspect. That is, that they are familiar with money making and having to pay tax. This may seem unremarkable, until we remind ourselves that North Korea is officially a proud nation that claims to provide everything people need without requiring them to pay tax. Its original system was that of a planned economy with everything owned by the state. However, with the catastrophic famine in the 1990s, when global communism collapsed and North Korea’s allies were no longer willing to help after bad harvests, the regime allowed markets to function. These jangmadang were formally institutionalized in 2003 and there are now [over 500 ](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20190103004500320)around the country. Officially, they operate free of tax. Unofficially, it’s a different story. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Market-photo-by-Cap-Anamur.jpg "Market photo by cap anamur | nk insider")Anju market in South Pyongan Province, North Korea.” (Photo | Cap Anamur)Many of the more recent defectors ran businesses. “I’m from the tax-paying generation,” one defector joked. “Thanks to me, not only my family but also many officials from the Ministry of Social Security were able to put food on the table.” The types of business connected to the jangmadang vary. They include “running” firms (bringing produce for sale), “sitting” businesses (selling from a designated spot within a market), “grasshopping” businesses (selling outside the markets without a fixed stand), money-related (loans and currency exchange), and transport-related (moving product and people). Running businesses, for example, are mainly operated by people living just outside cities. The main mode of transport is the bicycle. For example, if a particular area produces, say, pears, cabbage, and spinach, locals will load up with produce and bike to cities where these items are in short supply and where they can charge more. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock_2446172239.jpg "Wonsannorthkoreamay42019countrysidelife woman | nk insider")A woman rides a bike along agricultural fields in Wonsan, North Korea on May 4, 2019. (Oleg Znamenskiy, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.)“During the season, I had to work hard to earn enough money to buy a bicycle,” said a defector from North Hamgyong Province. “I would buy vegetables in places like Onsong or Kyongsong and bring them to Chongjin to sell.” Chongjin is the provincial capital and is around 130 kms and 30kms respectively from the two areas she mentioned. On the way back, she would sell pencils and stationery that she bought in Chongjin. “When vegetables weren’t available, I would carry coal on a sled from Saenggiryong to sell in Ranam or Chongjin,” she said, referring to areas just south of the city. “I was able to start this because you don’t need initial capital for a running business. The advantage is that you don’t have to pay stall fees.” People who can’t afford these informal taxes may also start grasshopper businesses. Typically, they operate just outside a market. They began during the famine. As they were illegal then, the police would crack down. When that happened, the traders scattered and regrouped, like grasshoppers. Hence the name. Now they are legal, but they still exist because some traders are unable or unwilling to pay the market fees. Kim, 29, started a grasshopper business and later converted to a sitting business, getting a stall in a market that she paid for. She even kept her enterprise going after coming to South Korea. Five years later, in the South, she was able to buy an apartment. Born during the famine, her mother escaped to South Korea and Kim was entrusted to her grandmother. She had no education and started working when she should have been in elementary school in order to take care of her grandmother. “I bought second-hand clothes from China and Hoeryong (on the border) and resold them in Chongjin,” she said, explaining that clothes without brand labels sold for more. “You have to remove labels from South Korean clothes before they reach customs. This creates the perception that clothes without labels are South Korean, so they sell better. So I removed labels from branded clothes. Nike and Adidas items sold particularly well.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/KJU-holding-shoes.jpg "Kju holding shoes | nk insider") ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Shoes_2.jpg "Shoes2 | nk insider") On Oct. 18, 2017, KCNA reported that Kim Jong-un visited the country’s Ryuwon Footwear Factory. Notably, some of the displayed shoes appeared to bear designs similar to Nike and Adidas.She later started selling bicycles. One day she received a message via a broker. It was from her mother. It was the first ever contact. She was suggesting they meet near the border. Although she didn’t realize it immediately, her mother’s plan was to bring her to South Korea. “When she asked to meet briefly, I felt like I needed to see what my birth mother looked like. So I went and ended up coming to the South.” She worked part-time in restaurants and tried various jobs. “Then I realized that business was in my blood.” Reflecting on her young life in North Korea, she observes that the outward expression of support for the regime functions to keep business going. “In all the social things we are forced to do, we have to pretend to be loyal to be able to continue conducting business without repercussions. Loyalty has become a form of marketing in North Korea.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock_2226379537.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkoreaoctober2016peopleleavingafterpaying | nk insider")Citizens passing by the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung (L) and Kim Jong-Il (R) at Mansu Hill in Pyeongyang in Oct. 2016. (Jasmine Leung, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.)With the young generation, pretending to be loyal in this way is a strategy for them to make money and avoid entering the military or traditional employment. Another Kim came to South Korea eight years ago after running a sitting business selling accessories. She paid the 1,500 won stall fee at the Hoeryong market and engaged in wholesale and retail business. “My wholesale business made 100 yuan a day. That was the equivalent of 20 kilograms of rice,” she said. “You might wonder why it did well but in countries where living standards are low, people pay a lot of attention to appearances. People bought accessories a lot, even at prices ten times higher than a handful of rice. I would give them extra items as a bonus. When I did that, they would bring more customers. Because of this, business went well and my family could afford meat two or three times a week.” “Recently, my mother took over the business. It’s harder now though as people are buying less and the market fees, the taxes, are higher than they used to be,” she said. As these cases indicate, now that the state no longer provides for people, making a living has become paramount and, with it, the loyalty of the younger generation is shifting towards money. In fact, the conventional notion that a man must join the party and do military service to succeed has evolved to the point that people now pay to avoid military service. One defector saw this change after completing his military service. “When I finished in the military, I was assigned to a job in my hometown of Hoeryong. But I found that in these border areas now money is the priority,” he said. “I had no money in my pocket and my sister was supporting my elderly grandparents. I felt I had to do something and started working part-time at a bathhouse as a cleaner. Later, I worked as a driver, transporting goods from Hoeryong to other regions. “I learned that being able to earn money and buy meat for my parents was the ultimate act of filial piety, surpassing even going to the military or university or being a party official.” *Related articles:* - [Collecting Taxes in the Country of No Taxation](https://www.nkinsider.org/collecting-taxes-in-the-country-of-no-taxation/ "Collecting Taxes in the Country of No Taxation") - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%22Loyalty%20is%20a%20form%20of%20business%20marketing%22&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%22Loyalty%20is%20a%20form%20of%20business%20marketing%22 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%22Loyalty%20is%20a%20form%20of%20business%20marketing%22 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/loyalty-is-a-form-of-business-marketing/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%22Loyalty%20is%20a%20form%20of%20business%20marketing%22&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/loyalty-is-a-form-of-business-marketing/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%22Loyalty%20is%20a%20form%20of%20business%20marketing%22 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Blood alliance or mistrust? The uncomfortable update to China–North Korea relations](https://www.nkinsider.org/blood-alliance-or-mistrust-the-uncomfortable-update-to-china-north-korea-relations/) **Published:** April 17, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![diplomatic meeting in a wood floored conference room with officials seated across a long table a red padded wall behind them and a gold emblem above](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-16-at-1 59 44-am.jpg "Screenshot 20260416 at 1 59 44 am | nk insider")China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on April 10, in what analysts describe as a significant moment for the two countries amid shifting regional and global dynamics. The importance of Wang’s visit, confirmed by North Korean state media, lies in its timing. It came a month ahead of a planned U.S.-China summit and at a time of intensifying strategic competition between the two powers. In this context, the Koreas once again emerge as a key variable. China appears to be seeking to secure strategic leverage for future negotiations through closer communication with North Korea, while Pyongyang, in turn, seems intent on maximizing its geopolitical value within the broader context of superpower rivalry. The two sides emphasized strategic cooperation and the development of bilateral relations. While North Korea has traditionally expressed support for China’s core interests, particularly the “One China” principle, its posture reflects not so much shared values as strategic coordination driven by mutual necessity. Indeed, experts increasingly refrain from characterizing the relationship as a traditional alliance, instead describing it as a more evolved, rational, interest-based partnership. That said, despite the outward display of cooperation, the visit also highlights underlying tensions. In particular, the recent strengthening of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea complicates China’s position. As Pyongyang deepens ties with Moscow, Beijing’s influence correspondingly wanes. In this context, Wang appears to have been seeking to prevent North Korea from tilting excessively toward Russia. China continues to view North Korea as a crucial geopolitical buffer, yet faces a structural dilemma: it must manage a partner that is becoming increasingly autonomous. For its part, North Korea does not view its relationship with China as a simple “blood alliance.” While it remains economically dependent on its neighbor, it maintains a dual posture, simultaneously guarding against the expansion of Beijing’s influence. This underlying tension persists even as bilateral trade recovers in the post-pandemic period. Ultimately, China remains an indispensable yet not entirely trustworthy partner for North Korea. For China, meanwhile, North Korea is a necessary but difficult-to-control actor. At the same time, the global order is being reshaped toward multipolarity, driven by overlapping factors such as the war in Ukraine, U.S.-China strategic competition, and tensions in the Middle East. Within this environment, China–North Korea relations are taking on a more complex form, in which cooperation and mutual restraint operate simultaneously. In the end, Wang’s visit illustrates the fundamental nature of China–North Korea ties: a relationship grounded in shared strategic interests but continually adjusted in the absence of full trust. The two sides are engaged in an unstable strategic partnership characterized by mutual dependence as well as deep-seated mistrust—one that is likely to have lasting implications for the Koreas and the broader international community. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Blood%20alliance%20or%20mistrust%3F%20The%20uncomfortable%20update%20to%20China%E2%80%93North%20Korea%20relations&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Blood%20alliance%20or%20mistrust%3F%20The%20uncomfortable%20update%20to%20China%E2%80%93North%20Korea%20relations https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Blood%20alliance%20or%20mistrust%3F%20The%20uncomfortable%20update%20to%20China%E2%80%93North%20Korea%20relations "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/blood-alliance-or-mistrust-the-uncomfortable-update-to-china-north-korea-relations/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Blood%20alliance%20or%20mistrust%3F%20The%20uncomfortable%20update%20to%20China%E2%80%93North%20Korea%20relations&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/blood-alliance-or-mistrust-the-uncomfortable-update-to-china-north-korea-relations/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Blood%20alliance%20or%20mistrust%3F%20The%20uncomfortable%20update%20to%20China%E2%80%93North%20Korea%20relations "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [North Korea’s new cybercriminals](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/) **Published:** April 15, 2026 **Author:** Yoonseo Im **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/1.jpg "1 | nk insider")For decades, North Korea sent workers abroad to build buildings, cut timber and slave in factories. Their wages in dollars flowed back to Pyongyang. Then came sanctions over the regime’s rogue nuclear development program. They made that foreign currency-earning system far more difficult. But the regime did not give up. Instead, it appears to have redirected its attention to somewhere far less visible, from construction sites to computer networks. These operatives do not put on hard hats or travel to remote forests. They work behind computer screens, infiltrating companies and digital platforms across the world, crossing borders via keyboard. Visas and residence permits are not necessary. In fact, they do not even need to be physically present in the host country. As a result, they are largely beyond the reach of conventional labor regulations and sanctions regimes. The revenues they generate are now believed to rival, or in some cases exceed, the income once produced by overseas labor programs. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2-1024x765.jpg "2 | nk insider")***FBI notice linking North Korea to $1.5 billion hack of cryptocurrency exchange Bybit on Feb. 21, 2025***According to the U.S. Treasury Department, in a report submitted to Congress in March, North Korean cybercriminal organizations have generated vast revenues through the theft of digital assets. “DPRK cybercriminals have generated billions of dollars of revenue in digital assets through theft,” it noted. The regime relies on schemes involving digital assets to fund its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, it said. The scale of these operations has grown rapidly. The report described a February 2025 attack in which North Korean cyber actors stole $1.5 billion in digital assets from a digital asset service provider in the largest cryptocurrency heist ever recorded. From January 2024 to September 2025 alone, North Korea is estimated to have stolen at least $2.8 billion in digital assets. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/3-1024x576.jpg "3 | nk insider")Investigators say North Korean actors have become particularly adept at exploiting the architecture of the cryptocurrency ecosystem to launder illicit funds. One commonly used technique is “mixing,” a process that pools and redistributes cryptocurrency transactions to make them difficult to trace. Criminal groups frequently combine mixing with other blockchain tools such as “bridging” — transferring assets across different blockchains — and “swapping,” which converts one digital token into another. These methods complicate the work of law enforcement and compliance systems. “Criminals commonly use tools like mixing, bridging and swapping to introduce challenges for investigators attempting to trace illicit digital assets,” the Treasury report stated. North Korean operators often layer these techniques together. Stolen tokens may first be exchanged through decentralized exchanges, then routed through mixers before being consolidated into self-hosted digital wallets. From there, the funds can move through multiple blockchain bridges or token swaps before eventually being converted into cash. The process is designed to move money quickly and fragment the transaction trail. “DPRK actors rapidly move funds through mixers and other obfuscation techniques,” the report noted. Another frequently used tactic involves converting stolen cryptocurrency into stablecoins. These are digital assets pegged to traditional currencies. Illicit actors may route stolen Bitcoin or other tokens through mixing services before rapidly swapping them into stablecoins, which can then be transferred to new wallets and separated from the original criminal transactions. This technique can help circumvent anti–money laundering (AML), counter–terrorist financing (CFT) controls and sanctions monitoring systems. According to the Treasury, more than $37.4 billion in withdrawals from over 50 blockchain bridges since May 2020 have been denominated in the two largest stablecoins by market capitalization. During the same period, those bridges received approximately $1.6 billion in deposits originating from mixing services. Some $900 million of them flowed through a single bridge that faced criticism for failing to intervene while actors linked to North Korea laundered proceeds from a digital asset theft. Decentralized finance, or DeFi, has also become part of this ecosystem. DeFi platforms allow users to exchange or transfer digital assets without centralized intermediaries, making them attractive tools for actors seeking to obscure financial trails. North Korean cyber operators have been observed using decentralized exchanges, blockchain bridges and mixers to conceal the origin of stolen funds and evade regulatory scrutiny. Yet the same transparency that makes blockchain transactions possible also leaves traces. Because most public blockchains record transaction histories permanently, analysts in both the public and private sectors are sometimes able to reconstruct the movement of illicit funds through the DeFi ecosystem. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/4-1024x545.jpg "4 | nk insider")***DPRK cyber actors and IT workers linked to U.N.-designated entities. Source: Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), October 2025.***North Korea’s cyber capabilities have drawn increasing concern from the U.S. intelligence community. In its March 2026 *Annual Threat Assessment*, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence described North Korea’s cyber program as both “sophisticated and agile,” particularly when combined with the regime’s strategy of placing IT workers in foreign companies using falsified identities. These operatives may gain employment with unsuspecting firms, allowing them to collect intelligence, facilitate cyber operations or bypass corporate security systems from within. According to the assessment, North Korea’s cyber activities focus on evading financial sanctions, stealing funds to support its military programs, and conducting cyber espionage to fill technological gaps in weapons development. Cryptocurrency theft and other financial crimes alone are estimated to generate at least $1 billion annually to fund the regime’s weapons programs. Viewed in historical context, the shift from physical labor to digital infiltration represents an evolution rather than a departure in North Korea’s foreign currency strategy. The crucial difference is that the new pipeline has no borders. The country’s shadow economy has not disappeared. It has simply changed form. It may already be further along that transition than many policymakers realize. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") [Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/) Yoonseo Im is a Seoul-based trilingual journalist and researcher. Growing up in three different countries has shaped her international perspective on the Korean Peninsula. She is a Ph.D. candidate in International Studies and holds prior degrees in Political Science and International Relations. She is also active in multiple research organizations focused on regional issues, including North Korean affairs. Her work explores the intersection of economics, industry, politics, and security in Korea and the broader region, combining academic expertise with reporting experience gained through field journalism. Contact: yxn.contact@gmail.com [![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") Latest posts by Yoonseo Im ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/)) - [North Korea isn’t building the next ChatGPT. It’s building something else.](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/) - June 14, 2026 - [May Day and the unheard cry beneath the propaganda ](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/) - May 13, 2026 - [North Korea’s new cybercriminals](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/) - April 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20new%20cybercriminals&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20new%20cybercriminals https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20new%20cybercriminals "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20new%20cybercriminals&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20new%20cybercriminals "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [Is a purge or at least a crackdown in the offing in North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-a-purge-or-at-least-a-crackdown-in-the-offing-in-north-korea/) **Published:** April 12, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Factory-jong-un-1.jpeg "Factory jongun 1 | nk insider")Even the best of the previous century’s Kremlinologists who monitored trends in the former Soviet Union, and “China Hands” who followed developments in Communist China, including those whose predictions were often borne out, would frankly admit that the prognostications which they cautiously offered were a risky endeavor. With far less information on which to base their analyses, today’s Pyongyang watchers have significantly greater difficulties in assessing the future path of the Kim Jong-un regime. This is, of course, due to the self-imposed, sealed off situation of the North and the nature of its internal politics, which is exceptionally byzantine even by the standards of other communist dictatorships. In spite of the hurdles inherent in making forecasts as to future moves by the North, however, there are sometimes reliable signals. The usual methods of studying the state media, often reading between the lines, as well as gleaning bits of information from defectors, may sometimes be sufficient to make reasonably educated guesses about what to expect from Pyongyang. Given recent hints from *Rodong Shinmun*, the official organ of the ruling Workers’ Party, it seems that a purge, or at least a crackdown in the aftermath of the 9th Party Congress in February may be in the offing, which though it may include some among the nomenklatura, seems to be aimed primarily at lower level cadres and ordinary citizens. It may not even be a major purge or crackdown, relative to the seemingly never ending waves of such campaigns since the foundation of the regime, but there are signs that some type of disciplinary “rectification” may soon be initiated. On March 26, *Rodong Shinmun* published a piece entitled[ “What Is Lacking?”](https://www.jajusibo.com/69821) which had a rather harsh and almost threatening tone. It chastised workers who “only complain that there is too much work.” “Neglecting the improvement of practical skills by claiming a lack of time or being too busy is, in fact, nothing more than an excuse and a disguise to conceal one’s incompetence and slacker-like nature,” it said. Those are strong accusations in the North. They can result in an individual, or even an entire work team or other unit, being at least administratively punished or demoted, or at worst being removed, exiled, or in some cases even shot. These warnings coupled with exhortations are apparently part of a new “work harder” campaign similar to the many such efforts which the North has conducted over the years. An ever more strongly worded piece entitled[ “Break Down Self-Preservationism”](https://www.jajusibo.com/69839) was published by *Rodong Shinmun* on March 28th. It ominously declared that an individual’s very “existence” depended on the value of his work, a rather new and creative interpretation of Marx’s labor theory of value, to say the least. The article menacingly warned that “a worker who is unfaithful…is as good as non-existent, and is a useless existence whose absence leaves no void.” This is eerily reminiscent of the Khmer Rouge’s infamous slogan, “To Keep You Is No Benefit. To Destroy You Is No Loss.” The piece further said, “If a worker falls into self-preservation, fails to devote himself to his work, and does not take responsibility for the results of his work, he will lose the trust and confidence of the Party and the people, and ultimately, instead of serving as a driving force for the implementation of Party policies, he will become a stumbling block to the revolution.” In the North, such “stumbling blocks” are not dealt with lightly. The piece characterized “self-preservationism” as no mere ordinary error, but rather as a grave “ideological tendency.” The “harmful presence” of such people could not only “hinder the implementation of Party policies,” which would be an extremely serious offense in itself, but might also develop into the “stage of betrayal and defection.” The solution demanded by the piece was that of “ideological transformation,” to be implemented by officials who must “aggressively implement ideological education” aimed at those who “are preoccupied with maintaining the status quo while caring only about their own safety and self-preservation.” These directives are clearly meant to spur harder, faster, and more responsible work, while denying any tolerance for excuses offered by those individuals or units not meeting quotas. Echoing the hoary Maoist concept and methodology of the[ “mass line,”](https://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=216148) but of course, of political necessity portrayed as some original “thought” of Kim Jong-un, *Rodong Shinmun* on March 30th published a piece stressing that, “Mass nature is a revolutionary character that always goes into the masses, mingles freely, shares joys and sorrows, humbles oneself infinitely, and respects and cares for the masses.” “Mass nature is an important criterion that characterizes the qualifications of officials in the new era,” it said. It further insisted that the implementation of this policy is the only way that “progress will be made in today’s struggle to fulfill the tasks of the 9th Party Congress.” Officials were exhorted to “keep a firm conviction to share their fate with the Party Central Committee until the end.” The piece then launched into a stark warning against, “political insensitivity that cannot even discern the Party’s intentions, political immaturity that does not know how to breathe the Party’s appeal and the breath of the times, and non-revolutionary spirit that lacks the resolve to take full responsibility for one’s work before the Party.” These articles, and others of a similar nature published after the Party Congress, are apparently part of a series of pieces on the “12 Communist Characteristics That Officials of the New Era Must Possess,” which flow from Kim Jong-un’s “Five Programs for Party Building in the New Era – Political Construction, Organizational Construction, Ideological Construction, Discipline Construction, and Work Style Construction” mentioned at the Congress. To some extent, the rhetoric is consistent with standard jargon typically employed by the North as well as by other communist regimes. However, considering the esoteric nature of Party statements, whose meaning may not be immediately clear to outsiders, but is well understood by Party apparatchiks, these themes are likely more significant than the standard and often-heard exhortations and criticisms. Even within the military, a core loyalty group for the regime, troops have recently been subjected to increased ideological indoctrination, beyond the typically intensive level of political instruction. The General Political Bureau, whose mission is to enforce total control of the Party over the military, has[ reportedly](https://www.dailynk.com/20260406-1/) launched a major obedience campaign warning all ranks to “trust exclusively in the Baekdu bloodline,” as the Kim dynasty is referred to. Sources inside the North also more generally[ report](https://www.dailynk.com/english/n-korea-arrests-official-for-quoting-kim-il-sung-in-kim-jong-un-session/) that in the wake of the Party Congress, regime officials in the provinces have been “caught off guard” by the imposition of “new and exacting standards.” These disclosures serve to reinforce the indications of a possible purge. If the targets of these warnings are high-level officials, that may become clear if and when there are indications that such individuals have been demoted or removed. If, on the other hand, the warnings are aimed at low-level officials and the general public, then reports from defectors may be the best or only source of information. The “reading of tea leaves” inherent in such an analysis is certainly subject to misinterpretations, but it nevertheless appears that there may be some form of shake up planned in the aftermath of the Congress, at least with regard to the lowest ranks of the Party, or units which are seen as lacking in sufficient performance and zeal. In any case, the losers are the people of the North, who as in the past, are again being compelled to work ever harder and make even greater sacrifices in a bid to prop up an inhumane and failed system. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Is%20a%20purge%20or%20at%20least%20a%20crackdown%20in%20the%20offing%20in%20North%20Korea%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Is%20a%20purge%20or%20at%20least%20a%20crackdown%20in%20the%20offing%20in%20North%20Korea%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Is%20a%20purge%20or%20at%20least%20a%20crackdown%20in%20the%20offing%20in%20North%20Korea%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-a-purge-or-at-least-a-crackdown-in-the-offing-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Is%20a%20purge%20or%20at%20least%20a%20crackdown%20in%20the%20offing%20in%20North%20Korea%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-a-purge-or-at-least-a-crackdown-in-the-offing-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Is%20a%20purge%20or%20at%20least%20a%20crackdown%20in%20the%20offing%20in%20North%20Korea%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [North Korea and its money-making overseas workers](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-and-its-money-making-overseas-workers/) **Published:** April 9, 2026 **Author:** Yoonseo Im **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/1-1.jpg "1 | nk insider")With turmoil spread across the Middle East in recent weeks, international attention is drawn once again to the familiar specter of North Korea. The connection between Pyongyang and the region is often framed through the lens of weapons and security concerns. Yet the relationship runs deeper. Weapons alone do not explain the links. For years, North Korea has quietly built a presence in the region through a less visible path of labor, often in ways that attract little public attention. At construction sites and infrastructure projects across the Gulf, North Korean workers have been present for years, sometimes decades. To understand how this system works, one must look at how North Korea has long relied on its workers overseas. The practice dates back to the 1960s, when Pyongyang began sending logging crews to the Soviet Union. Over time, the system expanded. Today, tens of thousands of North Korean laborers are believed to be overseas. They represent one of the regime’s oldest and most consistent strategies for acquiring foreign currency, besides illicit trade and front companies, in the face of international sanctions. Exporting labor has been a relatively stable means of earning dollars, as the regime continues to invest heavily in nuclear and missile development. Current estimates suggest that roughly 80,000 workers are deployed in some 16 countries. Their working conditions have frequently drawn criticism from human rights organizations. Most of their income is believed to be confiscated and redirected to state accounts. Those funds are widely believed to support party operations, government spending, and military production, thereby helping sustain the rule of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2-1-1024x576.jpg "2 | nk insider")*North Korea’s main foreign currency-earning activities. Graphic based on data from Korean Peninsula Issues Research Institute (2025)*A 2025 report by the Korean Peninsula Issues Research Institute estimated that tens of thousands of North Korean workers were in China, Russia, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Their annual earnings are believed to generate tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars. Before UN restrictions tightened in recent years, the scale may have been even larger. In a 2025 report, the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford suggested that the number deployed abroad could once have reached as many as 420,000. The estimate was based on projections from in-depth interviews. Even if that number represents a high-end estimate, researchers broadly agree that the system has been both extensive and durable. According to the Oxford report, North Korean workers in Qatar were employed through a construction firm known as Arab International Construction Union Company in Doha, where they worked on hotel developments and government buildings. In the United Arab Emirates, labor units linked to the military were reportedly deployed, while Kuwait maintained a relatively high number of North Koreans despite limited diplomatic relations with Pyongyang. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/3-1-1024x576.jpg "3 | nk insider")For decades, North Korea’s foreign currency earnings have followed a surprisingly simple path. The locations may appear far apart on a map. Economically, however, they pointed in the same direction: Pyongyang. The system has proved remarkably durable. Even as sanctions tightened and diplomatic relationships shifted, North Korea’s overseas labor networks never fully disappeared. While global attention often focused on missiles and military alliances, labor exports remained one of the regime’s most practical survival strategies. Which raises a question. If a country that has long relied on sending workers abroad to earn foreign currency can no longer do so as easily as it used to, what are they working on now? The answer may lie far from construction sites and labor camps and in a new generation of revenue streams emerging beyond the reach of traditional sanctions. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") [Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/) Yoonseo Im is a Seoul-based trilingual journalist and researcher. Growing up in three different countries has shaped her international perspective on the Korean Peninsula. She is a Ph.D. candidate in International Studies and holds prior degrees in Political Science and International Relations. She is also active in multiple research organizations focused on regional issues, including North Korean affairs. Her work explores the intersection of economics, industry, politics, and security in Korea and the broader region, combining academic expertise with reporting experience gained through field journalism. Contact: yxn.contact@gmail.com [![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") Latest posts by Yoonseo Im ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/)) - [North Korea isn’t building the next ChatGPT. It’s building something else.](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/) - June 14, 2026 - [May Day and the unheard cry beneath the propaganda ](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/) - May 13, 2026 - [North Korea’s new cybercriminals](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/) - April 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20and%20its%20money-making%20overseas%20workers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20and%20its%20money-making%20overseas%20workers https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20and%20its%20money-making%20overseas%20workers "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-and-its-money-making-overseas-workers/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20and%20its%20money-making%20overseas%20workers&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-and-its-money-making-overseas-workers/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20and%20its%20money-making%20overseas%20workers "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Why North Koreans are unable to understand South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-koreans-are-unable-to-understand-south-korea/) **Published:** April 7, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Istock-685769262xtockimages.jpg "Question mark concept | nk insider")Born and raised in North Korean society, for many years my world was confined within its borders. I lived, breathed, and believed in the narratives we were taught about it. It wasn’t until May 2023, when I fled across the sea in search of freedom, that I was forced to confront a question that had long lingered in my mind: Why is the way we see South Korea so at odds with reality? To answer this, I first need to acknowledge that even in the darkest corners of North Korea, there were glimpses of the world outside. These glimpses came not through direct contact or open exchange, but through the backdoor of forbidden media. Specifically, South Korean dramas and films. Though watching them was extremely risky, a lot of us did it. This exposed us to a sliver of the life we had been told was a farce. In these dramas, South Koreans lived in neat homes, smiled at one another over family dinners, and effortlessly navigated bustling streets full of cars and convenience. It was an image so starkly different from what we were taught that I couldn’t help but wonder if it was real. The South was a land of misery, so how could these portraits be true? It was plagued by poverty, crime, and constant turmoil. The people were slaves to their capitalist system, their country ultimately doomed. But the illicit dramas painted an entirely different picture. The effect was to spark a quiet rebellion in me, a longing for something more. But even as I watched, I understood that I was still not seeing the full picture. Dramas, after all, are stories. I had glimpsed one side of a multi-faceted society. So, when I finally arrived in South Korea, I didn’t expect those stories exactly. But I expected something close. What I found was far more complex. The first shock came with the cityscape. Streets filled with people moving freely, stores bursting with goods, and, perhaps most overwhelming of all, the sheer abundance of choice. I had never seen anything like it. The first time I entered a supermarket, I froze in front of the aisles of fruits, vegetables, snacks, and drinks, not knowing what to choose. In North Korea, even finding a single fresh apple had been an arduous task. Confronted with abundance, so easily accessible, was a revelation. Actually, it was not just abundance. It was freedom, freedom to choose, to explore, to live. Another profound realization came from observing how people spoke their minds. In South Korea, criticism of the government is common. News outlets often report on scandals, protests, and policies with an openness that would be unthinkable back home. In North Korea, even whispering an opinion against the government could lead to dire consequences. Here, in the open air of South Korea, I found something I never thought possible: the ability to think freely, to express dissatisfaction without fear of punishment. In reflecting on all of this, I’ve come to see the root of North Korea’s misunderstanding of South Korea. It’s not just about what we are told, but about what we aren’t told. Information about the outside world is so heavily restricted in the North that people live there in a conjured world of half-truths and assumptions. For example, I grew up being taught that South Korea was a place of chaos, but even a small peek through the lens of a drama was enough to challenge that view. Yet, as I say, despite the glimpses, I couldn’t see the full picture. No single story, no matter how compelling, can encapsulate the totality of a society. I remember those early days in South Korea, when I would walk through the streets, still adjusting to the fact that I was free to make choices and form my own opinions, to ask questions, to challenge ideas. The contrast between what I had believed and what I was living was almost overwhelming. It was as if I had been given a key to a door I didn’t even know existed. Now, I understand that the true essence of a place cannot be captured in a classroom or a screen. It’s something you only grasp when you live it, when you breathe it, feel it, and make it your own. But even now, I think of those still trapped in North Korea. They still live in that same bubble, unable to access the world beyond the narrow narrative they are fed. They still believe the South is full of disorder and moral decay. Those who, as I did, catch glimpses through forbidden media are still left with only fragments of the truth. They may see the prosperity, the joy, the freedom, but they don’t see the complexities, the struggles, the hidden pains. They don’t see the full spectrum. It’s a dangerous thing to view the world through the lens of someone else’s story. We can’t grasp a place, a people, or a culture from a distance. We can’t truly comprehend it unless we walk through it ourselves. And this is the most profound lesson I’ve learned in my journey: that the world is not something you can understand through secondhand accounts or distant stories. It’s something you have to live, experience, and feel with your own senses. I hope that one day, North Koreans will be able to experience the world in this way. I hope they will have the opportunity to see things for themselves, to access the information that has been kept from them for so long. Only then will the misunderstandings about South Korea and the world beyond begin to dissolve. And when that day comes, we can begin to write a new story together, one based not on assumptions and half-truths, but on shared experiences and mutual understanding. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20North%20Koreans%20are%20unable%20to%20understand%20South%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20North%20Koreans%20are%20unable%20to%20understand%20South%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20North%20Koreans%20are%20unable%20to%20understand%20South%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-koreans-are-unable-to-understand-south-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20North%20Koreans%20are%20unable%20to%20understand%20South%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-koreans-are-unable-to-understand-south-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20North%20Koreans%20are%20unable%20to%20understand%20South%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Kim says new main battle tank capable of “neutralizing almost all” existing anti‑tank weapons](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-says-new-main-battle-tank-capable-of-neutralizing-almost-all-existing-anti-tank-weapons/) **Published:** April 7, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Kju-inspecting-anti-anti-tank-weapons-test.jpg "Kju inspecting antianti tank weapons test | nk insider")Supreme Leader Kim Jong‑un observed a performance evaluation test of a new man battle tank, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported March 29. The test was conducted in an undisclosed location and on an undisclosed date by the Armored Weapons Research Institute, a facility under the Academy of Defense Sciences responsible for developing armored combat vehicles, anti-tank systems, and related technology. The evaluation focused on verifying the practical applicability of the anti-tank technology that North Korea has recently been strengthening, KCNA said. “This test served as an important opportunity to practically confirm how superior our new‑style tank is as a combat asset,” Kim was quoted as saying. Regarding the active protection system, he declared that it “has fully acquired the capability of neutralizing almost all existing anti‑tank attack weapons.” The test simulated anti‑tank attacks from multiple directions. KCNA claimed that the system functioned normally with a 100% success rate against all attacks. Kim asserted that this “clearly shows that our new main battle tank has already reached a world‑class level.” “There is no tank at present that possesses combat technology comparable to this one,” he claimed. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Anti-weapons-test-1024x678.jpg "Anti weapons test | nk insider")*Image/KCNA*Rather than a simple evaluation of a weapons test, these remarks are interpreted as an attempt to showcase the country’s technological responsiveness to the changing nature of modern warfare. As seen in the Russia‑Ukraine war, the combination of drones and precision anti‑tank weapons has significantly increased the vulnerability of traditional armored forces. Weapons such as the U.S. FGM‑148 Javelin and the NLAW have reshaped the battlefield with their capability of striking tanks with long‑range precision. Against this backdrop, active protection systems have emerged as a key technology determining tank survivability. North Korea’s latest test appears to reflect these modern battlefield experiences. Some experts argue that North Korea has indirectly accumulated wartime experience during the Ukraine conflict. Its military is believed to have gained significant experience in drone operations, anti‑tank countermeasures, and use of real battlefield data. Some analysts also note similarities between elements of North Korea’s active protection system and existing Russian systems. “The new main battle tank test is seen as more than a simple unveiling of a weapons achievement,” one expert said. “It suggests that North Korea is strengthening defensive systems in line with the technological demands of modern warfare.” Kim’s emphasis on the tank’s “ability to neutralize all anti‑tank weapons” and its “world‑class level” signals North Korea’s intention to assert leadership in the military technology competition. At the same time, it reflects the growing importance of survivability technologies in an era of increasingly precise weapons and rapidly evolving battlefield conditions. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20says%20new%20main%20battle%20tank%20capable%20of%20%E2%80%9Cneutralizing%20almost%20all%E2%80%9D%20existing%20anti%E2%80%91tank%20weapons&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20says%20new%20main%20battle%20tank%20capable%20of%20%E2%80%9Cneutralizing%20almost%20all%E2%80%9D%20existing%20anti%E2%80%91tank%20weapons https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20says%20new%20main%20battle%20tank%20capable%20of%20%E2%80%9Cneutralizing%20almost%20all%E2%80%9D%20existing%20anti%E2%80%91tank%20weapons "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-says-new-main-battle-tank-capable-of-neutralizing-almost-all-existing-anti-tank-weapons/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20says%20new%20main%20battle%20tank%20capable%20of%20%E2%80%9Cneutralizing%20almost%20all%E2%80%9D%20existing%20anti%E2%80%91tank%20weapons&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-says-new-main-battle-tank-capable-of-neutralizing-almost-all-existing-anti-tank-weapons/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20says%20new%20main%20battle%20tank%20capable%20of%20%E2%80%9Cneutralizing%20almost%20all%E2%80%9D%20existing%20anti%E2%80%91tank%20weapons "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Life in the country without taxes](https://www.nkinsider.org/life-in-the-country-without-taxes/) **Published:** April 7, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Istock-2191377693-omer-serkan-bakir.jpg "Bicycles are a part of life in north korea | nk insider")In North Korea, the word “tax” does not exist. Instead, we talk of a “usage fee.” Why the euphemism? To be frank, I don’t know. I suspect the government wants to impress upon us that we North Koreans aren’t capitalists. Of course, changing a word doesn’t change reality. But strangely enough, it confuses people and this confusion serves a purpose. North Korea doesn’t copy all aspects of capitalism. Only parts of it. Personally, I think it would be far better if the regime copied everything. Then it wouldn’t take away everything that belongs to us, and we wouldn’t live in constant anxiety, wondering when the next ration will arrive. So let’s talk about the “taxes” North Korea insists don’t exist. Out of many examples, I’ll explain one usage fee: electricity charges. After escaping North Korea, the experience that shocked me most was China at night and the sight of brightly lit streets. Lights are beautiful. The sight made me realize how deprived I had been. Electricity is so scarce in my country that when it comes, you feel like you’re on holiday. I remember this from my childhood. Even if we were playing hide-and-seek in the dark and the power came on, we all screamed in delight and ran home to eat. I tell you, dinner under bright light tastes so much better. You have to experience a meal in darkness to know the difference. The worst was when the power went out as we were eating. My mother would tiptoe and feel her way around to find candles so we wouldn’t knock over the table. We were lucky to be able to afford candles. Most households used oil lamps, which had a pervasive smell and left soot stains everywhere. Mother lit candles all around the house. “To protect your eyesight,” she said. As a result, candle burns scarred our furniture. Blackened holes in desks, TV stands, and dining tables. I singed my bangs countless times, dozing off studying by candlelight. Electricity left many traces and memories in our lives. The problem was that, despite the rare supply, we still had to pay a regular fee for it. The average worker’s monthly wage last year was about 30,000 won. The electricity usage fee comes to around 10,000 won. You can see the problem. The government sometimes sends electricity on special days, like Lunar New Year or the Day of the Sun (founding leader Kim Il-sung’s birthday). Why so? To lift our spirits, replacing despondence about our life with gratitude to you-know-who. The thing is, though, they send it during the day. In case you forgot, the main purpose of electricity in the house is to light the darkness. What use is it in daylight? But it’s also useful for TV, you say. True, but in North Korea, TV starts after 5 p.m. As a side note, men play a minor role in household life in my country. Because of the broken system, they cannot go out and earn money. So some people jokingly refer to men as “daytime lamps.” Back to the subject of night lamps. These night lamps are so dim that there is nothing more than a faint glow from the red coil inside the bulb. You have to strain your eyes to see. The glowing coil is too weak to light a room. Later, in South Korea, I saw such bulbs used for decorative purposes in cafés. Seeing rows of glowing coils, I thought, “How beautiful they look.” That which I hated in North Korea now lit up South Korean cafés with a cozy charm. The world truly looks different depending on what you have. Because electricity was so weak, every household needed a transformer. Most had a 2-kilowatt device, and some people connected two to draw more power. But electricity was limited. If one household used more, another lost its share. We were competing “fairly” in a supposedly equal society. Sometimes the government did its job and sent stronger electricity. When that happened, households with two transformers suffered the consequence of overvoltage. Sometimes this caused fires. But ultimately, the biggest villain in this story is the government and its inconsistent supply. In recent years, electricity has only been supplied when something bad has occurred. This makes people suspicious. For example, one day we rejoiced at the power coming on, only to hear the news of the arrest of Jang Song-thaek, the ruler Kim Jong-un’s uncle and at the time the number two authority in the country. There was another time when the electricity came, and we soon learned of his father, Kim Jong-il’s death. So now, when the lights come on, I worry. One day, I was deeply upset when the power didn’t come. I had severe stomach pain and went to the hospital. The nurses said they couldn’t take an X-ray because there was no electricity. I sat on a bench, clutching my stomach, waiting forever for the power to return. I was there for about two hours. I shuddered at the thought that people could die from this. The electricity never did arrive that day. My pain eventually subsided on its own. Looking back, I realize I have almost no good memories associated with electricity in North Korea. Our society boasts of free education, free healthcare, free this and that. Everything is said to be free. But in reality, it isn’t. The government collects money for electricity it doesn’t provide, insisting it’s not a tax but a “usage fee.” It’s been more than a century since Edison powered that first lightbulb, yet North Koreans still don’t enjoy electricity’s benefits. In Pyongyang, floorboards were torn up and traditional underfloor heating pipes replaced with electric heating in the name of modernization. Every household was forced to bid farewell to its firewood stoves. Now the people supposedly enjoying the privilege of living in the capital spend winter hugging containers of hot water through the freezing nights, and the elderly long for the life they had before modernization. This is the reality of living in a country without taxes. You pay money, yet your body still suffers. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Life%20in%20the%20country%20without%20taxes&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Life%20in%20the%20country%20without%20taxes https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Life%20in%20the%20country%20without%20taxes "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/life-in-the-country-without-taxes/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Life%20in%20the%20country%20without%20taxes&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/life-in-the-country-without-taxes/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Life%20in%20the%20country%20without%20taxes "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) **Published:** April 6, 2026 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Law-enforcement-at-the-9th-congress-of-the-workers-party-parade.jpg "Law enforcement at the 9th congress of the workers party parade | nk insider")The Ministry of Social Security, the main law enforcement agency, has instructed units in the northern provinces to strengthen the already intense blockade along the border with China in a bid to prevent any citizens from leaving the country illegally, a crime that is considered treasonous. The directive was reportedly issued in the wake of the 9th Party Congress at the end of February. “After the 9th Party Congress, the MSS ordered border security departments to further tighten controls,” a source in North Hamgyong Province, who insisted on anonymity, confirmed on April 6. “In particular, the directive strongly emphasized that there must be no ‘breaches’ in blockade operations.” “The order repeatedly stressed the responsibility and role of the security departments in ensuring that no gaps appear in the border. It seems intended to maintain the controls introduced during the COVID-19 crisis,” he said. In line with this, the Hoeryong City Security Department is sending security officers to blockade zones to inspect the installation of barriers and check the work of Red Guard civil defense personnel. The security officers themselves are reportedly conducting round-the-clock surveillance in three shifts. “Breaches do not simply mean physical holes, but refer to loopholes or weaknesses in the overall system of border control, surveillance, and blockade,” he said. “This directive aims to reinforce the vigilance of border guards and tighten monitoring of areas that could be exploited for smuggling or illegal crossings.” North Korea’s move appears to stem from concerns that lax vigilance among frontline guards could undermine the entire border. It is interpreted as an effort to preemptively suppress defections and resumption of smuggling at a time when reopening the border is under discussion. “This move underscores the idea that manning the border is not simply a matter of guard duty but is akin to a national-level control mission,” he said. “The MSS seems to be pressuring border security departments to maintain a heightened state of alert down to the lowest units.” “By re-emphasizing the blockade policy after the Party Congress, the authorities clearly intend to strongly suppress informal distribution networks and resident defections in border regions. This will likely have significant impacts on the movement and livelihoods of residents along the frontier,” he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Border%20security%20units%20ordered%20to%20ensure%20no%20%E2%80%9Cbreaches%E2%80%9D%20by%20defectors%20and%20smugglers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Border%20security%20units%20ordered%20to%20ensure%20no%20%E2%80%9Cbreaches%E2%80%9D%20by%20defectors%20and%20smugglers https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Border%20security%20units%20ordered%20to%20ensure%20no%20%E2%80%9Cbreaches%E2%80%9D%20by%20defectors%20and%20smugglers "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Border%20security%20units%20ordered%20to%20ensure%20no%20%E2%80%9Cbreaches%E2%80%9D%20by%20defectors%20and%20smugglers&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Border%20security%20units%20ordered%20to%20ensure%20no%20%E2%80%9Cbreaches%E2%80%9D%20by%20defectors%20and%20smugglers "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Seoul reverses course, joins U.N. resolution on North Korean human rights](https://www.nkinsider.org/seoul-reverses-course-joins-u-n-resolution-on-north-korean-human-rights/) **Published:** March 30, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Unga-photo-credit-cia-pak-un.jpg "Unga photo credit cia pak un | nk insider")South Korea has formally decided to co-sponsor an upcoming United Nations resolution condemning North Korea’s human rights abuses. The decision represents a significant reversal of the direction the country appeared to be headed and came after mounting calls from human rights and civic groups, activists, and opposition politicians, who warned that abstention by South Korea would undermine global accountability efforts. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs [announced](https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-policy/2026/03/28/HJXXCEHCBFHCLG5RFCIQDIC5VI/) on March 28 that the decision was made after consultations among relevant government agencies. Officials emphasized that Seoul’s participation reflects its commitment to working with the international community to achieve tangible improvements in the human rights of people living in North Korea. Until recently, there were clear signs that Seoul was intending to abstain on the grounds that going soft on human rights might build trust with Pyongyang and encourage talks. “North Korea sees human rights issues as a hostile policy, and there is no reason for us to push them forward while bearing that burden,” Unification Minister Chung Dong-young [said](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260326095400504) on March 26. He added that abstaining would align with Seoul’s principle of refraining from any hostile acts against the North. The resolution, drafted by the European Union and Australia, highlights grave violations including murder, torture, enslavement, sexual violence, and forced abortions. As of March 24, [more than 40 countries](https://docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/61/L.15)—among them Canada, France, Germany, Ukraine, Spain, Great Britain, New Zealand, and Sweden—had already signed on as co-sponsors. Defectors welcomed the reversal. “It’s a relief that (Seoul) is not repeating the mistake made under the Moon Jae-in administration,” one activist said, with reference to the previous Democratic Party of Korea government. “This is a message to those still trapped in the North that they are not forgotten.” Seongmin Lee, Director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation, welcomed the move, saying, “South Korea has chosen to stand on the side of universal values. This decision affirms that human dignity is non‑negotiable.” Seoul’s vacillation sparked strong reactions at home and abroad. The Human Rights Foundation, in [a joint letter](https://hrf.org/latest/hrf-urges-south-korea-to-reaffirm-leadership-on-north-korean-human-rights-at-un/) with 23 organizations and six individual signatories, called on President Lee Jae-myung to ensure that his government co-sponsor the annual draft resolution. “Not co-sponsoring the resolution would send the wrong message about South Korea’s commitment to improving the human rights situation in North Korea,” the letter said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Seoul%20reverses%20course%2C%20joins%20U.N.%20resolution%20on%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Seoul%20reverses%20course%2C%20joins%20U.N.%20resolution%20on%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Seoul%20reverses%20course%2C%20joins%20U.N.%20resolution%20on%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/seoul-reverses-course-joins-u-n-resolution-on-north-korean-human-rights/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Seoul%20reverses%20course%2C%20joins%20U.N.%20resolution%20on%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/seoul-reverses-course-joins-u-n-resolution-on-north-korean-human-rights/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Seoul%20reverses%20course%2C%20joins%20U.N.%20resolution%20on%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Carbon‑fiber solid‑fuel engine test marks new phase in North Korea’s ICBM advancement](https://www.nkinsider.org/carbon-fiber-solid-fuel-engine-test-marks-new-phase-in-north-koreas-icbm-advancement/) **Published:** March 30, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Kju-1.jpg "Kju | nk insider")North Korean leader Kim Jong‑un observed a ground test of a high‑power solid‑fuel engine, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on March 29. Analysts in South Korea say the engine is for likely use with the Hwasong‑20 solid‑fuel ICBM which is currently under development. In its report, KCNA framed the test as a core achievement of Kim’s new five‑year defense development plan and claimed it marked a major step forward in modernizing its strategic forces. “(The test) has truly enormous significance in raising the nation’s strategic military power to the strongest level,” Kim was quoted as saying. The engine’s performance “fully satisfies the national strategy and military requirements for the modernization of the strategic forces,” he said. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Icbm-engine-test-1024x677.jpg "Icbm engine test | nk insider")Image/KCNAThe engine being tested is composed of carbon‑fiber composite materials and rated at 2,500 kilonewtons (kN) of thrust, according to KCNA. If true, the thrust is about 26% higher than the roughly 1,971 kN claimed for a similar test last September. Analysts [believe](https://www.khan.co.kr/article/202603291349001/amp?utm_source=chatgpt.com) this improved engine is likely intended for the Hwasong‑20 solid‑fuel ICBM. Solid‑fuel, as opposed to liquid-fuel, engines eliminate the need for fueling before launch, drastically reducing preparation time and improving the ability to launch with little warning. Carbon‑fiber composites, in particular, allow weight reduction while maintaining structural strength, improving propulsion efficiency and enabling greater payload capacity at the same thrust level. These characteristics are directly linked to the development of MIRV (multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle) systems. Experts note that since North Korea has already secured, to some degree, ICBM ranges capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, further increases in engine output are likely aimed not at extending range but at expanding payload capacity. “Weight reduction and enhanced durability are measures taken with MIRV deployment in mind,” [said Hong Min](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260329011400504?utm_source=copilot.com), a senior researcher at the governmental Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. If MIRV technology is completed, a single missile could strike multiple targets simultaneously or overwhelm missile defense systems more effectively. Other media and experts view the test as a signal that North Korea is strengthening the operational capability of its solid‑fuel ICBMs, although they remain cautious about the progress claimed. Reuters reported that some experts believe the KCNA claims “may be exaggerated in the absence of verifiable evidence.” Their skepticism rests on three main points. First, North Korea has not fully demonstrated reentry‑vehicle technology, a core requirement for ICBMs. High‑thrust engines alone cannot complete a practical nuclear force. The warhead must survive the extreme heat and pressure of atmospheric reentry. Second, the test conditions and data were not disclosed, making external verification impossible. Third, North Korea has a history of overstating weapons performance. In April 2024, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff [assessed ](https://www.donga.com/news/Politics/article/all/20240403/124299633/1?utm_source=chatgpt.com)that Pyongyang’s announcement of a hypersonic missile test had been exaggerated. Beyond its technical implications, the test carries a clear strategic message. Toward the United States, North Korea appears intent on continually advancing its ICBM capabilities to gain leverage in future negotiations and to cement its status as a nuclear‑armed state. It also seems to be exploiting the fact that U.S. strategic attention is divided by conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, seeking to increase its visibility. Toward South Korea, the mobility and rapid‑launch capability of solid‑fuel ICBMs place additional strain on missile defense systems. While KAMD and THAAD offer some defensive capacity, the combination of MIRVs and surprise‑launch capability could significantly raise the difficulty of interception. The regional security impact is also considerable. North Korea’s strategic‑weapon upgrades are likely to accelerate defense‑buildup debates in South Korea and Japan and could lead to deeper missile‑defense cooperation with the United States. This dynamic risks further intensifying the arms race and security dilemma in Northeast Asia. Overall, North Korea’s test of a 2,500 kN solid‑fuel engine suggests a degree of technical progress, but its actual military significance remains difficult to assess at this stage. The true capability will become clearer only when flight tests of the Hwasong‑20 and data on reentry performance are released. Given North Korea’s recent military activities, the possibility that this engine test will lead to a full ICBM launch is substantial. It remains uncertain what strategic weapon system North Korea will unveil or test next, but its choice could sharply alter the security landscape in Northeast Asia. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Carbon%E2%80%91fiber%20solid%E2%80%91fuel%20engine%20test%20marks%20new%20phase%20in%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20ICBM%20advancement&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Carbon%E2%80%91fiber%20solid%E2%80%91fuel%20engine%20test%20marks%20new%20phase%20in%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20ICBM%20advancement https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Carbon%E2%80%91fiber%20solid%E2%80%91fuel%20engine%20test%20marks%20new%20phase%20in%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20ICBM%20advancement "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/carbon-fiber-solid-fuel-engine-test-marks-new-phase-in-north-koreas-icbm-advancement/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Carbon%E2%80%91fiber%20solid%E2%80%91fuel%20engine%20test%20marks%20new%20phase%20in%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20ICBM%20advancement&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/carbon-fiber-solid-fuel-engine-test-marks-new-phase-in-north-koreas-icbm-advancement/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Carbon%E2%80%91fiber%20solid%E2%80%91fuel%20engine%20test%20marks%20new%20phase%20in%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20ICBM%20advancement "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Does the fighting man’s morale still matter in modern warfare?](https://www.nkinsider.org/does-the-fighting-mans-morale-still-matter-in-modern-warfare/) **Published:** March 30, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Nk-soldiers.jpg "Nk soldiers | nk insider")Lately, the world has begun to change in unsettling ways. After World War II, despite localized conflicts, it seemed as if global peace might last forever. It appeared that humanity had reflected on the death and destruction and ultimate futility of war. Yet with the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, the advanced world has once again entered a period of upheaval. Conflicts involving Israel, Palestine, Iran, and others are spreading across neighboring regions. This might even lead to a Third World War. For, as the saying goes, when clouds gather, rain will fall. Did we not learn from World War II? That conflict stole countless lives, along with all their dreams and happiness. How did this unimaginable loss profit us? Or is the desire to fight simply a fact of human nature? Recent developments have also made nations treat war more lightly. Advances in technology have drastically changed the nature of warfare. This raises a question. In modern warfare, is technology the only thing that matters? In a war in 2026, to what extent will soldiers’ morale determine victory or defeat? And will North Korea be able to leverage its own advantages in war? If the two Koreas were to fight, who would win? From the perspective of weaponry, South Korea is overwhelmingly superior. Yet North Korea possesses extremely strong morale. Since it is people, not weapons, who fight, morale cannot be underestimated. History has proven this time and again. How many times has morale triumphed when the odds made victory seem impossible? One Korean example is the 1597 Battle of Myeongnyang during the Imjin War between Joseon, as it was called then, and Japan. Thirteen 13 ships faced 133. Before the battle, the Joseon Admiral Yi Sun-sin declared, “I still have 13 ships left.” He prevailed. How can anyone defeat soldiers who fight with the resolve to die? Even if victory is achieved, it may be a hollow one, leaving only scars. There are victories worse than defeat. Thus, in life-or-death battles, morale plays a crucial role. This is why North Korea never neglects ideological indoctrination. The regime often highlights heroic tales of soldiers strapping bombs to themselves and charging enemy submarines. When survival is at stake, no emotion or sympathy can be allowed. A popular North Korean movie, called *Wangjaesan*, featured a character with a disability who initially drew sympathy, but was ultimately unmasked as an enemy. Through such stories, the government demonized the disabled. As a result, North Koreans are trained to scorn rather than sympathize with them. Even that is not enough. The dictatorship seeks to instill the message that the state is more precious than parents or family members. In the movie *Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow*, the protagonist kills his own father for betraying the Party and the nation. The regime has been tireless in its mission to mold people’s minds in this way. The indoctrination has been carried out for decades, and one could say it has nearly succeeded. Did the people not endure the “Arduous March” famine of the 1990s? At that time, people often said, “Whether we starve to death or are shot to death, death is the same. Better that war should break out.” The outside world called this brinkmanship, the will of those facing death to drag others down with them. This was considered malicious. But will such a mindset prove useful in modern warfare? Look at today’s wars. We rarely see soldiers carrying rifles into battle. Instead, drones fly in and strike targets. One of the most unusual photos I’ve seen recently was of Russian war heroes. They looked haggard and bent, unlike any war heroes I had seen before. But they were drone operators, who were said to have played the most crucial role in the war. Until recently warfare was about troops charging in formation. That was why North Korea built almost no highways. It kept its rough, dusty roads to slow the enemy down. But now such efforts are useless. Attacks will come not by land, but by air. Every North Korean military unit displays a large slogan: “Defend the leadership of the revolution with our lives.” This refers to Kim Jong-un. Yet modern warfare may not even give revolutionaries the chance to fight to the death. Drones will fly over their heads and make straight for the leadership. Given this, North Korea stands at a crossroads. What decision will the leadership make? Will it doubledown on morale? Or will it opt to stake everything on nuclear weapons? And, if so, what fate awaits? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Does%20the%20fighting%20man%E2%80%99s%20morale%20still%20matter%20in%20modern%20warfare%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Does%20the%20fighting%20man%E2%80%99s%20morale%20still%20matter%20in%20modern%20warfare%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Does%20the%20fighting%20man%E2%80%99s%20morale%20still%20matter%20in%20modern%20warfare%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/does-the-fighting-mans-morale-still-matter-in-modern-warfare/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Does%20the%20fighting%20man%E2%80%99s%20morale%20still%20matter%20in%20modern%20warfare%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/does-the-fighting-mans-morale-still-matter-in-modern-warfare/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Does%20the%20fighting%20man%E2%80%99s%20morale%20still%20matter%20in%20modern%20warfare%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Rising oil prices send ordinary North Koreans into survival mode](https://www.nkinsider.org/rising-oil-prices-send-ordinary-north-koreans-into-survival-mode/) **Published:** March 30, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Istock-1187661062-lyagovy.jpg "Oil storage fire the tank farm is burning black smoke is combu | nk insider")When I escaped from North Korea and came to South Korea in May 2023, I had no way of knowing when or how deeply the place I had lived my entire life would next be shaken. But now I can guess. Watching the international situation once again roil due to the conflicts in the Middle East, I can say for sure that, despite its apparent isolation and self-reliance, the shock will inevitably reach inside North Korea, and the damage will slide off the regime and fall squarely onto the backs of the people. In the coastal region where I lived, whenever fuel went up, the changes began within 24 hours. The number of trucks on the roads decreased, goods arrived late, and prices reacted immediately. People knew of a crisis not from the news, but from the jangmadang market. Produce was suddenly being brought by handcarts and bicycles in place of trucks, but they could not sustain the flow of goods. Food supplies became unstable. Corn and rice prices shot up. For people living day to day, this turned immediately into a matter of survival. Could they endure today? The current situation has the potential to become far more serious than what I experienced. Tension in the Middle East may appear to be a regional dispute. But it’s one that shakes the core of global energy supply. North Korea produces no oil of its own. In a system entirely dependent on external sources, such shocks strike directly. Dependent in this way, its people are among the most vulnerable in the world. The situation becomes even more complicated when considering the relationship between Iran and North Korea. Although official cooperation is limited, the international community has long suspected shared interests in military and missile technology. If Iran faces stronger sanctions due to war, North Korea will not escape the consequences. From my experience, North Korea always responds to external shocks in the same way. It tightens control. The more difficult the situation becomes, the more firmly the borders close and the more restricted market activity becomes. From 2020 onward in large part due to COVID-19 and closed borders with the outside world, as prices grew unstable, crackdowns increased and some goods became nearly impossible to trade. People worried of course about rising prices. But what they most feared was the way goods were disappearing altogether. The first thing to vanish was oil. At first, people said, “Deliveries are a bit late these days.” Trucks that normally arrived daily were delayed by a day or two, and no one thought much of it. But after a few days, it was clear that the situation had changed. Trucks stopped appearing altogether, and goods entering the markets dwindled. That was when people’s expressions began to change. Once oil disappeared, everything else stopped. Buses halted, factories shut down. As movement ceased, it felt as though our lives had stopped with it. Everyone knew things could not continue this way, but there was no solution. Then one day, I heard something unbelievable. People were burning plastic to make oil. At first, I dismissed it as nonsense. But it had already begun. People collected discarded plastic and vinyl, burned them, and gathered the oily liquid that came out. They filtered the thick, black substance and used it as fuel. It looked like oil, so that was what we called it. But the problems came afterward. Vehicles running on that fuel did not last long. Engines made strange noises, smoke poured out, and eventually broke down. Then, people tried another method. They mixed the makeshift oil with the remaining diesel to make it last longer. I saw men carefully pouring the mixture into small containers, their faces filled with both hope and fear. At first, the vehicles moved. “It works,” they said with relief. But within days, the engines died, this time completely. By the sea, I saw the same thing happen with boats. Fishermen had to go to sea to survive, but with that fuel, no one knew when the engine might stop. Still, they had no choice. If they didn’t go out, they wouldn’t eat that day. A saying spread: “Using oil is a problem. Not using oil is a problem.” It perfectly captured the reality of that time. When transportation decreases, food from rural areas cannot reach the cities, and urban residents soon face shortages. Factories and other such workplaces are no exception. When oil runs short, operations slow or stop, and the burden falls on the workers. In the end, everything comes down to one question. Can we endure? North Koreans have endured hardship for decades, but there are limits. As international tensions worsen, the burden falls not on the state but on individuals. The government tightens control, and the people must survive within new constraints. I left North Korea, but when I think of those who remain, this situation does not feel distant. My past experiences tell me that rising global oil prices do not remain just economic news. They become another “silent crisis” inside North Korea. Events that once seemed like distant news seep into our lives, and the changes always strike the most vulnerable places first. North Korea is no exception. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Rising%20oil%20prices%20send%20ordinary%20North%20Koreans%20into%20survival%20mode&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Rising%20oil%20prices%20send%20ordinary%20North%20Koreans%20into%20survival%20mode https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Rising%20oil%20prices%20send%20ordinary%20North%20Koreans%20into%20survival%20mode "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/rising-oil-prices-send-ordinary-north-koreans-into-survival-mode/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Rising%20oil%20prices%20send%20ordinary%20North%20Koreans%20into%20survival%20mode&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/rising-oil-prices-send-ordinary-north-koreans-into-survival-mode/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Rising%20oil%20prices%20send%20ordinary%20North%20Koreans%20into%20survival%20mode "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Is South Korea starting to give up on re-unification?](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-south-korea-starting-to-give-up-on-re-unification/) **Published:** March 15, 2026 **Author:** Jun Hae-song **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Ljm.jpg "Ljm | nk insider")When North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced in late 2023 that re-unification was no longer going to happen, the reaction in South Korea was as if, as the old proverb goes, the dogs had barked and the caravan had moved on. In other words, we all paused for a second, then carried on doing what we were doing as if nothing had happened. That meant nothing made us question the commitment to our own sacred national goal of eventual re-unification with our wayward brother in the North. Even when Kim added that his rejection of unification meant South Koreans were now foreigners and enemies, and even when he changed the northern constitution and school textbooks, we shrugged it off. Those in the South who did ponder it asked, was this a tactical shift? Would Kim change his mind? Would things change with a new leader? There were no answers and little discussion. And so, the official stance in Seoul remained unchanged. We still want unification. Now, two years later, North Korea is still anti-unification. Just last month, at the Ninth Party Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, Kim drew “a historical line” under the “abnormal relationship” that has existed between the two Koreas since the end of war in 1953. The North-South relationship is now as one between “the most hostile of states,” he said. Now we know he is still serious, how should we respond? Should we, too, give up on unification, at least as a formal commitment? For decades, for South Koreans, even raising the unification question in this way has been politically sensitive. The concept occupies a near-sacred place in the national narrative. Suggesting that Seoul might reconsider is seen not just as defeatist but as evidence of treason. That sensitivity has not been entirely unreasonable. The earliest voices arguing for abandoning or downplaying reunification often came from ideological corners where skepticism about the goal was intertwined with sympathy for Pyongyang or hostility toward the U.S.–South Korea alliance. That made pragmatic discussion of the issue difficult. The South Korean constitution requires the government, whether it is left or right, to be pro-unification. What distinguishes one government from another is what they actually do about it. Some people aren’t interested in unification or may even not want it, but no political party takes an anti-unification position. But appearances can be deceptive. There is a deep current running under this dilemma. It is that we in South Korea are a democratic people. Our values prevent us from forcing ourselves on an unwilling partner. North Korea would have to want us before we can unify. With that in mind, we should anticipate, if not a loud policy change, then perhaps a quiet shift. South Korea has actually done this before. In the early 1990s, the dramatic unification of Germany initially stirred excitement in Seoul. If East and West Germany could reunite so quickly after decades of division, perhaps the same could happen here, people thought. But as the enormous economic and social costs of German unification became clear — the massive fiscal transfers, the economic disruptions, legal disputes by westerners trying to reclaim their land in the east, and the long-term integration challenges — policymakers and analysts in South Korea began reassessing their own assumptions. Government analysts realized that South Korea would not be able to manage a collapsed North. The shock happened very quickly – within a year of the German unification. But nothing was said publicly. What happened was that the earlier idea that the South might eventually absorb the North gave way to a more cautious concept: step-by-step unification. We learned a new word: “gradualism.” Instead of imagining a sudden takeover scenario, Seoul began emphasizing long-term coexistence, economic engagement, and incremental integration. The goal of reunification remained, but the presumed path toward it changed. In a way, this was an anti-unification policy, but it was presented as a more sensible way to do it. This was understood by politicians on all sides and by the public. Thus, the long-term commitment to unification remained but the whole approach was changed in the direction of delay. I believe that something similar is happening again. This time it is in response not to developments abroad but to a blunt declaration from Pyongyang itself. The strategic environment is changing quickly, and the tone of policy debate appears to be evolving. A small but telling signal appeared in the speech delivered by President Lee Jae-myung marking the anniversary of the March 1st Movement, the 1919 uprising against Japanese colonial rule. Traditionally, presidential speeches on that day strongly emphasize the eventual reunification of the Korean nation. Lee’s address took a somewhat different approach. The language of peace and coexistence was prominent; the language of reunification was noticeably less so. The president spoke of realizing “the dream of peace and coexistence that our forebears earnestly yearned for.” He called for reducing military tensions, restoring trust and reopening dialogue across the peninsula. The emphasis was not on historical destiny but on stability and coexistence. Unification appeared only briefly — and in negative form. Lee pledged that Seoul would not pursue “unification by absorption” in any shape or form. This phrase was long used in the North to describe its fears of being swallowed by the South. There is a pragmatic logic behind this rhetorical shift. A government seeking to reopen communication channels with Pyongyang must recognize that constant references to unification sound threatening from the North’s perspective. Despite this dropping by Seoul of “unification by absorption” decades ago, the North still fears it is the real underlying intention. Lee therefore emphasized respect for the North’s system and criticized provocative actions by activists in the South, including drone launches carrying propaganda across the border. Such actions, he argued, risk inflaming tensions rather than encouraging dialogue. He also reiterated support for transforming the 1953 armistice into a more formal peace regime. Pyongyang has long advocated such a step, while Seoul and Washington have historically approached it cautiously, partly out of concern that it could weaken the security framework surrounding the peninsula. None of this amounts to an official abandonment of unification. The Constitution still speaks of peaceful unification, and no major political force is proposing to remove that language. Still, the emphasis may be shifting. President Lee’s speech suggests a pragmatic recalibration that puts peace over unification. Once the consensus builds, as it did against sudden unification in the 1990s, will the government in power at that time go public with the new position and later change the constitution and other laws and institutions accordingly? If yes, it would mean that, if unification ever does occur, it will not come in any way that is currently envisioned. Until then, we need to watch if indeed South Korea is quietly adjusting its expectations — just as it did three decades ago. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jun Hae-song](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-11.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/ "Jun Hae-song") [Jun Hae-song](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/) Hae-song is a Seoul-based analyst and writer on North and South Korean affairs. Having grown up overseas, he has lived his working life in South Korea where he consults on South Korean political and economic issues and on North Korea and defector related issues. [![Jun Hae-song](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-11.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/ "Jun Hae-song") Latest posts by Jun Hae-song ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d1ff84e4d028245e9d66e513684bdce083d49134/)) - [Can South Koreans change how they see North Koreans?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-south-koreans-change-how-they-see-north-koreans/) - May 14, 2026 - [The Korean paradox: Why giving up on reunification could make it happen](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-korean-paradox-why-giving-up-on-reunification-could-make-it-happen/) - April 15, 2026 - [Is South Korea starting to give up on re-unification?](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-south-korea-starting-to-give-up-on-re-unification/) - March 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Is%20South%20Korea%20starting%20to%20give%20up%20on%20re-unification%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Is%20South%20Korea%20starting%20to%20give%20up%20on%20re-unification%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Is%20South%20Korea%20starting%20to%20give%20up%20on%20re-unification%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-south-korea-starting-to-give-up-on-re-unification/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Is%20South%20Korea%20starting%20to%20give%20up%20on%20re-unification%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-south-korea-starting-to-give-up-on-re-unification/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Is%20South%20Korea%20starting%20to%20give%20up%20on%20re-unification%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [The campaign to nominate Kim Jong-un for a Nobel Peace Prize](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-campaign-to-nominate-kim-jong-un-for-a-nobel-peace-prize/) **Published:** March 18, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-18-at-3.03.56-PM.jpg "Students of the baekdu praise committee staged a welcoming march for kim jongun in seoul on december 23 2018 image courtesy of news1 | nk insider")Until the arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat was nominated for and then shockingly awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, to the eternal infamy of the Nobel Committee, the most absurd nominations for the award were those made in for[ Adolf Hitler](https://www.nobelpeacecenter.org/en/news/hitler-as-a-nobel-laureate) in 1939 and for[ Joseph Stalin](https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/nobel-peace-prize-nominees.html) in 1948. For some reason, however, their fellow tyrant and mass murderer Mao Zedong was overlooked for that honor, and since the Khmer Rouge regime was overthrown only a few years after its inception, Pol Pot’s foremost defender in the West,[ Noam Chomsky](https://newcriterion.com/article/the-hypocrisy-of-noam-chomsky/), never had an opportunity to nominate him. Looking more closely, we might say that Hitler’s nomination didn’t really count, since it was proposed by the anti-Nazi Swedish parliamentarian Erik Brandt to mock the German dictator, as a form of ironical protest. The nomination of Stalin, however, was serious. Its author was a Czech intellectual the year of the communist coup in Czechoslovakia. Stalin didn’t win, but he established his [Stalin Peace Prize](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Stalin_Peace_Prize_recipients) (renamed the Lenin Peace Prize after his death) which was awarded to various pro-Stalin communists and other far-left figures around the world. This latter group included two Stalin fans who supported North Korea during the Korean War, [Paul Robeson](https://coldwar.unc.edu/2019/01/hands-off-korea-rally/), an American, and Briton[ Monica Felton](https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP80-00810A002200150005-6.pdf). A high-ranking North Korean official and former Soviet intelligence agent,[ Pak Chong-ae](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/20080106/250-union-of-women), was also a recipient, although she was eventually purged by Kim Il-sung in the mid-1960s. Not to be outdone, the North Korean regime established its own award for foreigners in 1993. The [International Kim Il-sung Prize](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Kim_Il_Sung_Prize) was given to leading promoters of the Kim dynasty cult. One winner of was Kim Jong-il, although some suspect that a little nepotism and unfair influence may have been involved in that choice. Several Korean Americans known for their support of the North Korean regime and promotion of the Kim dynasty cult have been honored for their propaganda work in the U.S. These include: [Roh Kil-nam](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=30948), the late founding editor of the hardcore pro-North and racist group and website Minjok Tongshin; his longtime rival Yoon Kil-sang, the former head of the equally pro-North and racist group and website Korean American National Coordinating Council (KANCC); the current KANCC leader and Juche ideology expert Kim Hyun-hwan; and their fellow North Korean agent of influence and rabidly antisemitic pro-North activist Chung Ki-yeol. All have been awarded medals for their loyalty to the North, either as award prizes or in the form of honorary doctorates. Perhaps an even greater honor, from their perspective, was that some of these figures were granted audiences with Kim Il-sung, the idol of their fervent devotion. As appalling as it may seem, even if not very surprising, pro-North Korean activists in the ROK and the U.S. have recently initiated a campaign to support the nomination of Kim Jong-un for the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2018, the founder and leader of the pro-North front group Women Cross DMZ posted on social media that both North Korea and South Korea should get the Nobel, but it is unclear if she thought up this idea herself or if it was suggested to her by comrades at the North Korean Mission to the United Nations in New York. The editor of the far-left magazine The Nation went even further, urging that the Nobel be given to Kim Jong-un, Moon Jae-in, and Women Cross DMZ. As for the North Koreans,[ Radio Free Asia](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/kim-nobel-prize-02262019101547.html) reported in 2019 that the North’s propagandists were telling their people that Kim was a front-runner for the Nobel. Officials reportedly claimed Western media were mentioning Kim as a potential winner. However, the propagandists did not apparently explain any details about the Nobel to their audiences, who likely had little or no knowledge of its nature or significance. More recently, last May, other pro-North Korean individuals in the U.S. and the ROK renewed the campaign. According to the report on the ROK-based hardcore pro-North Korean, rabidly anti-American website Jaju Sibo, which also features racist and antisemitic content, a South Korean university student who had completely his military service,[ Baek Ryung](https://www.jajusibo.com/sub_read.html?uid=67750§ion=sc64), proposed that North Korea deserved to be given a Nobel because it was an important force for peace in the world. Young Mr. Baek added that he hoped that if the North got the award, that would help to dispel some of the negative perceptions people have about it, like the allegedly false information that causes people to misunderstand its apparently peaceful nature. Baek also called for an end to U.S.-ROK joint military exercises and demanded the U.S. stop what he claimed was interference in ROK domestic affairs and its alleged efforts to prevent North-South reconciliation and peace. To support his contention that the North had been exceedingly patient and forbearing in contrast to the ROK, he quoted a legislator of the South Korean Democratic Party of Korea and a far-left YouTube show host who had expressed that same view. He even set up a[ Facebook account](https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122094001670867179&id=61576015372233&rdid=rzq3NYXgpOqzDmfa#) and a[ response page](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mHwBqhcCvo4ylM1DepQGHYQI3lyUiFcZlJSLqyAj0ow/viewform?pli=1&pli=1&edit_requested=true) for people to join his campaign. His views about the admirable patience and forbearance of the North are shared not only by left-wing politicians and pundits, but also apparently by President[ Lee Jae-myung](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=109658) himself, who in excusing a North Korean missile test, said in October of 2025 that Kim Jong-un had been exceedingly patient with the ROK. In late 2025, having become somewhat of a star among extreme-left forces due to his publicity stunt regarding the Nobel, Baek was a speaker at rallies held by the notoriously anti-U.S. and North Korea-sympathizing[ “Candlelight Action Movement,”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BvyQXbo1Ic) where he called for increased struggle against the U.S. He is the leader of a group called the[ Student Sit-in Group for Self-Reliance and Independence](https://www.jajusibo.com/68844), which holds protests in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. At one such protest, he and his comrades put on a little street theater performance, in which they sang their so-called “Song for the Withdrawal of U.S. Forces in Korea,” which is certainly not a K-Pop tune, but might easily top the charts in Pyongyang. At another rally against what he called American “gangsters,” Baek declared “We must teach the U.S. a lesson,” and “We will make the United States kneel before the dignity of the sovereign people.” While he claims that North Korea is misunderstood and being unfairly demonized, Baek’s worldview, and with where his sympathies lay, are clear for all to see. Upon learning of Baek’s proposal,[ pro-North activists in the U.S. heartily endorsed it](https://www.jajusibo.com/67853), but with one slight modification. Hardcore pro-North Korean activist[ Lee Heung-no](https://www.jajusibo.com/67853) of the Washington, D.C. area, who is a columnist for the Minjok Tongshin and Korean American National Coordinating Council sites, wrote an article posted by Minjok Tongshin and Jaju Sibo last May in which he suggested that the Nobel be awarded not to North Korea as a nation, but rather to Kim Jong-un as an individual. Comrade Lee is a[ strong supporter of Russia](https://www.jajusibo.com/66296) and Putin’s war against Ukraine. He previously lived in the USSR where he worked for the Soviet government, but now lives in the U.S. He wrote that Kim deserved the award not only for promoting peace on the Korean peninsula, but also for his dispatch of troops to defend Russia from the “aggression” of Ukraine. “I think it would be good for North Korea to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, but it would be even better if North Korea’s head of state, Chairman Kim Jong-un, received the Nobel Peace Prize,” he wrote. The director of a Korean American entity called the “Citizens’ School” in the Washington, D.C. area, Lee has been a leading pro-North activist there for many years,[ serving as an official](https://www.minplusnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=10576) of the local branches of the (formerly named) 6.15 Committee and the Korean American National Coordinating Council. His mindset is clearly demonstrated by his articles for Minjok Tonghin and Jaju Sibo, in which he has written that President Trump is[ “like a bloodless, tearless Jewish money lender,”](https://www.jajusibo.com/65649) and that the ROK’s first President Syngman Rhee was a “traitor” who[ “enjoyed the world with Western women.”](https://minjok.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=tongil&wr_id=22211) Lee is a friend and supporter of Michael Jang (Chang Min-ho), the Korean American convicted in the ROK for his role in the North Korean “Ilshimhoe” spy ring. Although the campaign to nominate Kim Jong-un for the Nobel Peace Prize is obviously preposterous, it is what one might expect to hear from the delusional extremists of the pro-North movement in the ROK and the U.S. As for Lee Heung-no, there is one accusation he made in[ a 2015 article](http://kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=7760&page=2286) which hopefully does have some merit to it. In it, Lee complained to his comrades that a certain researcher by the name of Lawrence Peck was doing serious harm to the pro-North movement by exposing pro-North groups and activists in the U.S. He was particularly angry that Lawrence Peck had revealed the collaboration between Women Cross DMZ leader Christine Ahn and North Korean intelligence agents, and he believed that it was shameful and scandalous that nothing could be done to stop the damaging work of Mr. Peck. His accusations and concerns, hopefully accurate, are an honor almost as great as the Nobel Prize. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20campaign%20to%20nominate%20Kim%20Jong-un%20for%20a%20Nobel%20Peace%20Prize&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20campaign%20to%20nominate%20Kim%20Jong-un%20for%20a%20Nobel%20Peace%20Prize https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20campaign%20to%20nominate%20Kim%20Jong-un%20for%20a%20Nobel%20Peace%20Prize "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-campaign-to-nominate-kim-jong-un-for-a-nobel-peace-prize/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20campaign%20to%20nominate%20Kim%20Jong-un%20for%20a%20Nobel%20Peace%20Prize&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-campaign-to-nominate-kim-jong-un-for-a-nobel-peace-prize/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20campaign%20to%20nominate%20Kim%20Jong-un%20for%20a%20Nobel%20Peace%20Prize "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Kim Jong-un’s emphasis on women is core part of regime survival strategy](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-uns-emphasis-on-women-is-core-part-of-regime-survival-strategy/) **Published:** March 9, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pic0085256.jpg "Pic0085256 | nk insider")For Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, women are “incomparably beautiful beings” who are indispensable to the revolution and to nation-building. This was how he described them in an address marking International Women’s Day on March 8, according to state media. While his speech followed the typical propaganda style of praising their role in the revolution, it has greater significance this time given the current political currents inside the country. Kim extended “the warmest congratulations” to women nationwide, framing their sacrifice and devotion as the driving force of national development. They are “physically delicate yet possessing firmness… incomparably beautiful beings,” he said, reaffirming their role as indispensable. He had three main messages. First, he reiterated the historical narrative that women have upheld the revolution during times of hardship, reinforcing legitimacy through loyalty to the regime. Second, he reaffirmed the expansion of their role beyond the household to society at large, demanding greater responsibility in the future. Third, he highlighted motherhood. “The sacred calling of ‘mother’ is a source of immense spiritual strength for everyone,” he said. What is particularly noteworthy is that this was not just a holiday greeting. That is because the presence of women in North Korea’s political leadership at this time is unusually prominent. Kim has not hesitated to put female leaders at the forefront. His sister, Kim Yo-jong, has already secured her place at the core of power and is regarded as the de facto “number two.” She has the authority to issue direct messages to South Korea and the United States. Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui likewise stands as the face of North Korean diplomacy on the international stage. Adding to this, the appearance of his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, has sent ripples of speculation both inside and outside the country. Her presence at military events alongside her father suggests more than a simple family reveal. Some analysts believe she is being groomed as a successor. While such conclusions cannot be definitive given the nature of the regime, the implicit message that a woman can also be the top leader is unmistakable. Against this backdrop, Kim’s emphasis on women appears to be a strategic choice aimed at strengthening regime stability and legitimacy. Internal directives repeatedly mention increasing the proportion of female cadres and expanding women’s social participation, partly to address practical issues such as economic hardship and labor shortages. At the same time, it aligns with the image of a “modern state” that Kim’s regime seeks to project. Yet how ordinary North Koreans perceive these changes is another matter. From my own experience as a defector, propaganda about women’s roles was constant, but in reality women bore double burdens at home and in society. Women sustained the market economy, carried the responsibility of family survival, and shouldered most of the household duties. Even today, many interpret slogans like “pillar of the revolution” less as praise than as a way of shifting all responsibility onto them. The rise of figures like Kim Yo-jong or Choe Son-hui is intriguing, but few believe it translates into improved status for women in general. Most remain focused on immediate concerns: survival, crackdowns, and raising children. Nevertheless, this speech confirms that North Korea is treating the women’s issue not merely as a propaganda tool but as a key pillar of the regime’s maintenance strategy. Kim’s call for women to “fulfill the sacred mission entrusted to them before the motherland” ultimately signals that even greater roles and responsibilities will be demanded of them. North Korean women are already among the strongest and most devoted people. My hope is that their strength will one day be used to transform their own lives. If today’s emphasis on women becomes more than propaganda—if it plants seeds of genuine change—it could mark the beginning of something far more meaningful. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20emphasis%20on%20women%20is%20core%20part%20of%20regime%20survival%20strategy&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20emphasis%20on%20women%20is%20core%20part%20of%20regime%20survival%20strategy https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20emphasis%20on%20women%20is%20core%20part%20of%20regime%20survival%20strategy "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-uns-emphasis-on-women-is-core-part-of-regime-survival-strategy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20emphasis%20on%20women%20is%20core%20part%20of%20regime%20survival%20strategy&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-uns-emphasis-on-women-is-core-part-of-regime-survival-strategy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20emphasis%20on%20women%20is%20core%20part%20of%20regime%20survival%20strategy "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Is Kim Ju-ae being groomed for a support role?](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-kim-ju-ae-being-groomed-for-a-support-role/) **Published:** March 17, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-10-at-2 29 34-pm.jpg "Screenshot 20260310 at 2 29 34 pm | nk insider")One question that keeps surfacing in the news these days is whether Kim Ju-ae will be anointed the official successor to her father, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Analysts offer many interpretations. Yet, from the perspective of someone who lived in North Korea, these debates can sometimes feel very remote. When I was there, I had no access to detailed information about the inner workings of power. But I did experience firsthand how society functions and how people perceive the leader’s family. That is why I have my own thoughts when I follow today’s debate. Personally, I think it is quite possible that Kim Ju-ae is being groomed as a successor. Her repeated appearances at official events over the past few years are unusual to say the least. I say that because the public exposure of a leader’s child is carefully managed. Bringing a young daughter to a military event or a state ceremony carries a message, even if we don’t know what it is exactly. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-10-at-2 29 14-pm-1024x673.jpg "Screenshot 20260310 at 2 29 14 pm | nk insider")Kim Ju‑ae, daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong‑un, watches the target as she stands beside her father while he aims a sniper rifle on Feb 27(Image: KCNA)In my day, the leader’s family was a mystery. No photos or names were revealed. Against that backdrop, there is no question that Kim Ju-ae’s appearances are deliberate. Another reason I think this way relates to Kim Jong-un’s own path to power. He inherited leadership suddenly after his father Kim Jong-il’s death. He had had no preparation. That was evident in the early years of his rule when rapid reshuffling of power created tension and upheaval. The 2013 execution of his own uncle, Jang Song-thaek, a central figure in the party and state, was a prime example of this restructuring. I believe Kim himself must have felt great pressure and confusion from the lack of a proper succession process. If so, he may want to spare his child from the same experience. Hence the decision to expose her early to political settings and let her absorb the atmosphere of power naturally. But then another intriguing possibility comes to mind. Consider for a moment if the rumors Kim has a son are true. Why, then, would he be putting his daughter forward now? A clue lies in the nature of the current power structure. Although the system appears to concentrate all authority in one leader, family roles and divisions of responsibility are also crucial. Kim’s sister Yo-jong is a clear example. She is not the supreme leader, and yet she wields significant political influence. This makes me wonder if, assuming a son exists, Kim Ju-ae is being introduced first to gain political experience, with a view to her serving later to support a brother, much as Kim Yo-jong supports Kim Jong-un. Of course, this is only my personal view. North Korea is so opaque that few can speak with certainty. That all said, my heart shifts when I see how much attention South Korea devotes to analyzing all this. It is important, yes. But not for North Koreans. Their biggest worries are not about who will inherit power, but about survival. How to endure the winter? How to find food? How to protect my family? More than who the successor will be is whether that person will make their lives a little more bearable. I hope that one day, people will talk not about their leader’s name, but about their own lives. When that day comes, today’s endless debates over succession will remain as a blip in history. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Is%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20being%20groomed%20for%20a%20support%20role%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Is%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20being%20groomed%20for%20a%20support%20role%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Is%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20being%20groomed%20for%20a%20support%20role%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-kim-ju-ae-being-groomed-for-a-support-role/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Is%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20being%20groomed%20for%20a%20support%20role%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-kim-ju-ae-being-groomed-for-a-support-role/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Is%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20being%20groomed%20for%20a%20support%20role%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Whither North Korea? The differing fates of the “axis of evil” countries](https://www.nkinsider.org/whither-north-korea-the-differing-fates-of-the-axis-of-evil-countries/) **Published:** March 14, 2026 **Author:** Yoonseo Im **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1-1.jpg "1 | nk insider")The current U.S. war with Iran, and questions it has raised about the significance for North Korea, highlights a key difference between the two states’ relations with Washington. That is, the willingness to negotiate. In this aspect, Tehran and Pyongyang have moved along sharply different paths. Going back a few years, Iran sought dialogue with the international community. A reformist president, Mohammad Khatami, in 1997 pursued political and social reforms, opened the economy, and sought improved relations with the United States. That overture was met by an initial limited gesture from Washington. Specifically, in March 2000, then-Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright announced the easing of some sanctions to allow imports of Iranian carpets, caviar, pistachios and dried fruits. However, the tentative thaw did not last. After the George W. Bush administration took office, the atmosphere shifted sharply. In 2002, the existence of a covert uranium-enrichment facility at Natanz was publicly revealed by an Iranian opposition group, and led to intensifying pressure for tighter restrictions and sanctions. Despite these tensions, over time, Iran still chose a negotiated route. This time, it culminated in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, reached in 2015 with the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany. Under the deal, Iran accepted sweeping constraints on its nuclear activities and expanded international oversight in return for sanctions relief. Among the best-known limits were a 3.67 percent cap on uranium enrichment for 15 years and a reduction in installed centrifuges. The agreement also provided for more intrusive inspections, including daily access at Natanz and Fordow for 15 years and application of the I.A.E.A.’s Additional Protocol. Yet this diplomatic achievement proved fragile. In 2018, the first Trump administration announced that the United States would withdraw from the JCPOA and reimpose sanctions, a move that heightened military tensions in the region. Subsequently, last June, after Trump was re-elected, the U.S. along with Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military facilities. Now, roughly eight months later, the two countries have launched a large-scale military operation against Iran. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2-1-1024x576.jpg "2 | nk insider")We should compare this history with Iraq. While Iran negotiated over decades, Iraq did nothing to dispel the evidence fears of America and its allies that it was harboring nuclear weapons. If anything, it found the fears convenient. But that posture led two decades ago to an invasion and regime change. North Korea’s trajectory, meanwhile, diverged from both Iraq’s and Iran’s. In missiles, it has steadily expanded its capability over decades. On the development of nuclear material, it took a very different path from Iran, but avoided the fate of Iraq. While Pyongyang had agreed to freeze its nuclear program under the Agreed Framework as far back as 1994, relations with Washington deteriorated rapidly after then–U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly in 2002 raised suspicions about a uranium enrichment program. As a result, the agreement effectively fell apart. In light of global events, many experts have argued that North Korea’s conviction to hold onto its nuclear program hardened as it watched the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the rapid collapse of Saddam Hussein’s government. One former American diplomatic official said that in foreign-policy circles at the time, it was widely assumed “Pyongyang was watching the invasion closely — and that the episode may have strengthened internal arguments that the country needed a credible deterrent.” It announced it was withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), the global pact whereby every country, bar the main nuclear powers, agrees to not develop such weapons. Following this, from 2006 to 2017, Pyongyang conducted six nuclear tests, thereby signaling to the world that it was accelerating its weapons program. This was despite successive rounds of attempted diplomacy and international sanctions. Eventually, after testing the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November 2017, the Kim Jong-un regime declared that it had finally completed its state nuclear force. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/3-1-1024x576.jpg "3 | nk insider")An illustration shows U.S. President George W. Bush delivering the State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 29, 2002. Courtesy of the White HouseLooking back, history sometimes leads to endings few could have envisioned. In 2002, Bush grouped Iraq, Iran and North Korea together as an “axis of evil.” Yet, twenty-four years later, the three have faced sharply different outcomes. Iraq was invaded. Iran pursued negotiations and still came under attack. Consequently, what now worries many in the region is what Iran’s situation in 2026 may signal to North Korea — and whether it will reinforce Pyongyang’s conviction that it should build even more. For South Korea, in particular, the security threat continues to grow. North Korea has made clear it has no intention of giving up its nuclear arsenal. Moreover, over the past two decades, cycles of diplomacy and sanctions have done little to halt Pyongyang’s progress. In this context, the remaining question is whether the international community continues to treat denuclearization as an attainable goal — or whether it moves toward a new framework for managing a nuclear-armed North Korea. It is the question posed by the only country still standing from the “axis of evil.” The answer, for now, remains unresolved. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") [Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/) Yoonseo Im is a Seoul-based trilingual journalist and researcher. Growing up in three different countries has shaped her international perspective on the Korean Peninsula. She is a Ph.D. candidate in International Studies and holds prior degrees in Political Science and International Relations. She is also active in multiple research organizations focused on regional issues, including North Korean affairs. Her work explores the intersection of economics, industry, politics, and security in Korea and the broader region, combining academic expertise with reporting experience gained through field journalism. Contact: yxn.contact@gmail.com [![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") Latest posts by Yoonseo Im ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/)) - [North Korea isn’t building the next ChatGPT. It’s building something else.](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/) - June 14, 2026 - [May Day and the unheard cry beneath the propaganda ](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/) - May 13, 2026 - [North Korea’s new cybercriminals](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/) - April 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Whither%20North%20Korea%3F%20The%20differing%20fates%20of%20the%20%E2%80%9Caxis%20of%20evil%E2%80%9D%20countries&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Whither%20North%20Korea%3F%20The%20differing%20fates%20of%20the%20%E2%80%9Caxis%20of%20evil%E2%80%9D%20countries https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Whither%20North%20Korea%3F%20The%20differing%20fates%20of%20the%20%E2%80%9Caxis%20of%20evil%E2%80%9D%20countries "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/whither-north-korea-the-differing-fates-of-the-axis-of-evil-countries/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Whither%20North%20Korea%3F%20The%20differing%20fates%20of%20the%20%E2%80%9Caxis%20of%20evil%E2%80%9D%20countries&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/whither-north-korea-the-differing-fates-of-the-axis-of-evil-countries/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Whither%20North%20Korea%3F%20The%20differing%20fates%20of%20the%20%E2%80%9Caxis%20of%20evil%E2%80%9D%20countries "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) **Published:** March 10, 2026 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-10-at-5 34 31-pm.jpg "Screenshot 20260310 at 5 34 31 pm | nk insider")The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has launched Tyranny Tracker — a qualitative democracy index that classifies countries and territories as democratic, hybrid authoritarian, or fully authoritarian. What sets the Tracker apart is its methodology. In contrast to indices that rely mainly on quantitative data, the Tracker emphasizes qualitative analysis that captures nuances the numbers often miss. It highlights executive-led backsliding, such as the forced closure of major media or the skewing of elections to block opposition. Tyranny Tracker also underscores judicial independence, recognizing that democracy ends when courts can no longer restrain authoritarian executives. The methodology draws on interviews, academic literature, civil society reports, and over two decades of HRF’s experience defending dissidents. This makes the Tracker both rigorous and rooted in lived experience. For me, Tyranny Tracker is deeply personal. I was born in North Korea, a country it rightly identifies as fully authoritarian. Growing up under one of the world’s most repressive regimes, I experienced what it means when dissent is criminalized, courts are powerless, and elections are staged rituals. I know what it is like when telling the truth costs a person their freedom. To survive, I learned silence. To dream, I learned secrecy. And yet, I found, even in the darkest places and at the darkest times, cracks appear in the facade of tyranny. The Tracker defines **democracies** as systems with free and fair elections, freedom to criticize the government, and independent courts capable of checking abuse. **Hybrid regimes** erode democracy while maintaining a façade of legitimacy through manipulated elections and blocked transitions of power. **Fully authoritarian regimes** — like North Korea — eliminate competition and dissent, control the judiciary, rig elections, silence media, and target both real and perceived opponents with arrests and killings. Authoritarianism is not the exception. It is the dominant mode of governance worldwide. The data is sobering: 75% of the world’s population — 6.1 billion people — live under authoritarian rule. Of these, 3 billion live under fully authoritarian regimes and 3.1 billion under hybrid regimes. Only 25% — 2.9 billion people — live in democracies. Global trends revealed by the Tracker are stark. In Africa, 91% of countries are authoritarian, driven by coups and dismantled term limits. In the Americas, only 7% are authoritarian, though consolidation of power threatens checks and balances. The Asia-Pacific region is 87% authoritarian, the epicenter of hybrid regimes and transnational repression. In Europe and Central Asia, 38% are authoritarian, with ruling parties entrenching themselves through institutional capture. And in the Middle East and North Africa, 98% are authoritarian, characterized by sham elections and repression. For those of us from places like North Korea, the Tracker is more than research. It is a weapon of truth. It educates the public, pressures regimes, and reminds those trapped under oppression that the world is watching. It tells them that their suffering is not invisible. Tools like the Tyranny Tracker strengthen efforts to document authoritarianism and give hope that those cracks in tyranny will one day widen into freedom. When I see North Korea’s classification, I feel both sorrow and determination — sorrow because it confirms the reality I know too well, determination because it shows authoritarianism can be named, studied, and challenged. And one day, those cracks may split open into freedom for my homeland and for billions worldwide. *To learn more, visit [tyrannytracker.org](https://tyrannytracker.org/ "tyrannytracker.org").* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") [Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/) Seongmin is the director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation. [![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") Latest posts by Seongmin Lee ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/)) - [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) - March 10, 2026 - [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) - January 10, 2025 - [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - January 9, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Tyranny%20Tracker%3A%20identifying%20authoritarianism%2C%20illuminating%20freedom&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Tyranny%20Tracker%3A%20identifying%20authoritarianism%2C%20illuminating%20freedom https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Tyranny%20Tracker%3A%20identifying%20authoritarianism%2C%20illuminating%20freedom "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Tyranny%20Tracker%3A%20identifying%20authoritarianism%2C%20illuminating%20freedom&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Tyranny%20Tracker%3A%20identifying%20authoritarianism%2C%20illuminating%20freedom "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [What does the attack on Iran mean for North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-does-the-attack-on-iran-mean-for-north-korea/) **Published:** March 10, 2026 **Author:** Yoonseo Im **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1.jpg "1 | nk insider")Missiles have been crisscrossing Middle Eastern skies in early March, as the American and Israeli war on Iran enters its second week. The immediate backdrop to the fighting was a breakdown in talks, after a third round of meetings in Geneva between American and Iranian officials, mediated by Oman, ended on February 26 without a resolution. At the center of the impasse was uranium enrichment. The Trump administration’s position has been “zero enrichment,” a demand that Iran give up any enrichment capability. Iranian officials said they could not accept that demand. Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, framed enrichment for peaceful purposes as an “inalienable right” that Iran would not relinquish. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2-1024x768.jpg "2 | nk insider")Missiles are seen being intercepted in the sky above Doha, Qatar on March 6, 2026, in this image provided by a local contactA day later, President Trump authorized Operation Epic Fury, and American forces began striking targets in Iran on Feb. 28. As the war unfolded, another tableau was taking shape far from the Gulf. in Pyongyang, Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, said he would focus on expanding his country’s nuclear arsenal. “What is of the most important and strategic significance is that the DPRK’s position as a nuclear weapons state has been consolidated to be irreversible and permanent,” state-run KCNA quoted him saying. One side of the region was watching nuclear-related sites come under attack, another was pledging to further fortify them. History, at times, can read like a grim joke. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/3-1024x576.jpg "3 | nk insider")In 2002, then-U.S. President George W. Bush bundled Iraq, Iran and North Korea together in his first State of the Union address, calling them an “axis of evil” that threatened global peace. At the time, the three countries were grouped in Washington’s view as states pursuing weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorism. But 24 years later, their trajectories have sharply diverged. The first to collide directly with Western power was Iraq. In March 2003, the United States invaded, arguing that Saddam Hussein’s government possessed weapons of mass destruction and was pursuing nuclear arms. Then-Secretary of State Colin Powell presented intelligence to the United Nations in an effort to build international backing. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/4.jpg "4 | nk insider")President George W. Bush speaks with Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld outside the Oval Office on March 19, 2003, shortly after approving Operation Iraqi Freedom. (Source : George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum)But the American-led hunt for illicit weapons ultimately produced a different conclusion. In October 2004, the Iraq Survey Group report, led by Charles A. Duelfer, said Iraq had essentially destroyed its illicit weapons capability in the months after the 1991 Gulf War, and that by the time of the 2003 invasion it had not possessed military-scale stockpiles of banned weapons for years. The question that lingers is what message Iraq’s fate sent to the other two countries once branded alongside it — Iran and North Korea — and how each drew its own conclusions from the same history. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") [Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/) Yoonseo Im is a Seoul-based trilingual journalist and researcher. Growing up in three different countries has shaped her international perspective on the Korean Peninsula. She is a Ph.D. candidate in International Studies and holds prior degrees in Political Science and International Relations. She is also active in multiple research organizations focused on regional issues, including North Korean affairs. Her work explores the intersection of economics, industry, politics, and security in Korea and the broader region, combining academic expertise with reporting experience gained through field journalism. Contact: yxn.contact@gmail.com [![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") Latest posts by Yoonseo Im ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/)) - [North Korea isn’t building the next ChatGPT. It’s building something else.](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/) - June 14, 2026 - [May Day and the unheard cry beneath the propaganda ](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/) - May 13, 2026 - [North Korea’s new cybercriminals](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/) - April 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20does%20the%20attack%20on%20Iran%20mean%20for%20North%20Korea%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%20does%20the%20attack%20on%20Iran%20mean%20for%20North%20Korea%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%20does%20the%20attack%20on%20Iran%20mean%20for%20North%20Korea%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-does-the-attack-on-iran-mean-for-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%20does%20the%20attack%20on%20Iran%20mean%20for%20North%20Korea%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-does-the-attack-on-iran-mean-for-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%20does%20the%20attack%20on%20Iran%20mean%20for%20North%20Korea%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [The horizon I had to cross, the life I had to endure](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-horizon-i-had-to-cross-the-life-i-had-to-endure/) **Published:** March 10, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Istock-1217031379.jpg "Young man enjoys the sunset at the dock | nk insider")The nights in my hometown were not a time for dreaming. Life then was a matter of endurance and the night the only time to lay down to gather strength for the next day. As a North Korean, this was not something that I took to be normal. I am, after all, a human being like anyone else. Everyone dreams of a happy and free life. I was one of them. Yet I realized, quite late, that such dreams are not granted to everyone from the same starting line. Depending on the society a person is born into, a dream can be a goal attainable through effort, or a luxury he is forbidden even to imagine. On this small territory of the Korean peninsula lies the divided reality of North and South. We share the same language and history, but our two societies have gone off in completely different directions. In the South, people worry about how to live better. In the North, we worry each day about survival. Life, then, is less about dreaming of tomorrow, and more about simply making it through to meet it. Days repeat endlessly, filled with worry about food, clothing, and shelter. The first thought upon waking is anxiety over what to eat. Fatigue and unease are etched in the faces of people on the way to school and to work. In such a world, it feels less like living and more like enduring time. This is why North Koreans look to South Korea with such longing. Despite years of information blockage and lies, we all know now that South Korea is a prosperous nation. We know people there can make free choices. Our longing is not mere curiosity. It is a desperate wish to live with dignity. Looking back from the other side and facing that gaze, I realize that the place I now stand is never something to be taken for granted. One day, a small incident happened in an alley that I can never forget. On one side of the alley there was a ramshackle wooden fence, and on the other, a solid concrete wall. A man walking along looked at the two barriers and casually joked: “Even here, North and South are divided.” It did not sound funny to me. For him, the difference between the wooden fence and the concrete wall symbolized the difference between the two Korean systems. They reflected the respective value placed on life itself. There in the alley, one side had a temporary boundary, the other an unyielding barrier. At that moment, I realized division was not just a line drawn on a map. It had seeped deep into people’s perceptions, thoughts, and daily lives. For me, crossing the horizon had not been simply a physical journey. It was a transformation of life’s conditions, a choice to reclaim dignity. From afar, the horizon looks like a beautiful meeting of sea and sky. But to actually cross it requires the courage to leave behind everything familiar and step into an entirely new and different world. Each day had to be endured amidst fear, uncertainty, and unshakable longing. Even beyond the horizon, another reality awaited. Yet one truth remains clear. That is that those harshest of times were never in vain. Had I not crossed that distant horizon, I would still be living in a society where dreams were forbidden. I have not yet reached complete happiness, but at least I live a life where I can choose. That difference is greater and more precious than I can express. The horizon I had to cross was the boundary that split my life, and the time I had to endure left marks that made me stronger. This story may feel remote to some. But countless people in North Korea, even now, gaze at the horizon in our southward direction, enduring today in hopes of a tomorrow they may never reach. On the map, that horizon was clearly marked. But at sea, nothing was visible. Still, invisibility does not mean nonexistence. That unseen boundary continues to divide countless lives. As someone who has crossed it, I hope for the day when anyone can freely speak of their dreams. Until that day comes, I will not forget the time and memories I lived through, and I will continue to tell this story. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20horizon%20I%20had%20to%20cross%2C%20the%20life%20I%20had%20to%20endure&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20horizon%20I%20had%20to%20cross%2C%20the%20life%20I%20had%20to%20endure https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20horizon%20I%20had%20to%20cross%2C%20the%20life%20I%20had%20to%20endure "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-horizon-i-had-to-cross-the-life-i-had-to-endure/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20horizon%20I%20had%20to%20cross%2C%20the%20life%20I%20had%20to%20endure&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-horizon-i-had-to-cross-the-life-i-had-to-endure/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20horizon%20I%20had%20to%20cross%2C%20the%20life%20I%20had%20to%20endure "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) **Published:** March 7, 2026 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Istock-1125827346_somkhane-sawatdinak.jpg "United states investment in north korea for economic development | nk insider")Exchange rates for the U.S. dollar and Chinese yuan in North Korea are showing unstable fluctuations. Recent reports indicate that in border regions between North Korea and China, rates spiked to record highs before easing. In Hyesan in Yanggang Province and in Hoeryong in North Hamgyong Province, the dollar rate doubled from around 30,000 won before Lunar New Year to over 60,000 won, before falling again. As of March 3, the greenback was at about 47,000 won in Hyesan and 43,000 won in Hoeryong. The yuan showed a similar trend. In Hyesan, the rate jumped from around 5,000 won at the end of February to 7,700 won (a 54% increase), then fell to 6,500 won by March 3 (a 16% drop). In Hoeryong, the yuan rose to 7,500 won but dropped to 6,300 won (also a 16% decline) over the same period. Thus, both currencies reached historic highs before retreating slightly. Analysts attribute this to the suspension of customs operations and state-led smuggling since December, which temporarily reduced demand for foreign currency. During the Lunar New Year period, rumors spread that customs offices would remain open without holiday closures, driving up demand for foreign currency among residents trying to import goods, which in turn pushed exchange rates sharply higher. Currently, with smuggling still halted, demand for foreign currency has weakened, leading to falling rates. However, if smuggling resumes, rates are expected to rise again. “Goods ordered from North Korea since December have been stuck for over three months. These are mostly items subject to sanctions, such as cars, trucks, home appliances, and auto parts,” said a knowledgeable Chinese source. “Since these goods were purchased with money from North Korea, the country is short of circulating foreign currency,” he said. “If customs reopens, demand for foreign currency will surge, and with limited supply, exchange rates will inevitably rise again.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Exchange%20rates%20surge%2C%20then%20drop%20slightly%E2%80%A6%20Yuan%20reaches%207%2C700%20won&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Exchange%20rates%20surge%2C%20then%20drop%20slightly%E2%80%A6%20Yuan%20reaches%207%2C700%20won https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Exchange%20rates%20surge%2C%20then%20drop%20slightly%E2%80%A6%20Yuan%20reaches%207%2C700%20won "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Exchange%20rates%20surge%2C%20then%20drop%20slightly%E2%80%A6%20Yuan%20reaches%207%2C700%20won&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Exchange%20rates%20surge%2C%20then%20drop%20slightly%E2%80%A6%20Yuan%20reaches%207%2C700%20won "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [North Korea extends strategic nuclearization to its navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-extends-strategic-nuclearization-to-its-navy/) **Published:** March 7, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Kim-jong-un-inspects-the-destroyer-choe-hyon-2.jpg "Kim jongun inspects the destroyer choe hyon2 | nk insider")North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the Nampo Shipyard and the new destroyer Choe Hyon on March 3 and 4, according to KCNA. Kim inspected the ship’s combat‑political training status, sailing performance, weapons‑system operating capability, and the final pre‑commissioning stage of operational capability evaluation, the state news agency reported. Kim boarded the vessel to check the sailors’ navigation training and weapons‑system readiness posture, after which he observed a test launch of a sea‑to‑ground strategic cruise missile. He expressed satisfaction with the test results, calling it “a key element in evaluating the ship’s operational capability.” The sailors were “very well‑trained in conducting strategic attacks” using the new destroyer, he said, emphasizing that the navy’s force‑building efforts are progressing as planned. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Kim-jong-un-inspects-the-destroyer-choe-hyon-1-1024x677.jpg "Kim jongun inspects the destroyer choe hyon1 | nk insider")Image/KCNAThe report indicates that Kim was not merely inspecting weapons, but rather was demonstrating that he is personally leading the process of elevating the navy as a new pillar of strategic nuclear forces. “The nuclear armament of the navy is being carried out satisfactorily,” Kim said. Use of the term “strategic attack” was significant. The North Koreans use it to refer to the ability to strike an adversary’s leadership, cities, or critical infrastructure with nuclear weapons or other strategic‑level WMDs, capabilities that threaten the very survival of a state, far beyond simple tactical engagements. The test of a sea‑launched strategic cruise missile introduces a new dimension of threat to South Korea’s security. Cruise missiles fly at low altitudes, making them difficult to detect, and their mobile launch platforms allow the North Korean navy to fire them from anywhere in the East or West Sea with little warning. Pyongyang has already hinted at the possibility of equipping cruise missiles with nuclear warheads, meaning the entire peninsula could fall within a blind spot for sea‑based nuclear attacks. South Korea’s existing KAMD missile‑defense system is optimized for intercepting ballistic missiles, leaving it relatively vulnerable to sea-launched cruise missiles. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Kim-jong-un-inspects-the-destroyer-choe-hyon-3-1024x684.jpg "Kim jongun inspects the destroyer choe hyon3 | nk insider")Image/KCNAWith Kim’s current five-year plan calling for two destroyers to be built every year, it is likely, given the limited domestic shipbuilding capacity, that the Russians may provide some form of assistance. Analysts say that since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Russia has in fact been providing technologies, such as ship design, electronic warfare and navigation systems, in exchange for North Korean ammunition and missiles. The sudden acceleration building destroyers, plus improvements in the precision and range of the strategic cruise missiles, strongly suggest that Russian technical assistance may already be engaged. North Korea’s military acceleration is also closely tied to the broader international situation. With the U.S. and Israel targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities, Pyongyang sees a potential threat that could be applied to itself. Kim’s declaration about safeguarding sovereignty “not with words or writings but with actual capability and action” indicates that he is pursuing an even more preemptive and aggressive buildup. A [recent report ](https://static.heritage.org/2026/Military_Index/2026_IndexOfUSMilitaryStrength.pdf?_gl=1*inueg0*_gcl_au*MTc5MDkyMTQ3NS4xNzY4OTE5Njgy*_ga*MzI0MTkwOTA2LjE3NjA5NjY5ODI.*_ga_W14BT6YQ87*czE3NzI2MzM0MTQkbzI4MCRnMSR0MTc3MjY0MDAwOCRqMjQkbDAkaDA. "recent report ")by the Heritage Foundation, the 2026 Index of U.S. Military Strength, underscores international concern that the North is already able to target the U.S. mainland. The report says Pyongyang can strike the U.S. mainland with intercontinental ballistic missiles and has already achieved nuclear‑warhead miniaturization. It also raises the possibility that, in a conflict, Kim could use nuclear weapons against South Korean ports and airfields to block U.S. reinforcements, or even attempt to decouple the U.S.–ROK alliance by threatening nuclear strikes on the U.S. mainland. These assessments show that North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities have evolved from a regional threat into a direct challenge to U.S. national security. Ultimately, Kim’s latest actions indicate that his navy is evolving from a mere defensive force into a second strategic nuclear pillar capable of operating nuclear and strategic missiles. This development inevitably means major changes to the security environment of South Korea and Northeast Asia. North Korea is seeking to secure strategic nuclear‑attack capabilities not only on land and in the air but also at sea, creating a new asymmetric threat that South Korea’s existing defense systems struggle to counter. With such an investment in a multilayered nuclear force that includes the navy, North Korea is making clear that it has no intention of accepting any dialogue premised on giving up nuclear weapons. Kim’s emphasis on building “the strongest navy” and on “actual capability for action” reaffirms that North Korea regards its nuclear arsenal not as a bargaining chip but as the non-negotiable foundation of regime survival. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20extends%20strategic%20nuclearization%20to%20its%20navy&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20extends%20strategic%20nuclearization%20to%20its%20navy https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20extends%20strategic%20nuclearization%20to%20its%20navy "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-extends-strategic-nuclearization-to-its-navy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20extends%20strategic%20nuclearization%20to%20its%20navy&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-extends-strategic-nuclearization-to-its-navy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20extends%20strategic%20nuclearization%20to%20its%20navy "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Never-ending repression: The continuous purges and ideological campaigns of North Korea and other communist regimes](https://www.nkinsider.org/never-ending-repression-the-continuous-purges-and-ideological-campaigns-of-north-korea-and-other-communist-regimes/) **Published:** March 7, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Kim-il-sung-mao-zedong-and-joseph-stalin-image-cheonji-daily.jpg "Kim ilsung mao zedong and joseph stalin image cheonji daily | nk insider")The historiography of communist states often portrays them as featuring cyclical patterns of repression and liberalization, of murderous crackdowns followed by calm and normalcy. However, more perceptive historians see a series of never-ending repression taking the form of political purges and ideological campaigns. Rather than cyclical, the more historically accurate and therefore persuasive approach has been to characterize such regimes as subject to an uninterrupted process of political struggle. The former Soviet Union, its Eastern European satellites, Communist China, and North Korea all demonstrate this pattern, even during periods which were supposedly marked by liberalization and political relaxation. In the Soviet Union, the Leninist terror and war communism during and in the immediate wake of the Bolshevik coup and the civil war were followed by the[ “New Economic Policy,”](https://soviethistory.msu.edu/1921/the-new-economic-policy/) which was seen in purely economic terms as a retreat from total state control, but which in fact was temporary and saw little respite from repression in the overall political realm. In the early 1930s, there was also a period of alleged “normalcy” and “relaxation.” And yet during this time there were not only show trials of imagined opponents of the regime, but also the[ “Holodomor”](https://victimsofcommunism.org/event/the-holodomor/) man-made famine and related purges in the Ukraine. This period was almost immediately followed by the[ “Great Terror”](https://www.hoover.org/research/great-terror-40) of the mid-to-late 1930s. During the war, a relatively more tolerant approach to religion for the purpose of national unity against the invader was accompanied by the[ deportations](https://www.sciencespo.fr/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance/fr/document/soviet-massive-deportations-chronology.html) of entire ethnic groups. Stalin initiated a new round of purges after the war. Even after the so-called “thaw” by Khrushchev after his partial condemnation of some aspects of Stalin’s rule, repression and ideological campaigns continued, including against the diehard Stalinists. In Communist China, even prior to Mao Zedong’s assumption of power, the supposedly “open” atmosphere (presented in contradistinction to those areas under the control of the Nationalist central government) of the Yan’an and other communist base areas, was actually a period of intense and bloody political purges and ideological[ “Rectification”](https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvbtzp48) campaigns which served as models for even more murderous repressions later. The Maoist united front “New Democracy” concept which allowed some aspects of civil society and private economic activity to temporarily survive was accompanied by the severe political persecutions of the regime’s [“Three Anti” and “Five Anti”](http://www.frankdikotter.com/books/the-tragedy-of-liberation/) campaigns and the extremely brutal land reform. The very brief period of the “Hundred Flowers” did not see any truly substantial let up in the persecution of “counter-revolutionaries” or ethnic minority groups, and was in any case soon followed by the[ “Anti-Rightist”](https://www.rfa.org/english/china/china_antirightist-20070619.html) campaign crackdown, which in turn was followed by the “Great Leap Forward” and the “Socialist Education” campaign, which in turn led to the blood-letting and massive purges of the[ “Cultural Revolution.”](https://www.sciencespo.fr/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance/en/document/chronology-mass-killings-during-chinese-cultural-revolution-1966-1976.html) China’s chaotic years of the mid-1960s gave way in the late 1960s and early 1970s, as historians have noted, to the even more severe and deadly military control by the “Revolutionary Committees” and the subsequent[ “Criticize Lin Biao and Confucius”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticize_Lin,_Criticize_Confucius) campaign. Some communist officials were purged, rehabilitated and reinstated, purged again, and then rehabilitated and reinstated several times between the 1930s and the 1970s. During and after the purge of the “Gang of Four,” Maoist diehards were themselves repressed, and new ideological campaigns emerged. The period of relative “liberalization” and “relaxation” of the early 1980s was accompanied by campaigns against “Spiritual Pollution,” and was eventually followed by the brutal repressions during and after the[ Tiananmen massacre](https://hrf.org/latest/remembering-the-tiananmen-square-massacre/) of 1989. Current headlines about China demonstrate the continuous nature of such purges and ideological campaigns. The rule of Xi Jinping has been characterized by constant purges of leading officials, including, most recently, major purges of senior-level military officers. In North Korea, we have also witnessed the never-ending nature of purges and ideological campaigns under Kim Il-sung, his son Kim Jong-il, and his grandson Kim Jong-un. Even in the short period before the Soviets had firmly placed Kim Il-sung in power, there were purges and ideological campaigns ranging from land reform and subsequent total collectivization (which revisionist historians have mischaracterized as being entirely peaceful), the[ repression of Christians](https://www.nkinsider.org/faking-freedom-of-religion-you-can-pray-freely-but-just-so-god-alone-can-hear/), and the[ elimination of nationalist, democratic figures](https://www.jstor.org/stable/651339) such as Cho Man-shik and his followers. To consolidate his rule, in the aftermath of the Korean War, Kim purged[ Pak Hon-yong and South Korean communists](https://time.com/archive/6795617/north-korea-purge-north-of-the-38th/) who had fled to the North before and during the war. He went on to eliminate other real and imagined opponents, such as the old pro-Soviet faction and the pro-China “Yan’an Koreans”in[ the “August Incident,” and later the “Kapsan” faction](https://www.hrnkinsider.org/2021/04/the-true-identity-of-north-korean.html) veterans of the anti-colonial struggles of the 1930s and 1940s, and even some of his own close guerrilla comrades. These purges of factions and individual leaders over the decades coincided with a continuous imposition on society of many major and minor ideological campaigns of various political, economic, and cultural natures, which repressed and created terrible hardships for the people. In addition to the[ “Hate America”](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/banmi-06302022172302.html) and[ “Class Education”](https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%A4%91%EC%95%99%EA%B3%84%EA%B8%89%EA%B5%90%EC%96%91%EA%B4%80) campaigns which have continued from even before the Korean War[ to the present day](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250613006500315), some of the most important of these campaigns included the Stakhanovite-style “[Chollima Movement”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chollima_Movement) of the 1950s, the “Three Revolutions” and “Three Revolution Red Flag Movement” of the 1970s[ linked to the rise of Kim Jong-il](https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/publication/NKIDP_eDossier_4_The_Rise_of_Kim_Jong_Il.pdf). Then there were the “Movement to See the Stars” and the “Speed of the Eighties Campaign” to compel the populace to work harder, the “Arduous March” privations of the famine years, and the[“Deepening Group Incident”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepening_Group_Incident) purges of the late 1990s in the aftermath of the famine, during which the dead body of the purged Minister of Agriculture [So Kwan-hee](https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2010/03/24/6ZZEBLA2FN5SUREVIEY34I7M7A/) was reportedly dug up and shot a second time as a convenient scapegoat for the famine. After the failure of the North’s 2010 currency reform, Pak Nam-gi, who for years was effectively in charge of economic matters, was executed. This was followed in 2013 by Kim Jong-un’s purge of his uncle[ Jang Song-taek](https://www.rfa.org/english/commentaries/parallel-thoughts/jang-song-thaek-12202013190609.html), his close aides, and other officials associated with Jang. The much-touted existence of low-level “Jangmadang” semi-private markets and also black markets which developed after the famine have often been subjected to crackdowns, dispelling the[ exaggerated predictions](https://www.npr.org/2018/06/12/619100379/investors-eager-for-economic-opening-of-north-korea) of some observers that the phenomenon would lead to an official and society-wide opening of the North’s economy. In recent years, the North’s “Anti-Reactionary Thought” law and ideological campaign and related[ movements against “anti-socialist” behavior](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) were motivated by the regime’s efforts to combat outside influences and particularly South Korean culture. All of these examples demonstrate that, rather than looking at the development of these regimes as being marked by fluctuating periods of repression and liberalization, it is more accurate to see them as characterized by continuous, never-ending waves of major and minor political purges and ideological campaigns. Even those periods which appear to temporarily indicate relaxation are nevertheless characterized by continuing repressive measures. Reputable, non-revisionist historians of communist regimes and perceptive observers of current trends in China and North Korea have increasingly come to realize that past predictions that such regimes would inevitably develop in a much more open and democratic direction, leading to a “convergence” with the free world, have certainly not come to pass. This realization has significant ramifications for how free nations should perceive the nature of such regimes and how they should be dealt with. Governments need to craft effective foreign policies which avoid the types of wishful thinking that have given rise to disastrous attempts at appeasement and one-sided, unreciprocated efforts at conciliation. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Never-ending%20repression%3A%20The%20continuous%20purges%20and%20ideological%20campaigns%20of%20North%20Korea%20and%20other%20communist%20regimes&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Never-ending%20repression%3A%20The%20continuous%20purges%20and%20ideological%20campaigns%20of%20North%20Korea%20and%20other%20communist%20regimes https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Never-ending%20repression%3A%20The%20continuous%20purges%20and%20ideological%20campaigns%20of%20North%20Korea%20and%20other%20communist%20regimes "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/never-ending-repression-the-continuous-purges-and-ideological-campaigns-of-north-korea-and-other-communist-regimes/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Never-ending%20repression%3A%20The%20continuous%20purges%20and%20ideological%20campaigns%20of%20North%20Korea%20and%20other%20communist%20regimes&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/never-ending-repression-the-continuous-purges-and-ideological-campaigns-of-north-korea-and-other-communist-regimes/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Never-ending%20repression%3A%20The%20continuous%20purges%20and%20ideological%20campaigns%20of%20North%20Korea%20and%20other%20communist%20regimes "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [The value of a being a Party member](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-value-of-a-being-a-party-member-2/) **Published:** March 4, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ## *(Part Two)* ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Istock-458408021tarzan9280.jpg "Propagand poster in the street of pyongyang | nk insider")The most important factor for advancement is never ability or loyalty. It is family background. If your parents worked in the security services, you will one day become a security official. If your parents were Party officials, you will become Party cadres and act arrogantly. The children of miners or farmers also inevitably repeat their parents’ lives. Even though they may have worked harder than anyone else to try and escape their fate, what they eventually face is a life identical to that of their parents. Only in their fifties do they slowly realize their efforts were in vain. That is when they hear their own children bitterly declare they will never live like them, and remember it is what they once said to their own parents. North Korea today has a worse system of advancement than in the past. Even centuries ago in the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, there were opportunities for a person to change their status. For example, hunting competitions and the civil service exams allowed a lowly person to become a military or civil official. But in today’s North Korea, no such opportunities exist. The only way to be promoted to a cadre post is to be recommended. But this system creates serious problems. Incompetent people occupy key posts, leading the country’s political and economic systems to ruin. The system fosters corruption and destroys moral standards. Bribes are openly exchanged for promotions, undermining the law itself. With the rules thus weakened, people compromise with injustice, submit to authority, and flatter those with power. The sight of an elderly, white-haired man bowing to a young cadre is shameful for a nation that calls itself the “land of courteous people in the East.” If you want an example just look at media photos of an aged general kneeling before the teenage Kim Ju-ae. When the leader encourages such behavior, why would cadres hesitate to imitate it? With the reward system broken, do people still desire the badge of Party membership? Let’s examine the reward system again. Rewards can be material or psychological. Under Kim Jong-il, hereditary power destroyed material rewards, but psychological rewards remained. Not just anyone could become a Party member. No matter how much money someone had, without enduring hardships like military service, admission was impossible. Even Kim Jong-un was not exempted. To become the Party’s leader, he had to join the Party, and for that he too had to serve in the army. Of course, no one ever saw him actually serve. But through propaganda, citizens heard endlessly about his bravery and genius in artillery units. This showed how strict and demanding the conditions for Party admission were. The title of “chosen ones who passed the harsh conditions” gave even those living miserable lives in shabby rooms a sense of pride. But after he became the leader, even this psychological reward system began to collapse. In 2012, the Party introduced the following slogan: “The powerful with power, the wealthy with money. Rear-area work is also political work.” Soon, people who were able to donate large sums to the state were being awarded Party membership cards. That was the moment membership became a means of getting rich. The state even publicized this. University students began to flood into the Party. In 2011, to solve financial difficulties, the state organized shock brigades from Pyongyang’s university students. Think about it: could hands that had held pens half their lives suddenly wield shovels and pickaxes? Did the government really expect labor from them? Parents worried about their children’s burdens and sent large amounts of diesel fuel and bulldozers instead. Thus, construction in Pyongyang was ultimately funded by students’ families. At that time, the Party made a shocking proposal: any student who contributed $20,000 would be awarded Party membership. For the first time ever, a 20-year-old student became a Party member, and everyone felt the overwhelming power of money. Some earned their membership through ten years of military service, while others bought it effortlessly with cash. Worse still, some who completed ten years of service were discharged without Party membership. That was because as new types of members entered, the Party began limiting the number admitted through military service. The shaky, inconsistent admission standards stripped existing members of their pride. We should ask now whether Party membership still holds value. The fact is many North Koreans have realized that joining the Party does not guarantee advancement. Instead, it can even become a burden. For example, consider squid fishermen. The government knows that some of them, whether by accident or intent, steer their boats toward Russia, Japan, or even South Korea. If those defectors are non-members, the government’s shame is less. But if they are Party members, outsiders will see how lax and weakened Party loyalty has become. For this reason, those with Party cards must pay extra bribes to inspection agencies just to go to sea. For the poor, Party membership acts like shackles. My cousin even looked at her Party card and casually said, “Do you want it?” This was something unimaginable in the past. Recently, I heard that South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has been pondering and predicting the following: Will North Korea admit Kim Ju-ae into the Party to prepare for handing power to her? If so, is it appropriate for such a young girl to join? Honestly, it depends entirely on Kim Jong-un’s will. If he wants her admitted, she will be; if not, she won’t be. The procedures and considerations that once existed have now vanished. The value of Party membership is being devalued. What consequences will this bring? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20value%20of%20a%20being%20a%20Party%20member&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20value%20of%20a%20being%20a%20Party%20member https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20value%20of%20a%20being%20a%20Party%20member "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-value-of-a-being-a-party-member-2/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20value%20of%20a%20being%20a%20Party%20member&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-value-of-a-being-a-party-member-2/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20value%20of%20a%20being%20a%20Party%20member "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [North Korea responds to Iran crisis: Will Pyongyang go down a path of “reckless survival?”](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-responds-to-iran-crisis-will-pyongyang-go-down-a-path-of-reckless-survival/) **Published:** March 2, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/365302138_684752983692168_2821717940303170758_n.jpg "3653021386847529836921682821717940303170758n | nk insider")On March 1, after the United States and Israel launched their military assault on Iran, North Korea’s foreign ministry issued a strong condemnation. The attack was a “thoroughly illegal and outrageous act of aggression” and “the most heinous form of sovereignty violation,” it said. The military action was not an accidental incident but rather “a logical consequence” of the United States’ hegemonic and rogue nature, the regime said. U.S. and Israel are seeking to place themselves above international law in a “brazenly gangster-like” manner, it said. North Korea warned that unchecked coercion and the absence of strong resistance would drive regional dynamics into catastrophe, and that the current crisis in Iran would have serious negative repercussions even in unrelated regions, including the Korean Peninsula and the broader global geopolitical landscape. The nature of this response from Pyongyang is hardly surprising to the international community. North Korea and Iran are widely seen as engaging in a solid anti-American alliance, including ongoing missile technology sharing and military cooperation. Experts note that the recent strike appears to go beyond targeting military facilities, taking on the character of a so-called “decapitation operation” aimed at Iran’s Supreme Leader and top military commanders. The sight of an allied regime’s leadership being forcefully eliminated inevitably instills existential fear and psychological pressure on the Kim Jong-un regime. This mirrors the recent case of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whose capture and removal by the U.S. fueled Pyongyang’s heightened vigilance against a potential “domino collapse of authoritarian regimes.” The real concern lies in the paradoxical effect of such Western military pressure. While the precision strike capabilities of the U.S. and Israel may send a strong warning and intimidate authoritarian regimes, they also carry dangerous side effects. That is because, as the threat of external removal becomes more tangible, regimes like North Korea are more likely to choose a path of “reckless survival” over dialogue or compromise. Analysts warn that this could trigger a vicious cycle in which the regime becomes increasingly fixated on developing asymmetric capabilities, such as nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), to preserve its leadership and ensure its survival. Ultimately, the foreign ministry statement reflects a deep anxiety that the sword pointed at Iran could one day target Pyongyang. At the same time, it serves as a pretext to justify the further advancement of its weapons systems. Whether the international community’s hardline measures will deter authoritarian regimes or provoke greater militarization from those pushed to the brink remains an open question, one that once again turns the world’s attention to Pyongyang. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20responds%20to%20Iran%20crisis%3A%20Will%20Pyongyang%20go%20down%20a%20path%20of%20%E2%80%9Creckless%20survival%3F%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20responds%20to%20Iran%20crisis%3A%20Will%20Pyongyang%20go%20down%20a%20path%20of%20%E2%80%9Creckless%20survival%3F%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20responds%20to%20Iran%20crisis%3A%20Will%20Pyongyang%20go%20down%20a%20path%20of%20%E2%80%9Creckless%20survival%3F%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-responds-to-iran-crisis-will-pyongyang-go-down-a-path-of-reckless-survival/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20responds%20to%20Iran%20crisis%3A%20Will%20Pyongyang%20go%20down%20a%20path%20of%20%E2%80%9Creckless%20survival%3F%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-responds-to-iran-crisis-will-pyongyang-go-down-a-path-of-reckless-survival/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20responds%20to%20Iran%20crisis%3A%20Will%20Pyongyang%20go%20down%20a%20path%20of%20%E2%80%9Creckless%20survival%3F%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Party Congress reaffirms rejection of reunification, South Korea is now an “enemy”](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-congress-reaffirms-rejection-of-reunification-south-korea-is-now-an-enemy/) **Published:** March 2, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-02-at-4 12 53-pm.jpg "Screenshot 20260302 at 4 12 53 pm | nk insider")The 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), which ended on February 25, reaffirmed Kim Jong-un’s position as General Secretary, solidifying his absolute leadership, and reaffirmed the national strategy away from any form of reunification with South Korea. In his report to the Congress, Kim proclaimed a “final and crucial decision” to “draw a historical line under the abnormal relationship that has existed on the Korean Peninsula for nearly 80 years since the founding of the Republic,” and to redefine inter-Korean relations as those between “the most hostile of states.” Historically, the Party Congress has served as the highest decision-making body for setting the nation’s direction and policies, though its role has fluctuated over time. Under the first leader, Kim Il-sung, it convened regularly, underscoring party-centered governance. During the Kim Jong-il era, it was effectively sidelined by the rise of “military-first politics,” resulting in a decades-long hiatus. Since Kim Jong-un’s acquisition of power, after his father’s death, the Congress has been revived as a central mechanism of state governance. The timing of this latest Congress is particularly notable given the complex external environment. Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, Pyongyang has elevated its strategic alliance with Russia to new heights and reinforced its traditional ties with China, positioning itself at the heart of a new Cold War dynamic. It was against this backdrop that Kim Jong-un two years ago first invoked the anti-reunification “two states” doctrine and declared South Korea to be a foreign country and an enemy. In his address, Kim signaled a complete departure from any view of South Korea as a fellow nation or a potential reunification partner, instead designating it as a primary enemy to be eradicated. Regarding the United States, North Korea maintained a tone of harsh criticism but left room for nuance. While denouncing the U.S. as “the root cause of instability and chaos” and a “super rogue state,” Pyongyang also stated that “if the U.S. respects the current status of our state as stipulated in the Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and withdraws its hostile policy, there is no reason we cannot get along.” The contrast with the uncompromising stance toward South Korea is interpreted as a strategic move to preserve leverage in potential future negotiations with Washington. In the realm of military policy, the Congress unveiled a series of bold and sweeping plans. Kim announced a long-term roadmap to strengthen the country’s nuclear arsenal year by year, pledging to increase the number of nuclear weapons and expand their delivery systems and operational scope. During the new five-year plan, he ordered the deployment of “secret weapons,” including land- and sea-based ICBM complexes, AI-powered unmanned attack drones, reconnaissance satellites, and powerful electronic warfare systems capable of paralyzing enemy command centers. He also called for the expansion of 600mm and new 240mm multiple rocket launcher systems, presenting concrete figures to fortify what he called “the core of war deterrence.” On the economic front, the Congress introduced new initiatives aimed at narrowing the urban-rural divide, building on the “20×10 Local Development Policy.” Over the next five years, North Korea plans to construct modern healthcare facilities and hospitals in 100 cities and counties nationwide and to significantly reduce disparities in education between urban and rural areas. The Party also expressed its intent to harness cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and space development as key drivers of economic self-reliance. However, skepticism remains over whether these large-scale construction and healthcare initiatives will genuinely improve the lives of citizens. Given the enormous resources being funneled into military expansion, experts argue that the regime will inevitably resort to extracting materials, fees, and labor from its population to fund these national projects. This imbalance in resource allocation is expected to deepen economic hardship and fuel internal discontent. While the regime publicly champions “improving people’s livelihoods,” in reality, the burden of financing its military ambitions is falling squarely on the shoulders of its citizens. Beneath the show of resolve and strength lies a precarious trajectory marked by deepening economic woes and the mounting sacrifices of its people. This course is likely to push the Korean Peninsula into an increasingly volatile and unpredictable phase of tension. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Party%20Congress%20reaffirms%20rejection%20of%20reunification%2C%20South%20Korea%20is%20now%20an%20%E2%80%9Cenemy%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Party%20Congress%20reaffirms%20rejection%20of%20reunification%2C%20South%20Korea%20is%20now%20an%20%E2%80%9Cenemy%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Party%20Congress%20reaffirms%20rejection%20of%20reunification%2C%20South%20Korea%20is%20now%20an%20%E2%80%9Cenemy%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-congress-reaffirms-rejection-of-reunification-south-korea-is-now-an-enemy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Party%20Congress%20reaffirms%20rejection%20of%20reunification%2C%20South%20Korea%20is%20now%20an%20%E2%80%9Cenemy%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-congress-reaffirms-rejection-of-reunification-south-korea-is-now-an-enemy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Party%20Congress%20reaffirms%20rejection%20of%20reunification%2C%20South%20Korea%20is%20now%20an%20%E2%80%9Cenemy%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [The value of a being a Party member ](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-value-of-a-being-a-party-member/) **Published:** March 2, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ## *(Part One)* ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Istock-458408021tarzan9280.jpg "Propagand poster in the street of pyongyang | nk insider")Every North Korean dreams of becoming a member of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. Why? To be more loyal to the Party and the state? Or because they don’t want to bear the disgrace of being labeled a dropout? What exactly lies behind this desire to wear the badge? To figure this out, we should go back to the time when being a Party member wasn’t popular. Readers probably thought there wasn’t such a time. But let me share a family story. My maternal grandmother was a Communist Party member. That detail—*Communist Party member*—is what you should pay attention to. In its early days, the Communist Party merged with the New People’s Party to expand its size and influence, changing its name to the Workers’ Party of Korea. As it was the predecessor of the Workers’ Party, the Communist Party was far more prestigious. “Even if I die, I’ll remain a Communist!” That’s how they described people with exceptional loyalty and ideological commitment. But the grandmother I knew behaved quite differently from the “Communist Party membership card” she held. When I was little, I saw that she was not particularly devoted to Party principles. When the state banned alcohol sales, for example, she secretly sold liquor and made money with great enthusiasm. I was curious why she became a Party member in the first place. Right after liberation at the end of World War Two, she explained to me, there were several parties. The largest was the New People’s Party. One day, some of its members came to her house and promised her 3 kilograms of rice and 2 bolts of cloth if she joined. Later, Communist Party people came round and said that while they couldn’t give her anything immediately, in the future she would enjoy rice and meat soup for life. She had never heard of the Communist Party before, but after weighing the options, she decided it was better to join them. She was someone who could delay gratification. Unfortunately, though, the Communist Party never kept its promise. She never got rice and meat soup. But she did have a Party membership card. She carried it proudly like a treasure, especially flaunting it in front of those who hadn’t been admitted. “If you want to see my loyalty, look at my Party card.” That was her favorite saying. And, as I mentioned, her Party card dating back to the early days, looked different from ordinary ones. By the 1970s, membership had become like a tag that followed people everywhere. Personal records included not only gender but also whether a person had joined the Party. Every official document required throughout life included membership status. Not being a member could be interpreted as lacking loyalty, an unbearable stigma in a society where loyalty was the highest measure of a person. Children entering elementary school had to submit their parents’ background information, including Party membership. Immature and disrespectful kids would loudly point this out. Even when they were very young, they keenly sensed how important and sensitive this was. Those whose parents were members looked down on others. Children humiliated by their peers, would return home crying and confront their parents. Thus, Party membership was no longer just a personal matter. It impacted children too. Hence the common refrain, “You must join the Party before your child enters elementary school.” There was another reason to join: advancement. To escape poverty and provide a better life for your family is everyone’s wish. In capitalist societies, that means becoming a capitalist. In bureaucratic North Korea, it means becoming an official and joining the Party is a prerequisite for becoming one. Perhaps that’s why young men endured ten long years of military service, hoping for that chance. Party membership cards were bundled together with discharge papers like a package deal. People put up with so much, firmly believing that fortune would eventually smile upon them. Poor but bright university students studied late into the night, convinced that high grades would secure their future. Young men in the army pushed themselves to be exemplary soldiers, even sustaining injuries during training, believing that the medals they earned would prove their Party loyalty. But after years passed, they witnessed something entirely different. The student who cheated in exams in college appeared later as their boss. The soldier who skipped training thanks to his father’s connections became a Party cadre, overseeing their factory and village. Why did this happen? What had they failed to understand? The answer: power is inherited. In the past, especially during the era of Kim Jong-un’s grandfather Kim Il-sung, sometimes a “dragon would rise from a humble stream.” In other words, if you were prepared, you could seize opportunities regardless of background or age. As long as you had loyalty to the Party, the state would actively promote you. This was called “broad politics.” But under the next ruler, Kim Jong-il, this gradually stopped. Broad politics had served its purpose during the Party’s weak years, helping stabilize a chaotic country and strengthen it. After that, the focus shifted to consolidating power, and loyalty was no longer in short supply thanks to relentless indoctrination. From then on, power began to be inherited, and social mobility became increasingly difficult. (To be continued) - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20value%20of%20a%20being%20a%20Party%20member%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20value%20of%20a%20being%20a%20Party%20member%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20value%20of%20a%20being%20a%20Party%20member%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-value-of-a-being-a-party-member/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20value%20of%20a%20being%20a%20Party%20member%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-value-of-a-being-a-party-member/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20value%20of%20a%20being%20a%20Party%20member%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [One party vs. multiple parties](https://www.nkinsider.org/one-party-vs-multiple-parties/) **Published:** September 2, 2024 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Shutterstock_1517064839-2.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkoreaseptember62019redflagof | nk insider")The most cited difference between countries that are socialist or capitalist is the extent to which individual citizens are able to own the means of production. But another significant distinction concerns political parties. Is there one or several? This measure alone reveals the ideological system of a country. In a socialist society, the role of the party is immense. Its status goes far beyond a simple gathering of people who share the same political beliefs or ideology. The Korea Workers’ Party, for example, exerts enormous influence over the lives of North Koreans. “Let’s always be ready to become loyal sons and daughters of the party!” Anyone born there would be familiar with this and similar slogans. They’re displayed everywhere in towns and on city streets. Through this kind of indoctrination, people learn that their purpose lies in service to the party and the state. Eventually, they are taught that their purpose is to fight the United States because it threatens the Party. But let’s be honest. Was I born to fight America? Not at all. Yet the state creates tension, acting as if it’s constantly under threat from hostile forces that we, the people, must stand ready to repel. This is how a single ruling party justifies its existence. It conjures up an imaginary enemy to unite the masses behind it. To ensure unity, it adopts other strategies. One, for example, is to limit its numbers, making membership a special privilege. This explains why becoming a party member in North Korea is no easy task. The most certain way to join is by serving in the military. Typically, to be eligible for party membership, young men must serve for ten years, from the age of 18 to 28. Sacrifice your best years and you are rewarded with a party card. In special cases in recent years, membership may also be granted in return for what’s called “a loyalty contribution,” ie, cash donated for national development. At my university, I had a friend who became a party member this way when he was just 21. Around 2011, while we were students, we were mobilized to help with construction projects in Pyongyang. Looking back, many events occurred during that time, but one that stood out was when the party granted membership to university students who donated large sums. The price was $10,000. On the day the cards were awarded, we had to listen for an hour to a speech from an official about the loyalty of these students. It became apparent that while some students could buy their way in for $10,000, soldiers had to sacrifice ten years. Different prices for different people. Realizing this, I could see that the party we once admired had changed. I would like to share the story of one man that illustrates this betrayal. This man was always so busy that it seemed like 24 hours a day was not enough for him. He was, and still is, a plasterer by day and a guard at night. He has two notable characteristics. One is that he always keeps working, despite being quite frail. The other is that he constantly voices his discontent with the party whenever he gets a chance. “If we want to live well, we should do the exact opposite of what the party tells us,” he says. He wasn’t always like this. He used to be loyal. He was honest, diligent, and devoted to the party. Despite hardships from when he was young, he never lost hope. He believed that if he worked hard enough, he would eventually enjoy a comfortable old age. “Suffering when you’re young is better than gold,” he used to say. To his way of thinking, in other words, present struggles were an investment for a peaceful future. He worked tirelessly for 20 years and then one day, the Workers’ Party introduced a new economic management system. It was a benevolent measure to improve the lives of the people, the party announced. The new system involved the printing of large amounts of currency, which rendered existing money worthless. In a voice filled with despair, he told those around him, “The party has turned 20 years of my hard work into a couple of dried pollack.” The money he had saved in his wardrobe was now useless, no longer able to secure his retirement. For a while, he wandered in a daze, muttering to himself, “How could the party do this to me?” It was only after his value had been exhausted that he finally realized the party’s true nature. It had taken 20 years of his life and now rendered his dreams for the future worthless. Even now, in his old age, he continues to work day and night to make a living. But his philosophy has changed. “Faking sickness when you’re young is like medicine for when you’re old,” he often says these days. The Workers’ Party claims that it wants to improve the people’s lives, yet in reality, it is seizing people’s money. At the same time, it likens itself to a mother. One writer named Kim Chol spearheaded this kind of propaganda. When he was a young revolutionary, he wrote poems of regret and repentance for his wrongdoing and expressed gratitude toward the party. The leadership was so impressed that he was promoted. Kim continued to write verses praising the party. They were included in textbooks. One is entitled “Mother.” Whether he genuinely regarded the party as a mother or by this time was fabricating the sentiment to advance his career, we cannot know. However, as he gained wealth and status from his poetry, the masses were left toiling in misery under the weight of lies. In Kim’s poem, the Workers’ Party is likened to a mother who welcomes you home with open arms, whether you are approaching her with joy or guilt. She lovingly listens to all your wishes and even hears the confessions of your wrongdoing. The poem ends with the memorable line, “I cannot live without this mother.” But, I have to ask, what kind of mother steals her children’s money to buy luxuries for herself? What kind of mother turns guns on her children? Even when it’s doing that, the motherly Workers Party insists that everything it does is for the people. I can say with absolute certainty that the only way to survive is to escape from such a mother as soon as you can. In South Korea, where I now live, there is no “Mother Party.” Yet, look at how well people live. In North Korea, our people often ask why it is so hard to live well, even after passing all the dress code inspections (authorities crack down on improper attire), while in capitalist countries, people seem to live well even if they walk around in what looks like their underwear? In South Korea, as we all know, there are multiple political parties. From what I’ve seen, multiple parties always result in instability and noise. No issue, it seems, is ever resolved smoothly. When the ruling party agrees, the opposition disagrees, and when the opposition raises an issue, the ruling party fiercely counters it. In contrast, the Workers’ Party faces no rejection or opposition. “When the party decides, we act,” the slogan goes. That’s right. If something hasn’t been done yet, it’s simply because the party hasn’t made the decision. In 30 years in North Korea, I never once saw the party admit to a mistake, let alone apologize. Everything it does is always considered correct. This leads me to a question. Why does a state run by a single party that claims it can do anything lag behind a state with multiple parties that struggle to get anything done? Is the number of parties the real issue, or does the answer lie in the difference between dictatorship and democracy? Is it about dependence versus independence, truth versus hypocrisy? It’s deeply ironic that in a socialist society founded on the ideal of equality, so many are oppressed. I am one of them and these words are the expression of both long-suppressed frustration and shame at never having had the courage to speak out against injustice out of fear for my life. I hope my voice reaches far and wide, helping you better understand my home, my friends, and my country, where, to quote George Orwell, all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=One%20party%20vs.%20multiple%20parties&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=One%20party%20vs.%20multiple%20parties https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=One%20party%20vs.%20multiple%20parties "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/one-party-vs-multiple-parties/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=One%20party%20vs.%20multiple%20parties&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/one-party-vs-multiple-parties/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=One%20party%20vs.%20multiple%20parties "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [The anti-Americanism and pro-North Korea tendencies of South Korea’s Candlelight Action protest movement](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-anti-americanism-and-pro-north-korea-tendencies-of-south-koreas-candlelight-action-protest-movement/) **Published:** May 26, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/308836_212532_3715.jpg "3088362125323715 | nk insider")After President Yoon Seok-yeol took office in May 2022, there was immediately a rebirth of the so-called candlelight protests which had targeted and led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye five years earlier. This revival by those on the Korean left who sought to remove Yoon from office was not surprising. These [new candlelight protests](https://www.mindlenews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=2695) originated in September of 2021, six months before Yoon was elected, under the name “Candlelight Action Solidarity for Prosecution Reform,” but were renamed “Candlelight Action” (CA) and officially launched as a civic group in April of 2022. By August, CA was holding weekly protests demanding Yoon’s resignation. The extremist nature of the CA protests against a president whose term had hardly begun, and in particular the openly anti-American rhetoric and pro-North Korean tendencies often exhibited at the events and in statements by its leaders, have been shocking and deeply disturbing. Also very troubling was the active participation of supposedly mainstream Korean politicians and other important figures in CA protests, and the eventual transition to what were at first clearly de facto, and in later cases official joint protests held by that group together with the major opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). As a writer for the [*Joongang Ilbo* noted,](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/02/07/opinion/columns/Democratic-Party-Lee-Jaemyung-Chotbul-Movement/20230207200421057.html) aside from the official joint protests which the CA later held together with the DPK, already by February of 2023, CA was holding joint protests with the DPK in a de facto manner. Those earlier protests of the two entities, while officially separate, clearly overlapped in terms of their locations, times, and participants. In one particular case as shown live on the TV news network JTBC*,* in order to promote the fiction that such protests were separate, as a CA protest was about to end, the CA banner on the main stage of the rally was pulled away to reveal underneath a banner for the DPK protest, which started just minutes later, obviously at the same spot and with the same people in attendance. From early on, one of the top CA leaders, its “standing co-representative” who has served as one of its primary spokesmen, was former university professor, clergyman, and journalist [Kim Min-woong](https://namu.wiki/w/%EA%B9%80%EB%AF%BC%EC%9B%85). A far-left radical who despises the U.S. and Israel, he is the [brother](https://www.chosun.com/politics/2024/09/30/6XAZS2IEEJBB3AOGVBZZLRDNTM/) of DPK National Assemblyman Kim Min-seok, who served time in jail along with other radicals for [occupying](https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%84%9C%EC%9A%B8_%EB%AF%B8%EA%B5%AD%EB%AC%B8%ED%99%94%EC%9B%90_%EC%A0%90%EA%B1%B0_%EB%86%8D%EC%84%B1_%EC%82%AC%EA%B1%B4) the U.S. Cultural Center in Seoul. Along with other DPK lawmakers, Kim Min-seok has been a speaker at his brother’s CA protest rallies. The DPK’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung also attended joint protests which his party held with the CA, at which Lee and other top leaders could be seen sitting beside Kim Min-woong in spite of the fact that Kim had [said](https://news.tvchosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2025/01/13/2025011390190.html) of Yoon, “We must cut off the tyrant’s head.” Kim, who apparently claims a Nostradamus-like ability to see into the future, [declared](https://www.mindlenews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=2695) “When Candlelight Action was launched, it was before the Yoon Seok-yeol administration began its term, but we believed that the destruction of democracy and mismanagement were inevitable given the nature of the prosecution regime.” Using Marxist-tinged terminology about “contradictions,” Kim implied that it was not merely Yoon that CA wanted out, but that they had far [broader objections](https://www.mindlenews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=2695) to the Republic of Korea (ROK). “The Yoon Seok-yeol government is the culmination of contradictions that have built up over 70 years,” he said. For decades, Kim has engaged in vitriolic denunciations of the U.S. In his 2001 book [*Invisible Colony*](https://product.kyobobook.co.kr/detail/S000001381870)*,* he condemned free market capitalism and parroted North Korean propaganda by claiming that the U.S. was the “colonial master” of the ROK. In 2005, he signed a [statement ](https://nodong.org/data_paper/86893)accusing the U.S., not North Korea, of being responsible for the proliferation of nuclear weapons and criticizing North Korea human rights legislation. In a 2006 [interview](https://star.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/OhmyStar/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0000313478) he denounced what he termed “American imperialism,” claiming the U.S. seeks “to establish a device to completely dominate the Korean peninsula militarily, economically, and culturally.” Demonstrating an adherence to Marxist nonsense, in 2010 Kim laughably [claimed](https://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=91154) that the U.S. entered World War Two to increase corporate profits. He also campaigned against the deployment of the U.S. THAAD anti-missile system in the ROK, which protects the country from the threat posed by North Korea. In October 2023, he[ stated](https://v.daum.net/v/20231011214810217) that “the ROK-US-Japan war alliance is fundamentally the reality of a policy of aggression against the North.” In January 2025, at the height of his CA protests, Kim participated in an anti-American protest in front of the U.S. Embassy, featuring signs [demanding](https://www.newdaily.co.kr/site/data/html/2025/03/18/2025031800079.html) “U.S. should immediately stop interfering in our internal affairs,” and again parroting North Korean propaganda by condemning joint U.S.-ROK military drills as “war exercises that put the lives of young people at stake.” Kim’s view of the Korean War is an illustrative and damning aspect of his worldview. He has outrageously [stated](https://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=7034) that it was “an aggressive war targeting China to stabilize the U.S. imperialistic ruling system.” Kim’s deep anti-Americanism is matched by his virulent hatred of Israel and his shocking defense of the atrocities committed by Hamas in its massacres of October 7, 2023. Only a couple of days after that premeditated slaughter of innocents, Kim [remarked](https://v.daum.net/v/20231011214810217) that the emerging media reports of Hamas’s savagery were “nonsense,” yet he openly defended the attacks, euphemistically characterizing the atrocities as merely an “offensive” by Hamas which “has thrown arrogant Israel into chaos.” He denied that Hamas was a terrorist group and likened it to Korea’s fighters for independence from Japan, an outrageous insult to those Korean patriots. Kim didn’t bother to engage in the usual rhetorical deceptions of other Hamas supporters in the ROK, the U.S. and elsewhere, preferring instead to openly express his support for them and the barbaric acts they committed on October 7. The far-left extremism and anti-Americanism of CA are certainly not limited to Kim Min-woong. CA has demonstrated that it is anti-American to its core and has also exhibited pro-North Korea tendencies. In the aftermath of the 2022 Itaewon tragedy, CA [adopted and promoted](https://www.chosun.com/national/national_general/2022/11/12/JJEOBVKBMVEL7ETDKJIMSHQITI/) at its protests the slogan “Resignation is a memorial,” meaning that a fitting memorial for those who perished would be Yoon’s resignation. It was later disclosed by ROK intelligence agencies that this exact slogan, which was also used by the overseas branch of CA in [protests in Los Angeles](https://www.koreadaily.com/article/20241203205545828), was one which the North Korean regime had issued [directives to its sympathizers](https://www.munhwa.com/article/11348947) to use. The official YouTube channel of CA also posted a conspiracy theory video denying that the ROK warship *Cheonan* was sunk by North Korea. A constituent organization of CA is the Korean University Student Progressive Federation [(Daejinyeon)](https://www.mk.co.kr/en/society/11165191), a violent pro-North Korea and fanatically anti-American group whose activists have been arrested for breaking into the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Seoul and attempting on several occasions to storm into the U.S. Embassy. Leaders of Daejinyeon were speakers at CA protests. During visits to the ROK, pro-North Korea and leftist activists from the U.S., such as [Mira Kim](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjiAu3V0Rzk), a leader of the U.S. branch of the pro-North Korea group [previously known](http://kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=40912) as the [6.15 Committee](http://www.kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=39117), were also speakers at CA protests. Kim has also [participated](https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02uKKU3yd9NtABvXEi7as9qMzSZzYEaigNkyUd9rxFvWpxSDqoHF4DhovV8NhEvobyl&id=100003130834378) in pro-Hamas events in the U.S. Sitting beside the America-hating Kim Min-woong at a CA protest in Seoul was another visitor from the Los Angeles area, [Choi Kwang-chul](https://m.naeil.com/news/read/548055) (Casey Choi). Choi leads the leftist Korean American Public Action Committee (KAPAC), which is [intensively lobbying](https://townhall.com/columnists/lawrencepeck/2021/11/08/is-your-representative-in-congress-being-influenced-by-extremists-to-support-a-bill-foolishly-granting-concessions-to-north-korea-n2598740) the U.S. Congress, apparently in conjunction with the DPK and along [with pro-North Korea groups](http://www.kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=all&wr_id=3979), for a dangerous, concession-filled, no-preconditions “peace agreement” with North Korea, deceptively misnamed the [Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act.](https://youngkim.house.gov/2023/07/27/young-kim-foreign-policy-korean-peace-treaty-would-be-unforced-blunder/) Choi was recently appointed by DPK presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung as his campaign’s “special advisor for diplomacy.” [Kwon Oh-hyuk](https://www.knews1.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=16081), the co-representative of CA and comrade of Kim Min-woong as one of the group’s top leaders, has been [convicted several times](https://www.truthguardian.co.kr/news/article.html?no=25261) of violating national security laws relating to North Korea. In 2020, Kwon condemned North Korea human rights activists and [insulted ](https://www.jajusibo.com/53910)North Korean defectors as “pet dogs” of the U.S. Kwon has also reportedly given[ lectures](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/MYH20240704016600641) promoting the late North Korean dictator Kim Il-sung’s Juche ideology. On May 17, 2025, Kim and Kwon led a CA protest in [front of the U.S. Embassy](https://www.youtube.com/live/lRMhR-h3qwE), and at a CA protest that same day, Kwon groundlessly [accused](https://www.kijanews.co.kr/9570) the U.S. of interfering in the internal affairs of the ROK, seeking to attack China, using Koreans as “cannon fodder,” and perhaps most preposterously, ranted that the commander of the U.S. military in the ROK sent a “signal” to Korean conservatives to “rise up” and “assassinate Lee Jae-myung.” At an event in January of 2024, he reportedly [expressed the view](https://www.truthguardian.co.kr/news/article.html?no=25261) that if North Korea achieved a permanent peace by launching and winning a war of unification against the ROK, then the people of the ROK should accept that. Of the many expressions of anti-Americanism at CA protests, three stand out. At a July 2023 CA protest, a far-left, anti-U.S. military activist, [Ko Eun Kwan-soon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geAwQ9c1sUA), told an applauding crowd of her upcoming protest against the main U.S. military base in the ROK, which she and her comrades planned to surround with a human chain. She also condemned the North Korea human rights movement. Another speaker at a 2023 CA protest, attended by members of the DPK, listed a series of “crimes” he claimed the U.S. had committed against the ROK, and [chanted](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cpVre25X58) “Let’s not trust America!” to the applause of the crowd. At a January 2025 CA protest, which was also attended by members of the DPK, a speaker who sounded as if he was a North Korean propagandist, [declared](https://www.jajusibo.com/66812), “I give a stern warning to the United States….We will not tolerate any power that goes against our will,” and “We condemn the U.S. for pro-Japan and anti-North Korea policies.” As an editorial in the ROK’s largest daily newspaper [*Chosun Ilbo*](https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2024/11/10/5ZLSFOZRV5BGDBOGZKKUNASZP4/) put it in November of 2024, “This \[DPK\] alliance with organizations accused of harboring pro-North sentiments is deeply troubling.” In an interview with Yonhap TV News in July 2024, Korean attorney [Seo Jeong-wook rhetorically asked](https://www.truthguardian.co.kr/news/article.html?no=25261) how it was possible that an ROK political party such as the DPK could make common cause and participate in events with pro-North Korea groups and activists, referring to CA and its leaders. That is certainly a question which, in light of the reprehensible nature of CA and its top leaders, many Koreans and Americans should also ask. It is a question that one hopes mainstream media in the ROK and the U.S. will finally ask. With the upcoming ROK presidential election, perhaps the most relevant and important questions are these: Why has candidate Lee Jae-myung participated in protests with these hateful extremists, literally sitting beside them? Why have Lee and his DPK have clearly chosen to engage in a united front with them? Why haven’t he and his party disassociated themselves from such fanatics? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20anti-Americanism%20and%20pro-North%20Korea%20tendencies%20of%20South%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Candlelight%20Action%20protest%20movement&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20anti-Americanism%20and%20pro-North%20Korea%20tendencies%20of%20South%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Candlelight%20Action%20protest%20movement https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20anti-Americanism%20and%20pro-North%20Korea%20tendencies%20of%20South%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Candlelight%20Action%20protest%20movement "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-anti-americanism-and-pro-north-korea-tendencies-of-south-koreas-candlelight-action-protest-movement/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20anti-Americanism%20and%20pro-North%20Korea%20tendencies%20of%20South%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Candlelight%20Action%20protest%20movement&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-anti-americanism-and-pro-north-korea-tendencies-of-south-koreas-candlelight-action-protest-movement/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20anti-Americanism%20and%20pro-North%20Korea%20tendencies%20of%20South%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Candlelight%20Action%20protest%20movement "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Outlook for 2026:  Pro-North Korean and other far-left forces versus the U.S.-ROK alliance](https://www.nkinsider.org/outlook-for-2026-pro-north-korean-and-other-far-left-forces-versus-the-u-s-rok-alliance/) **Published:** January 12, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-08-at-10 21 12-pm.jpg "Screenshot 20260108 at 10 21 12 pm | nk insider")Pro-North Korean and other far-left forces in the United States were in somewhat of a “continuation” mode in 2025. They continued their Congressional lobbying, agitation/propaganda, and networking/outreach for alliance building, as well as internal education. But did not otherwise start any major new initiatives, nor make significant changes in their typical activities. Some highlights were their struggles against impeached President Yoon Seok-yul in the months following the fiasco of his brief, failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024. Then they mostly halted their protests after the June election brought to power a left-wing administration far more to their liking. Only a few fanatically pro-North groups continued to condemn the new administration of President Lee Jae-myung. Another highlight of the year was a[ major conference](https://peoplessummitforkorea.org/partners) of pro-North, Marxist-Leninist, pro-terrorist, anti-American, and other extremist groups and activists in New York City, which included participants from South Korea. The event, the[ People’s Summit for Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/insight-into-a-totalitarian-seditious-mindset-what-was-said-and-applauded-at-a-pro-north-korean-anti-american-conference-in-new-york/), was the largest gathering of pro-North forces in the U.S. for almost 25 years, and it clearly demonstrated the militant and extremist nature of the movement. With the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump in early 2025, its lobbying efforts spearheaded as usual by front groups continued. But the movement took a somewhat “wait and see” approach, since it was unclear what the Trump administration’s policy with regard to the North would be. It was noteworthy that certain leaders of hardcore groups, as well as front groups, continued to “re-educate” rank-and-file activists with regard to Kim Jong-un’s “two hostile states” policy and de-emphasis of unification announced in late 2023 and early 2024. That this effort by key pro-Pyongyang figures to explain and especially to[ justify the changes](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2025/07/23/the-peoples-summit-for-korea-brings-together-diaspora-and-the-homeland-in-the-fight-against-an-empire-in-overdrive/) to their own activists and to “fellow travelers” continued in 2025, indicated that there may be lingering misunderstanding and disappointment regarding the abandonment of re-unification by Pyongyang. [The talks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53FsRbIQeIE) throughout 2024 and 2025 to[ promote the new policy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QoQPA815Y8&t=2s) were delivered in meetings across the U.S. by the most hardcore and openly pro-North leaders. However, at the end of 2025, Lee Jae-soo, leader of the Overseas Candlelight Action front group, also gave a talk in which he[ explained and justified](https://jnctv.com/2025/12/16/washington-civil-society-holds-year-end-gathering/) the change. It will be interesting to see if such sessions continue. The Korean American Public Action Committee (KAPAC) has been engaged in intensively lobbying in support of the misnamed[ “Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act”](https://townhall.com/columnists/lawrencepeck/2021/11/08/is-your-representative-in-congress-being-influenced-by-extremists-to-support-a-bill-foolishly-granting-concessions-to-north-korea-n2598740) in the U.S House of Representatives, and plans to build further support for the bill in 2026. The bill provides major, unreciprocated, no-preconditions[ concessions to North Korea](https://www.jns.org/world-news/north-korea/23/7/26/305918/), and will harm U.S. national security as well as the U.S.-ROK alliance. The group’s key leader, Choi Gwang-cheol, has[ announced a large KAPAC conference](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-korea-peace-conference-tickets-1976798928810?aff=oddtdtcreator) in Washington, D.C. this summer. It will include speeches by members of Congress who support the bill. Choi and KAPAC are not pro-North per se, but some of the group’s advisors and active members are. In addition, the group has been allied with and participated in various events and campaigns with pro-North forces. Choi and KAPAC have very close ties to the left-wing of the ruling Democratic Party of (South) Korea (DPK), and President Lee Jae-myung. [ KAPAC was reportedly under investigation](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/08/19/PZKKCE25ZNEZNKPQZ6IJQ3HYW4/) by U.S. authorities, apparently on the suspicion that it might be serving as an unregistered agent of the Lee government or the DPK. Choi has held similar large KAPAC conferences in past years but held only a small press conference in 2025. Choi and others in KAPAC have been viciously smearing Korean American opponents of the bill, including Republican Congresswoman Young Kim. At past Washington conferences, KAPAC members were dispatched in teams to lobby members of Congress and some who participated in these visits were pro-North activists. It seems that Choi and his group plan on holding this major conference this year, because they hope and expect that the U.S. Democratic Party may win control of the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections, which will potentially increase the chances of the bill passing, since it is supported almost entirely by Democrats. Unfortunately, conservative Korean Americans who oppose the bill have not been sufficiently active in any efforts to counter KAPAC’s lobbying campaigns or alert the broader American public and Congress about its nature. Also, neither Korean conservative media nor Korean conservative politicians have made a really serious or sustained effort to warn the Korean public about it. If the Democrats do win in 2026, KAPAC’s best friend in Congress, Democrat Brad Sherman, who introduced the bill, will play a leading role on the East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Although based in South Korea, two pro-North leaders apparently have major plans for 2026 which involve pro-North forces in the U.S.[ Sohn Mee-hee](https://x.com/thestustustudio/status/1948822964830380213), leader of the Our Schools group that supports the network of schools in Japan operated by the Pyongyang-controlled General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (known as Chongryon in Korean), announced a major plan to hold a similar conference in Seoul in 2026. Sohn basically serves as a kind of unofficial representative of Chongyron in the South, and has indicated she intends to invite pro-North, Marxist-Leninist, pro-terrorist, and other extremist groups and activists from around the world to the upcoming event. Also,[ Chung Yeon-jin](https://www-tongilnews-com.translate.goog/news/articleView.html?idxno=211078&_x_tr_sl=ko&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc), leader of the pro-North group Action One Korea, which operates in the South and in the U.S., gave a lecture in Seoul last summer in which she outlined plans for greatly increased collaboration between pro-North and other leftist forces in the two countries. She discussed her longstanding comradely relationships with Marxist-Leninist and other far-left groups and activists in the U.S., as well as new links with pro-Hamas groups and activists in the U.S. She announced plans for closer relationships with anti-Israel groups to more deeply involve them in Korean issues. With pro-North and far-left forces in South Korea, as well as many in the ruling party, now advocating the abolition of the Korea’s National Security Law, under which North Korean spies and others who support the North and propagandize on its behalf have been prosecuted, we can expect pro-North and far-left forces in the U.S. to continue and increase their longstanding campaign against that law. Pro-North forces surely back the Lee administration’s [lifting of restrictions](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/northkorea/20251230/s-koreans-allowed-to-access-n-korean-propaganda-newspaper-starting-tuesday) on public access to Pyongyang’s media. This may potentially include access to openly pro-North, anti-ROK, and racist websites in the U.S. that have until now been blocked. Whereas in previous years, certain notorious pro-North activists in the U.S., but not all hardcore pro-North figures, have been denied entry into South Korea, it is possible that such bans could be lifted in 2026, but the extent to which such a move is implemented remains to be seen. Under the Moon Jae-in administration, [Seoul funded](https://efile.fara.gov/docs/6896-Exhibit-AB-20201125-3.pdf) the pro-North Korean front group[ Women Cross DMZ](https://www.womencrossdmz.org/new-report-shows-how-a-peace-first-approach-can-resolve-the-security-crisis-on-the-korean-peninsula/) to publish and send to Congress a report by pro-North and other far-left activists, which opposed economic sanctions and human rights pressure on the North. It is therefore possible that Lee may fund further anti-sanctions efforts by pro-North forces in the U.S., especially since Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has expressed opposition to sanctions. A trend within South Korea after the inauguration of the Lee administration in mid-2025, which we can also expect to continue or even increase in 2026, involves departments and agencies of the government and the ruling party inviting far-left, Marxist-Leninist, and even openly pro-North foreign activists, as well as South Korean supporters of the North, to speak at government conferences. There were several such cases in the second half of 2025, but they caused little controversy as the media mostly failed to report on them. For example, several foreign communists and supporters of the North were invited to speak at an event held at the National Assembly in August, which was hosted by the Democratic Party and pro-North groups. American communist[ Brian Becker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9xnuLXSBaM), leader of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, gave a talk by video in which he defended the North and called for an end to the U.S.-ROK alliance. In December, at an event hosted and sponsored by the governmental Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, the Overseas Korean Agency, and the Gyeonggi Province government, one of the invited speakers was the notorious pro-North, anti-U.S. activist [Chung Yeon-jin](https://www.facebook.com/groups/action4onekorea/posts/23917325624635663/), leader of the Action One Korea. Similar incidents have occurred in the U.S. In 2018, for example, under the Moon Jae-in administration, South Korea’s Consul General in Los Angeles[ Kim Wan-joong](https://m.monthly.chosun.com/client/mdaily/daily_view.asp?idx=4354&Newsnumb=2018064354) attended a meeting of openly pro-North groups, and exchanged friendly greetings there with Roh Kil-nam, publisher of the pro-North, rabidly anti-American, and openly racist Minjok Tongshin website, and local communist party leaders. When this was exposed by your reporter, rather than being reprimanded, the Consul General was later promoted. After the inauguration of the Lee administration, hardcore pro-North and anti-ROK groups, including those directly tied to the Kim Jong-un regime, such as the racist Korean American National Coordinating Council, were apparently allowed to show a[ film at a Consulate-run education center](https://www.chosun.com/international/us/2025/07/16/KBOT3P33LVAKXH3JY2X3CUXZZI/) in Los Angeles. The film praised Chongryon. After your reporter wrote about this, the Consulate claimed it had not given permission and the film showing was moved to a different location. Precisely because these incidents were publicly exposed, the Lee administration may be more cautious in 2026. However, Lee has abandoned caution regarding the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council. Known as “PyungTong,” this government-affiliated entity has branches and chapters across the world. As President, Lee himself is the chairman, and the executive vice-chair is a minister-level appointee. Its officials in the U.S. serve with the approval of the ROK government. It was therefore extremely concerning that the government recently approved the appointment of longtime Washington, D.C. area[ pro-North Korean activist Lee Jae-soo](https://www.vop.co.kr/A00000020006.html) as the [U.S. regional chairman](https://knowmediatech.com/?p=10221), with an important supervisory role over U.S. branches. During the Moon administration, Lee Jae-soo led the group’s D.C. area branch, but in this new role, he has a much wider area of responsibility, and will essentially be an unofficial representative of the South Korean government in the U.S. Besides leading the [Overseas Candlelight Action group](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-anti-americanism-and-pro-north-korea-tendencies-of-south-koreas-candlelight-action-protest-movement/), Lee was also an official of the U.S. branch of the more openly pro-North, anti-American [6.15 Committee](http://www.koreatimes.com/article/20240917/1530344). This organization is so loyal to Kim Jong-un’s regime that in 2024 it changed its name to conform with the new “two hostile states” policy. In the past,[ Lee has spread conspiracy theories](http://www.koreatimes.com/article/20100601/596975) denying that North Korea sank the ROK warship *Cheonan.* He also[ defended convicted sabotage planner](http://www.koreatimes.com/article/839417) and traitor Lee Seok-ki, but he may now try to re-invent himself as a mere “progressive” by covering up his extremist past. His appointment is a victory for pro-North forces, but it has gone unnoticed by the South Korean media. In light of what pro-North and other leftist forces in the U.S. and the ROK have planned for 2026, and the damage which their efforts, if successful, will do to the U.S. national security, the South, the U.S.-ROK alliance, and the cause of liberty, it is essential that opponents of the Kim Jong-un regime be alert. When the harmful nature of pro-North activities, and even the existence of pro-North forces, are denied or downplayed as irrelevant and unworthy of attention, whether by journalists, politicians, or Korea experts, such deeply misguided dismissiveness, be it well-intentioned, stubbornly arrogant, or motivated by sympathy for activists, only serves to empower and legitimize forces opposed to the U.S.-Korean alliance. Only by anticipating what they plan for 2026, and monitoring their activities as they develop, can effective measures be taken to counter and expose them by those who cherish freedom and oppose Kim Jong-un’s dictatorship. As the old adage says, “You may not be interested in politics, but politics are definitely interested in you.” We ignore these political forces that seek to impose their will on and do serious harm to free people and free societies at our peril. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Outlook%20for%202026%3A%C2%A0%20Pro-North%20Korean%20and%20other%20far-left%20forces%20versus%20the%20U.S.-ROK%20alliance&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Outlook%20for%202026%3A%C2%A0%20Pro-North%20Korean%20and%20other%20far-left%20forces%20versus%20the%20U.S.-ROK%20alliance https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Outlook%20for%202026%3A%C2%A0%20Pro-North%20Korean%20and%20other%20far-left%20forces%20versus%20the%20U.S.-ROK%20alliance "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/outlook-for-2026-pro-north-korean-and-other-far-left-forces-versus-the-u-s-rok-alliance/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Outlook%20for%202026%3A%C2%A0%20Pro-North%20Korean%20and%20other%20far-left%20forces%20versus%20the%20U.S.-ROK%20alliance&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/outlook-for-2026-pro-north-korean-and-other-far-left-forces-versus-the-u-s-rok-alliance/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Outlook%20for%202026%3A%C2%A0%20Pro-North%20Korean%20and%20other%20far-left%20forces%20versus%20the%20U.S.-ROK%20alliance "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [The threat of America's isolationist faction and Korea's autonomy faction to the U.S.-ROK alliance](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-threat-of-americas-isolationist-faction-and-koreas-autonomy-faction-to-the-u-s-rok-alliance/) **Published:** February 25, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Istock-1267243374.jpg "Flag 3d rendering on economic cooperation between u s and south korea | nk insider")For better or worse, whatever transpires in U.S.-ROK relations in 2026 and the remainder of the Trump administration will depend not only on decisions made by North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. It will also be determined by political trends and leaders, their advisors, legislators, and opinion-shapers in Washington, D.C. and Seoul. Any threat to the alliance, as well as to American power and influence in the Asia-Pacific region in a broader sense, will derive not exclusively from the regimes in Pyongyang and Beijing, but also from the machinations of those in the U.S. who are part of what may be termed the isolationist faction in American politics and what is known in South Korea by various names including the autonomy faction, the independence faction, and the self-reliance faction. Although the terms for this Korean group have very misleading connotations, it will be referred to in this article as the autonomy faction (AF). The isolationist faction in the U.S., which is sometimes referred to as the “America only” group, as distinct from the much larger and more important non-isolationist “America first” forces, is one whose advocates and allies disingenuously reject the term isolationist. However, since it does very accurately reflect their views and policy positions in practice, they will be referred to as the isolationist faction (IF) in this article. Since the current South Korean president is from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which has a legislative majority, and the U.S. president is from the Republican Party, which has a majority in both houses of Congress, this article will primarily focus on these parties and the factions which are part of or claim to be allied with or supportive of them. As for far-left and pro-North Korean lobbyists and influencers in both countries, this discussion will mention them, but not focus primarily on them. They merit a separate article. It is sufficient to note that pro-North forces greatly benefit from AF and IF influence and have collaborated with them. Indeed, the AF and the IF very often parrot the talking points of pro-North groups and activists, and likewise, pro-North forces frequently adopt the rhetoric of the AF and the IF. The use of the inane term “forever wars,” for example, is favored by both [pro-North](https://koreapeacenow.org/watch-christine-ahn-speaking-at-world-beyond-wars-event-ending-americas-forever-war-in-korea/) and [IF](https://quincyinst.org/2020/06/10/revenge-of-the-forever-wars/) elements in the U.S. The IF does not include either [President Trump](https://www.thefreedomfrequency.org/p/trump-resists-the-isolationists) or the overwhelming majority of his cabinet, nor does it include the majority of Republican members of Congress. In fact, Trump publicly condemned the two IF members of the House of Representatives. Following this, one of them, Majorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, last month resigned from Congress, and he other, Thomas Massie, will face a Trump-endorsed challenger if he runs for office again in the 2026 mid-term elections. In the Senate, there is also Ron Paul, but he is not quite as radical or as completely committed to the IF. Greene, who is mocked for her bizarre conspiracy theories, has been praised by the pro-North Korea,[pro-China](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/leftist-code-pink-founder-praise-marjorie-taylor-greene-stuns-social-media) group Code Pink and Korean American [pro-North](https://minjok-com.translate.goog/bbs/board.php?bo_table=tongil&wr_id=23051&_x_tr_sl=ko&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc) activists. The leading IF think tanks, which certainly merit being characterized as such in spite of their denials, are the libertarian-IF [Cato Institute](https://www.cato.org/commentary/why-cant-america-let-south-korea-defend-itself) and the leftist-IF [Quincy Institute](https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/new-us-think-tank-accused-of-antisemitism-615750). The main individuals in the IF tend to be opinion-shapers, such as podcasters Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon. Although such influencers may not align with the IF on every foreign policy issue, and some of them have criticized China, they nevertheless surely fall within the broad IF category. Bannon served for several months as an advisor in the previous Trump administration but has no role in the current administration. Carlson, who formerly had a show on Fox TV, is viewed as being particularly close to Vice President J.D. Vance, and his son works in Vance’s office. Another IF entity, deceptively masquerading as a conservative publication, is the [American Conservative](https://quincyinst.org/author/kelley-beaucar-vlahos/) site, some of whose former top staff are now affiliated with the Quincy Institute. That publication’s name may deceive those unfamiliar with its content, which is often very far from traditional American conservatism. Some [writers](https://freebeacon.com/national-security/in-echo-of-chinese-propaganda-quincy-institute-targets-retired-american-admirals-japanese-ancestry/) for the sites of the Quincy Institute and the Cato Institute, and also for the American Conservative, are [justifiably accused](https://www.timesofisrael.com/republican-accuses-soros-funded-think-tank-of-fostering-anti-semitism/) of being [racists](https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/report-quincy-institute-contributors-racist-rantings-unmasked/),[antisemites](https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/frequent-tucker-carlson-guest-doug-macgregor-pushes-anti-semitic-trope-in-unearthed-video/) and generally [disreputable](https://freebeacon.com/crime/fbi-raids-home-of-former-un-official-and-convicted-sex-predator-scott-ritter/). A[co-founder](https://www.meforum.org/fwi/fwi-news/german-think-tank-cancels-talk-by-pro-iran-regime-lobbyist) of the Quincy Institute has been accused of being an agent of influence for the Iranian regime. Although the political positions of the Quincy Institute very often align with those of the far-left, it also includes some extreme-right individuals. There are also a few neo-Nazi podcasters and YouTubers, such as Nick Fuentes, and wild conspiracy theorists such as Candace Owens, who support and are involved with the IF. The openly racist Fuentes, for example, has [praised North Korea](https://x.com/ConceptualJames/status/1983632310462509110?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet) as “the good guys,” and Owens has [defended communist China’s persecution](https://backtojerusalem.com/candace-owens-supports-chinas-persecution-against-underground-house-church-christians/) of Protestant Christians. But because their crazy views are so clearly evil, they are not a major factor in politics. More worrying is the handful of Korean American YouTubers and podcasters who are fanatical supporters of the “Yoon Forever” movement, although they do not really represent it, and have ties to Korean American conservative groups, but do terrible damage to the U.S.-ROK alliance and to the conservative cause by spreading false conspiracy theories. The Los Angeles YouTube host Michael Won (Won Yong-suk), for example, has apparently aligned himself with Candace Owens, and is smearing the memory of Charlie Kirk by [endorsing and promoting her accusation](https://www.youtube.com/@%EC%9B%90%EC%9A%A9%EC%84%9D%EC%9D%98%EC%A7%84%EC%8B%A4%EC%A0%95%EC%B9%98/videos) that Kirk’s widow Erika was somehow involved in his murder and was working for the U.S. CIA and/or the Israel Mossad. It is important to recognize the basic positions and beliefs of the IF and the AF, and note whom they sympathize with or oppose. In the case of the IF, few or none of its major elements are explicitly pro-North Korean. One partial exception, however, is the Quincy Institute. While as a whole the think tank is not pro-North, some individuals [within it and its orbit](https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/biden-admin-taps-china-apologist-for-foggy-bottom-post/), including some who write for its website, are [pro-North activists or fellow travelers](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-transpartisan-case-for-peace-on-the-korean-peninsula/) of the [pro-North movement](https://koreapeacenow.org/join-the-national-grassroots-gathering-for-peace-in-korea-in-march-2020/) who are i[nvolved with pro-North groups](https://www.womencrossdmz.org/bipartisan-roundtable-discussion-on-resolving-the-security-crisis-on-the-korean-peninsula/). Leading individuals at the Quincy Institute have stridently condemned Korean conservative and pro-alliance forces in both countries, and its website contains plentiful examples of such attacks by extreme-left and pro-North writers. Individuals at the Cato Institute have been very sympathetic to leftist ROK forces and their policies. One [of its leading figures](https://www.cato.org/commentary/distorting-impact-hyphenated-americans-korea-policy) has written that, “There is no reason that the U.S. should continue to defend the ROK…” or Japan, or Europe. The [leader of a pro-North front group](https://responsiblestatecraft.org/author/cahn/) that has described the Korean War as a [“project” of U.S. “imperialism”](https://www.facebook.com/koreapeacenow/posts/pfbid02AqGTpLcu9ohn7LodkG6LA2C8d8hP5s9p3s83MvpxYg9psXvR18rT44byywm1N8qFl#) and published a Moon Jae-in government-funded [report opposing sanctions](https://www.womencrossdmz.org/the-human-costs-and-gendered-impact-of-sanctions-on-north-korea-report/) on North Korea, wrote on the Quincy Institute’s website that U.S. sanctions, not Kim Jong-un’s dictatorship, are responsible for harming North Korea’s people. On his podcast,[ Bannon](https://freebeacon.com/national-security/steve-bannon-sits-down-with-accused-iranian-agent-to-discuss-contours-of-america-first-foreign-policy/) has praised and promoted one of the main leaders and founders of the Quincy Institute. Although the main position of the IF is not “subjectively” pro-North, it may fairly be termed “objectively” pro-North, as George Orwell used that term, in that it advocates and lobbies for a policy of appeasement of Pyongyang by means of major unreciprocated concessions. IF policy preferences range from support for a no preconditions peace agreement between the U.S. and the North, to the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from the South, and from advocacy of establishing diplomatic ties with the North, to the reduction or elimination of sanctions. This faction does not focus solely on the Korean peninsula. It also promotes appeasement of – and in some cases defends [– Russia](https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/this-time-real-russiagate),[China](https://freebeacon.com/national-security/quincy-institute-fellow-denies-chinas-genocide-of-uighur-muslims/),[Iran](https://freebeacon.com/national-security/give-iran-nukes-says-quincy-institutes-new-iran-expert/), and other tyrannical regimes, often by [disingenuously](https://www.hudson.org/domestic-policy/what-john-quincy-adams-meant-when-he-said-america-goes-not-abroad-in-search-of-monsters-to-destroy) disguising such policies as “realism.” Its positions are not totally uniform, however, and its elements vary in their views from country to country, but most well-known IF podcasters are notorious for supporting Vladimir[Putin](https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/tucker-carlson-putin-zelensky-b2711134.html) and Russia. Other [common characteristics](https://www.facebook.com/ChristiansUnitedforIsrael/posts/candace-owens-has-built-a-platform-by-spreading-dangerous-misinformation-about-i/1276118044554428/) of the IF are its obsessive and [extreme hostility](https://combatantisemitism.org/cam-news/tucker-carlson-pushes-antisemitic-conspiracy-theories-about-alleged-israeli-influence-in-us/) and in some cases even [hatred of Israel and Jews](https://aish.com/tucker-carlsons-lies-about-jews-and-israel/), and its absurd mischaracterization of all non-isolationists as “neocons.” Regarding the AF in South Korea, some individuals commonly associated with it were officials in the former administrations of leftist presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in, where they were known as the[ “Taliban” faction](https://www.munhwa.com/article/11083037) for their anti-Americanism. Many now serve in top posts of the Lee Jae-myung administration or are legislators for the ruling DPK. Referring to them as mere advocates of self-reliance or even independence is misleading. In the case of some elements within the AF, it would be more accurate to describe them, to varying degrees, as [anti-alliance](https://www.aei.org/op-eds/the-u-s-alliance-with-seoul-could-go-south/) or even anti-U.S. because they have been involved in anti-U.S. movements and seek to fundamentally weaken the alliance. President Lee himself was facing charges – but has managed to have a trial postponed and is seeking to have dropped – of alleged involvement in a scheme to [illegally transfer millions of dollars to North Korea](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/law-crime/20250722/another-lee-trial-postponed-in-halt-to-all-5-of-his-trials), in what was apparently a bribe to persuade dictator Kim Jong-un to allow him to visit Pyongyang for a photo opportunity. Three representative figures within the AF are [Prime Minister Kim Min-seok](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-anti-americanism-and-pro-north-korea-tendencies-of-south-koreas-candlelight-action-protest-movement/), a former radical and anti-U.S. activist (whose brother and political ally [Kim Min-woong](https://www.facebook.com/gimmin.ung.278587/posts/pfbid02bKrPutaZjjKWnDqFvtZQu3QwyasPSUvpHk2XVZQqCzaPYWNu1kU5Vu8kNYmaE6THl) is pro-North, pro-Hamas, and rabidly anti-U.S.), [Unification Minister Chung Dong-young](https://www.newdaily.co.kr/site/data/html/2026/01/02/2026010200322.html), an infamous appeaser of the North who was a presidential candidate of the forerunner party of the DPK and also served as Unification Minister in the administration of Roh Moo-hyun, and [Jung Chung-rae](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgTfr5chCpA), the hot-tempered leader of the DPK, who as a radical activist once raided and firebombed the residence of the U.S. ambassador in Seoul. Recent media reports have mentioned [heightened conflict between AF and pro-alliance forces](https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2026/02/01/IRFAKDCM5FDGPC7HZNOIEN2JNE/) within the Lee administration, noting that such factionalist infighting has reached a serious level. Prime Minister Kim and DPK leader Jung have sided with Unification Minister Chung in these matters, outnumbering and exceeding the influence of pro-alliance forces. Even within the South’s National Intelligence Service, there are reportedly deep divisions between officials aligned with the AF and others who are relatively more pro-alliance. It is often the Unification Minister who has the most input and influence regarding inter-Korean relations, and in recent months Chung has been making statements and floating trial balloons in a manner meant to provoke Washington by openly opposing U.S. policies and longstanding alliance principles. Other officials in the Lee administration, particularly those who, like national security advisor Wi Sung-lac, are more pro-alliance, have had to disavow or correct some of Chung’s statements. [ ](https://www.freezinenews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=15635) [Chung’s worldview](https://www.freezinenews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=15635) is exemplified by his absurd rhetorical question, “How would we view it if North Korea raised the issue of human rights in South Korea?” and his [seeming endorsement](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=109021) of Kim Jong-un’s anti-unification policy, as well as his blaming the U.S. for the failure of talks with Kim Jong-un and claiming that [the North is not the ROK’s main enemy](https://www.donga.com/news/Politics/article/all/20250714/131997321/2). In [December 2025](https://en.news1.kr/northkorea/5877184), Chung openly criticized U.S. sanctions and human rights pressure on the North, stating that his Ministry would not be involved in certain discussions with the U.S. He also picked [a fight with the United Nations Command](https://www.pressreader.com/korea-republic/korea-joongang-daily/20251219/281724095892772) over rules regarding access to portions of the DMZ. It is not surprising that members of Korea’s conservative, pro-alliance opposition party have challenged Chung and the Lee administration as a whole by [calling their policies](https://www.newdaily.co.kr/site/data/html/2025/09/24/2025092400319.html) a “rehash of failed North Korea appeasement measures.” When President Lee in December 2025 ridiculously stated that North Korea legitimately fears being invaded by the South, one conservative politician observed that Lee sounded as if he was a [“spokesman for North Korea.”](https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20251220/6020383/1) A former head of the government’s Korea Institute for National Unification described [Chung’s views](https://www.newdaily.co.kr/site/data/html/2025/11/06/2025110600243.html) regarding the North as contrary to provisions of the Constitution. In other words, treasonous. Before becoming Minister of Unification, Chung, on a visit to the U.S. as a representative of the DPK in 2024, [met with members of the Quincy Institute](https://imnews.imbc.com/replay/2024/nw1400/article/6612960_36493.html) and said that his party wanted to establish close ties with them. Chung also declared that North Korea was compelled to develop nuclear weapons due to U.S. hostility, and said Kim Jong-un would abandon such weapons if the U.S. established relations with his regime. So far, the IF in the U.S. has not had close ties with the AF in South Korea. The exception is some individuals at the Quincy Institute who do have ties to the AF and to the Korean left more generally. In November 2025, a delegation from the Quincy Institute visited the ROK and met with one of the most [rabidly anti-American](https://www.jajusibo.com/69590) and [anti-alliance](https://www.jajusibo.com/68504) politicians in Korea, [Kim Joon-hyung](https://www.facebook.com/joonforpeace/posts/pfbid02Munt654cCmkScpD5cNqEyfb2yLurZdDqMsfPRnNVT14iTnsuhpwFKK95UwaFZ3bZl) of the far-left Fatherland Innovation Party. In December 2025, Kim wrote [an article](https://responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-nss-china/) published by the Quincy Institute. Kim has been [supportive of pro-North Korean forces](https://www.instagram.com/womencrossdmz/reel/DKc8O7byl9k/) in the U.S. for several years and has specifically praised the pro-North Korean front group [Women Cross DMZ / Korea Peace Now](https://www.instagram.com/nodutdol/p/C98MCRsymWG/?img_index=10), which endorses the withdrawal of U.S. forces and an end to the alliance. Steve Bannon has had ties to a few Korean conservatives, but they are probably not aware of his broader isolationist views or his sympathy for Russia. Bannon’s influence recently suffered a major blow when it was revealed that he and Jeffrey Epstein were discussing a [scheme to remove Trump from office](https://www.newsmax.com/politics/steve-bannon-jeffrey-epstein-files/2026/02/17/id/1246376/) during his first term. It is also possible that some Korean conservatives may be fans of Carlson, because he was previously a conservative, and they may not know that he is now an isolationist who supports Russia. As noted, it should be kept in mind that the AF also has allies among far-left and pro-North Korean forces in the South. In the U.S., the situation is different. Although IF has some friends within the Trump administration, it is mainly dependent on podcasters and other influencers and is focused on a kind of “hostile takeover” of the Republican Party and the broader conservative movement. Such a “hijacking” effort is unlikely to succeed. [Opinion polls](https://x.com/ReaganInstitute/status/1937206775100444922) indicate that the IF is a small minority, and the racism and antisemitism of some leading figures, as well as their criticism of Trump and their sympathy for some of America’s enemies, has badly damaged their reputation within the Republican Party and among conservatives. When President Trump struck Iran’s nuclear weapons development facilities in June 2025, Bannon and Carlson were outraged and [wrongly predicted](https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/06/25/us-sen-tom-cotton-calls-out-failed-iran-predictions-isolationist-online-influencers-report/) that it would cause an apocalyptic world war. Also, when in December he ordered strikes against the Islamist forces which have been slaughtering Christians in Nigeria, that was another blow to Carlson, who has dishonestly [denied the fact](https://www.jns.org/christian-genocide-in-nigeria-and-the-war-on-israel/) that Nigerian Christians were regularly being massacred by Jihadists. Some influential, respected Republican and genuine conservative figures, such as Senator Ted Cruz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, presidential advisor Sebastian Gorka, professor and historian Victor Davis Hanson, and especially attorney and Fox TV host Mark Levin (none of whom can be fairly labeled as “neo-cons”) have in recent months and weeks been speaking out against the IF, explaining that it is not really conservative in nature. Among Korean Americans, there are, of course, leftist and pro-North elements who support the South Korean AF, and there are also a few fake conservatives in the Korean American community, particularly a few YouTube show hosts who have been deceived by the groundless conspiracy theories spread by the IF or are simply disreputable opportunists. Since the IF holds positions which are contrary to fundamental American values and traditional American foreign policy concerns, they are likely to lose this debate and be defeated. In South Korea, where the AF has much more influence within the government and over the administration, the problem is far more serious. Whether or not it is able to successfully implement its preferred policies and further damage the U.S.-ROK alliance and Korea’s national security largely depends on the extent to which President Lee agrees with them and provides support. Appeasement of North Korea completely failed in the mid-to-late 1990s and again during the administrations of Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in, just as appeasement failed with disastrous consequences in Europe during the 1930s. Recent isolationist efforts in the U.S., encouraged by demagogues as disreputable as America’s isolationists of the 1930s, will lead only to disaster, and should therefore be strongly opposed. As [Republican Congressman John E. James](https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_e_james_1243987) observed, “The siren song of isolationism is tempting. But allowing vacuums of American influence around the world to be filled by terrorists and exploited by communists is a threat to American security at home.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20threat%20of%20America%27s%20isolationist%20faction%20and%20Korea%27s%20autonomy%20faction%20to%20the%20U.S.-ROK%20alliance&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20threat%20of%20America%27s%20isolationist%20faction%20and%20Korea%27s%20autonomy%20faction%20to%20the%20U.S.-ROK%20alliance https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20threat%20of%20America%27s%20isolationist%20faction%20and%20Korea%27s%20autonomy%20faction%20to%20the%20U.S.-ROK%20alliance "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-threat-of-americas-isolationist-faction-and-koreas-autonomy-faction-to-the-u-s-rok-alliance/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20threat%20of%20America%27s%20isolationist%20faction%20and%20Korea%27s%20autonomy%20faction%20to%20the%20U.S.-ROK%20alliance&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-threat-of-americas-isolationist-faction-and-koreas-autonomy-faction-to-the-u-s-rok-alliance/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20threat%20of%20America%27s%20isolationist%20faction%20and%20Korea%27s%20autonomy%20faction%20to%20the%20U.S.-ROK%20alliance "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Regime showcases new nuclear-capable rocket launchers ahead of Party Congress](https://www.nkinsider.org/regime-showcases-new-nuclear-capable-rocket-launchers-ahead-of-party-congress/) **Published:** February 24, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/600mm-multi-rocket-launcher-systems.jpg "600mm multirocket launcher systems | nk insider")North Korea showcased 50 nuclear-capable rocket launchers at a ceremony on February 18 ahead of the all-important Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. The sight of rows of super-large multiple rocket launchers lined up in front of the April 25th House of Culture in Pyongyang, the venue for the Congress, demonstrated that the event was not merely a weapons handover, but a political demonstration of the regime’s defense industry achievements and a display of deterrence to the outside world. The new rocket launcher is “the world’s most powerful concentrated super-strong assault weapon, perfectly combining the precision and destructive power of tactical ballistic missiles with the rapid-fire capability of rocket artillery,” Kim said in a speech at the ceremony. “The enemy’s military infrastructure and command system will collapse instantly.” The rocket launcher is referred to by experts as the KN-25. It has an estimated range of 380–400 km, which puts all of South Korea within striking distance, including command centers, air bases, missile defense systems, and major critical infrastructure. With a diameter of 600mm, warhead weight of 300–500 kg, and a circular error probable (CEP) of 80–90 meters, the KN-25 is considered closer to a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) than a conventional rocket artillery system. Its multiple-launch capability allows for rapid mass warhead delivery, raising concerns that it could neutralize South Korea’s “Kill Chain” strategy of detecting and preemptively striking North Korean launch sites. North Korea claimed to have produced 50 units in just two months, a figure confirmed by foreign media analysis. Military outlets abroad noted that deploying more than 50 KN-25 launch vehicles ahead of the 9th Party Congress signals a doctrinal shift toward integrated nuclear and conventional operations. The regime also asserted that the weapon is equipped with AI-based guidance and electronic warfare countermeasures. While some foreign reports highlighted mention of “AI-based anti-jamming functions” as an attempt to flaunt technological superiority, experts largely view these claims as propaganda. Analysts in South Korea and the U.S. acknowledge the KN-25’s improved precision and long-range strike capability compared to older rocket artillery, but question whether North Korea has truly implemented advanced AI or complex guidance systems. The greatest concern among experts is the KN-25’s potential role as a tactical nuclear delivery platform. North Korea unveiled its “Hwasan-31” tactical nuclear warhead in 2023, and the KN-25’s payload capacity and design are assessed as compatible with it. Foreign media noted Kim’s remark that the weapon is “suitable for special attacks and strategic missions,” interpreting it as a clear hint at nuclear delivery capability. The mass deployment of these rocket launchers is thus seen not only as a demonstration of weapons performance but also as a strategic message aimed at South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. The KN-25’s short launch preparation time and use of mobile transporter-erector-launchers (TELs) make detection and interception difficult. South Korea’s Patriot, L-SAM, and THAAD systems are optimized for ballistic missile interception, but weapons like the KN-25—occupying the “gray zone” between rocket artillery and missiles—are harder to counter. Experts warn that North Korea’s large-scale deployment of KN-25s enhances its ability to overwhelm South Korea’s missile defense through saturation attacks. If more than 50 launchers were fired simultaneously, South Korea’s interception systems could be physically incapable of responding. Ultimately, the presentation ceremony served as a stage for North Korea to flaunt its defense industry achievements and exaggerate its deterrence against South Korea and the U.S. Kim’s remarks emphasized technical capabilities but fundamentally aimed to undermine South Korea’s response strategies, showcase nuclear and missile strength, and bolster bargaining power. Domestically, the event also sought to encourage loyalty competition within the defense industry and strengthen regime unity ahead of the Party Congress. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Regime%20showcases%20new%20nuclear-capable%20rocket%20launchers%20ahead%20of%20Party%20Congress&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Regime%20showcases%20new%20nuclear-capable%20rocket%20launchers%20ahead%20of%20Party%20Congress https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Regime%20showcases%20new%20nuclear-capable%20rocket%20launchers%20ahead%20of%20Party%20Congress "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/regime-showcases-new-nuclear-capable-rocket-launchers-ahead-of-party-congress/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Regime%20showcases%20new%20nuclear-capable%20rocket%20launchers%20ahead%20of%20Party%20Congress&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/regime-showcases-new-nuclear-capable-rocket-launchers-ahead-of-party-congress/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Regime%20showcases%20new%20nuclear-capable%20rocket%20launchers%20ahead%20of%20Party%20Congress "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Power, the dinner table, and the cold sea](https://www.nkinsider.org/power-the-dinner-table-and-the-cold-sea/) **Published:** February 22, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Covid-19-in-nk-part-1.jpg "Covid19 in nk part 1 | nk insider")If a fisherman working for Songhak Fisheries dies on a boat on the icy winter waters of the Yellow Sea, the boat does not return to port. The fish are more important. That is because whatever the boat catches is destined for the Central Committee’s dinner table. When we hear the name Songhak Fisheries, we might imagine an ordinary seafood company. Most, of course, will have never heard the name at all. But behind it lies another name—“Unit 8.” This mysterious organization is the one that runs the supply system under the direct control of the Central Committee of the ruling Korea Workers Party. It handles the special distribution network responsible for the dining tables of the top leadership and core officials. Completely separated from the general distribution system, it reveals with absolute clarity what the regime prioritizes. Unit 8 is a symbol of privilege. At the same time, it is a name that exposes how lightly human life can be treated. Its main task is the production of specialty goods—premium ingredients harvested from the sea. The menu is long: pufferfish, rockfish, gizzard shad, butterfish, webfoot octopus, oysters, seaweed. This list goes on. But these specialties are not mere products. They are items for the tables of the few which someone must risk their life to provide. That is because whether workers assigned to Unit 8 set sail or not has nothing to do with the condition of the sea. Even when the waves are high and there’s a risk the boat may capsize, if a production order comes down, they must go out. “We know we shouldn’t go out on days like that. But we still go. The plan comes first,” a man who once worked for the unit out of Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, told me. Even when their hands go numb from the winter sea and lose all feeling, the work does not stop. If it were to, they would be branded as having “failed to meet the plan,” and suffered the consequences. After COVID-19 spread in 2020 and the country sealed its borders and coastline, movement and distribution of goods between people were strictly controlled, and violations were punished. Authorities claimed these were “unavoidable measures to protect the state.” But there was an exception to the lockdown. That was Unit 8. Ordinary citizens were forbidden to move about, yet production and distribution for the Central Party officials’ dining tables never stopped. What took precedence over quarantine was not public safety, but the needs of those in power. The seafood was the same, but its significance depended on whose mouth it entered. For citizens, it was a potential threat. For Central Party officials, it was a harmless delicacy. This was not simply a matter of quarantine policy. It was a snapshot of how power operates. More frightening than the virus was discrimination, and more powerful than science was authority. In this reality, frustration and doubt accumulated among the people. But voicing them was not easy. In North Korean society, a single careless word does not end with the individual. In a system where family, relatives, and even neighbors can be implicated, silence becomes a condition for survival. As a result, the Unit 8 system grew even more entrenched, and the sacrifices of workers beneath it became routine. The danger belonged to individuals. The benefits belonged to power. We easily forget names made of numbers. But Unit 8 must be remembered. Even now, at this very moment, someone is disappearing into the cold waters so that someone else’s dinner table may be filled. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Power%2C%20the%20dinner%20table%2C%20and%20the%20cold%20sea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Power%2C%20the%20dinner%20table%2C%20and%20the%20cold%20sea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Power%2C%20the%20dinner%20table%2C%20and%20the%20cold%20sea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/power-the-dinner-table-and-the-cold-sea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Power%2C%20the%20dinner%20table%2C%20and%20the%20cold%20sea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/power-the-dinner-table-and-the-cold-sea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Power%2C%20the%20dinner%20table%2C%20and%20the%20cold%20sea "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [“Patriots who gave their lives without compensation” — Apartments in Pyongyang for families of fallen soldiers](https://www.nkinsider.org/patriots-who-gave-their-lives-without-compensation-apartments-in-pyongyang-for-families-of-fallen-soldiers/) **Published:** February 18, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Saebyol-street.jpg "Saebyŏl street | nk insider")Kim Jong‑un attended the completion ceremony on February 15 of a new apartment district in Pyongyang that has been specially built for the families of soldiers killed in action fighting for Russia in the war with Ukraine. Called Saebyŏl Street, the apartment district was created as a symbolic showcase of country’s compensation system. It designates the fallen soldiers as “heroes,” brings their bereaved families into the center of the capital, and grants them luxury housing. Saebyŏl Street is “a monumental tribute of our era that honors the noble souls of the war heroes and elevates their families to a place of glory,” Kim said at the event. But behind this emotional staging lies the deeply troubling reality of overseas troop deployments, an issue recently confirmed by the international community and South Korean intelligence. On February 12, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported to the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee that over 10,000 combat troops are currently deployed, along with more than 1,000 engineers for reconstruction tasks, in Russia’s Kursk region. The NIS estimates that there have been around 6,000 casualties. Although North Korea does not officially acknowledge this, the flow of Russian military technology, cash, and energy support—along with public exchanges between the two countries’ leaders—has already made it a widely accepted fact that Kim is directly and continuously supporting Russia’s war effort. In this context, the creation of Saebyŏl Street as a “district exclusively for the families of war heroes” is not simply a housing policy. It is a compensation mechanism designed to manage the political cost of sending troops abroad. In his speech, Kim explicitly referred to the deployed soldiers as “patriots who, without expecting any compensation, obeyed the call of the motherland and fought without hesitation, even at the cost of their precious lives.” This phrasing is widely interpreted as an indirect admission that the troops sent to Russia receive little to no actual pay. At the same time, it reframes their sacrifice as “patriotism,” a political message aimed at suppressing internal discontent. Saebyŏl Street emerged precisely within this political logic. By relocating the families of fallen soldiers from provincial regions to Pyongyang and granting them high‑end apartments, the regime is offering a powerful incentive. Since Pyongyang residency is the most coveted privilege in North Korea, this system is likely to function as part of a broader mobilization strategy to sustain future overseas deployments. It allows the regime to simultaneously secure military technology from Russia, obtain sanctions‑evading funds, and break out of international isolation. Kim also personally visited the families during the ceremony, toured the interiors of their new homes. “From now on, our Party and government will take full responsibility for the families of the fallen,” he said. This demonstrates that North Korea is further strengthening its long‑standing governing principle: rewards for loyalty, punishment for betrayal. The repeated purges of high‑ranking military officers in recent years make this dual strategy of “compensation and fear” even clearer. The speed of Saebyŏl Street’s construction is also noteworthy. North Korea claims it completed an entire district of high‑rise and mid‑rise apartments, commercial facilities, and service buildings in just a few months. But given chronic shortages of materials, electricity, and construction equipment, concerns about structural safety are inevitable. Internal sources report widespread issues such as poor concrete quality, lack of rebar, and reckless speed‑driven construction. Saebyŏl Street may look impressive on the outside, but whether its infrastructure will function reliably remains uncertain. Ultimately, the Saebyŏl Street ceremony served as a political event through which North Korea showcased its “honoring of heroes” to the outside world, soothed the dissatisfaction of bereaved families at home, and strengthened its mobilization system for future overseas deployments. Kim’s remark that the regime will “preserve the names and faces of the war heroes for all generations to come” can also be read as indication that North Korea intends to continue using overseas military operations for the foreseeable future. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CPatriots%20who%20gave%20their%20lives%20without%20compensation%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Apartments%20in%20Pyongyang%20for%20families%20of%20fallen%20soldiers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%E2%80%9CPatriots%20who%20gave%20their%20lives%20without%20compensation%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Apartments%20in%20Pyongyang%20for%20families%20of%20fallen%20soldiers https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%E2%80%9CPatriots%20who%20gave%20their%20lives%20without%20compensation%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Apartments%20in%20Pyongyang%20for%20families%20of%20fallen%20soldiers "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/patriots-who-gave-their-lives-without-compensation-apartments-in-pyongyang-for-families-of-fallen-soldiers/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%E2%80%9CPatriots%20who%20gave%20their%20lives%20without%20compensation%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Apartments%20in%20Pyongyang%20for%20families%20of%20fallen%20soldiers&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/patriots-who-gave-their-lives-without-compensation-apartments-in-pyongyang-for-families-of-fallen-soldiers/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%E2%80%9CPatriots%20who%20gave%20their%20lives%20without%20compensation%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Apartments%20in%20Pyongyang%20for%20families%20of%20fallen%20soldiers "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Can ordinary joy awaken the people of North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-ordinary-joy-awaken-the-people-of-north-korea/) **Published:** February 19, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-14-at-12 35 20-am.jpg "Screenshot 20260214 at 12 35 20 am | nk insider")Today I went to the playground with my children. It’s already been three years since I came to South Korea, but everyday moments like this still feel unfamiliar. Sometimes they’re even shocking. The playground was full of children, and there was non-stop laughter. But what surprised me most was the adults. Next to the playground was a small slope for sledding. I naturally assumed it was for children and didn’t give it much thought. But then I noticed there were more adults than children there. Fathers and mothers, young people, even people who looked middle-aged. They were pulling sleds, riding them, falling, and laughing together with the kids. Some laughed louder than the children. Some even looked more excited than the kids. I stood there, stunned, transfixed. Actually, I was so struck I couldn’t move. Such a scene is unimaginable where I come from. Adults riding sleds? I had never even thought of it. Sleds were for children, and even then only in very limited circumstances. Adults were always told: “Do not put personal emotions ahead of revolutionary tasks.” To laugh and play was labeled immature behavior or ideological weakness. Especially for adults to laugh and play like children—that was considered incompatible with the system. Growing up in North Korea, we always heard things like:“A person must live within the organization.” “The collective comes before the individual.” “In a revolutionary country, you must not think of playing first.” These sayings shaped everyday life. That was why adults always had to be serious. Joy was something to be guarded against. Even in front of children, adults had to remain “adult-like,” careful even with laughter. But here in the South Korean playground, the adults’ faces carried none of that tension. No one seemed self-consciously aware of other people. No one worried about who was watching or what others might say. In North Korea, you always had to be aware of who might be looking at you. Even laughter needed a reason, every action needed an explanation. You had to constantly ask yourself: “Why am I laughing? Why am I in this place?” But here, adults were simply playing with children—for no reason other than joy, simply because they wanted to be together. Besides the need to avoid joy, parents rarely have the time to hold their child’s hand and go to a playground. They are always worried about survival, tied up with organizational life and endless mobilizations. Though they say “the family is the cell of society,” in reality the organization comes first. Time spent with children was not natural time. It was barely permitted time. In South Korea, I saw for the first time parents who play together. A society where taking your child to the playground is not special, where spending time with your child does not bring guilt. That realization moved me deeply. Watching the children run and the adults beside them, I kept repeating the same question in my heart: “This really is possible.” I grew up being taught that South Korea is a society of individualism, that children are spoiled, and that affection between parents and children is dry. I was told that in capitalist society, people care only about money, not about human warmth. But what I saw with my own eyes was totallly different. Parents looked into their children’s eyes instead of yelling. They held their hands and moved together with them. Spaces for children to play are everywhere, and adults enjoy them too. What would North Koreans think if they saw this with their own eyes? Would it jolt them out of their indoctrination? Surely it would, for no matter how old a person is, the desire to play, to laugh, to enjoy even a brief moment of happiness never disappears from the human heart. To be honest, I don’t think awakening happens instantly. North Korea’s indoctrination is not just a series of lies that can be exposed. It is a structure built from long years of fear and control. “The outside world is capitalist.” “We live in a socialist paradise.” These words have entirely dominated our lives. They form a structure that needs to be dismantled. That’s why I believe that what North Koreans most need if they are to wake up is not grand ideology or political slogans, but everyday scenes such as adults riding sleds with children, families going to the playground together, in a society where it’s okay to laugh. Each of these moments carries far more power than any propaganda slogan. Life in South Korea is not always easy. The language, the culture still feel unfamiliar, and financially I am not well-off. But here I am learning how to live like a human being. How to look into my child’s eyes and smile, how to feel that it’s okay to rest, how to believe that it’s okay to play. These are things I never learned in North Korea. Today at the playground, I realized many things. Freedom is not a grand word. Awakening from indoctrination is not about changing ideology. It is about the moment when the standards of life change. If North Koreans could one day see and feel this kind of everyday life, then the questioning would finally begin: “Why can’t we live like this?” I want to tell my people that another way of life is not just fantasy. It truly exists. A society where adults can ride sleds, where parents can hold their child’s hand and go to the playground, is not a world from a storybook. It is the reality I live in now. As I held my children’s hands and walked home today, I thought: this ordinary day I experienced might become the most powerful truth for someone. Not through grand speeches or political slogans, but through ordinary everyday life—where adults can laugh and play with children—this may be the quietest, yet deepest way to stir the hearts of people in North Korea. This, I believe, is the quietest yet strongest way to awaken them. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Can%20ordinary%20joy%20awaken%20the%20people%20of%20North%20Korea%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Can%20ordinary%20joy%20awaken%20the%20people%20of%20North%20Korea%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Can%20ordinary%20joy%20awaken%20the%20people%20of%20North%20Korea%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-ordinary-joy-awaken-the-people-of-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Can%20ordinary%20joy%20awaken%20the%20people%20of%20North%20Korea%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-ordinary-joy-awaken-the-people-of-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Can%20ordinary%20joy%20awaken%20the%20people%20of%20North%20Korea%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [On Kim Jong-un's "two hostile enemy states" theory and de-emphasis on unification policy](https://www.nkinsider.org/on-kim-jong-uns-two-hostile-enemy-states-theory-and-de-emphasis-on-unification-policy/) **Published:** February 13, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Kcna.jpg "Kcna | nk insider")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 general has been what is commonly referred to as the “major policy shift” by North Korea with regard to South Korea. This supposedly monumental change was Kim Jong-un’s declaration at the[ end of 2023](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2023-12-31/national/northKorea/Kim-calls-North-and-South-two-hostile-countries-in-state-of-war/1948110), on which he further elaborated in[ early 2024](https://www.voanews.com/a/north-korea-ends-policy-of-reunification-with-south-korea/7441790.html), that henceforth the North would consider its relationship with the South to be one of “two hostile states,” and consequently the idea that unification would be greatly de-emphasized or even dropped entirely. As recently as[ September 2025](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-09-22/national/northKorea/Norths-Kim-closes-door-on-unification-with-South-but-open-to-talks-with-Trump/2404570), Kim again stated that the North had no intention of pursuing unification or reconciliation with Seoul. This posture, after so many decades of promoting unification, has therefore been widely characterized as a major turnaround. But we should ask, aside from all the sound and fury accompanying the new line, what is its practical significance regarding the North’s overall stance towards the South? Is it really as earth-shaking as advertised? A strong argument can be made that the policy, aside from the obvious terminological changes in terms of rhetoric and propaganda, is not really all that novel on a practical level with regard to the actual behavior of the North. In spite of its decades-long insistence on the absolute necessity and inevitability of unification, on its own terms, of course, and despite the heavy reliance on[ “uriminzokkiri”-type appeals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uriminzokkiri) to the brethren in the South suffering until an eventual reunified[ “Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo”](https://calhoun.nps.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/81b7319c-525f-40e4-bc75-fe790ae65575/content) or other such Kim Il-sung-devised communization scheme, as a practical, “reality-on-the ground” matter, the change may not really be very substantial. For example, while the North has long threatened to militarily annihilate the South at the same time as simultaneously campaigning for peaceful unification, it now avoids the mention of unification and focuses solely on the wiping out part. Also, in reality, hasn’t the North always considered the other side to be its enemy and sought to destroy it, by whatever means? Of course, it would certainly have preferred to accomplish this via subversion, with the assistance of friendly or naively misguided forces in the South, and without having to resort to full-scale war. Nevertheless, the realities of the “peaceful unification” efforts of the past were always predicated on its eventual domination of the South. In this context, what is billed as a major change may not be that significant after all. We should also point out that the way the North now rules out any form of talks with the South about anything is also not new. There were[ periods in the past](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/north-korea-rules-out-talks-with-south-after-new-missile-test-dqcl8rp55?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqcDrR1apScWKj1aX-55fY_ZjyX4bGRVUKetmJHlCzUNzIbkO6XIkudPwf2gTK4%3D&gaa_ts=698aae70&gaa_sig=RGz0VD0iJXB41TSC74Txkxu0zH1w2mKTDCsIGb1SJOshFQTQ6Dbsk05JgDntYkA_D6OEdvdGvSnck6dxna2EVw%3D%3D) when it refused all dialogue. Regardless of any debates as to the actual meaning and ramifications of the announced change, in 2024 and 2025, pro-North Korean and other leftist forces in South Korea and the U.S. engaged in the slow and difficult task of digesting, internalizing, and ultimately adopting and promoting Kim’s policy shift. Just as in late 1939, communist parties, other pro-Soviet groups and individuals, and “fellow traveler” leftists throughout the world had to suddenly change their entire worldview and policy stance to loyally support and defend the Hitler-Stalin alliance and oppose war against Nazi Germany, so supporters and defenders of North Korea, and other sympathizing leftists, have had to adhere to the North’s new position, to publicly defend it, and most specifically to[ explain and justify](https://www.nkinsider.org/outlook-for-2026-pro-north-korean-and-other-far-left-forces-versus-the-u-s-rok-alliance/) it to rank-and-file activists. For almost two years, pro-North and other leftist leaders have been giving lectures and writing articles for the purpose of explaining the shift and demanding loyalty to the new position. Leading pro-North figures assured their followers not to worry, that Supreme Leader Kim knows what he is doing, and that his new strategy would lead to victory. As a result, virtually all of them have overcome their initial shock and acclimatized themselves to the policy change. They have not only done so by changing their rhetoric, but also by[ changing the names](http://www.koreatimes.com/article/1517745) of their organizations, and even shutting down some organizations and corresponding websites that had been closely and directly identified with longstanding unification efforts. In some cases, they have even pushed out activists who were seen as being too firmly tied to the old unification stance. This turnabout is significant in that it provides further proof, even to doubters, that there are indeed elements in the two countries which not only support Pyongyang but which are actually loyal to the point of being willing to follow its directives. Given this, we might ask, what other actions might they engage in for the purpose of demonstrating their loyalty? Security agencies would do well to take note of this situation. What is perhaps most astonishing, however, has been the remarkable willingness of some of the most high-ranking officials of the Lee Jae-myung administration to apparently express a sympathetic understanding with, to essentially justify, and in some cases even almost endorse Kim’s new stance. The ramifications have not yet been grasped by certain Korean watchers who for various reasons are always reluctant to criticize left-wing administrations in Seoul. This trend began, as one might expect, with prominent far-left figures known for their past involvement in pro-North groups and their roles in the Moon Jae-in administration, but who are currently situated at the fringes of the Lee administration. But it eventually spread to left-wing elements within the ruling Korea Democratic Party and the Lee administration, especially, and rather ironically, within the South’s perhaps unfortunately named Ministry of Unification. In fact, the[ Minister of Unification](https://www.chosun.com/opinion/chosun_column/2025/07/01/UMXIG24JJJBTJE4MCTSVKR5TOI/) himself, a longtime and dedicated appeaser of the North, made it clear that he viewed Kim’s policy as a reaction to the hostility of the South’s previous conservative administration. He went even further, suggesting that his ministry might remove the word “unification” from its official name, so as to promote “trust.” Thus, it was not only hardcore pro-North Korean groups which advocated changing of names to please the North. The late, brilliant author Saul Bellow, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1976, observed, “A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is great.” As if to confirm Bellow’s witty observation, some left-wing Korean intellectuals and other commentators, and astonishingly even some[ key members of the Lee administration](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=109021) and the ruling Korea Democratic Party have not only justified Kim’s new policy, but also characterized it as being advantageous to the the South and conducive to the cause of peace. In their eagerness to promote Lee’s policy of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” regarding the North, these individuals, in and out of government, have been using all their skills to twist elementary logic and common sense almost beyond parody by asserting that Kim’s “two hostile states” approach will somehow enhance inter-Korean understanding and promote better relations going forward. This enthusiastic rush to accommodate Kim’s new stance is surely a sign of both ineptitude and craven weakness, which even the most Lee-friendly Korea watchers in the U.S. and in the Seoul foreign press corps will hopefully and eventually come to understand. In Bellow’s 1970 novel *Mr. Sammler’s Planet*, the Jewish Holocaust survivor Semmler asks “whether the worst enemies of civilization might not prove to be its petted intellectuals at its weakest moments.” Let us hope that those intellectuals and others who have long advocated for appeasement of the Pyongyang regime will in these perilous times finally come to their senses. They should realize that it is not what the North’s propaganda and its adherents claim are the “hostile policies” of the U.S. and South Korea which have been the root cause of tensions, but rather the basic nature and goals of the regime in Pyongyang. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=On%20Kim%20Jong-un%27s%20%22two%20hostile%20enemy%20states%22%20theory%20and%20de-emphasis%20on%20unification%20policy&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=On%20Kim%20Jong-un%27s%20%22two%20hostile%20enemy%20states%22%20theory%20and%20de-emphasis%20on%20unification%20policy https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=On%20Kim%20Jong-un%27s%20%22two%20hostile%20enemy%20states%22%20theory%20and%20de-emphasis%20on%20unification%20policy "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/on-kim-jong-uns-two-hostile-enemy-states-theory-and-de-emphasis-on-unification-policy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=On%20Kim%20Jong-un%27s%20%22two%20hostile%20enemy%20states%22%20theory%20and%20de-emphasis%20on%20unification%20policy&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/on-kim-jong-uns-two-hostile-enemy-states-theory-and-de-emphasis-on-unification-policy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=On%20Kim%20Jong-un%27s%20%22two%20hostile%20enemy%20states%22%20theory%20and%20de-emphasis%20on%20unification%20policy "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Remembering the Yeonpyeong Island bombardment](https://www.nkinsider.org/remembering-the-yeonpyeong-island-bombardment/) **Published:** February 13, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1024px-2010 11 23_북한_해안포_발사로_불타는_연평도_7445571570.jpg "1024px2010 11 23북한해안포발사로불타는연평도7445571570 | nk insider")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 an instant. North Korean artillery shells and rockets fell from the sky that afternoon bringing with them the terror of war itself. The shells, fired from the North Korean mainland, just 12 kilometers from the island, did not target only military facilities. They struck indiscriminately, smashing into homes, villages, and spaces where people lived. Two marines and two civilians were killed, and 19 were injured. Houses and facilities were engulfed in flames and were reduced to ruins. This was the first case since the Korean War armistice of 1953 in which North Korea directly attacked South Korean territory, causing civilian deaths. The incident was not merely a localized clash but a symbolic event that revealed the North’s military mindset and pattern of provocation. Pyongyang justified its attack by claiming that South Korean maritime drills being held in the area constituted a violation of its territorial waters. But interpreting the bombardment of Yeonpyeong as a simple response to a military exercise is an oversimplification. The North’s provocations have always combined external messages with internal propaganda. To its people, it sought to instill the image of fearlessness and resolve. The message was “we are strong” and “we are taking on the enemy.” To South Korea, it aimed to sow psychological fear. To the international community, it was a calculated move to assert itself as a country that was not to be underestimated. The terror of that day was not confined to islanders. I remember it well because I was living in North Korea at the time and my own village was not far from Yeonpyeong. Just 13 minutes after the attack, South Korea responded by firing 80 K-9 self-propelled artillery shells against Mudo Island, where the North Korean artillery unit was located. When South Korean shells landed near our area, only one thought crossed my mind: “Ah, this really is war now.” We were gripped by fear, though in a different way from southerners. We did not know where to flee to and we did not know what was true. The authorities did not explain the situation properly, repeating only that their action was a “righteous response to enemy provocation.” People listened to slogans blaring from radios and loudspeakers, staring anxiously at one another. I cannot forget the sight of North Korean soldiers at the time. They were nothing like the “steel-like People’s Army” depicted in propaganda. They were exhausted from hunger and cold, their bodies thin and frail. It took five struggling men to carry a single shell. The gap between the rhetoric of a “military powerhouse” and the harsh reality was immense. Officially, the North claimed the damage received on our side was minimal, but residents experienced a different reality. A neighbor was struck down by shell fragments, and a cow in the yard was killed instantly. There was blood and screaming. But this was not a movie. It was real and unfolding before my eyes. In that moment, I felt just how cruel the word “war” truly is. War is not only the business of soldiers. It destroys ordinary lives first. Children’s cries, adults’ fear, livelihoods and routines collapsing overnight. War always breaks the weakest first. The international community reacted immediately after the Yeonpyeong bombardment. The United States, Japan, and the United Nations strongly condemned North Korea, while South Korean society was gripped by tension over the possibility of full-scale war. South Korea greatly strengthened its West Sea defense system and heightened military readiness. The bombardment was not an isolated incident but a turning point that escalated military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea’s provocations did not stop there. From past naval skirmishes in the West Sea, to the sinking of the Cheonan earlier in 2010 with the loss of 46 South Korean sailors, to repeated missile tests in the years that followed, North Korea has engaged in recurring clashes and shows of force. The common thread is clear: threats outward, unity inward. Military actions are used as tools for regime survival and control. The lessons of the Yeonpyeong bombardment are unmistakable. First, military provocations can be repeated at any time in new forms. Second, civilians are always the first to suffer. Third, peace cannot be preserved by declarations alone. It requires thorough preparedness and a perspective that places human lives at the center. The Yeonpyeong bombardment is not merely a past event. It continues to serve as a warning today, reminding us that peace is precious, but also fragile. And under the name of military strategy, countless ordinary lives can be sacrificed. The Korean Peninsula remains tense today. North Korea flaunts its presence through missile tests and military drills, while South Korea strengthens its defenses in response. Yet at the heart of all these discussions must always be people. The most important message Yeonpyeong left us is this: to prevent such tragedies from repeating, safeguarding peace must go beyond military calculations—it must mean protecting human lives. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Remembering%20the%20Yeonpyeong%20Island%20bombardment&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Remembering%20the%20Yeonpyeong%20Island%20bombardment https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Remembering%20the%20Yeonpyeong%20Island%20bombardment "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/remembering-the-yeonpyeong-island-bombardment/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Remembering%20the%20Yeonpyeong%20Island%20bombardment&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/remembering-the-yeonpyeong-island-bombardment/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Remembering%20the%20Yeonpyeong%20Island%20bombardment "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [How to explain the appearance of EVs on Pyongyang streets?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-to-explain-the-appearance-of-evs-on-pyongyang-streets/) **Published:** February 7, 2026 **Author:** Yoonseo Im **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1.jpg "1 | nk insider")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 charged in a country where the lights go out several times a day? Who drives such cars? And where could the vehicles have come from? To understand this story, a basic question must first be addressed: Is North Korea capable of building EVs? The answer is no. The country struggles to properly manufacture even conventional automobiles. There is little possibility for EV production. According to recent South Korean government statistics, the data point to the structural limits of the North’s industrial capacity. In 2023, North Korea produced only 350,000 tons of crude steel—just 0.5% of South Korea’s 66.68 million tons—highlighting its inability to manufacture even basic materials needed for automobile production. The situation is even more severe in the power sector. North Korea’s gross electricity generation in 2023 reached only about 4 percent of South Korea’s, while its power generation capacity stood at roughly 6 percent. Under these conditions, investment in battery technology and the development of basic EV infrastructure, such as charging stations, appear impossible. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2-1024x572.jpg "2 | nk insider")Latest data comparing automobile production in the two Koreas, released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics in SeoulSo how many vehicles does North Korea actually produce? According to the Ministry of Unification, the Sungri Motor Complex, widely regarded as the country’s largest car factory, has an annual production capacity of about 30,000 units. When thel other factories that are believed to exist in the country are included, total capacity could theoretically reach between 40,000 and 50,000 vehicles a year. The reality, however, is starkly different. The Ministry of Data and Statistics estimates that North Korea produced only around 2,300 vehicles in 2021—the most recent year for which data are available—suggesting factory utilization rates of just 4 to 5 percent. Even then, production is known to be mostly industrial trucks and military vehicles, rather than passenger cars for civilian use. Long-term data further underscore the decline. Since 1998, vehicle production has shown a sustained downward trend, highlighting the country’s inability to manufacture modern automobiles, making EV production even more unlikely. If North Korea cannot manufacture EVs, where did those models seen on the streets of Pyongyang come from and how did they get there? The most likely answer is smuggling. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/3-1024x576.jpg "3 | nk insider")UN Security Council Resolution 2397 sanctions on North Korea, including bans on exports of machinery and electrical equipmentIn December 2017, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2397, imposing a comprehensive ban on exports to North Korea of industrial machinery, vehicles, steel, and other metals. Despite these strict sanctions, and signs that factories are barely producing vehicles, cars continue to appear on North Korean streets. This raises questions about illicit supply routes. China’s General Administration of Customs said bilateral trade with North Korea rose 25% to $2.73 billion in 2025, with exports in December alone increasing 21.2% from a year earlier to $257.4 million. As the details of that trade remain unclear, growing evidence suggests vehicles are being smuggled in, quietly and covertly. According to Chinese sources, the port in Dandong, which is China’s largest city on the Korean border, is often very busy around 10 p.m. at night. Some say they heard that parts or semi-assembled vehicle units are being shipped for completion inside North Korea. Components of EVs are said to be part of these shipments. Multiple sources estimate that more than 4,000 Chinese EVs were imported into North Korea in 2024. There is also speculation that assembly plants in Rason, near the Chinese and Russian borders, are working on cooperation with Chinese companies. If true, this trade is in violation of international sanctions. North Korea also unveiled what it described as its own EV in June 2024, but it has drawn widespread skepticism. Chinese sources who have actually seen the vehicle said it appears to be a reassembled Chinese-made EV. Several experts noted strong similarities to the sedan named Han produced by BYD, suggesting the North Koreans have changed the logo and are calling the vehicles their own. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/4-1024x687.jpg "4 | nk insider")A grab of part of a promotional post on a Chinese portal introducing the 2026 Pyongyang International Trade Fair, outlining the exhibition categories. The highlighted section reads: “Vehicle components, including automobiles and motorcycles and their parts, electric vehicles and related components, and bicycles and parts.”Smuggling may not be the only channel. Twice a year, in spring and fall, the Pyongyang International Trade Fair offers a rare formal channel for the isolated country to engage foreign businesses. What’s interesting is that the exhibition categories openly include “EVs and parts.” That points to their willingness to keep EV trade channels open despite sanctions. Meanwhile, North Korea’s vehicle ownership regulations have undergone significant change. Li Chunri, a professor at Yanbian University who studied at Kim Il Sung University, wrote in a Chinese academic journal last September that North Korea made private vehicle ownership legal in October the year before. It is reportedly known that several thousand cars were sold after private car sales began in February 2025, following the law taking effect, and a fair number of those were electric models. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/5.jpg "5 | nk insider")A grab from a video on Chinese social media introducing a new policy allowing private vehicle ownership in North Korea.So, vehicles appear to be either manufactured domestically, even if in very small numbers, or illegally imported into North Korea, and private car ownership is now permitted. As a result, the number of cars—particularly EVs—seems to be growing. But can EVs realistically operate in a country that lacks a reliable power supply and sufficient budget to build the necessary infrastructure? Kim Pil-soo, a professor of automotive engineering at Daelim University, warned that operating used EVs without proper infrastructure poses serious safety risks. “Electric vehicles are different from conventional cars. Just owning one doesn’t mean it can be used,” Kim said. “Without basic support systems such as charging facilities, a stable power supply and proper battery management, they pose serious safety risks, including battery damage and fires.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/6.jpg "6 | nk insider")North Korea’s Madusan Electric VehicleSo why are EVs spreading in the country despite all these obstacles? The answer lies in human desire. The hunger for something better. The craving to try something new. The need to own something different from everyone else. These are things that political systems can’t erase or sanctions can’t eliminate. This won’t immediately trigger fundamental transformation in North Korean society. But as history shows, small expressions of desire can eventually become the starting point for bigger changes. Once people start imagining different lives, once they begin experiencing them, it’s hard to turn that process around. However strong the sanctions, however tight the controls, you can’t stop people’s desires. North Korea’s EVs now move forward, carrying that unstoppable desire with them. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") [Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/) Yoonseo Im is a Seoul-based trilingual journalist and researcher. Growing up in three different countries has shaped her international perspective on the Korean Peninsula. She is a Ph.D. candidate in International Studies and holds prior degrees in Political Science and International Relations. She is also active in multiple research organizations focused on regional issues, including North Korean affairs. Her work explores the intersection of economics, industry, politics, and security in Korea and the broader region, combining academic expertise with reporting experience gained through field journalism. Contact: yxn.contact@gmail.com [![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") Latest posts by Yoonseo Im ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/)) - [North Korea isn’t building the next ChatGPT. It’s building something else.](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/) - June 14, 2026 - [May Day and the unheard cry beneath the propaganda ](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/) - May 13, 2026 - [North Korea’s new cybercriminals](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/) - April 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20to%20explain%20the%20appearance%20of%20EVs%20on%20Pyongyang%20streets%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=How%20to%20explain%20the%20appearance%20of%20EVs%20on%20Pyongyang%20streets%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=How%20to%20explain%20the%20appearance%20of%20EVs%20on%20Pyongyang%20streets%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-to-explain-the-appearance-of-evs-on-pyongyang-streets/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=How%20to%20explain%20the%20appearance%20of%20EVs%20on%20Pyongyang%20streets%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-to-explain-the-appearance-of-evs-on-pyongyang-streets/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=How%20to%20explain%20the%20appearance%20of%20EVs%20on%20Pyongyang%20streets%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [Party intensifies promotion of Kim Jong-un’s achievements… “Political study sessions sharply increased”](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-intensifies-promotion-of-kim-jong-uns-achievements-political-study-sessions-sharply-increased/) **Published:** February 9, 2026 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Party-congress.jpg "Party congress | nk insider")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 country. They say factory workers and young employees are now being forced to attend political study sessions twice a day. “Recently, in factories and enterprises in cities such as Chongjin and Hoeryong, political study sessions praising Kim Jong-un have sharply increased,” a source in North Hamgyong Province told NK Times. “Twice a day is the minimum, and on Saturdays, workers are made to spend the entire day in related political study.” The source explained that in Chongjin’s factories, every morning assembly includes an hour of study based on reports from the Rodong Sinmun about Kim Jong-un’s on-site inspections and their supposed achievements. These sessions are usually led by junior officials such as cell secretaries or youth secretaries, and conducted in a lecture format. In the afternoons, workers are again gathered during work hours for another 45 minutes to an hour of political study promoting Kim Jong-un’s accomplishments. As a result, workers lose their rest time, and this is leading to accumulated fatigue and reduced productivity, according to the source. “These political sessions repeatedly emphasize that Kim’s recent inspection tours and directives are directly linked to ‘innovation and miracles.’ But many people say they don’t feel any tangible impact in their daily lives,” he said. “In factories and enterprises in Hyesan, political study sessions have been greatly intensified,” a source in Yanggang Province said. “Even during Saturday study sessions, there is propaganda about Kim Jong-un’s accomplishments.” “Television and newspapers portray constant innovation and miracles, but this propaganda is actually one of the factors exhausting people,” he said. “Everything requires moderation, yet excessive time is being devoted to political study. Many people feel inconvenienced but remain silent out of fear of punishment.” “In reality, we must endure exhausting daily routines, and especially struggle with food shortages. Meanwhile, broadcasts and television keep showcasing Kim Jong-un’s achievements to the point that people’s ears hurt,” he said. “Given the timing ahead of the Party Congress, this intensified political study trend is likely to continue for the time being. As the burdens of production and daily life grow heavier, the gap between propaganda and reality feels even wider,” he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Party%20intensifies%20promotion%20of%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20achievements%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%9CPolitical%20study%20sessions%20sharply%20increased%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Party%20intensifies%20promotion%20of%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20achievements%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%9CPolitical%20study%20sessions%20sharply%20increased%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Party%20intensifies%20promotion%20of%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20achievements%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%9CPolitical%20study%20sessions%20sharply%20increased%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-intensifies-promotion-of-kim-jong-uns-achievements-political-study-sessions-sharply-increased/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Party%20intensifies%20promotion%20of%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20achievements%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%9CPolitical%20study%20sessions%20sharply%20increased%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-intensifies-promotion-of-kim-jong-uns-achievements-political-study-sessions-sharply-increased/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Party%20intensifies%20promotion%20of%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20achievements%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%9CPolitical%20study%20sessions%20sharply%20increased%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [The people at the front are the poorest: The life of a Party member](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-people-at-the-front-are-the-poorest-the-life-of-a-party-member/) **Published:** February 9, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Party-member.jpg "Party member | nk insider")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 to the people.” The moment I heard that familiar phrase, the voices of Party members I knew when I lived there came rushing back. I was not a Party member. But I lived among them, and I heard their sighs and quiet complaints. There is no question that they appear privileged. They always sit in the front row, and at various events and loyalty gatherings, they are called up as representatives. Newspapers and broadcasts endlessly repeat phrases like “Let us live as true Party members” and “Party members lead the revolution at the forefront.” The words model, loyalty, and devotion always follow the title of Party member. Naturally, people assume that life must improve once you become one. But no one ever tells you what life behind those words actually looks like. What I saw in the markets, in the workplaces, and inside people’s homes was completely different. The title of Party member was not a privilege. It was a burden they could never put down, a shackle that forced them to constantly prove themselves. My friend was a Party member. One day, she quietly said to me: “Yumi… I thought joining the Party would be a good thing, but it feels suffocating.” She didn’t sound like she was complaining. She sounded like someone simply stating a fact. My friend was called to meetings several times a day and could never skip ideological study sessions or self‑criticism gatherings. Even when she was sick, even when her family had no food left at home, she had to live up to “set an example first.” The Party always came before everything else. A Party member was someone with no personal circumstances. She always smiled and said she was fine, that she could endure it, that it was only natural because she was a Party member. But I could see she was always exhausted. Her eyes were sunken, and she spoke less and less. I had seen that expression so often that only later did I realize it was the common face of Party members. There was a middle‑aged woman in our neighborhood who was a member. She was caught during a crackdown secretly selling goods in the market. She was doing it simply to survive. If she had been an ordinary resident, she would have gotten off with a warning or a fine. But because she was a Party member, it became a much bigger issue. They accused her of “seeking personal gain while being a Party member.” “If I weren’t a Party member, they wouldn’t have pushed me this far,” she told me. Her voice carried more resignation than resentment. In truth, Party members are not people with power. They are people who shoulder responsibility on behalf of the system. They are criticized more harshly, condemned more publicly, and forced to stand at the front to repent. “Party members must not make mistakes.” “We live as propaganda material.” “Party members are the poorest of all.” These sentences never appear in newspapers or broadcasts. But they are the most accurate description of what I saw with my own eyes. Party members always had to take the lead. Even when rations stopped, even when there was no food, it was their job to persuade others. They had to be the first to say, “Let’s endure just a little longer,” and the loudest to shout, “The Party’s policy is correct.” But when they went home after saying those words, many found there was nothing left in their cooking pot. The gap between words and reality always fell heaviest on their shoulders. Their thoughts grew heavier, but their mouths stayed shut. I asked myself, Why do the people forced to show the most loyalty look the most exhausted? Why are the people praised for their devotion to the Party the ones who lose the most of their personal lives? Such questions were dangerous. Asking them out loud could have caused a political problem. So I simply listened. Now I live in South Korea. I can speak freely and write freely. I want now to tell the truth. Party members there are not evil, nor are they in a privileged class. They are ordinary people trying to survive within the system. They just carry heavier burdens and are forced to make greater sacrifices. The words I heard from them reveal reality more honestly than any official report. “We don’t live for the Party. We live because of the Party.” My friend muttered that one day. I couldn’t respond. Even now, whenever that sentence comes to mind, my chest tightens. Because in that one line, the entire life of a North Korean Party member was contained. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20people%20at%20the%20front%20are%20the%20poorest%3A%20The%20life%20of%20a%20Party%20member&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20people%20at%20the%20front%20are%20the%20poorest%3A%20The%20life%20of%20a%20Party%20member https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20people%20at%20the%20front%20are%20the%20poorest%3A%20The%20life%20of%20a%20Party%20member "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-people-at-the-front-are-the-poorest-the-life-of-a-party-member/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20people%20at%20the%20front%20are%20the%20poorest%3A%20The%20life%20of%20a%20Party%20member&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-people-at-the-front-are-the-poorest-the-life-of-a-party-member/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20people%20at%20the%20front%20are%20the%20poorest%3A%20The%20life%20of%20a%20Party%20member "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Erased yet feared: How North Korea sees defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/erased-yet-feared-how-north-korea-sees-defectors/) **Published:** February 7, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Denouncing-defectors.jpg "Denouncing defectors | nk insider")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 rarely heard the word “defector.” It wasn’t used. That was because their existence was erased. They were treated as if they had never existed. In schools, workplaces, and official settings, no one spoke of them. There was no mention in textbooks or newspapers of people crossing the border. Names simply disappeared from lists, faces vanished from photos, and families fell silent. Questions were not allowed. Asking any was dangerous. So we learned to keep silent, to pretend not to know. But they never truly disappeared. Stories about defectors always circulated in hushed voices. Only after nightfall, behind closed doors, and after checking that no one was listening, would they surface. “So-and-so’s family is gone,” someone would say. “They were caught near the border.” These weren’t rumors. They were an expression of fear. That was because defection wasn’t seen as a choice. It was a forbidden line that must never be crossed. Then, at some point, the atmosphere changed. The media began to mention defectors directly, but in the harshest of terms: “Traitors to the motherland” and “Human scum who harm society.” People who were once never spoken of suddenly filled the screen. Rallies condemning defectors, crowds shouting slogans, scenes of orchestrated outrage played on repeat. That’s when I began to feel something was off. If they truly didn’t matter, why all the noise? If they had no influence, why name them, label them enemies, and teach people to hate them? Why had silence, once deemed sufficient, turned so loud? For the first time, I wondered. Could it be that North Korea doesn’t hate defectors, but fears them? The reality that people defect is in fact the most uncomfortable truth for the North Korean regime. They don’t need to carry weapons or chant political slogans. Their very existence raises questions. Why did they leave? What could be out there that made them risk their lives to escape? These are the questions North Korea most desperately wants to suppress. So it doesn’t explain defectors. It defines them. In order to leave no room for thought. The propaganda has always been simple: “We are right. The outside world is wrong.” This formula has been maintained for decades. But defectors break its logic. They were born in North Korea, raised there, educated there, worked there, and still chose to leave. That fact alone defies explanation. So defectors are no longer seen as people. They become targets to be attacked, enemies to be eliminated. After coming to South Korea, I understood this more clearly. I can see that each defector carries within them the truths that North Korea wants to hide. The halted rations, the ideological education that became mere formality, the exhaustion even among Party members, the children who couldn’t laugh freely. All those memories live on inside defectors. I was just an ordinary citizen there. I never criticized the regime. I never engaged in political acts. But now, simply because I am a defector, I have become someone the regime fears most. I haven’t changed. What has changed is how North Korea sees me. That irony is bitter. Defectors didn’t escape for the purpose of attacking their country. They left to survive, to save their children, to live with dignity, to find freedom. But the regime cannot accept that choice because the very possibility of choice threatens its existence. The fact that someone crossed over signals to those who remain that another path might exist. That’s what makes them more scary than guns, more than sanctions, more than external pressure. Defectors don’t even need to speak. Their existence alone raises the question of whether another way of life is possible**.** Now, I live an ordinary life in South Korea. I laugh with my child at the playground, speak my mind freely, and face tomorrow with both worries and hope. But the fact that this simple, everyday life is still a dangerous story in North Korea weighs heavily on my heart. The reason the regime lashes out so harshly at defectors is because this very ordinariness is what threatens it most. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Erased%20yet%20feared%3A%20How%20North%20Korea%20sees%20defectors&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Erased%20yet%20feared%3A%20How%20North%20Korea%20sees%20defectors https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Erased%20yet%20feared%3A%20How%20North%20Korea%20sees%20defectors "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/erased-yet-feared-how-north-korea-sees-defectors/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Erased%20yet%20feared%3A%20How%20North%20Korea%20sees%20defectors&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/erased-yet-feared-how-north-korea-sees-defectors/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Erased%20yet%20feared%3A%20How%20North%20Korea%20sees%20defectors "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Kim observes missile test… More than a technical display, a signal to neighboring states](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-observes-missile-test-more-than-a-technical-display-a-signal-to-neighboring-states/) **Published:** February 7, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Kju-at-a-missile-test.jpg "Kju at a missile test | nk insider")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 out in the presence of Kim Jong-un himself, is being interpreted not merely as a verification of weapons performance but as a multifaceted signal aimed at neighboring countries. North Korea claimed significant improvements in the mobility, intelligence, and accuracy of its rocket artillery rounds, highlighting advances in precision‑guidance technology. In particular, Kim’s reference to an “autonomous precision‑guided flight system capable of ignoring external interference” appears intended to showcase an evolution from the traditional concept of massed rocket fire toward a precision‑strike platform. International security experts say that Pyongyang is deliberately blurring the line between rocket artillery and tactical missiles as a strategic move to pressure South Korea’s missile defense systems. Its claim that it struck a maritime target 358.5 km away is also being used to reinforce this message. Kim’s personal attendance seems aimed at emphasizing the achievements of the national defense science sector and strengthening internal cohesion. Externally, it signals that technological advancement is continuing. “His presence shows that this test was not just a technical verification but a political event,” one defense analyst said. “North Korea is sending a message that it retains the ability to respond to the military activities of neighboring states.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-06-at-10 33 34-pm-1024x672.jpg "Screenshot 20260206 at 10 33 34 pm | nk insider")The J*anuary 27 missile test is seen as a warning to neighboring countries*North Korea framed the purpose of the test as the “advancement of nuclear war deterrence,” continuing the recent strategy of explaining all weapons development as part of a single narrative of strengthening nuclear deterrence. This allows Pyongyang to present its weapons programs as defensive to the outside world while justifying continued military development at home despite economic hardship. Kim’s remark at the 9th Party Congress that he would present “the next‑stage plan” is interpreted as a signal that further institutionalization of nuclear and missile capabilities is forthcoming. The regime also declared that the test “will pose a grave threat to forces seeking military confrontation,” issuing a clear warning to South Korea, the United States, and Japan. Amid strengthened trilateral missile defense cooperation and the continued deployment of U.S. strategic assets, Pyongyang appears intent on demonstrating that its response capabilities remain intact. “North Korea is continuing military demonstrations to avoid losing the initiative during a period of heightened tension,” a regional security expert said. “Regardless of the actual level of technological progress, the political and strategic messaging is the core of this test.” Overall, the test serves multiple purposes simultaneously—showcasing claimed precision‑strike capabilities, reinforcing internal unity, maintaining the nuclear‑deterrence narrative, and pressuring neighboring states. Ultimately, North Korea continues to pursue strategic actions aimed at preserving its dominance in managing regional military tensions, with political and strategic effects outweighing any technical considerations. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20observes%20missile%20test%E2%80%A6%20More%20than%20a%20technical%20display%2C%20a%20signal%20to%20neighboring%20states&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20observes%20missile%20test%E2%80%A6%20More%20than%20a%20technical%20display%2C%20a%20signal%20to%20neighboring%20states https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20observes%20missile%20test%E2%80%A6%20More%20than%20a%20technical%20display%2C%20a%20signal%20to%20neighboring%20states "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-observes-missile-test-more-than-a-technical-display-a-signal-to-neighboring-states/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20observes%20missile%20test%E2%80%A6%20More%20than%20a%20technical%20display%2C%20a%20signal%20to%20neighboring%20states&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-observes-missile-test-more-than-a-technical-display-a-signal-to-neighboring-states/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20observes%20missile%20test%E2%80%A6%20More%20than%20a%20technical%20display%2C%20a%20signal%20to%20neighboring%20states "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [North Korea: How much longer will their hollow dynasty last?](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-how-much-longer-will-their-hollow-dynasty-last/) **Published:** February 6, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/김주애.jpg "김주애 | nk insider")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 not only its family affairs but even the smallest details of daily life shrouded in secrecy, this was a breach of tradition. Of course, given Kim Jong-un’s political style, it was not entirely surprising. Wasn’t Ri Sol-ju introduced to the public in a similar fashion? In North Korea, Kim Jong-un has always been a leader who shows unconventional behavior. In some ways, he seems to enjoy such displays and situations. At times, he even appears to have an impulsive side. The child believed to be Kim Ju-ae may have first appeared around August 2022. At a performance celebrating the founding of the regime, one child stood out. Her style was different from the other children, and more importantly, the media repeatedly focused on her. South Korean and foreign media speculated that she was Kim Jong-un’s daughter, Kim Ju-ae. Perhaps the North Korean government saw those reports? Just a month later, the real Kim Ju-ae appeared before the public. It felt almost like the proverb “when a crow flies, a pear falls”—her appearance seemed influenced by the earlier “false Ju-ae.” Could it be that Kim Jong-un was upset or jealous that a girl who was not his daughter was being treated like a princess? One month later, he proudly introduced his real daughter. Her unusual debut surprised me as well, but I did not see it as a sign of succession. I thought it was simply the emotional impulse of a father who wanted to show off his daughter. “Beloved child.” That was the first title given to her when she appeared. Her clothing, expression, and gait immediately became a subject of interest not only in South Korea but perhaps worldwide. One defector, upon seeing her dressed in Dior, exclaimed: “In North Korea, people collapse from hunger, yet she wears a $3,000 dress—how can that be?” But such outrage is meaningless, since the real victims—the North Korean people—know nothing of it. They don’t even recognize names like Dior or Chanel, whether they refer to clothes or food. But if they did know, what would happen? Would they be angry that her dress cost the equivalent of a hundred years of their wages? Or would they simply accept that she is a completely different kind of being from themselves? Perhaps the government deliberately dressed her in Dior to give her an image of elegance. Her appearances, which many thought would be brief, continued suspiciously often. She accompanied Kim Jong-un on inspections of military units. For a girl her age, such places are hardly comfortable to spend time with her father. I wondered: could she possibly understand what was happening there—planning military operations, launching missiles, soldiers conducting drills? And what was Kim Jong-un thinking, bringing along a daughter who could not possibly comprehend such matters? To my eyes, she was simply a sweet little girl holding her father’s wrist while visiting a military base. But at some point, North Korean media stopped calling her “beloved child.” She became “respected child.” Military events, the title of respect, and most recently, photos centered on her at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun— What do all these point to? They indicate that she is being positioned as the next generation’s leader. Of course, speculation about succession existed from the very beginning. But I dismissed it at first. In a society like North Korea, steeped in male dominance, it seemed impossible for a woman to lead. There is a saying in North Korea: “If the hen crows, the household will collapse.” Here the hen symbolizes women, and it reflects the negative view of women raising their voices. On New Year’s Day, people do not even accept greetings from women first, believing it will bring misfortune for the year. In such a country, how could a woman be chosen as national leader? For this reason, I thought it impossible that Kim Ju-ae would become successor. But time has proven me wrong. So why did Kim Jong-un make this choice? Why take such a risk? Does he believe his daughter is truly capable of leading North Korean society? Or does he simply have no son to inherit the throne, leaving him no choice but to put forward Ju-ae? Kim Jong-un seemed in a great hurry to announce his successor. Some speculate about his health, but perhaps more importantly, he needed to imprint on people quickly that his successor is female. “Respected child.” Even though North Koreans cannot find anything in her worthy of respect, they will show respect. What could be more important than survival? The real question is what happens after Kim Jong-un dies. Will this false loyalty continue even then? From the outside, it seems Kim Jong-un has forced through an unreasonable choice for the sake of hereditary succession. So let us consider what process the Kim family must inevitably face as a result. If Kim Ju-ae becomes the next president, who will follow her? Will it be a collateral branch of the Kim bloodline, or her own child? If it is the former, it would be an unprecedented transfer of power in North Korea. But given Kim Jong-un’s nature—he even killed his own brother to protect his power—did he ever consider such an alternative? If it is the latter, then the Baekdu bloodline’s surname would change. Could a Ri or a Park truly symbolize the Baekdu lineage instead of a Kim? Or will Kim Jong-un preserve the symbolic “Kim” name by choosing a son-in-law from among men with that surname? It is a fascinating situation. Personally, I welcome the idea of Kim Ju-ae becoming president. It would signal that the downfall of the Kim family is near. The North Korean government loves to use the word “revolution”—technological revolution, cultural revolution, ideological revolution, and so on. They attach “revolution” to everything. But isn’t revolution supposed to mean overturning the old and creating something new? When will a true revolution ever occur in North Korea? How much longer can their hollow dynasty endure? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%3A%20How%20much%20longer%20will%20their%20hollow%20dynasty%20last%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%3A%20How%20much%20longer%20will%20their%20hollow%20dynasty%20last%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%3A%20How%20much%20longer%20will%20their%20hollow%20dynasty%20last%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-how-much-longer-will-their-hollow-dynasty-last/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%3A%20How%20much%20longer%20will%20their%20hollow%20dynasty%20last%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-how-much-longer-will-their-hollow-dynasty-last/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%3A%20How%20much%20longer%20will%20their%20hollow%20dynasty%20last%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) **Published:** February 6, 2026 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1-표지.jpg "1표지 | nk insider")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 Jong-un cult is intensifying. The materials, which are about “principles for state management and socialist construction,” function to enforce absolute obedience to the leader, and provide a glimpse into the internal state of the country as it enters the new year. ### The materials repeatedly stress the “sole leadership system of the Party Central Committee.” They demand that Kim’s revolutionary thought be treated as the sole guiding principle and that his authority be absolutized. For example: - Article 13: “The essence of the sole leadership system of the Party Central Committee is Kim Jong-un’s sole leadership over the entire Party and society.” In other words, nothing may be done outside of his instructions. - Article 14: describes the goal of the system to make the Party and society “one head and one body,” essentially turning the whole nation into a living entity that shares Kim’s ideology, will, and actions. - Article 15: demands that cadres arm themselves with Kim Jong-un’s thought, internalize it, defend and uphold his authority in every way, and thoroughly establish the practice of unconditionally accepting and executing his orders. Under this type of leadership, North Koreans are denied the ability to freely shape their own lives. The requirement that all must unconditionally carry out Kim’s instructions reads less like normal policy guidance and more like the institutionalization of a coercive system of control rooted in leader worship. The backdrop to this is one of growing dissatisfaction. Chronic economic hardship and food shortages caused by the hereditary dictatorship, failed regional development policies, and poor medical and educational conditions have led people to increasingly turn their back – figuratively, at least – on the regime. In response, authorities continue to issue directives to cadres to “educate” and “ideologically arm” the people with a view to suppressing internal discontent. The materials for the party faithful also take a hardline stance regarding foreign relations. The country will “not engage with South Korea under any circumstances,” cadres are told. This strategy aims to cut off external exchanges and strengthen internal cohesion, repeatedly sending the message that, isolated from the outside, citizens must rely on Kim. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the new materials reflect regime insecurity. Rather than address economic hardship and social discontent, the government seeks to manage the crisis by coercively enforcing loyalty through mandatory study sessions. Yet, given the circumstances, organized indoctrination and coercive control of this sort are likely to deepen public resentment in the system and expose its fragility. This type of enforced system of study has been a regular feature of life for North Koreans for nearly 80 years. It began with Kim Il-sung, continued through the era of his son, Kim Jong-il, and now is a feature of the rule of his grandson, Kim Jong-un. But there has always been something empty about them. The fact that they represent an attempt to forcibly instill the leader’s ideology and the Party’s line makes citizens struggling with harsh living conditions participate in a perfunctory, formal manner without really believing anything. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=New%20propaganda%20material%20aims%20to%20enforce%20loyalty%20amid%20declining%20faith%20in%20leadership&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=New%20propaganda%20material%20aims%20to%20enforce%20loyalty%20amid%20declining%20faith%20in%20leadership https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=New%20propaganda%20material%20aims%20to%20enforce%20loyalty%20amid%20declining%20faith%20in%20leadership "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=New%20propaganda%20material%20aims%20to%20enforce%20loyalty%20amid%20declining%20faith%20in%20leadership&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=New%20propaganda%20material%20aims%20to%20enforce%20loyalty%20amid%20declining%20faith%20in%20leadership "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Can Chanel bags spark a revolution?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-chanel-bags-spark-a-revolution/) **Published:** February 3, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Istock-588242850.jpg "White chanel bag | nk insider")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 change the regime? How can we improve the human rights of the people? The answers vary, but they are always weighty. Some argue that strong pressure must be applied to hasten collapse, while others insist that new ideas must be injected to enlighten the people. Examples include sending leaflets across the border or smuggling in books and videos that expose the corruption of the regime. These are valid points, but putting them into practice requires enormous effort and sacrifice. Moreover, the regime will mobilize all its power to suppress such attempts, and the cost will be borne by those still living inside North Korea. History has already shown this. So then, what can we actually do to effect change? Before discussing this, we must recognize that the downfall of the regime through external force is not only difficult but undesirable. Of course, propaganda could encourage people to escape to South Korea. When only a few cross the border, it poses no problem. But what if 25 million come over? South Korean society could never absorb them all. From a military perspective, fighting a regime armed with nuclear weapons risks causing more harm than benefit. Even if victorious, the destruction caused by war would be far greater for the capitalist side that enjoys prosperity. North Korea, stuck at a feudal level of development, would lose little. Considering this, the most desirable way to change the regime is for the people themselves to awaken and transform their society. But how can this be done effectively, without provoking resentment or danger? The answer: send in Chanel bags. I vividly remember why I came to South Korea. Was it to seek freedom? To escape oppression? Those reasons played a part, but what truly motivated me was material abundance. I wanted to eat tastier food, wear prettier clothes, and live in a beautiful house—things unavailable in North Korea. My father traded with Japan, so I had glimpses of better things growing up. If North Koreans could also see and experience such advantages, it would open their eyes. North Koreans have long suffered from a lack of options. With only one choice available, they cannot imagine alternatives. I recall my confusion when I first went into a coffee shop in South Korea. Faced with countless menu items, I was paralyzed. Should I add a shot? Syrup? Cinnamon? Hot or iced? What size? I even wondered if my intelligence had declined. This experience was not unique to me. Many defectors, upon entering a café or restaurant for the first time, simply say: “Just give me anything.” In other words, they don’t know what they like. Why? Because we grew up without alternatives. Poverty and totalitarianism created this problem. Poverty forced us to worry not about what we wanted to eat, but whether we could eat at all. Totalitarianism killed our preferences and individuality. The instinct to stand out or excel was crushed. To survive, people hid their tastes until they disappeared altogether. Eventually, everyone became like robots—beings without likes or dislikes. Perhaps “colorless and odorless” best describes the North Korean human condition. We must show them that alternatives exist. Chanel bags and other luxury goods should be introduced so that people can experience their quality and the satisfaction of using them. Give them the chance to choose. Once a woman has carried a Chanel bag, would she ever want to use the crude “8.3 People’s Consumer Goods” again? She would realize how backward the regime’s “our-style supremacy” really is. Once refined taste is acquired, it is never lost. The more choices people have, the more they will reflect and consider. This will not stop at material goods—it will extend to politics. Until now, North Koreans have had no basis for comparison and have never seriously contemplated capitalism. But once they realize alternatives exist, they will begin to question socialism itself. Why can’t we live like that? What is preventing us? Of course, having many choices is not always pleasant. Sometimes I am annoyed by the abundance of clothes when deciding what to wear, or overwhelmed by the variety of coffee options. My brain, reacting to so many brands, may not be entirely healthy. Yet I would rather be irritated by too many choices than feel powerless with none. As someone once said: socialism abolished freedom entirely in order to eliminate the small inequalities of capitalism. Perhaps what can truly change North Korea is not propaganda about the regime’s irrationality, but a high-quality, story-rich Chanel bag. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Can%20Chanel%20bags%20spark%20a%20revolution%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Can%20Chanel%20bags%20spark%20a%20revolution%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Can%20Chanel%20bags%20spark%20a%20revolution%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-chanel-bags-spark-a-revolution/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Can%20Chanel%20bags%20spark%20a%20revolution%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-chanel-bags-spark-a-revolution/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Can%20Chanel%20bags%20spark%20a%20revolution%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) **Published:** February 1, 2026 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Defendents-1-1.jpg "Defendents1 1 | nk insider")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, which is used in weekly lectures which the state conducts for citizens, is entitled “Let us actively engage in the struggle to sweep away all anti-socialist and non-socialist phenomena in the capital.” It is part of a campaign focused on changing social realities in Pyongyang. The video claims that propaganda activities in one district of the city alone targeted some 40,000 officials, workers, and residents over two months. More than 100 people confessed to crimes and around 1,000 “reflected on their wrongdoings.” In addition, security officers in the Taedonggang District mobilized 18,000 people between March and June last year to attend 16 public trials and four “public struggle sessions.” In the past, trials of this sort often ended in public executions. Recently, however, there has been a shift to the “public struggle sessions,” where citizens themselves denounce offenders. This appears intended to dilute awareness of the systemic causes of crime under oppressive rule. The video begins by describing anti-socialist phenomena observed in various units and stressing the reasons they must be eliminated. North Korea defines foreign culture and the free lifestyle of Western society as “decadent capitalist trends” and demands their complete elimination. To this end, factories, enterprises, and work units regularly hold propaganda sessions explaining the dangers of anti-socialist phenomena and urging their eradication. Authorities classify banned foreign books, videos, songs, and artworks as “yellow winds” and crack down on them strictly. The video also reports that the Youth League and labor organizations are tightly controlling ex-convicts, the unemployed, and those who left their workplaces. People who repent for “crimes” such as watching South Korean movies and dramas, imitating South Korean clothing styles, or adopting South Korean ways of life, are sent to rural areas or coal mines in what amounts to near-permanent internal exile. Despite this harshness, however, in some parts of Pyongyang, the anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle is proving ineffective. The video portrays Pyongyang as a city rife with crime. It emphasizes, for example, that “capitalist lifestyle trends” among women have led to serious crimes causing social disorder. Although the authorities claim to manage the capital so strictly that they even call it the “Pyongyang Republic,” the footage reveals that lifestyles are often beyond state control. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Anti-socialist%20and%20non-socialist%20struggle%20video%20reveals%20changing%20lifestyles%20%28Part%201%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Anti-socialist%20and%20non-socialist%20struggle%20video%20reveals%20changing%20lifestyles%20%28Part%201%29 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Anti-socialist%20and%20non-socialist%20struggle%20video%20reveals%20changing%20lifestyles%20%28Part%201%29 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Anti-socialist%20and%20non-socialist%20struggle%20video%20reveals%20changing%20lifestyles%20%28Part%201%29&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Anti-socialist%20and%20non-socialist%20struggle%20video%20reveals%20changing%20lifestyles%20%28Part%201%29 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) **Published:** February 1, 2026 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Istock-1309867172fcscafeine.jpg "Person with mask does not want to hear the judgment of other masks concept of judgment and introspection | nk insider")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*), an escapee from the North (*bukhan-ital-jumin*), or a new settler (*saetemin*). The answer depends on each person’s values and opinions. Some feel the “new settler” term makes us sound like immigrants. As such, it carries no negative connotation. But not everyone likes it. They ask, “If we’re new settlers, then are the people who have always lived in the South old settlers?” From a societal perspective, it may seem necessary to have a term to categorize people like me who were born in North Korea. But many of us simply want to live as ordinary South Korean citizens. The reason this debate has resurfaced is because the current administration is considering changing the official term. On December 23, Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young announced that the government would soon finalize a proposal to replace the terms *bukhan-ital-jumin* and *talbukmin* with *bukhyangmin* (“people oriented toward the North”). The reasoning was simple: some escapees dislike the term *talbukmin* because it contains the meaning “to escape.” That’s fair. But there is a reason *bukhan-ital-jumin* is used as the official legal designation. It explicitly acknowledges that they “escaped the North Korean regime.” The term *talbukmin* also reflects the identity of defectors. They risked their lives to flee not because they merely disliked living there, but because survival was impossible. Calling them *bukhyangmin* – literally “people whose hometown is the North”- is no different from calling someone born in Seoul a “Seoul native.” This is why some defectors criticize the new term. They see it as an attempt to erase their identity. Minister Chung argued that the term *talbuk* (“to escape the North”) carries a negative nuance and claimed that “all defectors reject the current terminology,” insisting that the name must be changed. But did the Ministry of Unification actually confirm the opinions of all 34,000 defectors? “It looks like the government is trying to curry favor with North Korea,” a defector named Chae said. “The term *bukhyangmin* is no different from the term used for displaced people who fled South during the Korean War in the 1950s. Removing the word ‘defection’ strips us of our identity. Calling us *bukhyangmin* just makes us ‘people who left their hometown,’ which feels like acknowledging the North Korean system and denying the reality of defection.” Choi, 60, who holds a PhD in North Korean regional studies and now works as a counselor at a high school, said, “Changing the term from *talbukmin* to *bukhyangmin* seems like an attempt to distort the background of those who fled North Korea due to human rights abuses. The official legal term *bukhan-ital-jumin* reminds society that defectors risked their lives to escape the regime’s human rights violations. Changing it looks like a desperate attempt by the current administration to do anything to reopen dialogue with North Korea.” “The minister spoke as though all defectors agreed with the name change, but this is already causing controversy,” she said. “He did not conduct surveys or gather opinions from defectors. I heard he visited the Hanawon resettlement center and asked new arrivals who know nothing about South Korean society yet. These individuals are accustomed to North Korea’s rigid power hierarchy. Asking them for their opinion and then claiming it represents all defectors is an abuse of power.” These recent defectors in Hanawon, who have not even received their South Korean ID cards, are in a vulnerable position. Naturally, they would give the answer the minister wanted. The fact that several defector organizations have publicly opposed the change proves the alleged survey is unrepresentative. “The expression *bukhyang* (‘toward the North’) risks misleading people into thinking defectors, who came south seeking freedom, are instead ‘heading north,’” the National Association of North Korean Defectors said in a statement. Former lawmaker Thae Yong-ho, who was a high-ranking diplomat before he defected, also criticized the proposal. “This is a policy that has no support within the defector community,” he said. “The term *talbuk* expresses rejection and hostility toward the North Korean system. *Bukhyangmin* removes that nuance.” Despite the controversy, why is the administration pushing for a change? Experts say the it suits its conciliatory stance toward North Korea and desire to resume dialogue. It is puzzling that the ruling party, which was previously active in forcibly repatriating defectors, withholding the North Korean Human Rights Report, and delaying the launch of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation, now invokes “social perception” to justify changing the term. If this is meant to facilitate dialogue with North Korea, it reduces defectors’ dignity and legal status to a bargaining chip. Creating a new term only fuels social controversy and reveals the administration’s distorted perception of defectors. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20is%20the%20government%20changing%20the%20official%20way%20of%20referring%20to%20defectors%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20is%20the%20government%20changing%20the%20official%20way%20of%20referring%20to%20defectors%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20is%20the%20government%20changing%20the%20official%20way%20of%20referring%20to%20defectors%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20is%20the%20government%20changing%20the%20official%20way%20of%20referring%20to%20defectors%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20is%20the%20government%20changing%20the%20official%20way%20of%20referring%20to%20defectors%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [2026: In a world hungrier than ever for electricity, nuclear-armed North Korea is unable to power daily life](https://www.nkinsider.org/2026-in-a-world-hungrier-than-ever-for-electricity-nuclear-armed-north-korea-is-unable-to-power-daily-life/) **Published:** January 29, 2026 **Author:** Yoonseo Im **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1-1.jpg "1 | nk insider")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 above late-night crowds. The smell of grilled lamb fills the air. The Yalu River, the strip of water separating it from North Korea, reflects its lights like a mirror. Then the mirror breaks. On the other side, there is nothing. “Just darkness,” as a local resident put it. “Endless darkness.” What people across the river want most is not complicated – just electricity, enough power to carry out their daily lives. In a bitter irony, a country capable of building nuclear weapons cannot offer its people the simple mercy of light. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2-1-1024x572.jpg "2 | nk insider")This year, global demand for electricity is at unprecedented levels, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Behind this surge: the global race to fuel artificial intelligence. Training and operating advanced AI models requires enormous amounts of power. Some major AI data centers consume as much electricity as tens of thousands of households. The IEA says that demand rose by 4.3 per cent in 2024 and is expected to grow at an average annual rate of about 4 per cent through 2027. Over the next three years, worldwide consumption will increase by roughly 3,500 terawatt-hours a year. That is equivalent to adding Japan’s entire annual electricity use to the global total every 12 months. Across the Yalu River from Dandong, a very different battle is being fought. There is no race, only scarcity. While AI reshapes humanity’s future on one side of the border, people on the other bank struggle to keep a single light bulb burning. The numbers expose the depth of that divide. World Bank data shows that only 57.5 per cent of North Koreans had access to electricity in 2023. But the reality is worse. Access can mean as little as two hours of power a day. It is estimated that 10.96 million people, nearly half the population, live effectively outside the power grid, using little or no electricity at all. The country’s installed generating capacity stands at 8.357 gigawatts, with annual production of about 22.4 terawatt-hours—roughly 4 per cent of South Korea’s output, according to the CIA World Factbook. Even that limited supply is undermined by inefficiencies: 18.3 per cent of all generated power is lost in transmission before it reaches users. This is not simply a story of scarcity. It is a structural paradox. Fuel supplies have shrunk, transmission losses are extensive, power is prioritised for the military and strategic industries, and attempts to expand generation often worsen civilian hardship. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/3-1-1024x576.jpg "3 | nk insider")*A grab from a video posted on Chinese social media shows a sign saying, “China–DPRK Border, Dandong, Yalu River”*Statistics outline the crisis. But the harsh truth of it all becomes clearer on the ground. “I’ve heard that even Pyongyang suffers constant power cuts,” someone in Dandong said. “They say that in high-rise apartment buildings there, elevators operate only during limited hours. Miss that window, and you have to take the stairs. I’ve also heard that some hospitals are forced to suspend surgeries because the electricity supply is too unstable.” This contrasts sharply with how state propaganda portrays the capital as a “modern city.” Along the border, markets are filled with goods. Yet the most sought-after items are neither luxury products nor advanced electronics. What people most want are small household solar power devices. “Small solar panels are a huge help in daily life in North Korea,” the source said. “But not every family can afford these imported products. Many ordinary households have no choice but to pay a fee to borrow them.” This is the irony of 2026. On one side of the narrow river, electricity fuels AI, data centers and revived nuclear plants. On the other, it is traded like bread. “I’ve heard nights there feel like a return to primitive society,” the source added. “People cook with firewood or charcoal. I could hardly believe it.” Professor Yoo Seung-Hoon of the Department of Energy Policy at Seoul National University of Science and Technology said that for countries like North Korea, where energy infrastructure dates back to the 1990s, “economic capacity” is the decisive factor in achieving modernization and universal electrification. “For these countries, two things matter most,” Yoo explained. “They need transmission networks, and they need power plants. In some cases, power plants already exist, but there is no grid to deliver electricity to people. In other cases, it is the opposite.” When asked how technically challenging it would be for such countries to reach a modernized level, Yoo said the hurdles are manageable. “Building both the grid and power plants could take as little as five years if the funding is available,” he said. “In many underdeveloped countries, such projects are carried out through Official Development Assistance (ODA), and with sufficient financial support, electrification across the country and to most of the population could be achieved even faster.” Given North Korea’s severe economic constraints and ongoing international isolation, such a scenario feels far away. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/4-1-1024x768.jpg "4 | nk insider")*Chinese social media grab shows the Yalu River in Dandong, with lights on the Chinese side and darkness across the river in North Korea*The darkness across the Yalu River reflects more than an electricity shortage. It points to the deeper forces that have left an entire country disconnected from the infrastructure of modern life. Separated by a single river, one side surges forward, while the other continues to go nowhere. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") [Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/) Yoonseo Im is a Seoul-based trilingual journalist and researcher. Growing up in three different countries has shaped her international perspective on the Korean Peninsula. She is a Ph.D. candidate in International Studies and holds prior degrees in Political Science and International Relations. She is also active in multiple research organizations focused on regional issues, including North Korean affairs. Her work explores the intersection of economics, industry, politics, and security in Korea and the broader region, combining academic expertise with reporting experience gained through field journalism. Contact: yxn.contact@gmail.com [![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") Latest posts by Yoonseo Im ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/)) - [North Korea isn’t building the next ChatGPT. It’s building something else.](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/) - June 14, 2026 - [May Day and the unheard cry beneath the propaganda ](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/) - May 13, 2026 - [North Korea’s new cybercriminals](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/) - April 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=2026%3A%20In%20a%20world%20hungrier%20than%20ever%20for%20electricity%2C%20nuclear-armed%20North%20Korea%20is%20unable%20to%20power%20daily%20life&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=2026%3A%20In%20a%20world%20hungrier%20than%20ever%20for%20electricity%2C%20nuclear-armed%20North%20Korea%20is%20unable%20to%20power%20daily%20life https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=2026%3A%20In%20a%20world%20hungrier%20than%20ever%20for%20electricity%2C%20nuclear-armed%20North%20Korea%20is%20unable%20to%20power%20daily%20life "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/2026-in-a-world-hungrier-than-ever-for-electricity-nuclear-armed-north-korea-is-unable-to-power-daily-life/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=2026%3A%20In%20a%20world%20hungrier%20than%20ever%20for%20electricity%2C%20nuclear-armed%20North%20Korea%20is%20unable%20to%20power%20daily%20life&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/2026-in-a-world-hungrier-than-ever-for-electricity-nuclear-armed-north-korea-is-unable-to-power-daily-life/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=2026%3A%20In%20a%20world%20hungrier%20than%20ever%20for%20electricity%2C%20nuclear-armed%20North%20Korea%20is%20unable%20to%20power%20daily%20life "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Suppression of protests in Iran as viewed by pro-North Korean forces ](https://www.nkinsider.org/suppression-of-protests-in-iran-as-viewed-by-pro-north-korean-forces/) **Published:** January 24, 2026 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Image-licensed-via-canva.jpg "Image licensed via canva | nk insider")Pro-North Korean forces in the U.S. have opposed any U.S. military action against [Iran](https://www.codepink.org/iran) in light of the massacre of thousands of unarmed civilian protesters by the regime in Teheran. Similarly, the U.S.-based groups that support North Korea all opposed the operation to capture [Venezuela](https://www.facebook.com/nodutdol/videos/-stand-with-venezuelawe-joined-countless-new-yorkers-to-march-through-the-bitter/1389157892060016/)’s narco-terrorist dictator Nicolas Maduro. Pro-North groups have indeed opposed all sanctions on Iran and Venezuela for many years, just as they have opposed sanctions on the North. The explanation is that Iran and Venezuela are allied with Pyongyang. Also, most pro-North forces in the U.S. have ties to the regime in Pyongyang and strive to promote its policies. Since pro-North activists are also anti-American and they often hatefully refer to their own country as the [“belly of the imperialist beast,”](https://networkcontagion.us/wp-content/uploads/The-Peoples-Summit.pdf) they therefore naturally empathize with anti-American regimes. Pro-North Korean and anti-American activists in both South Korea and the U.S. understand and greatly fear a valid point made by the former presidential speechwriter and fellow at the American Enterprise Institute [Marc Thiessen](https://www.aei.org/press/discussing-us-intervention-in-iran-thiessen-on-fox-news-life-liberty-levin/). He rightly observes that if the Iranian regime falls and the country eventually becomes an American ally, as it was in the past, the U.S. would be able to re-focus its attention on threats posed by hostile dictatorships in East Asia, and re-deploy military assets from the Middle East. In other words, the U.S. and the free world, in the absence of the mullahs’ tyranny, would be in a much stronger position to deter potential aggression in East Asia. This is clearly a future scenario which pro-North Korean and anti-American forces around the world, as well as North Korea itself, would find deeply troubling and hope to avoid at all costs. Some of the activists who, prior to the U.S. travel ban in 2017, would participate in solidarity [delegations to the North](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VznFALs-S0s) on similar missions. The websites of groups such as the Korean American National Coordinating Council, Minjok Tongshin, and Nodutdol have fiercely defended the Iranian and Venezuelan regimes, and activists from pro-North groups have been actively participating in protest rallies opposing any U.S. actions against them. Medea Benjamin, co-leader and co-founder of the pro-North, pro-China, and pro-Hamas group Code Pink, to cite one particular example, has visited Iran several times to express her support for that regime, and even [spoke at a 2014 conference](https://www.algemeiner.com/2014/10/02/anti-semites-gather-in-iran-for-regime-sponsored-hate-fest/) featuring [Holocaust deniers and neo-Nazi leaders](https://www.memri.org/reports/second-international-new-horizon-conference-tehran-draws-leading-holocaust-deniers) in Iran. She famously applauded when the U.S. was denounced as a “kingpin of international terrorism” at a Women Cross DMZ-organized propaganda event in Pyongyang in 2015. [Reza Pahlavi](https://www.chosun.com/english/world-en/2026/01/18/GRJTQXCCCNFKPCH3EOQD6FPQSI/), the crown prince of the former dynasty in Iran, this month said that Iran “should have become the South Korea of the Middle East by now.” He noted that in 1979, at the time the mullahs took over, Iran’s GDP was five times higher than South Korea’s. “Yet, today, Iran has become North Korea,” he said. “This is not due to a lack of human or natural resources. It is because of a regime that deprives people’s livelihoods, exploits national resources, starves its people, and supports extremist terrorist groups and spies both inside and outside the region. The regime has been sustained until now because appeasement policies delayed its collapse.” In September last year, NATO Secretary General [Mark Rutte](https://www.iranintl.com/en/202509049177) publicly expressed serious concern over what he said was increasing military cooperation between Iran, North Korea and China, warning that these regimes were allied in increasingly preparing for confrontation with the West. Retired U.S. Navy Admiral [Jonathan W. Greenert](https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/10/01/iran-china-russia-and-north-korea-are-joining-forces-against-america-and-israel/), a former Chief of Naval Operations, has pointed out that “Iran’s nuclear and missile programs have used North Korean technology.” In 2024 it was[ reported](https://www.iranintl.com/en/202408268012) that North Korea’s new “suicide drones” are strikingly similar to the drones which Iran has been supplying to Russia. [Ukraine’s intelligence chief](https://www.twz.com/news-features/russia-giving-shahed-136-attack-drone-production-capabilities-to-north-korea-budanov) has claimed that this is because Moscow has been sharing this Iranian technology with North Korea. In a highly detailed and troubling [report](https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/north-korea-iran) from June 2024, entitled “Iran & North Korea: Proliferation Partners,” the group United Against Nuclear Iran noted that, “The Iranian-North Korean threat is compounded by the two nations’ cooperation, especially in the realm of nuclear and ballistic missile development.” In a perceptive 2013 article for the American Enterprise Institute entitled “Is Iran Following the North Korea Model?” [Dr. Michael Rubin](https://www.aei.org/foreign-and-defense-policy/middle-east/is-iran-following-the-north-korea-model/) convincingly outlined the ways in which Iran, even at that time, was consciously learning from and adopting North Korea’s negotiation strategies regarding its nuclear weapons program. Quoting Iranian negotiators, Rubin explained how they were taking advantage of Western leaders’ proclivities to appease Pyongyang, even in light of major deceptions such as the once secret uranium-based nuclear weapons program it was developing while it was negotiating and receiving massive amounts of aid from the Seoul and Washington under the Agreed Framework. “The Iranians also have North Korea—and Pyongyang’s success getting billions of dollars in aid and investment all while developing a nuclear bomb—on their minds when they negotiate,” Rubin said. Meanwhile, Iranian expats in Seoul have held protests in support of the freedom struggle and in condemnation of the lethal crackdown. They have been urging Seoul to take a stronger stance than simply issuing cautiously worded statements. A January 2026 [report](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/01/17/LMMSO4QL6BCSRMCRDP5F3DM47M/) in the *Chosun Ilbo* explained that these expats have denounced rallies being held by extremist forces in South Korea such as the openly Marxist-Leninist, rabidly anti-American, and anti-Israel group Workers Solidarity and others. Interestingly, there has been an emerging [ideological dispute](https://www.tongiltimes.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3401) on this topic among Marxist-Leninist and other extreme-left groups in the South. Hardcore pro-North Korean and “orthodox” (non-Trotskyist) traditional Marxist-Leninists, especially Stalinist- and Maoist-aligned groups, have openly criticized the doctrinaire Trotskyist Workers Solidarity group and the far-left Justice Party for expressing some support for the protesters in Iran, while simultaneously condemning the U.S. for supposedly being the cause of the protests and allegedly engaging in “imperialist aggression” against Iran. The Trotskyist-aligned groups in South Korea and elsewhere take this seemingly contradictory position because they view the protests as potentially leading to an opening for communist forces in Iran, such as the Tudeh Party, to increase their influence, and perhaps even play a role in any new government if the regime falls. However, “orthodox” communists and hardcore pro-North Koreans in South Korea and the U.S., see the issue very differently. They [support the Iranian regime](https://frso.org/statements/statement-on-u-s-military-threats-against-iran/) against the U.S. and the so-called “forces of imperialism.” Quoting Mao, they focus on what they view as the “fundamental contradiction” between the U.S. and Iran as the most important characteristic of the present dispute, and therefore back Iran’s anti-American regime, and oppose those who are protesting against it. Trotskyists, however, take the same approach to Iran as they do to North Korea, which they support. They have referred to the North as a “worker’s state,” thus unlike Iran under the mullahs, but they maintain that the North is nevertheless ideologically “deformed” (meaning non-Trotskyist). This means that while they don’t explicitly praise the North Korean system, they still fully [defend the North](https://www.internationalist.org/socialdemocratscapitulate1712.html) in the context of its conflict with the U.S. and the South. That is why, for example, the Trotskyists of [Workers Solidarity for months denied](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/01/17/LMMSO4QL6BCSRMCRDP5F3DM47M/) that the North has sent troops to Russia to assist it in its war against Ukraine. Non-Trotskyist communists and certainly hardcore pro-North Korean forces in the U.S. have complained about the Trotskyist perspective on Iran, and the openly pro-North Korean American National Coordinating Council approvingly posted on its website an [article](http://kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=45754) from a non-Trotskyist communist writer affiliated with the Korea-based *Tongil Times* website which strongly criticizes the stance of Workers Solidarity and the Justice Party as an ideological “deviation.” Of course, since these feuding communist forces live in free nations, and because Stalin and Mao are no longer alive, the Trotskyists need not fear being executed within communist regimes or assassinated abroad as [Trotsky](https://www.britannica.com/story/the-assassination-of-leon-trotsky) himself was, for such ideological “family disputes.” It is nevertheless essential to keep in mind that when it comes to opposing the free world, and especially their hatred of the U.S. and its allies, these Marxist-Leninists are totally united, just as rival gangsters in the U.S. might unite against the police. Even former Soviet leader [Nikita Khrushchev](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nikita_Khrushchev), who solidified his own power in the Soviet Union by criticizing some (but certainly not all) of the crimes of Stalin, declared that, “When it is a question of fighting against imperialism, we can state with conviction that we are all Stalinists.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Suppression%20of%20protests%20in%20Iran%20as%20viewed%20by%20pro-North%20Korean%20forces%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Suppression%20of%20protests%20in%20Iran%20as%20viewed%20by%20pro-North%20Korean%20forces%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Suppression%20of%20protests%20in%20Iran%20as%20viewed%20by%20pro-North%20Korean%20forces%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/suppression-of-protests-in-iran-as-viewed-by-pro-north-korean-forces/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Suppression%20of%20protests%20in%20Iran%20as%20viewed%20by%20pro-North%20Korean%20forces%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/suppression-of-protests-in-iran-as-viewed-by-pro-north-korean-forces/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Suppression%20of%20protests%20in%20Iran%20as%20viewed%20by%20pro-North%20Korean%20forces%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** United States --- ### [Reporting the unreachable: why we need to keep paying attention](https://www.nkinsider.org/reporting-the-unreachable-why-we-need-to-keep-paying-attention/) **Published:** January 15, 2026 **Author:** Yoonseo Im **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1.jpg "1 | nk insider")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 this year, and probably not ever. North Korea sealed its borders in early 2020 when the pandemic hit and has kept them largely closed ever since. So how do journalists write about the world’s most closed-off country? And has the lack of fresh reporting made coverage weaker or less effective? ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2-1024x783.jpg "2 | nk insider")*Recent articles by Liu Rong, the Pyongyang correspondent for the People’s Daily*Back in 2012, the Associated Press became the first Western news organization to establish a permanent presence in North Korea. Agence France-Presse followed in September 2016. For a brief period, international news agencies had correspondents on the ground in one of the world’s most secretive states. That ended when COVID-19 hit. When the border was closed, AP and AFP evacuated their staff. They have not returned. Today, there are no international media outlets stationed in Pyongyang that are able to provide independent and objective coverage. The only foreign journalists with access are from Chinese media — the People’s Daily and China Central Television — and Choson Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper published in Japan. Liu Rong of The People’s Daily’s and Dong Haitao of China Media Group resumed operations in Pyongyang last February. In late April, Xinhua News Agency sent bureau chief Wang Chao and correspondent Feng Yasong. But their presence has made little difference. Coverage remains limited to diplomatic events and official announcements and is largely indistinguishable from state media. Liu Rong wrote fewer than 30 stories in 2025, nearly all about Chinese Embassy activities or government events. Investigative reporting, interviews with ordinary citizens, and examinations of daily life are absent. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/3-1024x576.jpg "3 | nk insider")So how do you report on a country you can’t enter? Covering North Korea today is like solving a puzzle with only four clues: satellite data, official propaganda, defector interviews, and international organization reports. Journalists piece these fragments together to reconstruct what’s happening. Journalists scrutinize commercial satellite imagery from companies like Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs to track things like missile launcher movements or changes at construction sites, then try to infer what North Korea might do next. They also monitor state media. Pyongyang’s official statements come through outlets such as the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Reporters analyze small changes in wording — which officials are mentioned or left out, whether “strong response” changes to “new phase” — looking for hints about policy shifts. They also interview defectors. Changes in prices or public sentiment cannot be detected in satellite photos or official statements. People who have recently escaped North Korea — and their contacts still inside the country — provide these details. These accounts are hard to verify, but they remain almost the only way to hear voices from inside North Korea. Then there are reports from international organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and human rights groups that provide crucial analysis of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and human rights record. But even these have serious limits. The country is so secretive that these organizations can’t verify information on the ground. IAEA inspectors were expelled in 2009 and have had to rely solely on satellite images since then. The United Nations human rights investigators track conditions indirectly through interviews with defectors. Making things worse, the U.N. Security Council’s Panel of Experts, a group that monitored sanctions against North Korea for 15 years, was shut down in March 2024 after Russia vetoed its renewal. A new mechanism called the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, led by South Korea, the United States, Japan and other partners, is trying to fill the gap. But it doesn’t have the authority of an official U.N. body. In this and other ways, the world’s ability to watch North Korea is steadily eroding. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/4-1024x576.jpg "4 | nk insider")Then there is the question of public attention. These constraints of limited access combine with international crises elsewhere to reduce interest in reading about North Korea. The stories have become repetitive. For many readers, North Korea news has become routine. One American diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, put it bluntly: “North Korea is dangerous. It’s important. But it’s not new.” That assessment captures the current reality. Even when concerning developments occur, the response from newsrooms has shifted. Editors now ask: “Don’t we have bigger problems right now?” North Korea has, paradoxically, become predictable — dangerous, but predictable. Nuclear tests and missile launches follow familiar patterns. Human rights abuses and defector testimonies have become routine stories. This fatigue extends beyond international audiences to South Korea itself, where it may be more pronounced. The generational shift is stark. Unlike those who experienced the 1950-53 Korean War firsthand, younger South Koreans lack any sense of personal connection to the conflict or its legacy of separated families. According to the Ministry of Unification, approximately 134,500 people have registered to reunite with family members in the North since applications began in 1988. As of last month, only about 34,400, roughly 26%, were still alive. The survivors are overwhelmingly elderly: 84% are over 70 years old, with almost a third in their 90s or older. As the World War II and Korean War generation passes, interest has fallen sharply. A 2025 Korea Institute for National Unification survey found 68.1% of South Koreans are not interested in North Korea. This was a record high. North Korea hasn’t been forgotten. It has just become familiar. The world treats it as a permanent problem, and more immediate crises take priority. Limited access, repetitive patterns, and fatigue have pushed coverage into a rut. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/5-1024x576.jpg "5 | nk insider")But this sense of familiarity is itself dangerous. While attention drifts away, North Korea’s problems keep accumulating, unsolved. And the threats keep escalating. Research by political scientist Jason Brownlee, an expert on authoritarian regimes, shows that among 258 dictatorships that lasted at least three years between the end of World War II and 2006, only 23 tried to pass power to family members. Just nine succeeded. One of them is North Korea. When Kim Jong-il died in 2011, his son Kim Jong-un inherited power, completing an unprecedented third generation. That dynasty continues today. And it may not stop there. Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju-ae, continues to appear at official events, suggesting the family is preparing the next generation. Given this, it is increasingly clear that the North Korea problem won’t be resolved quickly. North Korea already possesses nuclear weapons. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimates the country has assembled around 50 nuclear warheads and has enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more. In 2023, the regime unveiled the Hwasong-18, an intercontinental ballistic missile that uses solid fuel. Unlike older liquid-fueled missiles, it doesn’t require fueling before launch, dramatically reducing preparation time and making detection far more difficult In 2024, Pyongyang claimed it had successfully tested a missile carrying multiple warheads. South Korean military officials expressed skepticism about whether the test succeeded. But if North Korea masters this technology, it could overwhelm missile defense systems. Intercepting multiple warheads from a single missile with limited defensive interceptors would prove nearly impossible. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency predicts North Korea will have 50 long-range missiles capable of reaching the continental United States by 2035. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, North Korea saw an opportunity. According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service and the U.S. Defense Department, North Korea has supplied Russia with artillery shells and ballistic missiles. Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate reported in November 2024 that North Korea had sent Russia more than 100 missiles. The deals continued. After Kim Jong-un met Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024, the two countries signed what they called a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty” which stipulates that if either country faces an armed attack and enters a state of war, the other will provide immediate military assistance. Nuclear weapons and missiles aren’t the only concerns. In the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, North Korea ranked 179th out of 180 countries, ahead of only Eritrea. A report issued in September 2025 by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights found that the human rights situation had not improved over the past decade, and that in many respects it had deteriorated. The UN called it a “lost decade.” The report stated, “No other population is under such restrictions in today’s world.” According to an October 2025 report by the (South) Korea Institute for National Unification, four political prison camps in the North hold an estimated 53,000 to 65,000 detainees. Some 26 million North Koreans continue to live under totalitarian rule, cut off from the outside world and subject to pervasive surveillance, forced labor, and arbitrary executions. For that reason, the world needs to keep paying attention. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/6-1024x576.jpg "6 | nk insider")But to do so requires new questions and fresh analysis. Satellite photos show buildings but can’t reveal what people inside are thinking. KCNA broadcasts the government’s message but leaves out the real issues. Official reports provide numbers but miss the lives behind them. Defectors are among the few who can explain North Korea from an insider’s perspective. They know how their part of the system works. They experienced daily life there. They sense when things are changing. And they can translate that reality in terms outsiders can grasp. Yet North Korea is not a single story. It’s a tangle of nuclear brinkmanship, geopolitical maneuvering, systematic human rights abuses, economic survival under sanctions, and shifting power dynamics across Asia. Understanding it requires more than one lens. It demands journalists, diplomats, human rights investigators, economists, and Asia specialists, each bringing their own angle to a country that reveals itself only in fragments. This is why outlets like NK Insider matter. When defectors join forces with specialists across these fields, something shifts. The reporting moves beyond what satellites can see or what Pyongyang wants heard. It captures texture, the whispered conversations in the markets, the subtle policy signals in state media, the human cost behind the statistics. This kind of collaborative journalism can spot what others miss: the context that can mean the difference between miscalculation and clarity, between a crisis ignored and a crisis anticipated. The world’s attention to North Korea is fading at precisely the moment we need it most. Without sustained focus, without diverse voices asking uncomfortable questions, we risk sleepwalking toward consequences we can’t undo. Reviving that attention, in South Korea and beyond, isn’t just about better reporting. It’s about building the understanding that future generations will need to navigate what we leave them. That understanding starts with listening to voices that have been there, voices that got out, voices that refuse to let the world look away. It starts here. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") [Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/) Yoonseo Im is a Seoul-based trilingual journalist and researcher. Growing up in three different countries has shaped her international perspective on the Korean Peninsula. She is a Ph.D. candidate in International Studies and holds prior degrees in Political Science and International Relations. She is also active in multiple research organizations focused on regional issues, including North Korean affairs. Her work explores the intersection of economics, industry, politics, and security in Korea and the broader region, combining academic expertise with reporting experience gained through field journalism. Contact: yxn.contact@gmail.com [![Yoonseo Im](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/ "Yoonseo Im") Latest posts by Yoonseo Im ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/aceb78e618cbae82fcd2f4d05af9859926e96f65/)) - [North Korea isn’t building the next ChatGPT. It’s building something else.](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-isnt-building-the-next-chatgpt-its-building-something-else/) - June 14, 2026 - [May Day and the unheard cry beneath the propaganda ](https://www.nkinsider.org/may-day-and-the-unheard-cry-beneath-the-propaganda/) - May 13, 2026 - [North Korea’s new cybercriminals](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-new-cybercriminals/) - April 15, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Reporting%20the%20unreachable%3A%20why%20we%20need%20to%20keep%20paying%20attention&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Reporting%20the%20unreachable%3A%20why%20we%20need%20to%20keep%20paying%20attention https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Reporting%20the%20unreachable%3A%20why%20we%20need%20to%20keep%20paying%20attention "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/reporting-the-unreachable-why-we-need-to-keep-paying-attention/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Reporting%20the%20unreachable%3A%20why%20we%20need%20to%20keep%20paying%20attention&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/reporting-the-unreachable-why-we-need-to-keep-paying-attention/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Reporting%20the%20unreachable%3A%20why%20we%20need%20to%20keep%20paying%20attention "Reddit") **Categories:** Journalism --- ### [Weapons modernization and anti-U.S. strategic calculations amid the Russia–Ukraine war](https://www.nkinsider.org/weapons-modernization-and-anti-u-s-strategic-calculations-amid-the-russia-ukraine-war/) **Published:** January 15, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-14-at-7 48 16-am.jpg "Screenshot 20260114 at 7 48 16 am | nk insider")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 support amounts to more than simple military assistance. It serves as a strategic opportunity for Pyongyang to dispose of outdated weapons while simultaneously accelerating the development of new ones. In line with this assessment, Kim Jong-un has recently increased his visits to munitions factories, personally urging modernization of the defense industry and expansion of production capacity. On January 3, he inspected a major munitions plant that produces tactical guided weapons and ordered a 2.5-fold increase in production capacity. He emphasized the utility of multipurpose precision-guided weapons systems, claiming they could replace multiple rocket launchers, and announced plans to systematically equip key units with these systems starting in the first half of the year. Kim also stressed the need to modernize assembly processes and optimize equipment layout, instructing a comprehensive review of modernization projects scheduled for 2026. This demonstrates the push to fill the gap left by the outdated weapons and shells it has supplied to Russia by accelerating the development and production of new tactical guided weapon systems. Kim is not only strengthening its defense industry but also using the war support to bolster his domestic political legitimacy. On January 5, he visited the construction site of a memorial hall for overseas military operations, leading an event to honor the sacrifices of war heroes. He framed the war as a “holy struggle for justice and dignity,” revealing his intent to suppress public discontent and reinforce loyalty to the regime. The memorial hall is expected to serve as a venue for Victory Day celebrations and major holidays, thereby strengthening the regime’s legitimacy. Meanwhile, the state has intensified its criticism of South Korea and the United States while deepening strategic ties with Russia. Kim Jong-un declared to Vladimir Putin that he “unconditionally respects and supports all your policies and decisions,” highlighting the close alignment with Moscow. On the UN stage, Pyongyang has actively defended Russia’s position. On January 13, Kim Song, North Korea’s permanent representative to the UN, condemned Western criticism and justified Russia’s military actions as an exercise of the right to self-defense. This underscores North Korea’s self-appointed role as a diplomatic shield for Russia in the international arena. Behind these moves lies a strategic calculation: defense industry modernization, internal regime cohesion, and the formation of an anti-U.S. strategic front. By providing Russia with outdated weapons in exchange for advanced technology and resources, Pyongyang both suppresses domestic discontent by glorifying war support as patriotic sacrifice and strengthens deterrence against the U.S. amid growing security concerns, such as Washington’s pressure on Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba. North Korea’s intent to position itself as part of an anti-Western coalition is evident in its coordinated stance with Russia at the UN. Looking ahead, North Korea is likely to continue its military and diplomatic cooperation with Moscow. The more U.S. pressure intensifies, the deeper Pyongyang will embed itself in an anti-U.S. bloc centered on Russia and China. Modernization of munitions factories and development of new weapons will accelerate through deals with Moscow, while symbolic initiatives, such as memorial hall construction, will reinforce domestic loyalty and turn war support into a source of regime legitimacy. Ultimately, North Korea is leveraging the Russia–Ukraine war along three axes: defense industry modernization, internal cohesion, and external strategic reinforcement. This is not mere wartime assistance but a comprehensive calculation aimed at regime survival and the consolidation of an anti-U.S. strategic front. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Weapons%20modernization%20and%20anti-U.S.%20strategic%20calculations%20amid%20the%20Russia%E2%80%93Ukraine%20war&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Weapons%20modernization%20and%20anti-U.S.%20strategic%20calculations%20amid%20the%20Russia%E2%80%93Ukraine%20war https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Weapons%20modernization%20and%20anti-U.S.%20strategic%20calculations%20amid%20the%20Russia%E2%80%93Ukraine%20war "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/weapons-modernization-and-anti-u-s-strategic-calculations-amid-the-russia-ukraine-war/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Weapons%20modernization%20and%20anti-U.S.%20strategic%20calculations%20amid%20the%20Russia%E2%80%93Ukraine%20war&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/weapons-modernization-and-anti-u-s-strategic-calculations-amid-the-russia-ukraine-war/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Weapons%20modernization%20and%20anti-U.S.%20strategic%20calculations%20amid%20the%20Russia%E2%80%93Ukraine%20war "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Briefing January 9 ~ January 13](https://www.nkinsider.org/briefing-january-9-january-13/) **Published:** January 15, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-13-at-11 11 41-pm.jpg "Screenshot 20260113 at 11 11 41 pm | nk insider")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 came from South Korea. The country, meanwhile, reiterated its firm support for Russia in its conflict with Ukraine and the West. **Kim replies to Putin (January 9)** According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim Jong-un told Russian President Vladimir Putin, “I will unconditionally respect and unconditionally support all your policies and decisions, and I am always ready to stand with you and your Russia. This choice is immutable and eternal.” He expressed his intention to continuously strengthen the strategic partnership. **General Staff of the Korean People’s Army Condemns South Korean Drone “Provocation” (January 10)** The spokesperson of the General Staff issued a statement strongly condemning the alleged intrusion of South Korean drones into North Korean airspace.“South Korea is our most hostile enemy that cannot change, and if it dares to provoke us, it will inevitably be destroyed,” it said. North Korea defined what it says have been repeated drone incursions as a “grave violation of sovereignty” and warned the South Korean authorities that “the reckless acts of South Korean warmongers, which can never be tolerated, will surely be made to pay the price.” **Kim Yo-jong Criticizes South Korean Defense Ministry’s Explanation (January 11)** Kim Yo-jong, sister of the North Korean leader and Deputy Director of the Publicity and Information Department of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, issued a statement criticizing the South Korean Defense Ministry for suggesting that the recent drone shot down by the North may have been launched by a civilian group. “The undeniable fact is that a drone originating from South Korea violated our national airspace,” she said. “Even if it were the act of a civilian group or an individual, the authorities, as the entity responsible for national security, cannot escape responsibility.” **UN Ambassador Kim Song Denounces the U.S. and the West (January 13)** Kim Song, North Korea’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has criticized a United Nations Security Council meeting on Russia’s recent air strike on Ukraine, claiming that the war was “entirely created by the confrontational policies of the United States and the West.” With NATO expanding eastward and “infringing upon Russia’s legitimate and reasonable security interests,” Russia had a “right to self-defense,” Kim said. “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s position of fully supporting and endorsing the just cause of the Russian Federation is consistent and immutable.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Briefing%20January%209%20~%20January%2013&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Briefing%20January%209%20~%20January%2013 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Briefing%20January%209%20~%20January%2013 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/briefing-january-9-january-13/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Briefing%20January%209%20~%20January%2013&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/briefing-january-9-january-13/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Briefing%20January%209%20~%20January%2013 "Reddit") **Categories:** News Briefing --- ### [“I defended the fatherland, but it did not defend me.”](https://www.nkinsider.org/i-defended-the-fatherland-but-it-did-not-defend-me/) **Published:** January 12, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Pic0084285.jpg "Pic0084285 | nk insider")Youth is not a time for making choices for North Koreans. Rather, it is a period of obligation to the state, a time when personal dreams and personal lives are strictly controlled. At the age when they should be exploring career paths, learning love, and discovering themselves through failure and challenge, young North Koreans are absorbed into the state under the name of military service. The authorities forcibly take away the most precious ten years of young people’s lives under the pretext of defending the fatherland. The most energetic and creative period of a person’s life is given up to sustain the regime. Youth is treated as a resource to be mobilized at its convenience. The background to this normalization of long-term military service lies in the myth of “youth heroes” formed after the Korean War. Stories of teenagers and young adults who fought without sparing their lives have been repeated ad nauseam, and to this day serve as the standard of loyalty and sacrifice. This logic that youth has value only when it is dedicated to the fatherland is never questioned. The story of one young man who once was an unforgettable part of my life illustrates this reality most starkly. He believed that on the day he completed ten years of military service and was discharged, normal life would finally begin. He expected that the time he had given to the fatherland would at least be repaid in the form of stability and care. But reality was harsh. What awaited him was neither gratitude nor compensation, nor any institutional support to help him reintegrate into society. On the day of discharge, he was not even given money for transportation home. From that moment, the state no longer assumed responsibility for him. He had to walk a long way back to his hometown. Though hardened by years of service, what awaited him was hunger, insecurity, and a future with no guarantees. On the road, he endured countless hardships. He had to sleep outdoors when he could not find shelter. He staggered on the verge of collapse from hunger. “I believed I had defended the fatherland, but the fatherland did not defend me,” he said. This single sentence reveals the reality that youngsters are heroes when the regime needs them, but are then abandoned once that need disappears. Loyalty and sacrifice are endlessly demanded, but no one takes responsibility for the life that follows. Individuals are consumed as tools of the system and then quietly discarded. The ten-year military service is not simply a conscription system. It is a structure that systematically deprives a generation of time and possibility. During those long years, people lose the chance for proper education, fail to acquire skills, and miss even the minimum experiences needed to adapt to society. After discharge, they face another war for survival. Military service ends and the battle of life begins. In this vicious cycle of the state demanding all and giving nothing back, young people forget how to dream and learn only how to survive. Whose possession should youth truly be? Does the state have the right to forcibly take the brightest ten years of an individual’s life? Can we call a society normal when it demands loyalty and sacrifice, then severs all responsibility the moment of discharge? In a system that elevates youth as heroes when needed, but turns away in silence once they are deemed useless, what are young people sacrificing their lives for? Why must ten years of youth in North Korea be a time not for preparing dreams, but for enduring survival? Until these questions are answered, the future of youth in North Korea will remain abandoned on the road. And even now, North Korean youth continue to walk that same road. I met one such young man myself. That is why I tell his story. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CI%20defended%20the%20fatherland%2C%20but%20it%20did%20not%20defend%20me.%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%E2%80%9CI%20defended%20the%20fatherland%2C%20but%20it%20did%20not%20defend%20me.%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%E2%80%9CI%20defended%20the%20fatherland%2C%20but%20it%20did%20not%20defend%20me.%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/i-defended-the-fatherland-but-it-did-not-defend-me/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%E2%80%9CI%20defended%20the%20fatherland%2C%20but%20it%20did%20not%20defend%20me.%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/i-defended-the-fatherland-but-it-did-not-defend-me/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%E2%80%9CI%20defended%20the%20fatherland%2C%20but%20it%20did%20not%20defend%20me.%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [The illusion of a photo with Kim Jong-un: The tears behind North Korea’s military parades](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-illusion-of-a-photo-with-kim-jong-un-the-tears-behind-north-koreas-military-parades/) **Published:** January 22, 2026 **Author:** Kim Taesung **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Military-parade.jpg "Workflow | nk insider")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 in perfect formation, the unveiling of the latest weapons, and massive military bands resounding with solemn music. Yet behind this grand stage lies another reality, that of shattered dignity. The soldiers who participate are starving. They have had to endure brutal training, and must maintain formation even as they suffer from nosebleeds brought on by exhaustion. At the end of all this, what they long for is not simply the conclusion of the event. It is the possibility of a commemorative photo with Kim Jong-un. Such a photo will be treasured like a family heirloom and deeply influence each soldier’s future. A single photo can elevate social status and bring honor to the family, so the troops risk their lives for that moment. However, in reality, commemorative photos are extremely limited, and most soldiers experience bitter disappointment when they fail to obtain one. The younger, so-called MZ generation is increasingly aware from illicit exposure to outside information and culture that their society is abnormal. South Korean dramas and foreign news open new perspectives, making the injustices of the closed system even clearer. Yet reality is harsh. Even if they know the system is wrong, survival requires compliance with its rules. So why do soldiers still long for the commemorative photo with the source of oppression? Rebellion may take root in their hearts, but they cannot act on it. Resisting the system is incredibly dangerous. The fear that even their families could be put at risk ultimately forces soldiers into submission. In the end, the photo becomes both a prerequisite for survival and an ironic symbol of the shackles that hold the victims down. One of my classmates participated in the parade four times. Her family had to bear the cost of training. She endured harsh winter drills and experienced constant hunger and fatigue. She once called her parents, pleading for help. For parents who had already given their beloved child to the nation, the fact that she was starving even during national service was unbearable. They scraped together money day and night, sending it with the plea, “At least don’t starve.” This immense burden imposed by the military parade on families is a consequence of the failure of the state to provide even basic meals for its troops as it pours vast resources into propaganda events. Each time, my classmate hoped, “Maybe this time I’ll get the photo.” But each time Kim disappeared immediately after the event, leaving soldiers to disperse in disappointment. My friend was eventually discharged without ever obtaining a commemorative photo. Worse still, repeated high-intensity training and malnutrition destroyed her health. She developed a serious illness that made pregnancy impossible. This case is not just one individual’s misfortune. It is the story of countless soldiers. The parade is exploited as a propaganda tool, while soldiers’ lives and health are utterly disregarded. Starving from insufficient rations, some collapse during training, and those injured or ill are left untreated. Yet soldiers cling to the faint hope of a commemorative photo and continue their grueling drills. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") [Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/) Taesung offers informed perspectives on North Korean society, grounded in years of experience within a key state-run institution. After defecting to South Korea in 2024, he now focuses on providing analysis of the country. [![Kim Taesung](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-10.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/ "Kim Taesung") Latest posts by Kim Taesung ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9dbb003b4a9f32cbc29bf39a4e72f8c4e617ca8b/)) - [Kim inspects a new station for “tourists” that locals won’t be able to use.](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-inspects-a-new-station-for-tourists-that-locals-wont-be-able-to-use/) - July 15, 2026 - [New destroyer signals North Korea’s push for a nuclear navy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-destroyer-signals-north-koreas-push-for-a-nuclear-navy/) - July 9, 2026 - [North Korea tests new weaponry for use against South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tests-new-weaponry-for-use-against-south-korea/) - July 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20illusion%20of%20a%20photo%20with%20Kim%20Jong-un%3A%20The%20tears%20behind%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20military%20parades&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20illusion%20of%20a%20photo%20with%20Kim%20Jong-un%3A%20The%20tears%20behind%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20military%20parades https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20illusion%20of%20a%20photo%20with%20Kim%20Jong-un%3A%20The%20tears%20behind%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20military%20parades "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-illusion-of-a-photo-with-kim-jong-un-the-tears-behind-north-koreas-military-parades/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20illusion%20of%20a%20photo%20with%20Kim%20Jong-un%3A%20The%20tears%20behind%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20military%20parades&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-illusion-of-a-photo-with-kim-jong-un-the-tears-behind-north-koreas-military-parades/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20illusion%20of%20a%20photo%20with%20Kim%20Jong-un%3A%20The%20tears%20behind%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20military%20parades "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [The low status and sorry life of scientists in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-low-status-and-sorry-life-of-scientists-in-north-korea-2/) **Published:** January 13, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Image-zhuanlan.jpg "Image zhuanlan | nk insider")“Plant your feet firmly on your own soil, and set your eyes upon the world.” There is not a single university student in North Korea who does not know this phrase. It was a handwritten motto gifted in 2010 by the then-leader, Kim Jong-il, to Kim Il-sung University to commemorate the completion of its modern e-library. That year, this phrase swept across the country, stirring new passion for inquiry and pride in being a student of science. Its power lay in the fact that it indicated that Kim Jong-il, the father of the current ruler Kim Jong-un, who was well known for his love of art and music, was turning his attention toward scientists. At last, the Dear Leader, as he was known, was showing interest in those who had been little more than insignificant figures in the country until then. There is a simple example that shows the position scientists hold in North Korea. If ten medals are made, nine are given to singers. Have you ever seen a performance by the Korean People’s Army State Merited Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, known as the Merited Choir? The number of medals hanging from their chests is staggering. They cover the entire right side of each person and spill over onto the left. I will leave it to your imagination how much singing contributes to national development. And the one medal left—where does it go? The government agonizes over whether to give it to a miner, a soldier, or a scientist. This is why I once swore I would never go to a science and engineering college, even if I died. In the world I saw with my young eyes, scientists and engineers were powerless. They lived in small houses and wore shabby clothes. By the time I reached my final year of high school, when I had to decide my future path, I had never seen a scientist living a prosperous life. It always puzzled me. Why were they so poor, when they worked so hard? Reason suggests that if you work less, you earn less. Work more, earn more. But the lives of scientists did not follow this logic at all. Even so, I was forced by my parents to take the path of science. Their thinking was different from mine. Their generation lived by selling resources. They picked pine mushrooms from the mountains, caught squid from the sea, and mined coal underground. But with the money from selling resources, the state barely survived. To my parents, living off resources in such a small country seemed far too limited. So they concluded that soon resources would be exhausted, and the age of science and technology would arrive. They firmly believed that in their children’s generation, scientists and engineers would live well. And in 2010, with Kim Jong-il’s handwritten motto – Plant your feet firmly on your own soil, and set your eyes upon the world – it seemed that such an age had finally come. No one rejoiced more than we scientists. But let me tell you how much, and in what way, we actually benefited. I had a friend who was truly brilliant. He won a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad. After finishing his studies in China, the state appointed him as a teacher at Pyongyang First Middle School. As the name suggests, this is the top school for gifted students. I admit I was filled with envy. “Isn’t it wonderful now that the age of science and technology has arrived?” I asked him one day. “What age of science and technology?” he shot back. “Look at me. I’m still poor. What kind of age is this?” Though he was the very embodiment of science and technology, his life had not changed at all. He still scraped by, tutoring students in his spare time. This is the reality of the so-called “age of science and technology” in North Korea. It is nothing more than a manipulative trick by the party. They praise scientists with words, without giving them a single penny. As always, we were deceived. Looking back, I see that my friend understood this truth better than I did. In 2016, the regime of Kim Jong-un celebrated the successful launch of the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-4 satellite. Meaning “bright star” or “lodestar” in direct reference to his father, Kim Jong-il, this was the fourth in a series of satellite launches that went back to 1998. All media outlets praised and spotlighted those who achieved it. Korean Central Television broadcast their stay in Pyongyang for over a month. Watching them, it was clear they had poured their lives and energy into their work. Their frail bodies, pale faces, and graying hair told the story. And their bewildered reactions to Pyongyang’s dazzling sights reminded one of country mice visiting the city. Of course, no celebration could be complete without a performance by the Moranbong Band. This is the all-female band whose members were handpicked by Kim Jong-un and who played a fusion of pop, rock, and light classical music using electronic violins, synthesizers, and electric guitars. This was dazzlingly modern for North Korea. The cameras caught the embarrassed faces of some men, unable to hide their discomfort at the bold gestures of the young performers. But what was far more shocking came afterward. At least to me, and to ordinary North Koreans. That was when the government assigned houses to the performers of that celebration concert. Yes. The people who launched a satellite were given a show to watch, while those who performed the show were given houses. Why does North Korea treat scientists and engineers this way? Is science and technology less useful to the regime’s survival than music? Perhaps my parents had foresight in sending me to study science, but in North Korea that age has still not arrived. My parents were too far ahead of their time. Perhaps such an age, an age when scientists live well, will never come. Back in the North, we often joked among ourselves: “There’s no point in relying on friends because we’re all destined to be scientists.” We said it because we all knew what the life of a scientist was like. It was a funny line, but also deeply sad. “Plant your feet firmly on your own soil, and set your eyes upon the world.” But what good comes from telling us to look upon the world, when they won’t let us go out into it? My older brother studied hard to compete in the International Collegiate Programming Contest. He was confident, and dreamed of bringing honor to himself and his country. He was so determined he lost sleep preparing. But just days before the competition, he heard the news that the government had canceled the country’s participation because it couldn’t afford the airfares. Perhaps that is why they told us to keep our feet planted on our own soil. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20low%20status%20and%20sorry%20life%20of%20scientists%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20low%20status%20and%20sorry%20life%20of%20scientists%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20low%20status%20and%20sorry%20life%20of%20scientists%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-low-status-and-sorry-life-of-scientists-in-north-korea-2/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20low%20status%20and%20sorry%20life%20of%20scientists%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-low-status-and-sorry-life-of-scientists-in-north-korea-2/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20low%20status%20and%20sorry%20life%20of%20scientists%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [What Venezuela taught me about North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-venezuela-taught-me-about-north-korea/) **Published:** January 10, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-08-at-6 13 34-am.jpg "Screenshot 20260108 at 6 13 34 am | nk insider")When U.S. President Donald J. Trump ordered the military strike against Venezuela and the arrest of its president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, he acted after a long investigation and months of rising tensions between the two countries. The U.S. administration had been pushing hard on anti-drug policies, and recently even deployed troops to conduct anti-drug operations in the Caribbean. President Trump kept insisting that massive amounts of drugs were flowing into the U.S. through Venezuela. Not long ago, he even publicly warned President Maduro that if the illegal trade continued, the U.S. would attack. Then he followed through. Watching this news, I honestly felt that while South Korea seems peaceful, the world is experiencing major upheavals. But what struck me even more was this question: how are dictators like Kim Jong-un in North Korea viewing these events? I ask because Maduro displayed almost every trait we associate with a dictatorship: disputed elections, suppression of independent media, violent crackdowns on peaceful protesters, nationalization of key industries, and rallying the system around anti-American sentiment. These features aren’t unique to Venezuela. They’re common in many authoritarian and dictatorial societies. So, for me, this incident highlighted just how unstable dictatorships really are. North Korea is no different. The first thought that came to my mind was: if this happened in North Korea, would the people even know about it? Having lived in North Korea, I can’t help but compare international news like this with both the society I live in now and the one I left behind. In democratic societies like South Korea or the U.S., news is reported immediately. Some people support it, others oppose it, some protest in the streets. But, regardless, people know what’s happening and can express their opinions. In North Korea, it’s completely different. Whether it’s war, military action, or diplomatic changes, ordinary citizens aren’t in a position to choose to know. Decisions are made at the top, and people only hear about them later—if at all—and always in a distorted form. If such an event were to happen in North Korea, the authorities would likely hide it from the people out of fear they would rebel. News there isn’t meant to inform. It’s a channel of coercion. That’s why Venezuela and North Korea feel connected. They’re not identical, but they share many similarities: a ruling leader, economic difficulties, a system that stresses external enemies to maintain internal unity, and citizens suffering under dictatorship. The key difference is that in Venezuela, outside information still gets in. Even in limited conditions, people use the internet, protest, raise dissenting voices, read foreign news, and consider alternatives. In North Korea, that’s nearly impossible. North Koreans have no way of knowing in real time what decisions the U.S. makes or how the world views their country. What struck me most from the Venezuela news was this: war is terrifying, but living completely unaware is even more frightening. Here, we can watch a video and ask, “Is this real? Is it exaggerated?” We can question and verify. In North Korea, even asking “why” is dangerous. It’s a society where the question itself is forbidden. People often ask me: will such a day ever come for North Korea? Will it ever change? Personally, I believe change doesn’t come only through bombs or military operations. The most powerful force isn’t guns or missiles. It’s information. The moment people trapped in North Korea realize, “The world we know isn’t everything,” change has already begun. That’s exactly what the regime fears most. That’s why they block radios, crack down on USB drives, panic over a single drama episode, and carry out public punishments. When I first left North Korea and freely watched the news, saw broadcasts criticizing the government, and even people insulting the president without being arrested, I was stunned. I kept thinking, “Wait, they insult the president and nothing happens? Are they really okay?” So even while talking about Venezuela, I keep thinking of North Koreans. Right now, they don’t even know this news exists. That’s the most heartbreaking reality. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20Venezuela%20taught%20me%20about%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%20Venezuela%20taught%20me%20about%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%20Venezuela%20taught%20me%20about%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-venezuela-taught-me-about-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%20Venezuela%20taught%20me%20about%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-venezuela-taught-me-about-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%20Venezuela%20taught%20me%20about%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Propaganda refers to the country as “Kim Jong-un’s Korea”… Growing possibility of public backlash](https://www.nkinsider.org/propaganda-refers-to-the-country-as-kim-jong-uns-korea-growing-possibility-of-public-backlash/) **Published:** January 10, 2026 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1-copy.jpg "1 copy | nk insider")Lecture materials produced by the state last month and obtained from sources inside the country refer to the North as “Kim Jong-un’s Korea.” The materials were made for the anniversary last month of the death in 2011 of Kim’s father and predecessor as supreme leader, Kim Jong-il, and delivered through mass lectures at institutions, enterprises, military units, and local organizations. The materials describe Kim Jong-il as a “great leader who endlessly loved the people,” portraying his life as one of devotion to his subjects. Kim Jong-un is quoted praising his father as “a peerless great man who dedicated his entire life to the nation and the people.” “Comrades, you may think I do not know that our people are suffering because rice has run out, food supplies are not properly distributed, and even soy sauce and soybean paste are lacking, making life difficult,” Kim says. “But I know it all. I know everything. Our people trust me and silently endure all these hardships.” At this point, Kim becomes overcome with emotion and is unable to continue speaking. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/23-copy.jpg "23 copy | nk insider")The material refers to the North as “Kim Jong-un’s Korea,” underlined in red (Image: NK Insider)In contrast to this glorification of Kim Jong-il, public perception is negative due to memories of the mass famine of the 1990s under his leadership. Most people now believe that the hereditary succession, combined with Kim Jong-il’s “military-first” politics brought on the disaster. The lecture materials themselves acknowledge that the severe economic crisis at the time made it nearly impossible to sustain the system, openly admitting the regime was on the brink of collapse. “As you all know, during that life-or-death period when imperialists’ military aggression and economic blockade reached their peak in an attempt to annihilate our Republic’s sovereignty and right to development, no one in the world believed socialist Korea could survive,” the script says. North Koreans generally believe that without South Korea’s “Sunshine Policy” of engagement and international aid during the crisis, the regime would not have survived. Nevertheless, the authorities distort these historical facts, presenting Kim Jong-il’s “military-first politics” as indication of his love for the people and his success in protecting them. Given decades of economic hardship and their daily struggle to survive, North Koreans are likely to reject such worship as disconnected from reality. The new designation “Kim Jong-un’s Korea” is seen as political rhetoric to enforce loyalty, but in practice it may deepen dissatisfaction with the hereditary dictatorship. In a society that has endured decades of poverty, hunger, and the denial of even minimal freedoms, the naming of the country as “Kim Jong-un’s Korea” may backfire, provoking greater discontent and distrust among the people. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Propaganda%20refers%20to%20the%20country%20as%20%E2%80%9CKim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20Korea%E2%80%9D%E2%80%A6%20Growing%20possibility%20of%20public%20backlash&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Propaganda%20refers%20to%20the%20country%20as%20%E2%80%9CKim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20Korea%E2%80%9D%E2%80%A6%20Growing%20possibility%20of%20public%20backlash https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Propaganda%20refers%20to%20the%20country%20as%20%E2%80%9CKim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20Korea%E2%80%9D%E2%80%A6%20Growing%20possibility%20of%20public%20backlash "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/propaganda-refers-to-the-country-as-kim-jong-uns-korea-growing-possibility-of-public-backlash/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Propaganda%20refers%20to%20the%20country%20as%20%E2%80%9CKim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20Korea%E2%80%9D%E2%80%A6%20Growing%20possibility%20of%20public%20backlash&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/propaganda-refers-to-the-country-as-kim-jong-uns-korea-growing-possibility-of-public-backlash/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Propaganda%20refers%20to%20the%20country%20as%20%E2%80%9CKim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20Korea%E2%80%9D%E2%80%A6%20Growing%20possibility%20of%20public%20backlash "Reddit") **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Defectors no longer able to send money home amid crackdown on Chinese mobile phone use](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-no-longer-able-to-send-money-home-amid-crackdown-on-chinese-mobile-phone-use/) **Published:** January 9, 2026 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Security-agent.jpg "Security agent | nk insider")Brokers in North Korea who have for several years now undertaken the risky but lucrative task of delivering money from defectors overseas to their family members still in the country have reportedly been forced to suspend their illegal operations. Sources say the clandestine brokers went into hiding around the New Year period following an intensive crackdown by the Ministry of State Security on Chinese mobile phone use. “Brokers in border areas such as Musan County are not moving at all these days,” a local source said, referring to an area in North Hamgyong Province on the Tumen River. “This is because the Ministry of State Security has strengthened its surveillance of people using Chinese phones to an unprecedented level,” he said. The crackdown followed the Party’s plenary session in December, he said. “Radio detection vehicles constantly patrol the area, and security agents carrying portable detectors go right up to the doors of targeted homes to see if they are using phones.” Brokers know from bitter experience that, if caught moving money during crackdown periods, they will be sent straight to political prison camps. “It seems that the era when people survived through smuggling or remittance work is coming to an end,” the source said. “Even if commissions are 40–50%, it’s not worth risking your life.” That said, some may be willing to take the risk if the amount is over 10 million won, he speculated. The surveillance is taking a psychological toll on people in the region. “A lot of people suffer these days from mental distress,” the source said. “Some say that even though they don’t engage in brokering or anything illegal, they flinch in fear at the sound of footsteps or car engines outside their homes.” The Ministry of State Security is a powerful body that reports directly to supreme leader Kim Jong-un. It has extralegal authority to send people accused of political crimes to prison camps or execute them without judicial process. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, its agents have been deployed in significant numbers to the border region, where they conduct sweeping operations to monitor ideological leanings and seek to eliminate use of Chinese mobile phones. “Being caught using a Chinese phone is basically a death sentence,” the source said. “It will be impossible for brokers to operate until this crackdown is over.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Defectors%20no%20longer%20able%20to%20send%20money%20home%20amid%20crackdown%20on%20Chinese%20mobile%20phone%20use&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Defectors%20no%20longer%20able%20to%20send%20money%20home%20amid%20crackdown%20on%20Chinese%20mobile%20phone%20use https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Defectors%20no%20longer%20able%20to%20send%20money%20home%20amid%20crackdown%20on%20Chinese%20mobile%20phone%20use "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-no-longer-able-to-send-money-home-amid-crackdown-on-chinese-mobile-phone-use/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Defectors%20no%20longer%20able%20to%20send%20money%20home%20amid%20crackdown%20on%20Chinese%20mobile%20phone%20use&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-no-longer-able-to-send-money-home-amid-crackdown-on-chinese-mobile-phone-use/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Defectors%20no%20longer%20able%20to%20send%20money%20home%20amid%20crackdown%20on%20Chinese%20mobile%20phone%20use "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) **Published:** January 9, 2026 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-07-at-10 58 28-am.jpg "Screenshot 20260107 at 10 58 28 am | nk insider")Fertilizer has recently become a significant commodity in North Korea. Sources reached in the northern provinces bordering on China say that the official setting of fertilizer production as a priority for the new year immediately prompted a clandestine trade. “Since late last year, fertilizer has become a commodity in cities and counties including Hoeryong,” said a knowledgeable contact in the city which is in North Hamgyong Province. “It started selling a couple of weeks ago at 50 won per kilogram, and by January 5, prices had risen to as high as 200 won.” The source, who spoke on condition of strict anonymity, said that the authorities had made production of fertilizer the first “battle task” of the new year and that this had immediately established its value as a precious item. At the end of December, in preparation, factories and enterprises ordered workers to “bring fertilizer on the first day back to work.” This instruction led employees to collect and sell fertilizer, and as demand grew among buyers, prices quickly soared, he said. “Actually, the people buying fertilizer are not ordinary residents,” he said. “In the past, relatively well-off residents or officials would pay poorer people to produce fertilizer on their behalf. This practice has since evolved into a system of openly buying and selling it.” The trade perks up in this way every year, he said. “In January, every workplace conducts daily reviews of fertilizer production plans. Because of this, people begin securing fertilizer even before official orders are issued, which naturally leads to trading.” Similar phenomena are reported in other parts of the country. In Ryanggang Province, which is also on the China border, fertilizer prices are somewhat higher than in North Hamgyong, apparently due to difficulties in securing supply. Another source, from Hyesan, the Ryanggang provincial capital, told a similar story of high demand at the end of last month. “Fertilizer cannot be sold openly,” he said. ”But in the outskirts of the city or in alleyways, you can see people holding signs indicating they have produce to sell.” “The shortage has pushed the price up to 150–250 won per kilogram,” he said. Last year, North Korea reportedly imposed a fertilizer quota of 400–500 kilograms per person. This led to frequent fights between people. Sources explained that during the “fertilizer battle” period, each person is required to deliver their assigned quota to the designated farm or workplace, where they receive a confirmation slip, and submit it to their office. Those failing to meet the quota are interrogated in front of colleagues or forced to come up with fertilizer before being allowed to leave work. As a result, many of them end up buying it. Hence the commodification of fertilizer at this time of year. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Pressure%20on%20all%20citizens%20to%20supply%20fertilizer%20creates%20a%20clandestine%20trade&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Pressure%20on%20all%20citizens%20to%20supply%20fertilizer%20creates%20a%20clandestine%20trade https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Pressure%20on%20all%20citizens%20to%20supply%20fertilizer%20creates%20a%20clandestine%20trade "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Pressure%20on%20all%20citizens%20to%20supply%20fertilizer%20creates%20a%20clandestine%20trade&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Pressure%20on%20all%20citizens%20to%20supply%20fertilizer%20creates%20a%20clandestine%20trade "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Unusually,  no mention of South Korea or the U.S. in Kim Jong-un’s new year address](https://www.nkinsider.org/unusually-no-mention-of-south-korea-or-the-u-s-in-kim-jong-uns-new-year-address/) **Published:** January 6, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-5 28 19-pm.jpg "Screenshot 20260103 at 5 28 19 pm | nk insider")In a major departure for a new year address, Kim Jong-un made not a single reference this time to South Korea or the United States. Instead, according to the script released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), he limited himself to extending greetings to the people, to the military, and to overseas compatriots, while emphasizing the achievements of 2025 and the struggles ahead in 2026. Three features stood out: 1. Internal unity amid economic crisis – Kim made internal solidarity the top priority and stressed the people’s “patriotic devotion” and “fighting spirit.” This reflects the difficulties posed by food shortages, energy scarcity, and industrial stagnation caused by sanctions. 2. Salute to troops overseas – Kim paid tribute to his soldiers abroad, fighting for Russia against Ukraine. 3. Use of sporting achievement for propaganda – Kim highlighted achievements in international sports, particularly the victory of North Korea’s women’s soccer players, as a way to showcase “self-reliance” and “national pride” amid external isolation. This all contrasts with past New Year’s addresses that almost always included messages and threats directed at South Korea and the U.S. For instance, in 2014 he [warned](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20190101036700504?utm_source=copilot.com), *“*If war breaks out again on this land, there will be a tremendous nuclear disaster, and the U.S. will not be safe.” In 2015, he called for “active dialogue, negotiations, exchanges, and contacts to bring about a major transformation in inter-Korean relations,” while simultaneously condemning U.S. “hostility.” This pattern demonstrated his early strategy of managing both inter-Korean and U.S.–North Korea relations to bolster the regime’s legitimacy abroad. But this year was devoid of any mention of South Korea and the U.S. Analysts point to several possible reasons: - Severe domestic circumstances – North Korea faced food shortages, power outages, and economic decline throughout 2025 due to sanctions, leaving little room for external messaging. Kim emphasized overcoming these hardships through “the people’s strength.” - New international context in the partnership with Russia – Rather than directly targeting the U.S. and South Korea, Pyongyang appears to be pursuing a strategy of confronting the West through alignment with Russia. Thus there’s no need to separately rail at the usual enemy. - Strategic choice of minimal external messaging – In recent years, Kim has sometimes replaced the New Year’s address with conclusions from party plenary meetings, signaling a shift in format. This year’s speech likewise minimized external messages and focused on internal cohesion. Ultimately, the 2026 New Year’s address reflects current reality in North Korea. By directing messages solely to the people, the military, and overseas compatriots, rather than issuing provocative remarks toward the traditional enemies, Kim revealed a sense of crisis over regime survival while hinting at a new international strategy centered on cooperation with Russia. His declaration that “We will always remain faithful to the socialism chosen by our people” underscores the regime’s prioritization of internal unity over external confrontation. This is not merely rhetorical change but an inevitable course shaped by economic hardship and international isolation. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Unusually%2C%C2%A0%20no%20mention%20of%20South%20Korea%20or%20the%20U.S.%20in%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20new%20year%20address&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Unusually%2C%C2%A0%20no%20mention%20of%20South%20Korea%20or%20the%20U.S.%20in%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20new%20year%20address https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Unusually%2C%C2%A0%20no%20mention%20of%20South%20Korea%20or%20the%20U.S.%20in%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20new%20year%20address "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/unusually-no-mention-of-south-korea-or-the-u-s-in-kim-jong-uns-new-year-address/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Unusually%2C%C2%A0%20no%20mention%20of%20South%20Korea%20or%20the%20U.S.%20in%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20new%20year%20address&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/unusually-no-mention-of-south-korea-or-the-u-s-in-kim-jong-uns-new-year-address/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Unusually%2C%C2%A0%20no%20mention%20of%20South%20Korea%20or%20the%20U.S.%20in%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20new%20year%20address "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Will Kim Ju-ae be anointed as the successor this year?](https://www.nkinsider.org/will-kim-ju-ae-be-anointed-as-the-successor-this-year/) **Published:** January 5, 2026 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12 43 41-am.jpg "Screenshot 20260103 at 12 43 41 am | nk insider")When Kim Jong-un visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on New Year’s Day with his wife and daughter to pay his respects to his predecessors, the scene was more than a family gesture. It was a deliberate political performance. The Kumsusan mausoleum in the northeast district of Pyongyang is home to the embalmed bodies of Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, and grandfather, Kim Il-sung. It is therefore a highly symbolic site for the regime and underscores the legitimacy of the Kim lineage. Daughter Ju-ae’s appearance alongside Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, subtly conveyed the succession of this “Paektu bloodline,” signaling the regime’s intention to emphasize stability and continuity. The ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Party and government, the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, the Cabinet, heads of ministries, and commanders of the Ministry of Defense. Kim led them in paying tribute before the statues of the previous two leaders. He then went to the Hall of Eternal Life, where the bodies lie permanently in state, and offered New Year’s greetings. Kim emphasized that participants pledge loyalty to his ideology and leadership for national development and the people’s welfare. Experts have offered varied interpretations. Some argue that Kim Ju-ae is already being trained to succeed her father. “Kim Jong-un’s visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun with Kim Ju-ae is a signal that at the Ninth Party Congress, she will be elected as ‘First Secretary of the Party Central Committee,’” Jeong Seong-jang, deputy director of the Sejong Institute, [predicted](https://www.sandtimes.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=3316&utm_source=copilot.com). Although no date has been set, analysts note it is five years since the previous congress and expect the event to be held in the first half of this year This means that Ju-ae could be formally anointed in 2026 as the Party’s second-in-command and Kim’s successor. Others view her not yet as an official heir but as a potential successor whose image is being strengthened as she undergoes education. Either way, Ju-ae’s presence functions as more than symbolism. It also serves to imprint the image of a next-generation leader in the minds of the Party, government, and military elite. North Korea has historically revealed succession plans in slow motion while preparing for power transfer. The transitions from Kim Il-sung to Kim Jong-il, and from Kim Jong-il to Kim Jong-un, for example, did not begin with any formal title of “successor.” Instead, the heir was gradually positioned at the center of power. Ju-ae’s appearance can be seen as following this pattern. If she is eventually formalized as the successor, it would make North Korea unprecedented as a dictatorship, with the ruling family continuing into the fourth generation. While the signals may provide North Koreans themselves with a measure of stability, it simultaneously reinforces the perception in the outside world of a totally closed state. Although it may take time before Kim Ju-ae is officially confirmed as successor, this event will be recorded as an important moment showing that North Korea is already preparing its succession structure. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Will%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20be%20anointed%20as%20the%20successor%20this%20year%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Will%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20be%20anointed%20as%20the%20successor%20this%20year%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Will%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20be%20anointed%20as%20the%20successor%20this%20year%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/will-kim-ju-ae-be-anointed-as-the-successor-this-year/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Will%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20be%20anointed%20as%20the%20successor%20this%20year%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/will-kim-ju-ae-be-anointed-as-the-successor-this-year/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Will%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20be%20anointed%20as%20the%20successor%20this%20year%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Kim Jong-un: What kind of leader is he really?](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-what-kind-of-leader-is-he-really/) **Published:** January 1, 2026 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Kim_jong-un_2023-09-13_01.jpg "Kimjongun2023091301 | nk insider")Until now, in writing about Kim Jong-un, I have focused on his humanity or lack of it. For example, I’ve noted what we all know, that he is a cold-blooded man who even killed his own brother and uncle to preserve his throne. But I have never seriously thought about what kind of leader he might be. Perhaps such a question never mattered to me. I had already defined him as a pathetic man who inherited the throne simply because he bore the Kim family name, despite having no particular ability. Maybe, however, my disillusionment with North Korean society led me to underestimate him. It is possible that he possesses hidden abilities I do not know of. Perhaps he is merely an unlucky king who inherited a collapsing nation, one that is tilted so far over that it is beyond his power to set upright again. I began to think more deeply about this subject after attending a defense forum held in South Korea. At the forum, people discussed a series of things Kim had done recently, according to North Korean media. On screen, there he was giving speeches before the people. He had tears in his eyes. He was also shown stroking the cheek of a soldier dispatched to Russia, and carefully examining another soldier’s injured leg. Such scenes were undeniably tender and moving. Watching them, one cannot help but wonder: *Is this genuine? Or is it staged?* One participant at the forum remarked that, whether genuine or staged, Kim was fulfilling his duties as a leader. Another said that even if it was staged, it showed he was at least conscientious enough to put on such a display. If such gestures soothe public sentiment and inspire loyalty, then he has done his job as a leader. Their point was that, judged purely from the leadership point of view, Kim is not entirely lacking. This was what prompted me to reconsider him. Among all the participants in that forum, I may have been the one most personally and most deeply affected by Kim Jong-un’s direct and indirect influence. Do you know what we feel most strongly living in North Korea? It is the constant threat to survival. And survival does not just mean food. Remembering those who were once around me, I can count more than ten people who were arrested or even killed for political or ideological reasons. That is why survival occupies the highest place in my worldview. Nothing is more important than survival. Other things – such as love of nature, treating a dog like a family member, or opposing the exploitation of chickens by enlarging their cages – are luxuries when your own survival itself is at stake. Perhaps I sound extreme. But anyone who has experienced real threats to their survival would agree to some extent. Survival is sacred. I believe the gravest violation of human rights is the deprivation of the right to live. No state power, however great, has the right to take that away. Returning to North Korea, let us reconsider the dispatch of troops to Russia. What did the state gain from sending its soldiers there? Kim agreed to trade the lives of citizens for some diplomacy with Russia. He sent young men to their deaths, then appeared on television, choking back tears, saying he was sorry he could not protect them. Sorry he could not protect them from whom? He himself orchestrated it. From the very beginning, the deployment was shrouded in secrecy so that the soldiers themselves did not know they were being sent to war. How can a state behave like such a den of trickery? The real issue comes after they die: compensation. In my thirty years living in North Korea, I have never seen the government compensate those who sacrificed their lives for the country. No matter how sorrowfully Kim strokes a soldier’s broken leg, what good does it do? He is no doctor, and stroking a broken leg will not heal it. What use are words of comfort to the fallen soldiers and their families? At the very least, some of the money received from Russia should be set aside to support the families of the victims. A few months ago, I watched an American drama about World War II. In it, U.S. soldiers signed life insurance documents before going to the battlefield. That is how the world works: if something is taken, something must be given in return. I believe life insurance payouts are the minimum responsibility a government owes to those who die for their country. But the North Korean government tries to resolve the issue by giving bereaved families medals of honor and sending their children to revolutionary schools that cost nothing. The medals are nothing more than gilded lumps of metal. They offer no financial help. And those children, unaware that their fathers died at the hands of the government, will grow up to work hard for that same government. It is a vicious cycle. Recently, North Korean media has repeatedly broadcast images of Kim in tears. It seems he hopes such displays will soothe public anger. But if crying could solve problems, then children would be the best problem-solvers in the world. As the leader of millions of North Koreans, Kim’s duty is not to escape situations with tears but to care for their lives. If he must cry, he can do so alone, in his backyard. There is no need to blubber before the people, pleading to be pitied and insisting he is doing his best. In capitalist societies, people say gratitude should be expressed not with tears but with money. I believe this saying would be far more useful if applied to North Korean society. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%3A%20What%20kind%20of%20leader%20is%20he%20really%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%3A%20What%20kind%20of%20leader%20is%20he%20really%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%3A%20What%20kind%20of%20leader%20is%20he%20really%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-what-kind-of-leader-is-he-really/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%3A%20What%20kind%20of%20leader%20is%20he%20really%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-what-kind-of-leader-is-he-really/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%3A%20What%20kind%20of%20leader%20is%20he%20really%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [2025: A year of milestone anniversaries for Korea ](https://www.nkinsider.org/2025-a-year-of-milestone-anniversaries-for-korea/) **Published:** December 23, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Istock-157593308 Juanmonino.jpg "Two koreas map | nk insider")The year 2025 saw some significant anniversaries for Korea, some of which were for the better, while others were for the worse. The best known and most celebrated in both Koreas was the 80th anniversary of liberation from Japanese colonial rule as a direct result of the end of the Second World War in 1945. This anniversary was obviously a happy one. Nevertheless, it was also tragic in the sense that it marked the simultaneous entry into Korea of Soviet forces, by prior agreement of the allies, which was the underlying and most basic cause of the division of the peninsula. As a related point, it was also tragic in that it marked the practical, if not the official, inauguration of Kim Il-sung’s rule and hereditary communist dynasty. It was in 1945 that Kim and the Soviets began to systematically [eliminate all non-communist opposition](https://www.academia.edu/66355814/The_Demise_of_Non_Communist_Parties_in_North_Korea_1945_1960_), thus paving the way for the war he launched in 1950 and the many ensuing decades of the armed attacks and attempts at subversion by his forces. It was in late November of that momentous year of 1945 that another significant, yet little-known, little-celebrated event took place in the North. This was the [student and Christian uprising](https://www.chosun.com/national/weekend/2023/11/04/LK7CNGWTF5HX5GGO6EPEZWR3MU/) against Soviet occupation and Korean communist persecution in the town of Sinuiju on the Yalu river border with China. This was one of the earliest revolts against communist rule anywhere outside of the Soviet Union itself, but is far less well remembered, for example, than the East Berlin anti-Soviet revolt of 1953 or the Hungarian uprising of 1956. Unlike what are now known to have been various Soviet-funded and Korean [communist-ordered and organized uprisings](https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/publication/Bulletin6-7_Korea.pdf) in South Korea in the late 1940s which exploited national or local grievances, the Sinuiju revolt was purely organic and not funded, ordered, or organized by any outside forces. The nature of the incident itself, however, has unfortunately been obfuscated, and its significance often dismissed by the tendentious revisionist writings of certain left-leaning academics in the U.K., the U.S., and South Korea, who in some cases portray the clash as a “class struggle.” According to [Korean sources](https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%8B%A0%EC%9D%98%EC%A3%BC%20%EB%B0%98%EA%B3%B5%ED%95%99%EC%83%9D%EC%9D%98%EA%B1%B0), the Sinuiju uprising began when thousands of middle school students and Christians marched to the local communist headquarters, chanting “Let’s drive out the Communist Party!” and “Go back to the Soviet Union!” Local communists and Soviet forces then fired indiscriminately into the crowds. Casualty figures range from two dozen to 100 killed and 150 to 700 wounded. As many participants and witnesses were arrested and the authorities naturally sought to cover up the massacre, the exact numbers may never be known for certain. The estimates are based on the accounts of survivors who later were able to flee to the South, as well as U.S. and South Korean government reports, and Soviet records. Various sources note that somewhere between a few hundred and a few thousand of the protesters were subsequently arrested. Survivors who made it to the South asserted that Soviet tanks and fighter aircraft were involved in putting down teh protest. It was in late 1955 that Kim Il-sung first signaled[ preliminary indications of his massive purges](https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/we-do-not-want-to-overthrow-him-beijing-moscow-and-kim-il-sung-1956) of real and imagined opponents within the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, which reached their apex over the next couple of years. The purges eliminated the so-called Yenan faction which had fought alongside Mao Zedong’s forces during World War Two and the Chinese Civil War, as well as the so-called Soviet faction of Korean communists who had lived or been trained for years in the U.S.S.R. The purges began in full force after Kim realized the threat inherent in Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev’s de-Stalinization “Secret Speech” of 1956. They served as a major step toward the full consolidation of his rule. The South Korean communist leader [Pak Hon-yong](https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/leadership-purges.htm), whom Kim blamed for erroneously predicting that South Koreans would rise up in support of the North Korean forces who invaded the ROK in 1950, was executed in either 1955 or 1956. It was also in 1955 that Kim apparently made his first public mention of his [concept of Juche](https://world.kbs.co.kr/special/northkorea/contents/archives/supreme_leader/ideology.htm?lang=e), which was eventually to become the state ideology. The year 2025 additionally marks the centennial of the establishment within Korea, then a colony of Japan, of the first Communist Party of Korea. As in many other nations, it was founded by [radical intellectuals or aspiring intellectuals](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Communism_in_Korea_The_movement/1Iq4AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&bsq=communism%20in%20korea:%20the%20movement). There had earlier been other communist and socialist groupings of Koreans in the U.S.S.R. and China, but the Party’s official foundation is considered to have taken place at a secret meeting held in a Chinese restaurant Seoul in April 1925. [Several incarnations](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Documents_of_Korean_Communism_1918_1948/IZAaPQAACAAJ?hl=en) of a Korean Communist Party were established, re-established, and subsequently dissolved throughout the 1920s and early 1930s. There were also many Party preparatory and reconstruction committees. These tumultuous and dizzying births, re-births, preparations, and dissolutions were due to a combination of factors, including factional infighting, crackdowns by the Japanese authorities, and orders from the Comintern in Moscow. The Party even betrayed Korean patriots by cynically sabotaging the nationalist united front group [Shinganhoe](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Korean_Workers_Party/SXtpAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&bsq=Shinganhoe%20communists). It was not until after the liberation that branches of the Party were officially re-established in both the North and the South. The Workers’ Party of South Korea was outlawed by the U.S. military government in 1946 after [it was caught counterfeiting](https://www.chosun.com/english/travel-food-en/2025/12/13/GI2VVTSJHNBSXAMFXSLEGWX7KQ/) South Korean currency. In late 1946 through early 1949, the [Party initiated armed uprisings](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/12/13/WS7WMEYWSRB4TF4OSULFTI475A/) and sabotage of infrastructure based on instructions from the North. In 1949, the year that U.S. troops were withdrawn from Korea, and a year after the 1948 establishment of the independent ROK government, the separate Party branches were unified, with the Northern branch essentially swallowing the Southern branch. Prior to and during the Korean War, as well as[ for years after](https://sgp.fas.org/crs/row/RL30004.pdf), communists in the South fought as partisan units in relatively remote areas of the countryside, terrorizing local inhabitants, until their insurgency was finally defeated. Once this armed struggle ended, undercover communists and other pro-North Korean forces in the South, including some trained in the North, as well as North Korean agents dispatched to the South, continued their struggle by means of propaganda, espionage, political activism, and attempts to create new political parties or stealthily infiltrate existing ones. The infiltration of Marxist-Leninist and pro-North Korean elements into the broader South Korean pro-democracy movements of the 1980s ironically and paradoxically led to such anti-democratic forces gaining a new foothold within ROK politics, culture, media, academia, and society as a whole during the 1990s and early 2000s, and up to the present time. The impact of these Marxist-Leninist and [pro-North Korean elements ](https://www.koreaherald.com/article/3643388)is still widely felt today. Having survived bitter internal disputes, Comintern reproaches, Japanese colonial repression, Soviet orders, outlawing, suppression, pre-war and wartime extrajudicial killings during South Korean counterinsurgency operations, North Korean purges, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the catastrophic failures and the widespread discrediting of the North Korean system, the comrades and their fellow travelers, in various incarnations, nevertheless continue to cast dark shadows over ROK politics and society. One hundred years later, the ghosts of 1925, the brutal communist repression in the North and the attempts at subversion by supporters of the North within the South, continue to haunt Korea. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=2025%3A%20A%20year%20of%20milestone%20anniversaries%20for%20Korea%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=2025%3A%20A%20year%20of%20milestone%20anniversaries%20for%20Korea%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=2025%3A%20A%20year%20of%20milestone%20anniversaries%20for%20Korea%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/2025-a-year-of-milestone-anniversaries-for-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=2025%3A%20A%20year%20of%20milestone%20anniversaries%20for%20Korea%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/2025-a-year-of-milestone-anniversaries-for-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=2025%3A%20A%20year%20of%20milestone%20anniversaries%20for%20Korea%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Pyongyang evades sanctions to showcase autos ordinary people can’t buy](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyang-evades-sanctions-to-showcase-autos-ordinary-people-cant-buy/) **Published:** December 17, 2025 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Amisan-automobile-technology-service-center.jpg "Amisan automobile technology service center | nk insider")Japanese-made Toyotas and the latest electric vehicles have made an appearance in the heart of Pyongyang in defiance of international sanctions. The autos are on display at the Amisan Automobile Technology Service Center in the Hwasong district of the capital. The center is a car showroom and a comprehensive service facility that was rebranded in April this year. Yet this dazzling facility is not for ordinary citizens. It is merely a stage for the regime’s foreign currency circulation system—importing luxury goods in violation of sanctions—and for a propaganda show of modernization. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Photo_2025-12-14_17-47-21-823x1024.jpg "Photo20251214174721 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/16-서에라-2-931x1024.jpg "16 서에라 2 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/16-서에라-3-836x1024.jpg "16 서에라 3 | nk insider")*The vehicles on sale show how Pyongyang brazenly flaunts sanctions | Photo: NK Insider/Era Seo*The facility was originally called the Hwasong Vehicle Electrical Service Center and was renamed in April after an on-site visit by Kim Jong-un. While it was once known as a comprehensive service provider offering routine maintenance, sales, rentals, repairs, parts replacement, car washes, and painting, photos reveal that the center now specializes less in repair and more in the rental and sale of expensive vehicles. The center is operated by the Finance and Accounting Department of the Workers’ Party. Institutions using the Amisan brand are typically affiliated with this department, meaning the center is not a private enterprise but a state-run entity monopolized by the authorities. Officially, the center was conceived and established jointly by the Cabinet, the Pyongyang People’s Committee, and the Hwasong District People’s Committee, but in reality it likely serves as a channel for generating foreign currency to fund Kim’s personal lifestyle. When Kim visited he praised the center as a “symbol of specialized, civilized transport culture,” underscoring its political significance. Historically, Amisan has been associated with Office 8 of the Workers’ Party. This is the unit which produces goods for the exclusive use of the Kim family. Amisan subsidiaries are spread across cities and counties nationwide. With Amisan farms, ranches, and even a central Amisan bureau in existence, no one would mistake the Amisan Automobile Technology Service Center as a place where ordinary citizens can buy autos. Although North Korea has recently claimed to allow private vehicle registration, this is mere propaganda. Cars traded at the center are said to be for “personal use,” but in reality they belong to cadres in the name of their party, state, or enterprise affiliation. The cash to buy them comes from foreign currency reserves or special funds controlled by the authorities. The reality of North Korea’s market is that autos cannot legally or politically be bought, even if a person has money. “Even if we could buy one, we wouldn’t,” the ordinary North Korean would cynically say. The reasons are clear. First, prices are astronomically high. Anyone with the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars needed would immediately become a target for investigation. That is because state-set wages for cadres are meager to the point of endangering livelihoods. As of December, with rice priced at 20,000–24,000 won per kilogram, an average monthly wage of 200,000 won is insufficient to buy even 10 kilograms. Workers’ wages differ little from those of cadres, and many factories and enterprises are idle due to shortages of power, equipment, and raw materials. Most citizens are required to do collective labor such as housing construction, road paving, and railway repairs. Buying a car worth hundreds of thousands of dollars is akin to chasing a rainbow. The Japanese Toyotas and latest EVs displayed at the Amisan Center are explicitly banned under UN Security Council resolutions. Supplying, selling, or transferring finished cars is illegal. Thus the open trade in Pyongyang demonstrates the regime’s systematic evasion of international sanctions. Because the facility is officially under regime control, this is not a mere case of private smuggling. It represents state-led violation of sanctions. Responsibility inevitably extends to intermediary countries that condone or facilitate the trade. Through the automobile service center, North Korea flaunts a false prosperity narrative—“Pyongyang is developing despite UN sanctions.” For elites, the facility is both a reward for loyalty and a covert mechanism for monitoring consumption. It is not a symbol of modernization, but of surveillance. Not a gateway to economic openness, but a new channel for propaganda and control. The reality of the Amisan Center, where private purchases are nominally allowed but practically impossible, reveals a simple truth: the showroom exists, but the auto market does not. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Pyongyang%20evades%20sanctions%20to%20showcase%20autos%20ordinary%20people%20can%E2%80%99t%20buy&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Pyongyang%20evades%20sanctions%20to%20showcase%20autos%20ordinary%20people%20can%E2%80%99t%20buy https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Pyongyang%20evades%20sanctions%20to%20showcase%20autos%20ordinary%20people%20can%E2%80%99t%20buy "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyang-evades-sanctions-to-showcase-autos-ordinary-people-cant-buy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Pyongyang%20evades%20sanctions%20to%20showcase%20autos%20ordinary%20people%20can%E2%80%99t%20buy&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyang-evades-sanctions-to-showcase-autos-ordinary-people-cant-buy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Pyongyang%20evades%20sanctions%20to%20showcase%20autos%20ordinary%20people%20can%E2%80%99t%20buy "Reddit") **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) **Published:** December 17, 2025 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Istock-184998832.jpg "Pyongyang and seoul map korea | nk insider")The debate in South Korea over North Korea’s “hostile two-state theory” now seems to be going beyond mere diplomatic rhetoric. Moon Chung-in, a prominent former presidential adviser on foreign affairs and national security, said earlier this month that North Korea would respond if Seoul were to redefine what constitutes its national territory. “North Korea will come to the table for dialogue if we amend Article 3 of the Constitution,” he said at a session of the Korean Peninsula Peace Forum. Moon was the architect of the Sunshine Policy of engagement that led to the first ever North-South summit 25 years ago. He was not just expressing a casual opinion. It sounded closer to a declaration that South Korea’s constitutional order could be adjusted on the basis of North Korea’s hostile state theory. Article 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea stipulates: “The territory of the Republic of Korea shall consist of the Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands.” Even if immediate unification is not realized, this clause has served as the minimal constitutional basis for including North Korean citizens within South Korea’s protective responsibility. Yet the idea of changing it for the sake of dialogue with North Korea can only be read not as flexibility for peace, but as a preemptive abandonment of national responsibility. Moon also conveyed international perceptions, saying: “I am asked whether exchanges and normalization will ultimately lead to the end of the North Korean regime, and whether that is the hidden intention of the South Korean government.” But the problem was not international misunderstanding. The real issue is that even within South Korea, thinking that treats unification, human rights, and constitutional principles as obstacles to negotiation is becoming mainstream. Such remarks align precisely with the Lee Jae-myung government’s emphasis on “acknowledging the reality of the hostile two-state theory.” The logic goes: since North Korea has already abandoned unification, South Korea too should discard the notions of special relations and ethnic unity, and shift toward a manageable coexistence. But if this realism culminates in discussions of amending Article 3, it is not recognition of reality but a restructuring of reality to fit North Korea’s perspective. The moment the hostile two-state theory is accepted, unification ceases to be a national task. The human rights of North Koreans are no longer a matter of kinship but relegated to a diplomatic issue. And once talk of revising Article 3 begins, for defectors choosing South Korea from third countries and for residents inside North Korea, the Republic of Korea is no longer a final refuge they can rely on. “Recently I saw materials from the Ministry of Unification that identified six South Korean citizens detained in North Korea as three South Korean nationals and three defectors,” said Park, a defector in his late 30s who has lived in South Korea for eight years. “Even though we left North Korea and live with South Korean nationality, we were categorized as defectors. That made me think a lot.” “I don’t know much about politics, but when I see people saying we should amend Article 3 just to talk with North Korea, I think they look like fools,” he said. “Even a three-year-old knows it’s difficult to maintain peaceful relations with North Korea continuously. Just look at North Korea’s capricious behavior in inter-Korean relations so far.” He added that since the Lee Jae-myung government came in, it has become harder to bring North Korean family members out. “Brokers know well that this government is hostile to defectors,” he said. “Of course, they want to make money, but they also feel it’s harder to come to South Korea under this government, so they charge higher fees.” Article 3 is the constitutional basis that allows defectors to acquire South Korean nationality. For North Koreans who want to escape hellish North Korea, or defectors in China, this proposed change could sound like a message: ‘Die in hell on your own.’” Framing the idea of changing the Constitution to accommodate North Korea’s hostile two-state theory may be politically convenient. Talking about unification invites criticism as unrealistic, and talking about human rights invites attacks as confrontational. In this context, the two-state theory and constitutional revision could eliminate all uncomfortable questions. Doing nothing could then be justified under the name of “accepting reality.” But the Constitution must not become a bargaining chip to lure North Korea into dialogue. Just because North Korea declares the existence of two hostile states does not mean South Korea should shrink its constitutional identity and responsibilities. Recognizing North Korea’s declaration is one thing; adopting its logic as a policy premise is another. The hostile two-state theory is a political framing created by North Korea that allows it to abandon both the responsibility for unification and for its people. Accepting that language, and even proposing to amend the Constitution, is not courage for peace but a retreat from responsibility. Experts have assessed North Korea’s strategic change as a formula for “completing nuclear force, building a communist society, and achieving territorial integrity.” Thus, proposing to amend Article 3 of the South Korean Constitution in response can be read as tacit accommodation. “Constitutional amendment requires a national referendum, so it won’t be easy,” said Kim, a defector working as a journalist in South Korea. “But what is frightening is that Moon Chung-in has floated the idea of changing Article 3 for the purposes of dialogue. That is a dangerous idea.” “It reminds me of comic books I read in North Korea about spies infiltrating South Korea,” he said. “These days I see many politicians and scholars volunteering to become pets of the North Korean regime. Sometimes I wonder if they were spies planted long ago. To propose changing Article 3 as a solution to the hostile two-state theory is no different from accepting communism and recognizing North Korea as a normal state.” Dialogue with North Korea without principle is not peace but complicity. The idea of amending the Constitution as a solution to North Korea’s two-state theory is nothing less than a declaration of defeat to North Korea’s logic. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Proposal%20to%20amend%20Article%203%20of%20the%20ROK%20Constitution%20is%20a%20flawed%20effort%20to%20accommodate%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Proposal%20to%20amend%20Article%203%20of%20the%20ROK%20Constitution%20is%20a%20flawed%20effort%20to%20accommodate%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Proposal%20to%20amend%20Article%203%20of%20the%20ROK%20Constitution%20is%20a%20flawed%20effort%20to%20accommodate%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Proposal%20to%20amend%20Article%203%20of%20the%20ROK%20Constitution%20is%20a%20flawed%20effort%20to%20accommodate%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Proposal%20to%20amend%20Article%203%20of%20the%20ROK%20Constitution%20is%20a%20flawed%20effort%20to%20accommodate%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [2026 calendars reveal regime priorities: Nuclear weapons, hereditary rule, and tourism](https://www.nkinsider.org/2026-calendars-reveal-regime-priorities-nuclear-weapons-hereditary-rule-and-tourism/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Photo_2025-12-14_17-47-07.jpg "Photo20251214174707 | nk insider")North Korea has unveiled its 2026 New Year calendars and, true to form, they feature beautiful scenery and missiles. That is because, in the isolated, militarized state, a calendar is no mere household item or gift for friends. It is a state propaganda tool that signals the intentions of the Party and its leader, serving to emphasize regime preservation and the legitimacy of hereditary succession. The 2026 calendars feature the new intercontinental ballistic missile, scenic views of Mount Paektu, and the Wonsan–Kalma International Coastal Tourist Area. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Photo_2025-12-14_17-47-13.jpg "Photo20251214174713 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Photo_2025-12-14_17-47-15.jpg "Photo20251214174715 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Photo_2025-12-14_17-47-11.jpg "Photo20251214174711 | nk insider")*Next year’s calendars published by North Korea’s Foreign Languages Publishing House | Image: NK Insider* Issued by the Foreign Languages Publishing House, all calendars undergo strict censorship and approval by the Workers’ Party. As a result, even if multiple presses produce them, the overall direction remains the same. The new calendars indicate that Kim Jong-un’s priorities for 2026 are strengthening military power and nuclear weapons, reinforcing the legitimacy of the three-generation succession, and earning foreign currency through international tourism. One calendar highlights the new intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-20, which was showcased during the October 10 parade marking the founding of the Workers’ Party. This sends a symbolic message that the regime will continue prioritizing military buildup in 2026. Nuclear weapons development has become Kim Jong-un’s core means of securing regime survival amid confrontation with the international community. The calendar flaunts the potential of new ballistic missiles, armored vehicles, and other modern military equipment. However, this aggressive posture may also expose the regime’s instability to both North Korean citizens and the outside world. Another calendar features Mount Paektu on its cover. This of course is not just the highest peak on the peninsula. It is the sacred mountain where Kim Il-sung’s revolutionary tradition began. Citizens are constantly urged to emulate the “Paektu revolutionary spirit.” The reason for this emphasis is that it serves to justify the three-generation succession from Kim Il-sung to Kim Jong-il to Kim Jong-un, while instilling loyalty among the population. A third calendar showcases the newly developed Wonsan–Kalma International Coastal Tourist Area, located in Wonsan, which has been declared as Kim Jong-un’s hometown. This reflects the regime’s strategy to attract foreign tourists and secure hard currency. Tourism is being used as a means of funding the regime and sustaining the system. One interesting point to observe is that the 2026 calendars continue the trend set in 2025 of not specifying the Juche year. This refers to the system which sets Kim Il-sung’s birth in 1912 as Year One. However, unlike in 2024 when authorities ordered the omission of “Day of the Sun” (Kim Il-sung’s birthday, April 15) and “Day of the Shining Star” (Kim Jong-il’s birthday, February 16), this year’s calendar includes those names. Although Kim Jong-un’s birthday (January 8) is known, it has not yet been officially marked in the calendar. Some observers note that while textbooks detail the birth and childhood of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, they omit Kim Jong-un’s birth and family background, fueling speculation and rumors. The calendars are published by various presses. Production is closely tied to financial quotas assigned to each publisher, and failing to sell calendars during this period leaves them with little opportunity to raise funds. Most calendars are sold on the market at prices ten times higher than the state-set rate. Officially distributed calendars are sold to enterprises of varying ranks (special-class, first-class, second-class, third-class). They are primarily supplied to managers, Party secretaries, and other unit leaders, and displayed in their offices. In some cases, officials siphon off extra calendars to resell them illegally. Ordinary citizens must buy calendars at markets, where the price is equivalent to about 10 kilograms of rice. For people living hand-to-mouth, calendars are little more than a “pie in the sky.” Ultimately, only high-ranking cadres and the wealthy can obtain them, starkly revealing the gap between regime propaganda and the daily lives of ordinary citizens. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=2026%20calendars%20reveal%20regime%20priorities%3A%20Nuclear%20weapons%2C%20hereditary%20rule%2C%20and%20tourism&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=2026%20calendars%20reveal%20regime%20priorities%3A%20Nuclear%20weapons%2C%20hereditary%20rule%2C%20and%20tourism https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=2026%20calendars%20reveal%20regime%20priorities%3A%20Nuclear%20weapons%2C%20hereditary%20rule%2C%20and%20tourism "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/2026-calendars-reveal-regime-priorities-nuclear-weapons-hereditary-rule-and-tourism/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=2026%20calendars%20reveal%20regime%20priorities%3A%20Nuclear%20weapons%2C%20hereditary%20rule%2C%20and%20tourism&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/2026-calendars-reveal-regime-priorities-nuclear-weapons-hereditary-rule-and-tourism/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=2026%20calendars%20reveal%20regime%20priorities%3A%20Nuclear%20weapons%2C%20hereditary%20rule%2C%20and%20tourism "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [My life, and the lives of Koreans who relocated from Japan to North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-life-and-the-lives-of-koreans-who-relocated-from-japan-to-north-korea/) **Published:** December 15, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Istock-1182609218.jpg "Anti discrimination | nk insider")I sometimes wonder how it would have been if South Korea had not been a nation of single ethnicity but a multi-ethnic country. Would I have felt less alienated living among immigrants whose situations were similar to mine? Would I have felt more satisfaction and greater security compared to other immigrants who spoke Korean poorly? At this point, I ask myself why I came to South Korea. Even though I could have gone to many countries from the immigration prison in Thailand, I chose the path to South Korea. Why? Because we are one people. I believed that. I believed that, here, I could resolve the sorrows I had endured in North Korea. I thought that in South Korea, more than anywhere else, I could live as a member of society without feeling different, sharing the same identity. Most defectors came here with that hope, yet ironically, once here, many deny their identity as defectors. Countless people pretend to be ethnic Koreans from China. Why do they make choices so different from their original intentions in the very South Korea they longed to reach? Over seventy years of division changed not only the systems of the two countries but also the identities and speech patterns of the people living there. South Koreans have become too different to be called one people with North Koreans. The ideological framework and mindset forced upon us in a communist state, along with our rough and conspicuous way of speaking, makes defectors appear different from those born and raised in South Korea. And, of course, media influence plays a role. But the fact that North Korea is a poor country made its defectors seem insignificant and worthless. In this process, defectors consider the image of China, a powerful nation, preferable to that of impoverished North Korea, and so they begin to conceal their true identity. Of course, just as there is no perfect utopia, South Korea also harbors some prejudice against defectors. But that prejudice is never severe enough to make life unbearable here. Still, many defectors struggle or feel depressed because their high expectations have collapsed. Perhaps we held expectations that were too grand, even somewhat vain. As mere outsiders, we wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with those born and raised here. So I wonder: If South Korea had many immigrants who spoke broken Korean and looked very different, how would defectors have felt? Wouldn’t we have thought ourselves fortunate to at least speak the language, rough but complete? We would not have timidly, without self-respect, gone so far as to deny our own identity. I think my position in this society resembles the social position of Korean residents in Japan who returned to North Korea. We both once hoped to become part of the mainstream. Yet we both now live as second-class citizens. If we were truly mainstream, we would not have been given special labels. Just as defectors in South Korea are called by that name, Korean residents in Japan who returned to North Korea are called “returnees.” The difference is that defectors came from a land of poverty to a land of plenty, while returnees went the opposite way. Why did the returnees make such a choice? Let us briefly recall their situation when they left Japan. To have no homeland is a sorrowful thing. It is like a child suffering injustice but having no mother to raise her voice or protect him. That is why they say a person without a country is “worse off than a dog at a funeral.” The fate of Koreans in Japan during the colonial period was no different. They endured endless contempt and humiliation, and whenever an earthquake or disgraceful incident occurred in Japan, it was blamed on them. Often, they paid with their lives for such accusations and falsehoods. They felt more keenly than anyone the sorrow of being a people without a nation. Perhaps that is why, when North Korea opened the path of return, most boarded ships without hesitation. They believed without doubt that their homeland would be a strong mother to them, and they were filled with hope and joy. But when they arrived, the North Korean authorities treated them like stepchildren. Restrictions were imposed, and all opportunities for advancement were taken away. This attitude spread to ordinary citizens as well. Just as children in a household shun someone rejected by the family’s authority figure, so North Koreans shunned the returnees. They were branded as selfish, untrustworthy, or tainted with “Japanese blood.” Eventually, even marriage became restricted. In North Korea’s society, people avoided marrying returnees lest it harm their chances of promotion. Of course, few ever advanced regardless, but the stigma remained. Returnees were forced to marry only within their own group, accelerating their social isolation. Their parents regretted the decision to return until their dying day, asking themselves why they had made such a foolish choice. Yet among Korean residents in Japan, some were wise. At the height of the repatriation movement, one pair of brothers in Japan decided to be cautious. They could not know whether Japan or North Korea would prosper in the future. After a long discussion, they agreed to separate. One stayed in Japan, the other went to North Korea. They promised that whichever brother lived in the better-off country would help the other. The brothers had devised a secret code. If life was good, they would send a photo of themselves standing. If life was bad, the photo would show them sitting. Fate is unpredictable. They thought they would soon exchange news, but years passed due to tensions between the two countries. Finally, a photo arrived from the brother in North Korea. Was he standing in the photo? Or sitting? Actually, he was lying down, tilted to the side. This was the fate of the returnees who fell for North Korea’s lure and took the path of return. It is the story of innocent people who crossed the sea to escape discrimination, only to face another kind of discrimination. To be discriminated against is truly sorrowful. But if one must suffer discrimination anyway, isn’t it better to endure it in a prosperous land? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=My%20life%2C%20and%20the%20lives%20of%20Koreans%20who%20relocated%20from%20Japan%20to%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=My%20life%2C%20and%20the%20lives%20of%20Koreans%20who%20relocated%20from%20Japan%20to%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=My%20life%2C%20and%20the%20lives%20of%20Koreans%20who%20relocated%20from%20Japan%20to%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-life-and-the-lives-of-koreans-who-relocated-from-japan-to-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=My%20life%2C%20and%20the%20lives%20of%20Koreans%20who%20relocated%20from%20Japan%20to%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-life-and-the-lives-of-koreans-who-relocated-from-japan-to-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=My%20life%2C%20and%20the%20lives%20of%20Koreans%20who%20relocated%20from%20Japan%20to%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [For children, learning loyalty to the leader is more important than classes](https://www.nkinsider.org/for-children-learning-loyalty-to-the-leader-is-more-important-than-classes/) **Published:** December 14, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Children-cleaning-in-front-of-kim-il-sungs-mural-in-pyongyang-photo-source-yonhap-news.jpg "Children cleaning in front of kim ilsungs mural in pyongyang | photo source yonhap news | nk insider")Children born in North Korea grow up with the word “loyalty” from their earliest years. This word does not refer simply to moral education or the cultivation of patriotism. It represents a systemic mechanism that enforces absolute loyalty and worship toward the Kim family that has ruled the country from Kim Il-sung at the beginning, through Kim Jong-il, and now to Kim Jong-un. Growing up in North Korea, I experienced this process firsthand and felt deeply how “loyalty” involved the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought. In nearly every region of North Korea, statues, monuments, or portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il dominate public spaces. Even before entering elementary school, children are taken by their kindergarten teachers and taught to bow before these statues and offer flowers. This is not a mere ritual but a compulsory duty known as “loyalty work.” Upon entering elementary school, the first lesson a child learns is “love for the Leader and the General.” Textbooks are filled with legendary tales of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il from their childhoods. Kids have to memorize them. Then, they get examined on them. When I was young, questions like, “How should we respect the Leader?” were considered more important than solving math problems. Teachers constantly repeated, “We live thanks to the grace of our Beloved Marshal.” We accepted this without even the shadow of doubt. Loyalty was valued above knowledge. Each school day began with loyalty work. Students treated it as part of daily life. In every village, the statues and monuments depicting the Kims were, and still are, maintained by caretakers who would sweep and polish them each morning. After the caretaker finished, students arrived early with brooms and wet cloths, cleaning again and again. Sometimes several groups of students polished the same statue in a single morning. This was not a matter of maintenance, but loyalty in action. If dust was spotted on a statue, it was interpreted as evidence of a lack of loyalty among the local residents and students. Children competed to clean and offer flowers on occasions like public holidays and the birthdays of the Kim family members. This created a financial burden, since the cost of flowers had to be borne by local people themselves. Children in North Korea learn loyalty even through play and songs. In kindergarten, they sing songs praising Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. They grow up learning how to express “love for the Kim family.” I remember playing “leader games” with friends. One of my friends would play Kim Il-sung, while the others acted as loyal followers. Such education works to suppress personal freedom. North Koreans who fail to express loyalty to the Kim family risk social ostracism or even punishment as political offenders. People show devotion not out of sincerity but out of fear. I often harbored doubts, but outwardly I had to display loyalty. Otherwise, I would face disadvantages at school or problems at work. Loyalty was not a choice. It was a condition for survival. When we outside of the country discuss North Korea’s human rights issues, we should not only pay attention to political prison camps and food shortages. We also need to focus on this thought control. It is a weaponized assault on human dignity, forging chains of the mind that are harder to break free from than prison walls or hunger. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=For%20children%2C%20learning%20loyalty%20to%20the%20leader%20is%20more%20important%20than%20classes&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=For%20children%2C%20learning%20loyalty%20to%20the%20leader%20is%20more%20important%20than%20classes https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=For%20children%2C%20learning%20loyalty%20to%20the%20leader%20is%20more%20important%20than%20classes "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/for-children-learning-loyalty-to-the-leader-is-more-important-than-classes/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=For%20children%2C%20learning%20loyalty%20to%20the%20leader%20is%20more%20important%20than%20classes&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/for-children-learning-loyalty-to-the-leader-is-more-important-than-classes/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=For%20children%2C%20learning%20loyalty%20to%20the%20leader%20is%20more%20important%20than%20classes "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Deserters flee winter training and cause panic in the military](https://www.nkinsider.org/deserters-flee-winter-training-and-cause-panic-in-the-military/) **Published:** December 14, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Nk-soldier-at-the-border.jpg "Nk soldier at the border | nk insider")A division of the X Corps of the People’s Army based in Pochon county in Ryanggang Province has reportedly experienced a serious incident just days into its winter training exercises. Local sources say that two recruits deserted on December 6, less than a week after training began. Both were new to the military, having joined about five months earlier, completed three months of basic training, and been newly assigned to Pochon. Internal accounts suggest the deserters struggled with the harsh discipline and persistent hunger that characterize military life. Having previously lived as civilians, they are said to also have expressed frustration at being commanded by younger soldiers and at the constant food shortages. These factors are believed to have contributed to their decision to flee. While desertion is not uncommon, sources emphasized that it is unusual just a few days into winter training. More serious for senior officers is the sensitivity of the timing with the ruling Workers’ Party preparing to convene its 13th plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee in mid-December. This has in fact caused heightened alarm within the division. In response, the unit has mobilized extensively to track down the missing soldiers. Three capture teams, each composed of one officer and two soldiers, were reportedly dispatched with strict orders from the command to apprehend the deserters before the upcoming party plenary session. At the same time, the division leadership has intensified internal discipline, sending officers to sub-units for frequent personnel checks and reinforcing measures to prevent further desertions. As a training division, the unit in Pochon is tasked with defending the border region, maintaining public order, and preventing smuggling along the frontier with China. In times of heightened tension, it also plays a role in internal security and population control. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Deserters%20flee%20winter%20training%20and%20cause%20panic%20in%20the%20military&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Deserters%20flee%20winter%20training%20and%20cause%20panic%20in%20the%20military https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Deserters%20flee%20winter%20training%20and%20cause%20panic%20in%20the%20military "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/deserters-flee-winter-training-and-cause-panic-in-the-military/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Deserters%20flee%20winter%20training%20and%20cause%20panic%20in%20the%20military&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/deserters-flee-winter-training-and-cause-panic-in-the-military/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Deserters%20flee%20winter%20training%20and%20cause%20panic%20in%20the%20military "Reddit") **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Party Central Committee convenes 13th plenary meeting in Pyongyang](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-central-committee-convenes-13th-plenary-meeting-in-pyongyang/) **Published:** December 14, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Nkpartygathering.jpg "Nkpartygathering | nk insider")The ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) convened the 13th plenary meeting of its 8th Central Committee on December 9 in Pyongyang, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency. The expanded session brought together members of the Political Bureau Standing Committee, full and alternate members of the Political Bureau, Central Committee members, and officials from ministries, provincial organs, enterprises, and the military. Chaired by Kim Jong-un, the plenary elected its executive body and discussed five agenda items, including a review of 2025 party and state policy implementation, assessment of the Central Inspection Commission’s work, and preparations for the upcoming 9th Party Congress. This meeting reflects a broader trend under Kim’s leadership, where plenary sessions of the WPK Central Committee have become regularized and institutionalized. Since 2018, such gatherings have been convened annually, often several per year, and served as platforms to review policies, announce directives, and prepare for major congresses. In contrast, under Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, plenary meetings were sporadic. Only a handful were held during his 18-year rule. His governance style, as befitting his “military-first” posture, was characterized more by closed-door decision-making rather than structured party gatherings. The increased frequency of plenary sessions under Kim Jong-un demonstrates his emphasis on formalized party governance and collective leadership, even though decision-making remains highly centralized. These meetings function as important tools for signaling policy directions to domestic elites and the population, while also reinforcing Kim’s authority through visible institutional mechanisms. The current plenary, in particular, sets the stage for the 9th Party Congress, where new economic and military strategies are expected to be unveiled, underscoring the role of such gatherings in shaping the country’s political trajectory. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Party%20Central%20Committee%20convenes%2013th%20plenary%20meeting%20in%20Pyongyang&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Party%20Central%20Committee%20convenes%2013th%20plenary%20meeting%20in%20Pyongyang https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Party%20Central%20Committee%20convenes%2013th%20plenary%20meeting%20in%20Pyongyang "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-central-committee-convenes-13th-plenary-meeting-in-pyongyang/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Party%20Central%20Committee%20convenes%2013th%20plenary%20meeting%20in%20Pyongyang&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-central-committee-convenes-13th-plenary-meeting-in-pyongyang/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Party%20Central%20Committee%20convenes%2013th%20plenary%20meeting%20in%20Pyongyang "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [New system for distribution grain to farmers based on performance, Not everyone is happy](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-system-for-distribution-grain-to-farmers-based-on-performance-not-everyone-is-happy/) **Published:** December 13, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Settlement-distributions-are-being-carried-out-in-hwanghae-province-north-korea -kcna-1.jpg "Settlement distributions are being carried out in hwanghae province north korea kcna | nk insider")North Korea has changed its method of grain distribution in collective farms, but the new system that began this fall is already causing problems. The change followed the adoption of a Farm Settlement Distribution Law by the legislative Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly in August. The new law has revised how labor is evaluated and grain is accordingly distributed. Its purpose is strengthening the material and technical foundations of farms and boosting morale and production. However, reports suggest that significant side effects have also emerged. According to one source in North Hwanghae Province, the new system of distributing grain based on performance started already with the fall harvest. Under the law, farmers with higher productivity received increased grain allocations. Those with weaker results received less. Distribution was determined by the number of labor days and the yield per unit area. Farmers with outstanding performance reportedly received 30 percent more grain than they did last year, while those who failed to meet the standard were supposed to receive amounts similar to last year. In practice, though, things aren’t quite so clear. For example, Work Team No. 2 in Wollyang-ri, a village in Goksan county in the province, around ten of the 40 farmers received 30 percent more grain than last year. But the others were actually given less than they got in 2024. Reaction has predictably been mixed. While some farmers responded positively, others expressed concern. “Those who received less will soon face serious food shortages,” the source said. “In the farms in Goksan county, some workers, groups, and individuals were classified as high-yield contributors, and distribution was differentiated accordingly. Going forward, though, disparities among individual farmers based on their health or economic conditions are likely to deepen.” “In most farms in our province, distribution was completed by the end of November. However, in some farms, threshing has been delayed due to power shortages and machinery breakdowns, which has postponed the process,” he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=New%20system%20for%20distribution%20grain%20to%20farmers%20based%20on%20performance%2C%20Not%20everyone%20is%20happy&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=New%20system%20for%20distribution%20grain%20to%20farmers%20based%20on%20performance%2C%20Not%20everyone%20is%20happy https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=New%20system%20for%20distribution%20grain%20to%20farmers%20based%20on%20performance%2C%20Not%20everyone%20is%20happy "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-system-for-distribution-grain-to-farmers-based-on-performance-not-everyone-is-happy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=New%20system%20for%20distribution%20grain%20to%20farmers%20based%20on%20performance%2C%20Not%20everyone%20is%20happy&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-system-for-distribution-grain-to-farmers-based-on-performance-not-everyone-is-happy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=New%20system%20for%20distribution%20grain%20to%20farmers%20based%20on%20performance%2C%20Not%20everyone%20is%20happy "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [The hidden secret of winter military training… Supply burden on officers’ families](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-hidden-secret-of-winter-military-training-supply-burden-on-officers-families/) **Published:** December 13, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Kcna-15.jpg "Kcna 15 | nk insider")This month, winter descends on the peninsula bringing freezing temperatures and biting winds. For North Korean soldiers, this means the start of winter training. The purpose of the annual exercises at this time is primarily to prepare the troops for an armed invasion by South Korea, strengthen combat readiness, enforce discipline and loyalty, and instill ideological commitment through political indoctrination. Specifically, they include mock combat using models of South Korean cities, counter-drills against US–South Korea joint exercises, and theoretical education such as “enemy studies,” all aimed at enhancing combat power and reinforcing regime cohesion. It is a harsh season of marches, shooting practice, and tactical drills in snow-carpeted mountains. One of the bright sides for those involved is that rations seem to improve slightly. But behind that change lies a peculiar structure in that the families of officers, and not those of ordinary soldiers, are compelled to “voluntarily” take on the job of supplying meals. Thus “winter training” is not just seasonal practice. It is a large-scale mobilization in which the entire army concentrates its strength. Yet it is an open secret among the people that the logistical system supporting it is incomplete. Officially, the military is supposed to provide food and supplies, but in reality many soldiers fail to receive even the basic calories they need. In this situation, the practice of officers’ families taking turns to provide food has, over decades, hardened into a de facto institution. When training begins, these families receive a schedule. If there are ten households, each takes responsibility for one day every ten days, providing meals for the soldiers in training. Why does the soldiers’ table change? Because the menu depends entirely on the financial situation and what is available of each officer’s household. One day it may be rice and kimchi, another day rice cakes. These meals carry the warmth of home cooking. Still, the pressure is immense. Families must provide meals sufficient for soldiers to endure the training. “During winter training, officers’ families would gather to check whose turn it was that day,” one defector from Pyongyang recalled. “It was said to be voluntary, but no one could opt out. If you did, you risked falling out of favor.” The burden is heavy. Ordinary North Koreans rarely have sufficient reserves for winter, and preparing meals for dozens of soldiers can paralyze an entire working day. Some families sell small goods at the marketplace to buy ingredients, while others reduce their own portions and struggle through their assigned day. The hardest part is the psychological pressure to meet expectations. Food delivered to the unit is informally compared among officers. If one household prepares plentiful side dishes, the next feels compelled to provide even more. “During winter training, I would wake up at dawn to cook rice, prepare kimchi, and sometimes carry the food directly to the unit,” one woman I knew from an officer’s family said. “Meanwhile, my own children’s meals became simpler, but the food for the soldiers had to be complete. I’ll never forget that irony.” For soldiers, this period is at least a time when they can eat. As their strength is drained by training, the food prepared by officers’ families becomes a great comfort. Soaked uniforms from the cold, aching legs from long marches, strict drills, all are momentarily eased by a warm meal that reminds them of home. But behind that warmth lies that sacrifice of the families who prepared it. Even within the military, cynical remarks circulate: “We’re dumping what we should provide onto civilians.” Yet no one dares to challenge the practice. Raising supply issues would expose systemic flaws, which could be interpreted as discontent with the regime. Ultimately, the rotating supply by officers’ families is the product of North Korea’s structural limitations. Responsibilities the state cannot bear are shifted onto its people. Their sacrifice is used to sustain the strength of the military. Still, families say, “We suffer too, but the soldiers in training suffer even more. Someone has to do it.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20hidden%20secret%20of%20winter%20military%20training%E2%80%A6%20Supply%20burden%20on%20officers%E2%80%99%20families&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20hidden%20secret%20of%20winter%20military%20training%E2%80%A6%20Supply%20burden%20on%20officers%E2%80%99%20families https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20hidden%20secret%20of%20winter%20military%20training%E2%80%A6%20Supply%20burden%20on%20officers%E2%80%99%20families "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-hidden-secret-of-winter-military-training-supply-burden-on-officers-families/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20hidden%20secret%20of%20winter%20military%20training%E2%80%A6%20Supply%20burden%20on%20officers%E2%80%99%20families&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-hidden-secret-of-winter-military-training-supply-burden-on-officers-families/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20hidden%20secret%20of%20winter%20military%20training%E2%80%A6%20Supply%20burden%20on%20officers%E2%80%99%20families "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Red Youth Guards, the militarized life begins at 16](https://www.nkinsider.org/red-youth-guards-the-militarized-life-begins-at-16/) **Published:** December 10, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Dprk-today.jpg "Dprk today | nk insider")Childhood in North Korea ends at 16. That is when all young people are required to undergo military training in the Red Youth Guards. This is not a choice but a compulsory gateway through which teenagers begin a militarized life. I personally went through this process, and the experience remains vivid to this day. The Red Youth Guards was established in 1970 under Kim Il-sung’s directive as a military organization for students. Authorities present it as “military education and patriotic education,” but in reality it is a means of indoctrination into military thinking and loyalty to the regime. Students suspend regular classes to participate in Red Guards activities. They wear uniforms, march, learn discipline, and undergo about two weeks of intensive drills that involve physical conditioning, tactical exercises, and shooting practice. This training begins at dawn, with slogans shouted and days spent in dust and sweat. The message is constant: “You are future warriors who will defend the motherland.” I remember feeling I was no longer a student but being raised as a soldier. Friends endured torn clothes, bleeding knees, and strict control from instructors. If one person erred, the entire class was punished. Training on gravel felt more like violence than education. After it was over, we treated our wounds in silence, encouraging one another. Escape was impossible. Camps were deep in the mountains, guarded by armed security forces. “Just hold on a little longer,” we said. “In a few days we’ll go home.” On the last day, we had live-fire shooting. We handled real guns and were graded on our performance. We were deemed to be excellent, good, or poor. Being rated excellent brought recognition and potential future benefits in military service or cadre selection. Anything less was judged inadequate. Many of us cried in frustration when we were rated good or poor. Our parents had come to cheer us on, so failure made us feel guilty toward them and afraid we had disappointed the country. Looking back, more of our time was spent on military training and indoctrination than on study or play, distorting our childhood and suppressing independent thought. North Korea calls this “raising revolutionary youth,” but in reality it is molding teenagers into tools for regime preservation. When I came to South Korea in 2023, I felt freedom for the first time. I saw people studying even at 23 or 30. That shocked me: “So this is possible. This is what freedom really is,” I thought. Here, age is not a barrier to learning. Anyone can open a book again and choose their own path. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Red%20Youth%20Guards%2C%20the%20militarized%20life%20begins%20at%2016&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Red%20Youth%20Guards%2C%20the%20militarized%20life%20begins%20at%2016 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Red%20Youth%20Guards%2C%20the%20militarized%20life%20begins%20at%2016 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/red-youth-guards-the-militarized-life-begins-at-16/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Red%20Youth%20Guards%2C%20the%20militarized%20life%20begins%20at%2016&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/red-youth-guards-the-militarized-life-begins-at-16/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Red%20Youth%20Guards%2C%20the%20militarized%20life%20begins%20at%2016 "Reddit") **Categories:** Education --- ### [Faking freedom of religion: "You can pray freely, but just so God alone can hear" ](https://www.nkinsider.org/faking-freedom-of-religion-you-can-pray-freely-but-just-so-god-alone-can-hear/) **Published:** December 10, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Istock-1357110701.jpg "Christmas decorations candles and crosses | nk insider")Defector and former South Korean lawmaker Ji Seong-ho has related an amusing story about an ROK delegation’s visit to North Korea. During the trip, the South Koreans met with “monks” at what was presented as a functioning Buddhist temple—more likely a showcase site opened solely to convince visitors that the regime tolerates religious worship. The visitors had brought along a few goats to present as gifts, expecting they would be valued for their milk and wool. When the delegation later returned and met the same supposed monks, they asked about the goats. To their shock, the monks smilingly replied—without hesitation or a trace of irony or guilt—that the goats had been *delicious*. These gentlemen were either members of some rare, heretical, carnivorous Buddhist sect, or else not genuine monks at all. Ji’s story illustrates a stark fact: there is no real freedom of religion or worship in the North. The elaborate displays staged for visitors are entirely for show. Prior to the communist takeover of the North—and especially in the decades before World War II—Pyongyang was known as the “Jerusalem of the East,” a major center of Christianity on the peninsula with many believers, churches, religious schools, and American and other foreign missionaries. The North’s founding dictator, Kim Il-sung, came from a Christian family, as did his mentor Stalin, but that did not stop him—once put in power by Stalin—from mercilessly and thoroughly repressing and liquidating believers, eventually eliminating organized religion in the country. For decades, the only public “worship” permitted was the obligatory worship of Kim himself. The regime’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of religious belief were never upheld. Kim Il-sung’s writings draw a distinction between Christians he labels reactionaries who allegedly worship the United States—thus enemies of the state—and what he calls patriotic or progressive Christians, meaning those loyal to him and his regime. This was united-front propaganda; in practice, organized Christianity was wiped out. When called upon to explain the absence of the church in the North, Kim even made the absurd claim that it was “U.S. imperialists,” not his own regime, who had destroyed Christianity. Although official translations of Kim’s works occasionally express sympathy for the “right kind” of Christians—those fully devoted to him and “anti-imperialist”—his private posture was different. In a speech to officers of his secret police, he stated: “We cannot move towards a communist society with religious people. That is why we had to put on trial and punish those who hold positions of deacons or higher in Protestant or Catholic churches. Other undesirables among the religious people were also put on trial. Believers were given the choice to give up religion so they can get away with labor work. Those who did not were sent to prison camps.” During the Korean War, in areas of the South occupied by North Korean forces, Christians were persecuted, arrested, and murdered along with other “reactionaries” and “counterrevolutionaries.” Just as the onetime seminary student Stalin—whose mother was a devout Georgian Orthodox believer—became a militant atheist, and Mao—whose mother was a devout Buddhist—denounced religious faith, so too Kim’s own Christian family background had little effect on how his regime treated Christians. Some of Kim’s writings may imply tolerance for officially approved Christians, but his actions demonstrate—as international human rights groups have noted—that his regime has been, and remains, one of the most anti-Christian on earth. Only in 1988, some 40 years after the founding of the state, were the first three churches since the Korean War—two Protestant, one Catholic—built and operated in the North. Their purpose, however, was united-front propaganda: to provide a means of denying that religion and worship were banned, and to serve as showcases for the many foreign visitors who came to Pyongyang in 1989 for the World Festival of Youth and Students. A Russian Orthodox church was also dedicated in Pyongyang in 2006, likely due to growing ties between Putin’s Russia and North Korea, which led to more Russians visiting or being stationed there. Another reason for the North’s religious charade is its strategy of influencing overseas religious institutions and clergy, hoping they would support the regime’s phony “peace” proposals. Hwang Jang-yop, chief architect of the Juche ideology who defected in 1997, confirmed this: “All the churches in Pyongyang are fake churches built for show. The monks living in the Buddhist temples are of course fake monks.” Interviews conducted by the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights reveal that over 99% of defectors state that religious freedom does not exist in the North. From time to time, activists from South Korea, the United States, and elsewhere visited the North and attended services at, or visited, these showcase churches. If the visiting clergy were pro–North Korean—and there are quite a few hardcore pro-North activist clergy in both the U.S. and South Korea—they would typically be asked to speak. Upon returning home, they would then testify that freedom of religion was alive and well in the North, dismissing contrary reports as “imperialist slander.” One pro–North Korean, Marxist-Leninist Korean-American activist in the United States—a member of Nodutdol, Korea Peace Now, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation—went beyond fantasy into unintentional comedy by claiming in a now-deleted social media post that there are many functioning churches, mosques, and even synagogues in North Korea where Christians, Muslims, and Jews freely practice their faiths. Such an assertion is as ridiculous as claiming that such institutions exist on Mars. Even some non-communist and anti-communist foreign clergy were deceived by these fundamentally fraudulent displays of supposed religious tolerance. In *Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader* (2004), foreign correspondent Bradley K. Martin quotes defector Ahn Hyuk—who escaped to the South in 1992—describing religious life in the North very differently from the staged propaganda shown to foreign visitors. Having been confined in a concentration camp for about three years, Ahn recalled: “When Billy Graham visited North Korea, he returned and said Christianity is reviving. I’ll tell you the real story of religious life in North Korea. There’s absolutely no religion in North Korea. I saw so many people in camp who came in because of religious belief. Even secretly praying is enough to get you sent to camp. Probably everyone in North Korea who is a religious believer is sent to a camp. I want to write a letter to Billy Graham: ‘If you really want to know religion in North Korea, go to a prison camp.’ When Billy Graham went to a church service, he should have asked people in the congregation to recite Bible verses.” The showcase churches typically feature “pastors” who are government officials, delivering sermons filled with pro-regime rhetoric rather than authentic Christian teaching. The few people present when foreign visitors attend are either elderly or state security officers. Some foreign Christians and reporters have stated that they witnessed church doors closed on Easter Sunday, and many visitors have remarked that the activities appeared staged. The only genuine church is the underground church—private home gatherings where believers risk imprisonment or execution for meeting or possessing a Bible. A 2021 Korea Future report, cited in a U.S. State Department human rights report on North Korea, noted that the regime has “charged individuals with engaging in religious practices, conducting religious activities in China, possessing religious items, having contact with religious persons, and sharing religious beliefs. Individuals were subject to arrest, detention, forced labor, torture, denial of fair trial, deportation, denial of right to life, and sexual violence.” The report further observed that Christians are categorized as a “hostile class” under North Korea’s *songbun* system and viewed as a “serious threat to loyalty to the state,” with Christians in detention subjected to more severe torture than others. As a state built on the worship of the hereditary Kim dynasty—whose leaders are portrayed as “heaven-sent” figures with quasi-divine powers—North Korea will not tolerate competing belief systems such as religious faith. While some authoritarian regimes have allowed limited religious practice so long as it does not threaten state authority, the North’s thoroughly totalitarian system persecutes, tortures, or executes those adhering to belief systems deemed foreign. Under such conditions, only secret worship is possible.As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote in *The Gulag Archipelago*, quoting a believer arrested in the Soviet Union, Christians in the North find themselves in a situation where “You can pray freely, but just so God alone can hear.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Faking%20freedom%20of%20religion%3A%20%22You%20can%20pray%20freely%2C%20but%20just%20so%20God%20alone%20can%20hear%22%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Faking%20freedom%20of%20religion%3A%20%22You%20can%20pray%20freely%2C%20but%20just%20so%20God%20alone%20can%20hear%22%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Faking%20freedom%20of%20religion%3A%20%22You%20can%20pray%20freely%2C%20but%20just%20so%20God%20alone%20can%20hear%22%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/faking-freedom-of-religion-you-can-pray-freely-but-just-so-god-alone-can-hear/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Faking%20freedom%20of%20religion%3A%20%22You%20can%20pray%20freely%2C%20but%20just%20so%20God%20alone%20can%20hear%22%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/faking-freedom-of-religion-you-can-pray-freely-but-just-so-god-alone-can-hear/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Faking%20freedom%20of%20religion%3A%20%22You%20can%20pray%20freely%2C%20but%20just%20so%20God%20alone%20can%20hear%22%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [The criminalizing of divorce to maintain the fiction of the happy socialist society](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-criminalizing-of-divorce-to-maintain-the-fiction-of-the-happy-socialist-society/) **Published:** December 10, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Istock-695955650_xtockimages.jpg "Love concept | nk insider")In North Korea, marriage is considered a lifelong bond, but the cultural and political framework transforms it into a tool of state control. Divorce is not simply discouraged. It is stigmatized. It is, in fact, criminalized. Ultimately, it is banned. Why? Because marital failure disrupts the regime’s narrative of social harmony and socialist order. Marriage may be a journey of two people traveling together along the same road, but the journey is bound to the state. From the state’s founding in 1948, the family has been defined as the “fundamental unit of society,” not in the sense of private love, but as a collective institution serving the socialist system. The emphasis is on women respecting their husbands, raising children, and nurturing them as the next generation of revolutionary citizens. Divorce in this picture is incompatible with “Our Style of Socialism.” Family preservation is treated as a public duty, not a private matter. Happy families are seen as proof of socialist success. Allowing divorce would introduce narratives of failure, conflict, and dissatisfaction, all of which contradict the claim of an ideal society. This cultural logic is reinforced by law. The constitution and family law explicitly regulate marriage and divorce, embedding them in the state’s ideological goals. Divorce is not framed as a legal right but as a disruption of the social order. “When I lived in North Korea, I saw many people around me attempt divorce,” one defector said. “They only wanted to end their marital relationship, yet they were branded as morally corrupt and had to endure legal punishment. Divorce was not a right they had. It was a crime.” In October 2022, when I was still living there, the government made a surprising announcement of what it called a “last chance” for residents to divorce. Authorities claimed they would offer legal procedures free of charge, but in practice bribes and money were required. Anyone wanting to divorce was forcibly subjected to one month in a danryundae, a disciplinary camp functioning as a forced labor facility. After this announcement, the state drastically reduced the number of courts handling divorce. From one court per county, now there was only one per province. Those who still wished to do it had to travel long distances, bearing the costs, time, and social surveillance involved. Most eventually gave up. Then it got worse. Even if a couple mutually agreed to end their relationship, the regime introduced a one-year prison term for anyone who actually went through with it. The message was clear: Individual happiness and freedom were disregarded. Regime stability and social control were paramount. By 2023, divorce was banned outright. No matter how broken a marriage was, even in cases of violence and abuse, divorce was no longer an option. Women bore the greatest burden, denied any legal path to escape domestic violence or economic exploitation. As society evolves, however, cracks appear. Fellow defectors describe how individuals quietly resist, attempting divorce despite stigma and punishment, revealing tension between human needs and state ideology. Whether the regime can maintain its grip or whether such suppression will eventually collapse under its own contradictions remains an open question. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20criminalizing%20of%20divorce%20to%20maintain%20the%20fiction%20of%20the%20happy%20socialist%20society&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20criminalizing%20of%20divorce%20to%20maintain%20the%20fiction%20of%20the%20happy%20socialist%20society https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20criminalizing%20of%20divorce%20to%20maintain%20the%20fiction%20of%20the%20happy%20socialist%20society "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-criminalizing-of-divorce-to-maintain-the-fiction-of-the-happy-socialist-society/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20criminalizing%20of%20divorce%20to%20maintain%20the%20fiction%20of%20the%20happy%20socialist%20society&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-criminalizing-of-divorce-to-maintain-the-fiction-of-the-happy-socialist-society/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20criminalizing%20of%20divorce%20to%20maintain%20the%20fiction%20of%20the%20happy%20socialist%20society "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Air Force marks 80th anniversary… Kim stresses airspace sovereignty and nuclear deterrence](https://www.nkinsider.org/air-force-marks-80th-anniversary-kim-stresses-airspace-sovereignty-and-nuclear-deterrence/) **Published:** December 6, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/스크린샷-2025-12-04-041900.jpg "스크린샷 20251204 041900 | nk insider")Kim Jong-un attended an event on November 28 marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean Air Force and highlighted its new strategic mission as part of nuclear deterrence.. The Korean People’s Army Air Force, as the service is known, is the “oldest branch of our military” and has an 80-year combat history as an “invincible myth,” Kim said, according to the state’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). “A decisive battle in the skies is, before anything else, a contest of ideology and conviction,” he said, stressing that indomitable spirit, rather than advanced fighter jets, determines victory or defeat. The event was held at the Wonsan Kalma Airport, a dual-use civil and military airfield in Kangwon Province on the country’s east coast. Kim was accompanied by his daughter, Kim Ju-ae. Together, they observed demonstration flights by female pilots. Kim called them “proud comrades representing the women of our nation,” and urged that the honor of the Air Force and the dignity of women be safeguarded together. He also noted that new strategic military assets would be deployed and declared that the Air Force would play a crucial role in nuclear deterrence. This signals that the service is being integrated into a deterrence system linked to nuclear and missile capabilities, beyond its traditional mission of defending national airspace. The timing of the large-scale celebration is significant, as it coincides with claims by prosecutors in South Korea that the previous administration of Yoon Suk-yeol attempted drone incursions over Pyongyang in connection with a failed martial law plan. The event can be interpreted as a symbolic act to assert North Korea’s sovereignty over its airspace, showcase the Air Force’s stature, and politically counter external reconnaissance. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/스크린샷-2025-12-04-042003-1024x680.jpg "스크린샷 20251204 042003 | nk insider")Kim jong un and his daughter image kcna During the ceremony, Kim presented a Kim Jong Il Medal, named after his father, to the Air Force commander, Kim Kwang-hyuk. “The Air Force must resolutely repel and suppress all forms of enemy reconnaissance and military provocations,” Kim said, ordering the branch to maintain constant combat readiness. The remarks come after recent condemnation by North Korea of U.S. and South Korean reconnaissance activities. Since 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense and the White House National Security Council have repeatedly [warned ](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12760)that North Korea’s arms transactions with Russia could enhance Pyongyang’s military capabilities, including its air power. Japan’s Defense White Paper has also [cautioned ](https://www.mod.go.jp/en/publ/w_paper/wp2023/DOJ2023_Digest_EN.pdf)about the military implications of North Korea–Russia cooperation, raising concerns about potential technology transfers in aviation, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare. South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense has been [monitoring ](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-05-29/national/northKorea/Sanctions-monitoring-teams-first-report-details-North-KoreaRussia-military-ties/2318841)maritime and rail routes for signs of military cooperation, particularly regarding aviation fuel and spare parts. Kim’s positioning of the Air Force as part of the country’s nuclear deterrence capability raises the likelihood of transfers of aircraft components, electronic warfare equipment, and training doctrines through closer ties with Russia. In response, the U.S. and its allies may need to prioritize strengthening airborne command-and-control (C2) systems, enhancing electronic warfare defenses, reviewing crisis management protocols, enforcing sanctions, and disrupting supply chains. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Air%20Force%20marks%2080th%20anniversary%E2%80%A6%20Kim%20stresses%20airspace%20sovereignty%20and%20nuclear%20deterrence&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Air%20Force%20marks%2080th%20anniversary%E2%80%A6%20Kim%20stresses%20airspace%20sovereignty%20and%20nuclear%20deterrence https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Air%20Force%20marks%2080th%20anniversary%E2%80%A6%20Kim%20stresses%20airspace%20sovereignty%20and%20nuclear%20deterrence "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/air-force-marks-80th-anniversary-kim-stresses-airspace-sovereignty-and-nuclear-deterrence/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Air%20Force%20marks%2080th%20anniversary%E2%80%A6%20Kim%20stresses%20airspace%20sovereignty%20and%20nuclear%20deterrence&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/air-force-marks-80th-anniversary-kim-stresses-airspace-sovereignty-and-nuclear-deterrence/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Air%20Force%20marks%2080th%20anniversary%E2%80%A6%20Kim%20stresses%20airspace%20sovereignty%20and%20nuclear%20deterrence "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Party to hold annual review meetings early this year… Members fear public criticism](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-to-hold-annual-review-meetings-early-this-year-members-fear-public-criticism/) **Published:** December 4, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Party-nk.jpg "Party nk | nk insider")Ruling Workers’ Party members in the regions have been instructed to hold their annual year-end party “review meetings” earlier than usual and are braced for criticism. According to reports from the 8th Enlarged Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the meetings of the grassroots Primary Party Committees are being held in early December. A source in North Hamgyong Province told NK Times that the authorities recently issued instructions to provincial, city, and county Party Committees nationwide to carry out the Primary Party Committees’ year-end review meetings. Accordingly, local Party Committees will begin holding them sequentially from early December, depending on their readiness. Primary Party Committees in factories and enterprises in Hoeryong and other parts of North Hamgyong Province began preparations on November 24, reportedly instructing Party cells to submit members’ activity reports by early December for inclusion in the meeting report. “The year-end review meeting is where each factory or enterprise Party Committee evaluates and sums up members’ annual activities,” the source said. “Exemplary cases are presented and those subject to criticism undergo public censure, which is why members are generally tense.” “Many people are anxious about being selected as targets of criticism,” he said. “Some members, fearing their names might appear in the meeting report, have even resorted to offering money or gifts to Primary Party Committee officials or cell secretaries.” Because the year-end review meeting is designed to evaluate and summarize members’ annual conduct, being singled out for public criticism can lead to social disadvantages. As a result, Party members appear to be experiencing significant psychological pressure. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Party%20to%20hold%20annual%20review%20meetings%20early%20this%20year%E2%80%A6%20Members%20fear%20public%20criticism&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Party%20to%20hold%20annual%20review%20meetings%20early%20this%20year%E2%80%A6%20Members%20fear%20public%20criticism https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Party%20to%20hold%20annual%20review%20meetings%20early%20this%20year%E2%80%A6%20Members%20fear%20public%20criticism "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-to-hold-annual-review-meetings-early-this-year-members-fear-public-criticism/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Party%20to%20hold%20annual%20review%20meetings%20early%20this%20year%E2%80%A6%20Members%20fear%20public%20criticism&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-to-hold-annual-review-meetings-early-this-year-members-fear-public-criticism/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Party%20to%20hold%20annual%20review%20meetings%20early%20this%20year%E2%80%A6%20Members%20fear%20public%20criticism "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) **Published:** November 22, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Kju-visits-mss.jpg "Kju visits mss | nk insider")Amid growing public discontent caused by economic hardship, Kim Jong-un appears to be doubling down on monitoring and repression by further empowering the powerful state agencies responsible for surveillance and control. “As we have walked a difficult and arduous path of struggle against hostile forces, recording unprecedented legendary transformations and victories in history, this cannot be thought of apart from the achievements and shining feats of the security workers,” Kim said November 18 after being received at the Ministry of State Security by its chief, Ri Chang-dae. “The security organs are our Party’s trustworthy companions and fruitful assistants,” he added. Kim visited the Ministry of Social Security on the same day. The emphasis on control fits the pattern of Kim’s leadership. Previously, when discontent was anticipated, Kim mobilized security agencies for large-scale purges and crackdowns. This latest visit to the organs of repression is likely to have included instructions to eliminate internal “impure elements.” Such moves to tighten internal control will make it hard for Pyongyang to accept conciliatory gestures from South Korea or its allies. Any focus on domestic repression to stabilize the regime is usually accompanied by a hardline foreign policy, including nuclear development and missile launches. Intensifying control is already apparent. In North Hamgyong Province and other border areas, surveillance has been strengthened under the pretext of preventing “leaks of internal secrets.” In Pyongyang, residential inspections are conducted twice a week. To travel to other regions, residents must obtain approval from their neighborhood unit head, local office chief, assigned security officer, and police. Surprise inspections are frequently carried out to catch “impure elements,” workplace deserters, and unapproved travel. If outsiders appear, they must be reported within five minutes through the neighborhood unit to security officers or police. Failure to comply results in written criticism, public ideological struggle sessions that socially ostracize individuals, and even expulsion from Pyongyang to provincial areas. Meanwhile, food shortage is severe. While top cadres and the new wealthy class manage, ordinary people are facing economic hardship that is far worse than in previous years. Autumn is usually the season when food supplies ease, yet reports already indicate that an increasing number of households are surviving on gruel. From teenagers who should be eating well to the elderly, many are going hungry in what should be a season of plenty. This dire situation is a major driver of growing public discontent. Kim appears to be emphasizing the need for security agencies to demonstrate their loyalty – in other words, crack down on people – rather than devise measures to alleviate the people’s suffering and improve the economy. “Kim’s inspection of the security agencies clearly shows his intent to further strengthen control over the population. From the end of the year into the new year, new methods of resident control are likely to be introduced,” one South Korea-based expert predicted. Kim’s inspection of the security agencies is expected to further strengthen the politics of fear, which is likely to be formally presented at the Ninth Plenary Meeting of the Workers’ Party, scheduled for mid-December. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=As%20North%20Koreans%20face%20economic%20hardship%2C%20Kim%20opts%20for%20further%20repression&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=As%20North%20Koreans%20face%20economic%20hardship%2C%20Kim%20opts%20for%20further%20repression https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=As%20North%20Koreans%20face%20economic%20hardship%2C%20Kim%20opts%20for%20further%20repression "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=As%20North%20Koreans%20face%20economic%20hardship%2C%20Kim%20opts%20for%20further%20repression&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=As%20North%20Koreans%20face%20economic%20hardship%2C%20Kim%20opts%20for%20further%20repression "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [The two-faced tactics and time-tested tricks of tyrants](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-two-faced-tactics-and-time-tested-tricks-of-tyrants/) **Published:** November 26, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Gemini_generated_image_uz7j8uuz7j8uuz7j.jpg "Geminigeneratedimageuz7j8uuz7j8uuz7j | nk insider")The three dictatorships of the last century which diabolically mastered the black arts of political trickery and diplomatic two-faced tactics – Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and Communist China – were often able to deceive their adversaries in the Western world into adopting policies of appeasement. Today, particularly in the context of rogue regimes such as North Korea, this is euphemistically termed by its misguided advocates as “engagement.” With the Nazis and the Communists, this has been the case since the beginning. Way back in 1933, Hitler’s right-hand man[ Herman Goring](https://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2021/12/nazis-used-to-claim-they-werent.html) told foreign journalists it was a “lie” that the Nazi government was persecuting or planning to persecute Jews or indeed was in any way hostile to Jews. When[ Lenin](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8omdgg) was accused of being funded by Imperial Germany after he returned to Russia in 1917 to try and overthrow the democratic government of Alexander Kerensky, he published strong denials using a printing press which his followers bought with funds provided by Germany. After[ Mao Zedong](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mao/Rj6FDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Mao+unknown&printsec=frontcover) announced his “Hundred Flowers” campaign, assuring intellectuals and others that they would be completely free to express criticisms of him and his regime, he then reversed course and mercilessly persecuted and eliminated those who had naively trusted his sincerity. In late 1973, U.S. and British intelligence agencies learned of a policy speech given by then Soviet leader[ Leonid Brezhnev](https://www.nytimes.com/1973/09/17/archives/brezhnev-said-that-accord-how-u-s-got-reports-suspicions-among.html), in which he told East European communist leaders that recent Soviet agreements with the U.S. and other Western nations, and the very concept of detente itself, were merely a tactic to deceive them. The supposed policy shift of the Soviet rulers was actually a move to encourage the West to lower its guard at a time when the U.S. Congress was debating major defense spending cuts. The tactic was also meant to be temporary, in order to allow Moscow to increase its own strength while promoting the “ideological disarmament” of its Western foes. A similar speech was made ten years later, in 1983, by Brezhnev’s successor, the longtime KGB officer[ Yuri Andropov](https://time.com/archive/6697552/communists-playing-to-a-western-audience/), who told the East Europeans that he was proposing a “non-aggression pact” between the Warsaw Pact and NATO as a tactic to forestall the deployment of new American missiles in Western Europe. In the case of North Korea, Kim Il-sung and his party, like Mao five years earlier and Lenin and Stalin twenty years before that, had promised Korean peasants in the North that land reform would grant them ownership of the land they tilled, only to strip them of it through[ collectivization](https://countrystudies.us/north-korea/33.htm). Kim’s new government also promised and enshrined in law, just as Stalin and Mao had done, supposed guarantees of freedom of expression and religious worship, which proved to be meaningless promises. Prior to the withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea in June of 1949, North Korea had urged their exit, as they do today, on the grounds that the North had no intention whatsoever of invading. Then, in the months, weeks, and days leading up to its June 25, 1950, invasion, Pyongyang proposed [phony peace initiatives](https://shareok.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/ebe93d40-ed03-44a4-a0e5-fee712a17a9b/content) and made calls for[ legislative talks](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/cold-war-on-file/soviet-media-on-korea/). In July 1972, the two sides agreed to an unprecedented Joint Statement, the first of several other such agreements that would follow over the years. It was just four weeks later, however, that a North Korean official informed his East German counterparts that Kim Il-sung had agreed to the statement merely as a[ “tactical move”](https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/publication/CWIHP_Bulletin14_15.pdf) for the purpose of furthering his plans to reunite the peninsula on the North’s terms by encouraging the withdrawal of U.S. forces and Japanese investors from the ROK. When North Korea tried to assassinate then-President Chun Doo-hwan in Myanmar in 1983 and destroyed Korean Air Flight 858 in 1987 in a bid to dissuade its allies from attending the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the regime, as well as its supporters in the U.S., stridently[ denied](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-02-11-me-41784-story.html) involvement and even tried to claim that the South itself was responsible. Indeed, just prior to the[ 1983 Burma bombing](https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/12/world/seoul-rejects-north-s-offer-of-korean-unity-talks.html), the North again made one of its fraudulent peace proposals in order to put the southern enemy at ease and promote a sense of complacency. Later, in talks with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in 1994, at the very time when the North was proceeding at a rapid pace with its nuclear program,[ Kim Il-sung](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mitigating_Conflict/Q0KQAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Kim+Il-sung%22+Nuclear+weapons&pg=PA163&printsec=frontcover) solemnly assured Carter that the North was not developing such weapons, had no intention of developing them, and would not do so in the future. Kim made the[ same promise](https://www.nknews.org/2013/08/kim-il-sung-in-1994-promised-no-nuclear-weapons-for-n-korea/) in a meeting with diplomats and journalists that year, saying that the North would “never have nuclear weapons.” Throughout 2018, in the lead up to and as a basis for the meetings between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in Singapore, and at the DMZ and in Hanoi in 2019, media reports were filled with the contention that Kim had agreed to[ “denuclearization without conditions”](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-korea-willing-accept-complete-denuclearization-without-conditions-moon-says-n867421) and that he was[ “willing to get rid of everything.”](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/865677.html) But this time there was a major difference, which some noticed with a sense of unease and doubt, but which many others naively took at face value. That was that the media reports almost uniformly included the additional qualifying words[ “Moon says.”](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/south-korea-s-moon-says-north-seeking-complete-denuclearization-idUSKBN1HQ118/) In other words, the reassurances were not being attributed directly to Kim or any other North Korean source. They were coming almost exclusively from the South Korean President Moon Jae-in. As the actual negotiations unfolded, however, it soon became clear that none of these offers and assurances by Kim were his actual positions, and that either he had been lying, which would be no surprise, or that his “messenger” Moon had been either grossly exaggerating or even fabricating the supposed messages from Kim. Even today, it is difficult to know whether Moon was simply a kind of[ ventriloquist’s dummy,](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-26/south-korea-s-moon-becomes-kim-jong-un-s-top-spokesman-at-un) being unwillingly or perhaps even willingly deceived by Kim, or whether he was deliberately misrepresenting Kim’s statements and positions pursuant to his own disastrously failed efforts at appeasement. Of course, among political leaders, it is not only totalitarian dictators who lie or otherwise misrepresent reality, nor is it a new historical trend. The practice of deception has been used for both good and evil, as the Bible, the works of the ancient Chinese strategist Sun Tzu, and various Romans attest to. Nevertheless, it was Lenin, the earliest and most studied strategist of communism in actual practice, whose tactics influenced Hitler, Stalin, Mao, their master propagandists and negotiators and others who raised the deliberate use of calculated deception to new heights in the modern age. [”People always have been the foolish victims](https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1913/mar/x01.htm) of deception and self-deception in politics and they always will be,” Lenin said. In order to take full advantage of that truth for his cause,[ he further instructed his comrades](https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1920/lwc/ch06.htm), as a matter of policy, that “We must be able…to resort to various stratagems, artifices, and illegal methods, to evasions and subterfuges…” The key question that free societies in general face, and which the South Korean leaders and people in particular face, is whether, as the philosopher[ George Santayana](https://quoteinvestigator.com/2024/03/04/past-repeat/) put it, they are willing to learn from the past or are destined to repeat it. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20two-faced%20tactics%20and%20time-tested%20tricks%20of%20tyrants&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20two-faced%20tactics%20and%20time-tested%20tricks%20of%20tyrants https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20two-faced%20tactics%20and%20time-tested%20tricks%20of%20tyrants "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-two-faced-tactics-and-time-tested-tricks-of-tyrants/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20two-faced%20tactics%20and%20time-tested%20tricks%20of%20tyrants&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-two-faced-tactics-and-time-tested-tricks-of-tyrants/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20two-faced%20tactics%20and%20time-tested%20tricks%20of%20tyrants "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Kim highlights power plant construction…Ignores people’s suffering](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-highlights-power-plant-constructionignores-peoples-suffering/) **Published:** November 25, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Kju-speech.jpg "Kju speech | nk insider")Kim Jong-un last week opened a new power plant, praising the patriotic “self-reliance” of the people, seemingly oblivious to the actual burdens placed on them by such projects. The Hoiyang County People’s Power Plant in Kangwon Province is a “patriotic project of eternal significance,” Kim said in an address reported by Rodong Sinmun on November 21. The transformation of nature and the creation of material wealth through such large-scale infrastructure projects is central to national development, he said. Kim’s address revealed both the economic direction North Korea is pursuing and the difficulties it currently faces, underscoring the fact that energy acquisition and regional development remain top economic priorities. The recurring themes of the speech were self-reliance and local development. The plant is a “base of self-sustaining power” he said. It is located in the southeast in Kangwon Province, which is the only divided province on the peninsula. (The South Korean side spells its half Gangwon in English). “I extend warm thanks in the name of the Party Central Committee to the people of Kangwon Province and the soldiers who have presented this precious wealth to our Party’s Ninth Congress, so that future generations may benefit from it,” Kim said. Such remarks frame the construction not merely as an economic achievement but as a testament to political loyalty. In practice, the policy of “self-reliance” translates into heavy burdens for the people. Building power plants requires vast labor and materials, often involving additional mobilization of farmers and workers, compulsory donations of goods, and even household-level levies. Kim’s assertion that the achievement is “something money cannot buy or be exchanged for” reflects the regime’s intent to substitute residents’ sweat and sacrifice for scarce foreign currency and imports. These projects are thus erected upon the population’s hardship, with “achievements” to come promising further enforced tasks and suffering. North Korea continues to struggle under international sanctions and isolation. It faces a triple crisis of energy shortages, weak industrial foundations, and delayed improvements in living standards. Kim’s speech offered the “self-reliant power plant economy” as a solution, but in reality it highlighted the regime’s limitations. Kim described power plant construction as a “grand project of remaking nature,” portraying it as a national triumph. With sanctions severely restricting imports of cement, steel, and machinery, construction relies on “loyalty offerings” and local procurement effectively functioning as forced taxation. By presenting Kangwon Province as a model, Kim pressed other regions to follow suit, signaling nationwide expansion of mobilization. While framed as balanced regional development, the policy in reality enforces central directives as political obligations. Citizens must endure present hardship under the banner of “wealth for future generations,” deepening poverty and lowering living standards. The reality is that even completed plants cannot resolve systemic problems of outdated transmission and distribution networks, low efficiency, and overall industrial backwardness. Yet Kim insists residents should feel “revolutionary joy,” prioritizing political loyalty over tangible economic progress. Ultimately, the speech reveals the trajectory the country is taking. Energy development and local projects are necessary goals, but the chosen path rests on compulsory mobilization and sacrifice. While Kim seeks to showcase regime stability through power plant construction, the cost is borne by residents in shortages, forced labor, and curtailed freedoms. The “self-reliant power plant economy” may sustain the system, but it offers little prospect of improving the lives of ordinary people. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20highlights%20power%20plant%20construction%E2%80%A6Ignores%20people%E2%80%99s%20suffering&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20highlights%20power%20plant%20construction%E2%80%A6Ignores%20people%E2%80%99s%20suffering https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20highlights%20power%20plant%20construction%E2%80%A6Ignores%20people%E2%80%99s%20suffering "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-highlights-power-plant-constructionignores-peoples-suffering/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20highlights%20power%20plant%20construction%E2%80%A6Ignores%20people%E2%80%99s%20suffering&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-highlights-power-plant-constructionignores-peoples-suffering/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20highlights%20power%20plant%20construction%E2%80%A6Ignores%20people%E2%80%99s%20suffering "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [How our childhood gifts from the benevolent leader actually came from the sweat of our parents ](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-our-childhood-gifts-from-the-benevolent-leader-actually-came-from-the-sweat-of-our-parents/) **Published:** November 24, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Children-gift.jpg "Children gift | nk insider")When I was growing up, the most special days of the year were the Day of the Sun on April 15 and the Day of the Shining Star on February 16. Readers will know that these are the birthdays of the founding dictator Kim Il-sung and his son Kim Jong-il. Kindergartens and schools distributed gifts to us on these days. That’s what made them special. Whatever the official cause of celebration, they were days when we got presents. The things in those bags always felt precious. In reality, they were modest. In fact, by today’s standards, they were very simple. But back then, how eagerly we anticipated them. Some children waited quietly for days, while others came to school in high spirits. I still remember the joy of holding that bag tightly and carrying it home. “This is thanks to the benevolence of our Great Leader and the General,” teachers told us, referring to the two Kims. We wrote them thank you letters. We sang songs. We bowed deeply. “Thank you, Father Generalissimo,” we said. Repetition ingrained the belief that the Kim family personally provided the gifts. As children, we accepted that idea without question. Reality, however, was different. Gifts varied by region. Children in Pyongyang received better-packaged, higher-quality items. Ours were poorly wrapped or incomplete. On occasions, the bags of snacks were crushed. Some had more candy than others. Weights were inconsistent. Usually one to 1.2 kg, but never fixed. In one family, three children argued whose bag was lighter until their mother weighed them: 0.9, 1.0, and 1.1 kg. Identical bags, yet contents varied each time. Still, we didn’t complain. Joy outweighed disappointment. We did not understand why gifts came only on certain dates or why they were always framed as “the Leader’s love.” Schools repeated stories of Kim Jong-il being so devoted to the people that he slept in his car instead of at home in bed. They told us how he ate simple meals during inspections to farms and factories, and how, all the time he was preparing candy for us. I believed them. Only when I was grown up did I wise up. These gifts were not Kim’s benevolence. They were the result of assignments imposed on institutions, factories, and collective farms. In the lead up to these holidays – April 15, February 16, and January 8, which is Kim Jong-un’s birthday – people had to contribute. Farmers offered eggs, sesame, beans. Factories handed over quotas. Quality and quantity differed by region because they depended on local conditions and what was available. The bag I joyously held was in fact the fruit of the labor of my parents and my neighbors. Even the candy in my mouth came from their sweat. Yet, all the while, propaganda gave all credit into “the Leader’s care.” Under Kim Jong-un, packaging improved somewhat. Wrappers were actually printed wrappers, snacks were refined, confectionery was higher-quality. But the structure remained unchanged. Assignments continued, and gifts were produced under quotas. This practice dated back to April 15, 1979. Then in 1982 it expanded to include February 16. Since 2013, kids have gotten gift packages on January 8. The dates increased, but the method never changed. Our parents were not fooled. They knew the truth but they could not speak openly. Even to their children they had to say, “This is all thanks to the Leader’s grace.” As I grew older, I saw the deeper purpose. After gifts, came “appreciation ceremonies,” slogans, and performances. These rituals linked a child’s joy directly to propaganda. Gifts made us happy. But at the same time they functioned to indoctrinate us. After coming to South Korea and experiencing the ability to freely buy things, I recalled those childhood gifts. Why did a single candy have to carry such meaning? Why was it always explained as “the Leader’s love”? The memory now leaves a bitter taste. It is proof that North Korean society operated under scarcity and control. Children’s gifts in North Korea were never simply about kindness. They were the product of sweat and sacrifice from parents and neighbors, disguised as the benevolence of our dictators. The joy we felt clutching a bag of candy was real, but it was joy built on exploitation. Every sweet carried the hidden labor of farmers, factory workers, and families who had to contribute their share so the regime could stage a spectacle in its own interest. The irony is that the spectacle was not even for us children. It was for the system. Gifts were designed to implant loyalty in young minds, to make gratitude toward the Kim family feel natural, even inevitable. What should have been innocent childhood happiness was weaponized for political indoctrination. Looking back, I understand why those memories are bittersweet. The laughter of children was genuine, but carefully orchestrated to mask scarcity, control, and exploitation. The “gifts” were not gifts at all. They were instruments of dictatorship, symbols of a society where even a child’s joy was manufactured to serve power. This is why I write. I want to show that behind every cherished childhood memory lies the hidden burden of our parents and people, and to expose how the regime turned something as simple as candy into a tool of control. The gifts we remember with happiness were, in truth, the regime’s way of binding us to its rule from an age before we could think for ourselves. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20our%20childhood%20gifts%20from%20the%20benevolent%20leader%20actually%20came%20from%20the%20sweat%20of%20our%20parents%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=How%20our%20childhood%20gifts%20from%20the%20benevolent%20leader%20actually%20came%20from%20the%20sweat%20of%20our%20parents%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=How%20our%20childhood%20gifts%20from%20the%20benevolent%20leader%20actually%20came%20from%20the%20sweat%20of%20our%20parents%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-our-childhood-gifts-from-the-benevolent-leader-actually-came-from-the-sweat-of-our-parents/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=How%20our%20childhood%20gifts%20from%20the%20benevolent%20leader%20actually%20came%20from%20the%20sweat%20of%20our%20parents%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-our-childhood-gifts-from-the-benevolent-leader-actually-came-from-the-sweat-of-our-parents/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=How%20our%20childhood%20gifts%20from%20the%20benevolent%20leader%20actually%20came%20from%20the%20sweat%20of%20our%20parents%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Secret police officer crosses the ‘forbidden line’ with a woman in a defector’s family](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-officer-crosses-the-forbidden-line-with-a-woman-in-a-defectors-family/) **Published:** November 24, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/NK-soldier-street.jpg?ver=1764003306 "Nk soldier street | nk insider")Recently, it was revealed that an officer from the feared secret police agency in South Hamgyong Province had been caught in an illicit relationship with a young woman in the family of a defector. The man is reportedly a frontline officer of the Ministry of State Security, the powerful agency that reports directly to Kim Jong-un. The role of the ministry is to enforce loyalty to the regime and maintain internal discipline under the principle of “integrity.” Instead of subjecting its officer to public disciplinary measures, the ministry handled his misconduct discreetly and swiftly demoted the offender and transferred him to the less prestigious Military Security Command, the counter-intelligence body of the Korean People’s Army, in another province. “Earlier this month, Officer A, who had been working in the Sunam district of Hamhung, was transferred to Yeonggwang County after being found in an inappropriate relationship with a woman in her 20s from a defector’s family,” a source in the province told NK Times. Officer A had reportedly continued the relationship for years. Initially, the two lovers met under the pretext of official duties with him ordering her to “voluntarily report if her family contacts her or sends money.” Over time, however, the relationship became personal and romantic. Rumors led to an internal investigation at the end of September. “He was demoted and sent to another region because if the news spread further, the State Security would lose credibility and become a laughingstock locally,” the source said. However, locals are saying, “‘A leaking bucket at home will leak outside as well,’ and clicking their tongues in disapproval,” he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Secret%20police%20officer%20crosses%20the%20%E2%80%98forbidden%20line%E2%80%99%20with%20a%20woman%20in%20a%20defector%E2%80%99s%20family&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Secret%20police%20officer%20crosses%20the%20%E2%80%98forbidden%20line%E2%80%99%20with%20a%20woman%20in%20a%20defector%E2%80%99s%20family https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Secret%20police%20officer%20crosses%20the%20%E2%80%98forbidden%20line%E2%80%99%20with%20a%20woman%20in%20a%20defector%E2%80%99s%20family "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-officer-crosses-the-forbidden-line-with-a-woman-in-a-defectors-family/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Secret%20police%20officer%20crosses%20the%20%E2%80%98forbidden%20line%E2%80%99%20with%20a%20woman%20in%20a%20defector%E2%80%99s%20family&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-officer-crosses-the-forbidden-line-with-a-woman-in-a-defectors-family/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Secret%20police%20officer%20crosses%20the%20%E2%80%98forbidden%20line%E2%80%99%20with%20a%20woman%20in%20a%20defector%E2%80%99s%20family "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Kim Jong-un visits Supreme Court, prosecutors, and security agencies, emphasizing their role as vanguard of regime defense](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-visits-supreme-court-prosecutors-and-security-agencies-emphasizing-their-role-as-vanguard-of-regime-defense/) **Published:** November 22, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Kju-at-mss.jpg "Kju at mss | nk insider")Kim Jong-un visited key pillars of the regime on the same day this month in what analysts say indicates a continued strengthening of the tools of repression. The visits on November 18 were to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Social Security, and the Ministry of State Security, according to a November 19 KCNA report. Although the visits coincided with the 80th anniversary of the founding of the institutions, these are seen as more than commemorative events. Rather, they are political moves aimed at reinforcing regime cohesion and strengthening internal control. Kim described the judicial organs as “legal guardians defending the state and the people.” The Ministry of Social Security, which functions as the interior ministry and is the principal law enforcement agency, has paramilitary Social Security Forces which Kim described as the “core armed strength for defending the revolution and the system.” The ministry is supervised by the State Affairs Commission which is the country’s supreme political authority. The Ministry of State Security, meanwhile, is the secret police agency and is autonomous, reporting directly to Kim. He described it as the “red shield.” All must demonstrate absolute loyalty to the Party and the people, Kim said. Kim’s remarks reaffirmed these institutions as the frontline of regime preservation while also encouraging competition among them to achieve greater results. During his visit to the Supreme Court and the prosecutors, Kim said officials should carry out their revolutionary mission of defending the state and the people, and called for further strengthening of the socialist legal system. He emphasized that over the past 80 years, the judiciary had laid the legal foundation of the socialist state, and urged them to continue implementing Party ideology to reinforce the legal framework. At the Ministry of Social Security, he defined its forces as one of the republic’s two core armed pillars, highlighting their mission to defend the revolution and the system. He praised their history of sacrifice and struggle, and directed them to uphold an unwavering spirit of service to the people. His statements went beyond commemorating institutional achievements, serving instead to redefine each body as a vanguard of regime defense and to instill loyalty. By delivering congratulatory messages and posing for commemorative photographs, Kim reinforced personal loyalty to himself and differentiated the status of each institution. This strategy appears designed to foster competition among them for greater merit, echoing tactics deployed by his father, Kim Jong-il, when rivalry between the security services and the military was encouraged. Kim’s actions reflect his anxiety over growing instability. Amid economic hardship, food shortages, and the influx of outside information, public discontent has been rising. By personally rallying the coercive institutions, Kim appears to seek to bolster their capacity to respond to crises. Historical precedents include the 1990s “Arduous March” famine, when the regime expanded the powers of the security services to counter unrest and defections, as well as the 2013 purge of his powerful uncle Jang Song-thaek, in which state security forces were mobilized to eliminate a perceived threat to Kim’s authority. Ultimately, Kim’s visits amount to a strategy for managing regime insecurity. By reaffirming these institutions as the frontline defenders of the system, encouraging loyalty-driven competition, and signaling readiness to employ coercive force, he demonstrated a familiar pattern of crisis response within North Korea’s power structure. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20visits%20Supreme%20Court%2C%20prosecutors%2C%20and%20security%20agencies%2C%20emphasizing%20their%20role%20as%20vanguard%20of%20regime%20defense&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20visits%20Supreme%20Court%2C%20prosecutors%2C%20and%20security%20agencies%2C%20emphasizing%20their%20role%20as%20vanguard%20of%20regime%20defense https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20visits%20Supreme%20Court%2C%20prosecutors%2C%20and%20security%20agencies%2C%20emphasizing%20their%20role%20as%20vanguard%20of%20regime%20defense "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-visits-supreme-court-prosecutors-and-security-agencies-emphasizing-their-role-as-vanguard-of-regime-defense/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20visits%20Supreme%20Court%2C%20prosecutors%2C%20and%20security%20agencies%2C%20emphasizing%20their%20role%20as%20vanguard%20of%20regime%20defense&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-visits-supreme-court-prosecutors-and-security-agencies-emphasizing-their-role-as-vanguard-of-regime-defense/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20visits%20Supreme%20Court%2C%20prosecutors%2C%20and%20security%20agencies%2C%20emphasizing%20their%20role%20as%20vanguard%20of%20regime%20defense "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) **Published:** November 20, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Istock-1154379075.jpg "North korea countryside | nk insider")As the world rapidly changes to adapt to AI, farmers in North Korea remain far removed from the new era, struggling instead to collect payment for pigs they provided on credit. Every year during the rice-planting season, it has long been a practice for farms to serve pork and dog meat to the volunteers from city and county factories who come to help with agricultural work. This year, however, many farmers have still not been paid for the meat they provided last spring. Some are now visiting farm officials daily to demand repayment. For example, sources tell us of a farmer named Park who supplied a 60kg pig this spring to the farm in Ryongsan-ri, Kyongsong County, North Hamgyong Province. He has been asking farm officials to repay him in corn or rice since last month, but has received nothing. Officials keep shifting responsibility, telling him to “go to the Party secretary” or “go to the manager.” Pigs are a significant asset for farmers. While urban residents, restricted by government crackdowns, cannot raise pigs in apartments but are able to survive through market trading, street vending, or their workplaces, people in the countryside have few opportunities to earn money. Raising pigs is therefore crucial. But not every farmer is able to do it. One reason is the shortage of feed. Another is the widespread problem of theft. Also, farmers are forced to supply pigs to the military, either at low prices or on credit. Of these various issues, unpaid credit is the most serious. For example, a farmer surnamed Choi in Hyanggyo-ri, Jaeryong County, South Hwanghae Province, gave a 70kg pig on credit to a local military unit two years ago and has still not been paid. Another farmer, Kim in Sukchon County, South Pyongan Province, provided a pig she had carefully raised for a year to a local farm on credit last spring, but has yet to receive payment. Kim lost her husband six years ago and is raising two daughters alone. The farm officials know her situation well but still refuse to pay. As a result, she has been visiting the farm management committee every few days to demand repayment, but the officials avoid her. The farmers’ plight shows how the once honored class is now treated as a neglected group outside the concern of authorities. Such disregard could have serious consequences for future regime stability. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Farmers%20struggle%20to%20collect%20payment%20for%20livestock&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Farmers%20struggle%20to%20collect%20payment%20for%20livestock https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Farmers%20struggle%20to%20collect%20payment%20for%20livestock "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Farmers%20struggle%20to%20collect%20payment%20for%20livestock&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Farmers%20struggle%20to%20collect%20payment%20for%20livestock "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [The declining value of Party membership for women](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-declining-value-of-party-membership-for-women/) **Published:** November 18, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Istock-458298665.jpg "Female soldiers north korea | nk insider")Do women in North Korea go to the military? I am often asked this in South Korea. Yes, they do, I tell people. They are subject like men to mandatory national service. When they graduate from high school, women – especially if they are from rural or ordinary families – are expected to enlist, often with the end-goal after they have completed their service of joining the Workers’ Party. However, this Party membership is no longer viewed in the way it used to be. It no longer represents stability. It no longer represents opportunity. What was once seen as a gateway to advancement has become a burden. The regime promotes the idea that military service is the highest form of devotion to the nation and to the ruling Kim family. Enlistment is portrayed as sacred. It is presented as a personal offering to the Supreme Leader. But behind this narrative lies a harsher truth: military life is defined not by honor but by relentless labor, deprivation, and the stripping away of personal freedoms. The promise of dignity is replaced with reality of exploitation. I grew up in that environment, surrounded by women who joined the military to prove their loyalty. The reality was harsher than any of us could have imagined. Our days began with endless marches. Then there was endless farming and construction work. Actual combat training was minimal compared to this physical toil. Service stretched seven to eight years. During this time, women lost their youth. They were forbidden from marrying, or even expressing individuality through makeup or clothing. Many endured, clinging to the belief that Party membership would eventually bring a better life. But the reality after discharge proved even more punishing. Since 2020, a directive that “Party members must lead by example” has forced women to abandon domestic life and report to factories, mines, and workplaces. Even mothers caring for children were suddenly ordered to work. Refusal meant being branded “ideologically unfit,” subjected to public criticism, or sent to disciplinary camps. Husbands and families could suffer consequences too. These women labored without pay or rations, and were told to work harder simply because they were Party members. Their sacrifices were met not with recognition but with hunger and exhaustion. This cycle breeds despair. Women who gave their youth to the military are again trapped in hardship because of Party membership. What was once a path to success is now seen as a curse. “Being a Party member means more suffering,” people whisper. As a result, young people, often called the MZ generation, are increasingly refusing Party membership. They understand now that joining means surveillance, demands, and loss of freedom. Membership is not automatic. It requires bribes and recognition from superiors. It is not possible without money. When it is suggested, many now decline politely, saying, “I’m honored, but I’m not yet qualified,” to avoid the financial and ideological burden. This quiet refusal signals a profound shift. The blind loyalty that was once the norm, is now eroding. People are beginning to question the system, even if only in private. It is the first step toward internal resistance. Watching discharged female Party members fills me with sorrow. They tried to live honorably, but their sacrifices were twisted into tools of control. The slogan “Party members must lead” is not a policy for the people. It is a mechanism of exploitation. North Korean women are not weak. They are resilient, diligent, and willing to sacrifice for their families. But their strength is manipulated, not respected. Many feel the injustice deeply but cannot speak out. One wrong word can condemn an entire family to a political prison camp, or worse. Silence is the strategy for survival. Grievances are carried in secret, hidden beneath a veneer of compliance. This story is heavy, but it reflects the reality today. Women who gave their youth to military service are now forced into unpaid labor, with no hope in sight. Their voices matter, yet they remain unheard. Statistics and headlines cannot capture their suffering. Only those who have lived it can reveal the truth. The international community must act and monitor abuses, support defectors, and protect testimonies. Solidarity is not symbolic. It is essential. The price of Party membership may have become unbearable, and yet this burden contains the possibility of change. If the world listens carefully, if it stands with those who resist quietly, then the voices of these women can become the beginning of a freer tomorrow. Their unending service must finally give way to unending freedom. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20declining%20value%20of%20Party%20membership%20for%20women&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20declining%20value%20of%20Party%20membership%20for%20women https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20declining%20value%20of%20Party%20membership%20for%20women "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-declining-value-of-party-membership-for-women/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20declining%20value%20of%20Party%20membership%20for%20women&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-declining-value-of-party-membership-for-women/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20declining%20value%20of%20Party%20membership%20for%20women "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Noblesse Oblige and Sunshine 4.0 -- FDR and Stalin, Lee Jae-myung and Kim Jong-un](https://www.nkinsider.org/noblesse-oblige-and-sunshine-4-0-fdr-and-stalin-lee-jae-myung-and-kim-jong-un/) **Published:** November 14, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Fdr-stalin.png "Fdr stalin | nk insider")The French term “noblesse oblige,” which literally translates as “nobility obligates,” is defined in various English language dictionaries as the notion that certain people having rank, wealth, or other advantages have an obligation to act generously, in the broadest sense of that term, understandingly, and even solicitously towards those who lack such status or advantages. “Be nice and understanding” to those who are supposedly one’s “inferiors,” is a blunt way of putting it. In the context of international relations, “appeasement,” or what some leftist Korea experts, academics, and journalists euphemistically term “engagement,” may be a more accurate definition. It is perhaps a noble idea in theory, at least in certain situations, but the problems have always been in its interpretation and practice. If applied inappropriately or carelessly, to those who ignore or even abuse the good intentions which underlie it, the results can be the opposite of promoting the goodwill and harmony which was intended and hoped for, and can actually be quite harmful and even dangerous to those who promote or practice it. As noted in former Reagan administration official Herbert Romerstein’s important 2012 book[ *Stalin’s Secret Agents*](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Stalin_s_Secret_Agents/pEM6YDyXGRMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Stalin%27s+secret+agents&printsec=frontcover), President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in a wartime comment to his confidant and first ambassador to the Soviet Union William Bullitt, said that his whole approach in dealing with Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin would be one of noblesse oblige. “I have just a hunch that Stalin doesn’t want anything but security for his country, and I think that if I give him everything I possibly can and ask nothing from him in return, noblesse oblige, he won’t try to annex anything and will work for world democracy and peace,” FDR reportedly said. Bullitt, who from his service in Moscow was familiar with the reality of Stalin’s mindset and the true nature of the Soviet system, had earlier been fired for his truth-telling about Stalin, and was unable to dissuade FDR from this fantasy. Convincing FDR that his view was a fantasy would have been especially difficult since the president’s administration and inner circle included not only many pro-Soviet officials at the highest levels, but also some highly placed officials who were working as agents for Stalin’s intelligence services. When FDR agreed to grant diplomatic recognition to the Soviet Union in 1933, Stalin had promised not to interfere in America’s domestic affairs, but the Soviets clearly had no intention of abiding by this pledge, and quite flagrantly violated from the start, by through their funding and control of the U.S. Communist Party and their continuing espionage activities targeting the U.S. government. This noblesse oblige approach to relations with Stalin was also to prove disastrous for the peoples of Eastern Europe as well as China and Korea, as the arrangements reached at the Tehran and Yalta wartime summit conferences, even those which acquiesced to the most unreasonable Soviet demands, were not kept by Stalin. Being freed from one totalitarian dictator, newly liberated nations were effectively delivered into the hands of new tyrants. The Soviets plundered the industrial assets of Manchuria and northern Korea, even gaining exclusive bases within China, were awarded Japanese home islands in whole or part, and provided crucial assistance to communist forces in China and northern Korea. Unfortunately, in the case of Korea, this noblesse oblige fantasy approach to dealing with communist dictators was mirrored in the now infamously failed [“Sunshine Policy”](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/sunshine-policy-failed-to-change-north-korea-report-idUSTRE6AH125/) of South Korea’s several left-wing leaders over several decades. It was initiated by President Kim Dae-jung, continued with reckless enthusiasm by President Roh Moo-hyun, and further dangerously reinforced by President Moon Jae-in, all of whom emerged from the experience having little or nothing to show for their efforts. Even after being betrayed by Kim Jong-un, these leaders stubbornly persisted in implementing failed policies by deceiving the public about them. Under Moon, for example, there was the boast that pursuant to the so-called September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement of 2018, North Korea had kept its promise to completely disable or dismantle certain guard and observation posts along the DMZ, just as the ROK had done. As it turned out, however, and was later learned, the North had cheated, and true to its nature had failed to keep its promises in this regard. The North did not fully disable or dismantle its structures but only pretended to have done so. Although a compliant ROK media and some foreign correspondents in Seoul, as well as some U.S.-based Korea experts, naively lauded what they were told was the supposedly successful implementation of the agreement and destruction of the structures, as investigative reporting in 2025 revealed, the Moon administration had deliberately[ falsified reports](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/04/24/F66MFME2TJHPHGULXGFSJ4NSEY/) in order to cover-up the North’s failure to comply with the agreement. Seoul had kept its promises, but the North had broken them, and the Moon administration had then quite shamelessly lied about it. Seemingly confirming the adage that humans rarely learn from their past mistakes, the new administration of President Lee Jae-myung is reportedly intent on pursuing what may be termed a “Sunshine Policy 4.0,” complete with presidential comments which are eerily reminiscent of FDR’s noblesse oblige remarks. Lee has announced that he is committed to[ restoring](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/09/19/ABGZOBBZYBBHRHOUGX5WX2JXTI/) what he calls the “spirit” of the September 19 agreement in order to rebuild “trust” with North Korea, while totally ignoring the North’s major and repeated violations of and explicit official[ renunciation](https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20231124/4574695/1) of that pact. Almost channeling FDR,[ Lee stated](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=110090), “Even if the North uses hostile language on various occasions, I do not see this as the end,” and “Considerable effort is needed to change the North’s suspicion and confrontational mindset.” After Kim Jong-un engaged in one of his regular missile-firing provocations, Lee went on to make the[ astounding claim](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=109658) that Kim Jong-un had been “patient for a long time,” clearly implying that the North’s actions were excusable. In spite of Lee’s noblesse oblige approach, however, the North again responded with betrayal in the same very typical way that it did with Moon. When Lee removed the ROK’s loudspeakers at the DMZ and ceased its radio broadcasts to the North, Kim Jong-un, far from suspending the North’s own similar activities, kept his loudspeakers targeting the South in place. To make matters worse, the Lee administration, following the dishonest practices of the Moon administration,[ reportedly lied](https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2025/08/16/AFKYSKFH2ZDMZDRW6TEKKZP6N4/) to the public about this, by falsely claiming that the North had reciprocated by removing its loudspeakers as well. One major problem with unreciprocated concessions, of course, is that they serve to encourage dictators to demand further concessions and convince them that reciprocal measures are unnecessary. In other words, to put it succinctly, noblesse oblige makes “suckers” out of those who try it. With regard to both the FDR administration and the Lee administration, the axiom that “personnel is policy,” meaning that the views of those surrounding and counseling the leader of a free nation will inevitably influence his or her policy decisions, seems to be accurate. Just as[ FDR’s administration](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Venona_Secrets/TrlRaHFHspsC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=venona+secrets&pg=PT428&printsec=frontcover) was filled with pro-Soviet advisors and other officials who shaped his seriously naive views and ultimately failed policies toward the Soviet Union, so it seems that[ Lee’s administration](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=102537), being filled with many left-wing figures whose ideological positions were formed in the deeply anti-American and pro-North Korean movements of the late 1980s and early 1990s and incubated through the left-wing Roh and Moon administration, are clearly[ shaping Lee’s policies](https://www.aei.org/op-eds/the-u-s-alliance-with-seoul-could-go-south/). As some Korean journalists and academic researchers have disclosed, particularly in conservative publications, but which Seoul’s foreign correspondents have unfortunately failed to notice and report on, Lee’s close alliances with and reliance on certain[ top advisors and key confidants](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=109017) from the radical left fringes of Korean politics, from his days as Seongnam City mayor and Gyeonggi Province governor, have clearly influenced Lee’s noblesse oblige approach to North Korea. As Professor Sean McMeekin notes in his useful 2021 book[ *Stalin’s War*](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Stalin_s_War/pBH1DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Stalin%27s+war&printsec=frontcover)*,* FDR’s noblesse oblige mentality and policy eventually became almost “plaintive” in both tone and substance, in contrast to Stalin’s playing “hard to get.” Based on the Lee’s recent remarks, and on the deliberate cover-ups of the North’s betrayals by the Moon and Lee administrations, it seems that Lee, like Moon before him, is also approaching an almost plaintive tone in his appeals to Kim Jong-un and his excuses for the North’s unrelenting hostility and provocations. While some of the dangerous effects of noblesse oblige, as applied in dealing with communist dictators, may appear almost immediately, even if attempts are made to hide them from the public, the most disastrous results of such an approach, as we have seen from history, often become clear only years later. With regard to Korea, we can only hope that the damage inflicted will not be permanent in nature. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Noblesse%20Oblige%20and%20Sunshine%204.0%20--%20FDR%20and%20Stalin%2C%20Lee%20Jae-myung%20and%20Kim%20Jong-un&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Noblesse%20Oblige%20and%20Sunshine%204.0%20--%20FDR%20and%20Stalin%2C%20Lee%20Jae-myung%20and%20Kim%20Jong-un https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Noblesse%20Oblige%20and%20Sunshine%204.0%20--%20FDR%20and%20Stalin%2C%20Lee%20Jae-myung%20and%20Kim%20Jong-un "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/noblesse-oblige-and-sunshine-4-0-fdr-and-stalin-lee-jae-myung-and-kim-jong-un/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Noblesse%20Oblige%20and%20Sunshine%204.0%20--%20FDR%20and%20Stalin%2C%20Lee%20Jae-myung%20and%20Kim%20Jong-un&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/noblesse-oblige-and-sunshine-4-0-fdr-and-stalin-lee-jae-myung-and-kim-jong-un/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Noblesse%20Oblige%20and%20Sunshine%204.0%20--%20FDR%20and%20Stalin%2C%20Lee%20Jae-myung%20and%20Kim%20Jong-un "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Inside the prison state](https://www.nkinsider.org/inside-the-prison-state/) **Published:** November 3, 2025 **Author:** — Barbara Frye, Yumi Kim **Content:** *Feature: What’s it like to live in North Korea? Yumi **Kim** on heavy repression, secret phone calls, and virtual private networks.* ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-7-1.jpg "Body71 | nk insider")Published with The Signal. Sign up [here](https://www.thesgnl.com/newsletter/). The Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang’s official broadcaster, released footage in July of families riding dune buggies along a beach, playing arcade games, sliding down brightly colored water slides. They were visiting Wonsan Kalma, a coastal resort where Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un had cut the ribbon weeks earlier. KCNA described 680 tourist attractions, dozens of hotels, and millions of tons of healing mud. Most of North Korea’s 26 million people will only ever see Wonsan Kalma on their screens. It’s a showpiece in Kim’s campaign to attract foreign investment and project an image of prosperity—built for the well-connected in a country where people aren’t free to move about and couldn’t afford to visit a beach resort even if they were. Behind the bright footage: forced labor and the mass displacement of neighboring residents. At least that’s what defectors who’ve escaped say. But getting reliable information about what actually happens inside North Korea has always been difficult—a closed system reporting on itself. Since the pandemic, it’s become harder still. Defector numbers have dropped steeply. The main sources of information are still what they’ve always been: defector accounts, tightly controlled junkets for foreigners, and the regime’s own propaganda machinery. So what’s life actually like there? And is anything changing? **Yumi Kim** is a defector from Haeju, North Korea, who escaped with her family to the South by boat in 2023. A Korean People’s Navy vessel chased them through the night. They only got away when fishing nets they’d thrown overboard tangled in the pursuing ship’s rudder. Since Kim Jong Un came to power, she says, North Korea’s totalitarian system of repression has only intensified—with stronger surveillance, a wider network of informants, tighter control over daily life. The government cracks down on anyone caught with outside media using wiretaps, warrantless searches, beatings, show trials, and executions. But there’s something else happening too—something the regime might not be able to stop. Younger generations are pushing back. They smuggle in flash drives from across the Chinese border. They make illegal cross-border phone calls. They secretly watch South Korean shows and movies on devices hidden from the authorities. North Korea’s Gen Z—raised on propaganda but exposed to glimpses of the outside world—thinks differently than their parents did. They ask different questions. They resist in small ways that might, over time, add up to something bigger. Whether that skepticism—or Kim Jong Un’s expressed desire for foreign investment and his showpiece resorts—can change anything in a system that’s been dedicated to resisting change for seven decades just isn’t clear. What is, meanwhile: The gap between the propaganda footage and the reality keeps spreading … **Barbara Frye**: Here in The Signal, Michael Breen talks about [how difficult it is to know what’s going on inside North Korea](https://www.thesgnl.com/2025/08/north-korea-threats-south-korea-us/)—but also says there are signs that Kim Jong Un has begun to focus much more on the country’s economy. For instance, at least two factories were under construction in each of the country’s provinces last year. Have you seen supporting or contrary evidence from inside the country? ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-5-1-1024x576.jpg "Body51 | nk insider")Thomas Evans**Yumi Kim**: This economic development began after I left North Korea. But the North Korean people are still suffering. When the government opens a new construction site or starts a new tourism project, citizens are ultimately responsible for the project. Every new project means another burden for North Koreans. The state provides very limited support—so it issues orders for mobilization and contribution, or *po-chi*. It’s like subcontracting in the West, except the subcontractors are regular citizens, businesses, neighborhood units, and even students. For example, when the government launched the Samjiyon city construction project—one of the largest development plans in the country’s history, including railways and an airport—every unit received *po-chi* assignments. That included businesses, students, and even neighborhood watch groups. The message was that the state was undertaking a difficult construction project, so everyone had to contribute. People and organizations had no choice but to fulfill the order, often including labor at the site. The government provides some resources, but most construction is financed by extracting money from the public and forcing people to contribute labor. In the *po-chi* system, state authorities assign financial or material quotas to lower-level units, whether enterprises or local organizations. An order might say, *This unit is tasked with completing a housing project this year. You must procure 20 million won worth of building materials.* That quota is then passed down, and anyone receiving it is obliged to carry it out. Most North Koreans don’t really care about the party’s pronouncements. They don’t have the time or energy to react because they’re trying to survive. These public units impose the tasks on those below them: workers, members of the women’s union, students. Essentially, anyone capable of holding a spoon is assigned a quota. Contributions are collected relentlessly, and the authorities press people day after day to comply. They say it’s an investment for the future and the economy, but it’s built on the sacrifices of North Koreans—and it doesn’t improve their daily lives. Cultural and tourism projects—regular people can’t enjoy those facilities, even though they built them. They can’t just spend a weekend there. Maybe foreigners or some high-level political elites might enjoy them, but not normal citizens. **Frye**: In late 2023, Kim Jong Un announced [the North was no longer interested in reunification with the South](https://www.thesgnl.com/2025/10/north-korea-south-korea-reunification/)—and Pyongyang now saw Seoul as its main enemy. What changes did you experience in how the North Korean government portrays South Korea—and how North Korean people think about it? **Kim**: In North Korea, we used to be told that all Koreans were the same people, from the same country, and we would be unified at some point. And even though the North Korean state criticized South Korea because of the difference in political systems, there was an underlying notion that we would have to unify sometime. But when Kim Jong Un came to power, descriptions of South Korea became more aggressive and hostile. For example, when South Korea conducted military exercises with the U.S., the regime called South Korea an aggressor against North Korea and a country we had to be on guard against—and that included the people of South Korea. The Kim Jong Un regime has forbidden North Koreans from talking about unification. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-3-3-1024x576.jpg "Body33 | nk insider")Thomas Evans**Frye**: So how do most people in North Korea see the South? **Kim**: Most North Koreans don’t really care about the party’s pronouncements. They don’t have the time or energy to react because they’re trying to survive. Still, there are a few people who truly believe the party propaganda and think of South Korea as an enemy—but most people still see South Korea as a wealthy country where, unlike in North Korea, people aren’t hungry. **Frye**: Is there a generational difference? Do older people see the relationship with South Korea differently than younger people do? **Kim**: The older generation grew up with that unification propaganda and, especially in the 1940s and 1950s, they tended to accept it more readily. However, there’s a big difference between the overall perceptions of the older generation and Gen Z in North Korea, because younger generations get information from the outside world more easily than the older generation does. Their way of thinking is very different. For example, there’s a censorship department in North Korea, and the older generation and Gen Z react to it very differently. The older generations were raised with censorship, so when they hear the censorship department is going to check on them, they get nervous—that fear is ingrained in them. You might be watching South Korean TV shows or YouTube videos, but this isn’t just entertainment—it’s also a way to change how people think. But Gen Z has access to lots of outside information and watches lots of South Korean TV shows and media, so they react differently when they hear the censorship department is going to come and check whether they’ve been watching South Korean TV. They start asking questions and demand to see a search warrant. They don’t take government censorship as inevitable or justified. **Frye**: In an address to the Oslo Freedom Forum, you said more outside information was getting into North Korea. How is that happening? And what do you think it means for the country? **Kim**: In the past, it was impossible to get outside information into North Korea, and it was very difficult to see South Korean media. But these days, information gets in through all sorts of ways. USB flash drives are smuggled across the Chinese border, or activists in South Korea stuff USB drives into plastic bottles filled with rice and put them into the sea. I lived near the coast in North Korea, and I saw some of them wash ashore. In recent years, lots of people have been going to the area around the Chinese border and using their phones to message or call someone outside the country—that’s illegal and very risky, but it shows people increasingly want to be connected to the outside world. You might be watching South Korean TV shows or YouTube videos, but this isn’t just entertainment—it’s also a way to change how people think. The North Korean government has brainwashed its people to believe that the outside world is hell and North Korea is the best place ever, but people are seeing life in the outside world via these media, and they’re questioning that propaganda. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-9-1-1024x576.jpg "Body91 | nk insider")Aleks DorohovichThey’re starting to ask why they have to live like this when the outside world is so wealthy. It naturally leads to more complaints and also questions about the North Korean regime and the system they live under. I would say that information is the seed of freedom. **Frye**: You have a YouTube channel about life in North Korea today. How do you get information from people there? **Kim**: I watch the Korean Central News Agency channel, which you can only access in South Korea via a virtual private network. But with a VPN, you can easily access North Korean websites from South Korea as well. I also know some people who still have connections in North Korea, like friends or relatives. And, as I said, it’s possible to have a phone call or even a video call with people who live in the border area, though you need a go-between to arrange a phone call. **Frye**: Most people know North Korea as a deeply repressive state with internal political prisoners and extensive forced labor. Have you seen any changes over time in the state’s apparatus for political repression? **Kim**: I would say there’s been a change in enforcement methods, but the core of the system hasn’t changed. Before Kim Jong Un, there were show trials or executions to instill fear. They still exist, but the authorities have also started a monitoring and informant system to sow distrust among the people. When the state orders you to construct a new factory or build a new road, there’s no option to say no. Living in this environment—where you don’t know who’s monitoring you and who’s going to inform on you—is a form of suppressing the people. Political prisoners and the camps still exist, and normal people still have to do forced labor for the state. When the state orders you to construct a new factory or build a new road, there’s no option to say no. **Frye**: Is it new that neighbors inform on each other to the authorities? **Kim**: Before Kim Jong Un, there was a snitching system too, but it was more of a formality. But nowadays it’s started to directly affect the people. Before, security officers recruited spies and gave them orders to gather information, and then the officers would conduct some kind of operation based on that—but this was relatively rare. When Kim Jong Un came to power, those security officers needed to show their worth to the party, so they could keep their jobs. So they started to aggressively recruit potential spies—smart citizens willing to cooperate with them. As I said, North Korean citizens are banned from watching South Korean media, but spies were allowed to watch—and even encouraged to disseminate South Korean media to people to entrap them. They help arrest their own friends and neighbors to show their bosses that they’re contributing to the system. That’s increased under Kim Jong Un. There was also a big increase in forced labor, which is called “the voluntary mobilization of labor force.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-6-1-1024x576.jpg "Body61 | nk insider")Mike BravoSelling North Korean workers to foreign countries also existed before, but it was difficult to send people to China or to Russia. But under Kim Jong Un, people are sent to China and Russia en masse. They’re sent to restaurants, factories, and even for domestic work, like au pairs, and they have to work 12 to 14 hours a day, but their pay goes to the North Korean regime. Individual workers abroad get the bare minimum to survive, while the government takes most of their pay. Lots of women are sent abroad, and they’re highly vulnerable to sexual abuse—but they don’t really have any protection, even though they have North Korean officers there to monitor them. And even when they’re sick, they can’t go to the hospital or seek protection. **Frye**: If you’re not a member of the elite in North Korea, can you even choose your job? **Kim**: No, in North Korea, you can’t choose your own job. There is a Ministry of Labor, and they assign it to you. North Koreans can choose three paths: go to university, join the military, or join a labor brigade, where they’ll dispatch you to a construction project or something similar. Otherwise, the ministry will assign you a job. **Frye**: You defected in 2023, making you one of the most recent defectors to speak publicly about your experience. What are the most significant ways you saw the country changing? **Kim**: I think the biggest difference is that people’s minds are changing. Before, people would just accept whatever the government said. But now, people question what the government is telling them, even though they keep it to themselves. With the outside information they’re getting, in their minds, they’re waking up. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/yumi-kim-barbara-frye/ "— Barbara Frye, Yumi Kim") [— Barbara Frye, Yumi Kim](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/yumi-kim-barbara-frye/) [](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/yumi-kim-barbara-frye/ "— Barbara Frye, Yumi Kim") Latest posts by — Barbara Frye, Yumi Kim ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/yumi-kim-barbara-frye/)) - [Inside the prison state](https://www.nkinsider.org/inside-the-prison-state/) - November 3, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Inside%20the%20prison%20state&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Inside%20the%20prison%20state https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Inside%20the%20prison%20state "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/inside-the-prison-state/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Inside%20the%20prison%20state&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/inside-the-prison-state/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Inside%20the%20prison%20state "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Russian military chief visits Pyongyang to discuss ideological management of North Korean troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/russian-military-chief-visits-pyongyang-to-discuss-ideological-management-of-north-korean-troops/) **Published:** November 12, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/북한-총정치국과-로씨야련방무력-군사정치총국대표단사이의-회담-진행_kcna.jpg "북한 총정치국과 로씨야련방무력 군사정치총국대표단사이의 회담 진행kcna | nk insider")A series of meetings last week in Pyongyang between Russian and North Korean officials responsible for political-ideological affairs indicates an intensified focus on ideological loyalty amid the ever-closening relationship between the two countries. A delegation led by Viktor Goremykin, Moscow’s deputy defense minister and head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, met with military leaders in Pyongyang who included senior officials of the Korean People’s Army’s General Political Bureau. The meetings suggest that practical coordination in political-ideological affairs between the two militaries is entering a new phase. Goremykin, who is personally under international sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, is tasked with instilling ideological loyalty to the government of President Vladimir Putin. He oversees ideological education, counterintelligence, and political surveillance within the Russian military and, as such, is a key figure. [No precedent exists](https://news.nate.com/view/20251107n06107) for someone in his position visiting North Korea. It appears that he held substantive discussions about setting up a political management and ideological control system for North Korean troops deployed to the Russia-Ukraine war. The meetings on November 5 addressed “ways to strengthen cooperation, exchange, and coordination between military political institutions in line with the expanding and deepening bilateral relations under the strategic guidance of the heads of state,” according to the state news agency KCNA. This [implies](https://news.nate.com/view/20251107n06107) that practical discussions were held on ideological management, discipline maintenance, and information-sharing systems for North Korean troops deployed to the front lines. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) recently reported to the National Assembly that over 10,000 North Korean troops are on the Russian front, with around 1,000 combat engineers engaged in rear-area operations such as mine clearance. The NIS also reported that training and conscription efforts are ongoing inside North Korea in preparation for additional deployments. On November 6, North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang-chol met again with Goremykin, and was joined by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jong-gyu and Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora, demonstrating the full mobilization of both diplomatic and military channels to lend strategic and diplomatic weight to the military cooperation. Experts interpret this engagement as part of efforts to build a wartime alliance framework. Since the signing of the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty” in June 2025, North Korea has reportedly deployed over 20,000 personnel to Russia, effectively serving as [a manpower reservoir](https://www.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/A2025061816230004419) for the Russian military. In return, Russia has been providing North Korea with advanced military technology and capital, reinforcing a mutually complementary relationship. North Korea’s efforts to strengthen its capacity for ideological control and discipline maintenance in wartime through cooperation with Russia could also impact its internal military command structure. This development suggests not only a shift in North Korea’s external military strategy but also potential changes in its internal mechanisms of political control. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Russian%20military%20chief%20visits%20Pyongyang%20to%20discuss%20ideological%20management%20of%20North%20Korean%20troops&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Russian%20military%20chief%20visits%20Pyongyang%20to%20discuss%20ideological%20management%20of%20North%20Korean%20troops https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Russian%20military%20chief%20visits%20Pyongyang%20to%20discuss%20ideological%20management%20of%20North%20Korean%20troops "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/russian-military-chief-visits-pyongyang-to-discuss-ideological-management-of-north-korean-troops/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Russian%20military%20chief%20visits%20Pyongyang%20to%20discuss%20ideological%20management%20of%20North%20Korean%20troops&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/russian-military-chief-visits-pyongyang-to-discuss-ideological-management-of-north-korean-troops/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Russian%20military%20chief%20visits%20Pyongyang%20to%20discuss%20ideological%20management%20of%20North%20Korean%20troops "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) **Published:** October 29, 2025 **Author:** NK Insider **Excerpt:** Seoul, Korea (Oct. 29, 2025) - Last week on October 22, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) and the NGO Council for North Korean Human Rights hosted the 2025 NK Insider Forum, the day-long kickoff event of the inaugural three-day Seoul World Convention on North Korean Human Rights. More than 300 attendees gathered to hear from two defectors, who shared their firsthand experiences under the Kim regime, and international experts who shed light on inhumane punishment, pervasive censorship, and systematic oppression and discussed paths forward to reinvigorate global engagement on human rights in North Korea. **Content:** - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_0929-900x500.jpg "Dsc_0929") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_1165-900x500.jpg "Dsc_1165") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_1289-900x500.jpg "Dsc_1289") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/One_4562-900x500.jpg "One_4562") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_2990-900x500.jpg "Dsc_2990") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_3470-900x500.jpg "Dsc_3470") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_4050-900x500.jpg "Dsc_4050") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_1192-900x500.jpg "Dsc_1192") **Seoul, Korea** (Oct. 29, 2025) – Last week on October 22, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) and the NGO Council for North Korean Human Rights hosted the 2025 NK Insider Forum, the day-long kickoff event of the inaugural three-day Seoul World Convention on North Korean Human Rights. More than 300 attendees gathered to hear from two defectors, who shared their firsthand experiences under the Kim regime, and international experts who shed light on inhumane punishment, pervasive censorship, and systematic oppression and discussed paths forward to reinvigorate global engagement on human rights in North Korea. In his first major public appearance since defecting nearly a decade ago, Kim Kang, the former deputy representative of North Korea’s diplomatic mission in Russia, recounted his disillusionment when his family was punished despite deep-rooted loyalty to the regime after a relative was sentenced to ten years in prison for distributing copies of the Bible. Michael Breen, a former Seoul correspondent for The Guardian, The Times, and The Washington Times, called on the international community to maintain unification as a milestone to achieve a greater goal: a democratic Korea. In the long run, he argued, people’s desires for freedom and dignity will prevail over authoritarianism. Kim Yu-mi, a North Korean defector who escaped with her family by sea in 2023, recalled the moment they resolved to flee. When Kim Jong-un introduced his daughter in 2022, showcasing wealth and privilege in stark contrast to the starving public, she knew there was no future in North Korea. Opening remarks from HRF CEO Thor Halvorssen emphasized the strength and resilience of the North Korean people who have called for freedom in the face of dictatorship, even as shifting South Korean and international policies have deeply impacted advocacy for North Korean human rights. The forum also featured an interactive tech session led by freedom tech developer Calvin Kim that introduced attendees to AI coding tools that can advance human rights advocacy. Sunye, a South Korean singer and the lead vocalist of the K-pop group Wonder Girls, performed a medley of Korean and English songs and described her own experiences reckoning with a divided Korea as a young girl in South Korea’s Gangwon Province. “Today’s North Korea is not the same isolationist hermit kingdom that it used to be,” said Seongmin Lee, director of HRF’s Korea Desk, describing how the regime imports authoritarian technologies and works with other dictators to violate human rights both within and beyond its borders. “The international community must continue to support North Korean defectors, civil society, and free societies to combat these interconnected and growing threats.” --- *The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies.* *For interview requests or media inquiries, please email* [*media@hrf.org*](mailto:media@hrf.org)*.* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Reinvigorating%20Global%20Engagement%20on%20Human%20Rights%20in%20North%20Korea%3A%20The%202025%20NK%20Insider%20Forum&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Reinvigorating%20Global%20Engagement%20on%20Human%20Rights%20in%20North%20Korea%3A%20The%202025%20NK%20Insider%20Forum https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Reinvigorating%20Global%20Engagement%20on%20Human%20Rights%20in%20North%20Korea%3A%20The%202025%20NK%20Insider%20Forum "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Reinvigorating%20Global%20Engagement%20on%20Human%20Rights%20in%20North%20Korea%3A%20The%202025%20NK%20Insider%20Forum&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Reinvigorating%20Global%20Engagement%20on%20Human%20Rights%20in%20North%20Korea%3A%20The%202025%20NK%20Insider%20Forum "Reddit") **Categories:** Press Release --- ### [In an era of greater control, North Korea is quietly fracturing](https://www.nkinsider.org/in-an-era-of-greater-control-north-korea-is-quietly-fracturing/) **Published:** November 10, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Monitoring-college-students-e1745322291702-1.jpeg "Monitoringcollegestudentse17453222917021 | nk insider")In recent years the regime in North Korea has steadily intensified its enforcement of the “socialist lifestyle,” tightening control over nearly every aspect of daily life. Simplified weddings and funerals, restrictions on clothing and language, and the rejection of foreign culture are no longer mere lifestyle guidelines. They function as calculated tools for regime preservation. I lived in North Korea for over 20 years, growing up near a coastal city in South Hwanghae Province. There, I sold goods in the *jangmadang* market and learned how to navigate life within the confines of state-run organizations. The “lifestyle” imposed on us was not a matter of culture. It was a code for surveillance and control. In 2021, the leader, Kim Jong-un, emphasized the construction of a “socialist civilized nation” during a plenary meeting of the Central Committee, ordering the establishment of “moral discipline” in people’s daily lives. As a result, a notorious law known as the Anti-Reactionary Thought Law was introduced. Since then, authorities have strengthened regulations under the banner of “socialist virtues,” labeling anti-socialist and non-socialist behaviors as “malignant tumors” that threaten unity, and implementing legal and institutional mechanisms to eradicate them. What I experienced was even more direct. A friend of mine got married and had a cameraman record the ceremony. An issue arose over her modern-style dress. It was seen as Western. When the authorities caught wind of the recording, the couple faced a serious problem. They were first subjected to criticism sessions in their neighborhood and workplaces. Then there was a public trial and they were sentenced to prison. To drive the message home, the authorities used their case in a propaganda video warning people about what they wear. Since then, no one in our area dared to wear such attire. Outwardly, North Koreans appear to comply with these directives. But internally, many are distancing themselves. Increasingly, people are internalizing values centered on family, pragmatism, and individualism, rather than loyalty to the leader or collectivism. In our minds, state regulations are something to be avoided. People try to live personal lives without drawing attention. Foreign cosmetics and clothing are still traded in the markets, and some residents discreetly consume foreign dramas and music. One of my friends once secretly watched the South Korean television series *Winter Sonata*. She later told me that was the first time she truly felt what freedom might be. Since Kim Jong-un’s directive, weddings and funerals have become more modest, and birthdays or anniversaries are observed quietly within families. Public celebrations and gift exchanges are discouraged. But not all of these changes are purely the result of coercion. The economic crisis and collapse of the rationing system have led people to adopt frugal lifestyles out of necessity. This has conveniently aligned with state messaging, repackaged as “socialist modesty.” Some residents even say, “It’s easier to live simply. We don’t have money anyway.” It’s where state control and survival strategies intersect. I can hardly recall my birthday ever being celebrated. It wasn’t a day when rations were distributed, for example. Nor was it a day when special food was available. So we either didn’t remember birthdays or we chose to forget them. The shifting values of the younger generation are particularly threatening to the regime. Exposed to outside information, many young people prioritize personal freedom and choice over collectivism, and express discomfort with the imposed socialist lifestyle. In response, the authorities have intensified ideological education and organizational life to monitor loyalty. Yet this control is only fueling resentment. Some young people attempt to defect or quietly nurture a spirit of resistance. Before I escaped, one of my close friends once confided, “Why do we have to live like this?” I had no answer. We secretly listened to foreign music and talked about freedom on occasion. We knew we could be punished if caught, but that didn’t stop us. In the short term, the enforcement of the “socialist lifestyle” may serve to consolidate the regime. But in the long run, the internal detachment and shifting values of the people may weaken the effectiveness of such control. The influx of outside information and the advance of marketization are offering North Koreans new standards for life, ones that inevitably clash with state-imposed norms. Lifestyle control suppresses autonomy and creativity, hindering both economic and social development. At the same time, the international community is increasingly critical of these measures as violations of human rights. North Korea’s “socialist lifestyle” may be the regime’s final attempt at tethering the people. But the lives of its people are already moving in a different direction. Between control and autonomy, North Korean society is undergoing a quiet fracture. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=In%20an%20era%20of%20greater%20control%2C%20North%20Korea%20is%20quietly%20fracturing&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=In%20an%20era%20of%20greater%20control%2C%20North%20Korea%20is%20quietly%20fracturing https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=In%20an%20era%20of%20greater%20control%2C%20North%20Korea%20is%20quietly%20fracturing "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/in-an-era-of-greater-control-north-korea-is-quietly-fracturing/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=In%20an%20era%20of%20greater%20control%2C%20North%20Korea%20is%20quietly%20fracturing&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/in-an-era-of-greater-control-north-korea-is-quietly-fracturing/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=In%20an%20era%20of%20greater%20control%2C%20North%20Korea%20is%20quietly%20fracturing "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Security guard nabbed for thieving rice and corn from farm in South Hwanghae Province](https://www.nkinsider.org/security-guard-nabbed-for-thieving-rice-and-corn-from-farm-in-south-hwanghae-province/) **Published:** November 10, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/North-korean-farmers-are-harvesting-rice -photonk-times.jpg "North korean farmers are harvesting rice photonk times | nk insider")A local worker has been arrested by police after a series of thefts from a farm in South Hwanghae Province. The worker reportedly used his position as a security guard at the farm to steal a large amount of newly harvested rice and corn. “The man whose name is Kim was arrested on October 30 by the local security department,” a source told NK Times on November 6. The incident happened in Ganggyo village in Jaeryong County, the source said. It comes amid continuing food shortages faced by ordinary North Koreans who are increasingly relying on produce stolen from farms. Ahead of this year’s harvest, the Ministry of Social Security dispatched local security units across the country in late September to prevent crops being stolen and illegally traded. “Kim exploited his position as a security guard to steal a large quantity of grain,” the source said. The arrest came after a series of instances of disappearing grain at the Ganggyo village farm since early October, he said. Farm authorities reported the incidents to the County Security Department, prompting a swift investigation. Kim, who is in his 30s, was quickly identified as the prime suspect after it was reported that he frequently left his post during work hours and exhibited suspicious behavior, such as drinking alcohol and smoking expensive cigarettes. Kim was monitored for two weeks and then caught by security officers on the night of October 30 transporting harvested rice stalks from the fields to his home. Police found a stash of over 400 kilograms of rice and 600 kilograms of corn in his house. “The Jaeryong County Security Department is currently conducting further investigations into the homes of Kim’s relatives and acquaintances to uncover the full extent of the crime,” the source said. “If others are found to have been involved, it will be difficult for them to avoid severe punishment.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Security%20guard%20nabbed%20for%20thieving%20rice%20and%20corn%20from%20farm%20in%20South%20Hwanghae%20Province&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Security%20guard%20nabbed%20for%20thieving%20rice%20and%20corn%20from%20farm%20in%20South%20Hwanghae%20Province https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Security%20guard%20nabbed%20for%20thieving%20rice%20and%20corn%20from%20farm%20in%20South%20Hwanghae%20Province "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/security-guard-nabbed-for-thieving-rice-and-corn-from-farm-in-south-hwanghae-province/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Security%20guard%20nabbed%20for%20thieving%20rice%20and%20corn%20from%20farm%20in%20South%20Hwanghae%20Province&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/security-guard-nabbed-for-thieving-rice-and-corn-from-farm-in-south-hwanghae-province/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Security%20guard%20nabbed%20for%20thieving%20rice%20and%20corn%20from%20farm%20in%20South%20Hwanghae%20Province "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) **Published:** October 29, 2025 **Author:** NK Insider **Excerpt:** 서울, 한국 (2025년 10월 29일) - 지난 주 10월 22일, 휴먼라이츠 재단 (HRF)와 (사) 북한인권민간단체협의회가 함께 ‘2025 NK 인사이더 포럼’을 주최하여 서울 북한 인권 세계대회의 개막을 알리는 일일 행사를 진행하였습니다. 300명 이상의 참가자들이 두 명의 탈북민이 전하는 김씨 정권 하에서의 생생한 경험과 국제 전문가가 조명하는 북한의 비인간적인 처벌, 만연한 검열, 그리고 제도적인 억압에 대한 현실을 듣기 위해 한자리에 모였습니다. 이를 기반으로 북한 인권 문제에 대한 국제사회의 참여를 다시금 활성화할 수 있는 방안을 토론하는 시간을 가졌습니다.  **Content:** - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_0929-900x500.jpg "Dsc_0929") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_1165-900x500.jpg "Dsc_1165") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_1289-900x500.jpg "Dsc_1289") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/One_4562-900x500.jpg "One_4562") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_2990-900x500.jpg "Dsc_2990") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_3470-900x500.jpg "Dsc_3470") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_4050-900x500.jpg "Dsc_4050") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dsc_1192-900x500.jpg "Dsc_1192") **서울, 한국** (2025년 10월 29일) – 지난 주 10월 22일, 휴먼라이츠 재단 (HRF)와 (사) 북한인권민간단체협의회가 함께 ‘2025 NK 인사이더 포럼’을 주최하여 서울 북한 인권 세계대회의 개막을 알리는 일일 행사를 진행하였습니다. 300명 이상의 참가자들이 두 명의 탈북민이 전하는 김씨 정권 하에서의 생생한 경험과 국제 전문가가 조명하는 북한의 비인간적인 처벌, 만연한 검열, 그리고 제도적인 억압에 대한 현실을 듣기 위해 한자리에 모였습니다. 이를 기반으로 북한 인권 문제에 대한 국제사회의 참여를 다시금 활성화할 수 있는 방안을 토론하는 시간을 가졌습니다. 약 10년 전 탈북한 후 처음으로 주요 공개 석상에 모습을 드러낸 전(前) 주러시아 북한 외교 대표부 부대표 김강은 그가 김씨 정권에 대해 보였던 뿌리 깊은 충성심에도 불구하고, 친척이 성경 사본을 배포한 죄로 10년 이상 감옥에 수감되자 그로 인해 그의 가족 또한 처벌받았을 때 느낀 환멸감을 토로하고 회고했습니다. 가디언, 타임스, 워싱턴 타임스의 서울 특파원이었던 마이클 브린은 국제사회가 한반도의 통일을 ‘민주적인 한국’이라는 더 큰 목표를 달성하기 위한 이정표로서 유지할 것을 촉구했습니다. 또한 장기적인 관점에서 자유와 존엄을 향한 사람들의 열망이 권위주의를 이겨낼 것이라고 전망했습니다. 2023년 가족과 함께 해상으로 탈북한 김유미는 그들이 탈북을 결심한 순간을 회상했습니다. 2022년 김정은이 딸을 대중에 공개하며 굶주리는 국민들과 극명하게 대조되는 부와 특권을 과시했을 때, 그녀는 북한에는 더 이상 미래가 없다는 것을 깨달았다고 전했습니다. 토르 할보르센 HRF 회장은 개회사를 통해 남한 정부와 국제사회의 정책 변화가 북한 인권 옹호 활동에 상당한 영향을 미쳤음에도 불구하고, 독재 정권하에서 자유를 요구해 온 북한 주민들의 강인함과 회복 탄력성을 강조했습니다. 이번 포럼에서는 프리덤 테크 개발자인 캘빈 킴(김유상)이 진행한 인터랙티브 기술 세션을 마련하여 참가자들에게 인권 옹호 활동을 발전시킬 수 있는 인공지능(AI) 코딩 도구를 소개했습니다. 한국의 가수이자 케이팝 그룹 원더걸스의 리드 보컬인 선예는 한국어와 영어로 된 노래들을 선보이며, 어린 시절 강원도에서 자라면서 직접 경험한 분단된 한국의 상황에 대해 설명했습니다. 이성민 HRF 한국 데스크 국장은 “오늘날의 북한은 더 이상 예전처럼 고립주의적인 은둔 왕국이 아니다” 라고 언급하며, 북한 정권이 권위주의적인 기술을 도입하고 다른 독재자들과 협력하며 국경 안팎에서 인권을 침해하는 방식을 설명했습니다. 그는 또한 “국제사회는 이렇게 상호 연결되고 커져가는 위협에 맞서기 위해 반드시 탈북민, 시민 사회, 그리고 자유 사회를 앞으로도 꾸준히 지원해야 한다” 라고 강조했습니다. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%97%90%20%EB%8C%80%ED%95%9C%20%EA%B5%AD%EC%A0%9C%EC%A0%81%20%EC%B0%B8%EC%97%AC%EC%9D%98%20%EC%9E%AC%EB%8F%84%EC%95%BD%3A%202025%20NK%20%EC%9D%B8%EC%82%AC%EC%9D%B4%EB%8D%94%20%ED%8F%AC%EB%9F%BC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%97%90%20%EB%8C%80%ED%95%9C%20%EA%B5%AD%EC%A0%9C%EC%A0%81%20%EC%B0%B8%EC%97%AC%EC%9D%98%20%EC%9E%AC%EB%8F%84%EC%95%BD%3A%202025%20NK%20%EC%9D%B8%EC%82%AC%EC%9D%B4%EB%8D%94%20%ED%8F%AC%EB%9F%BC https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%97%90%20%EB%8C%80%ED%95%9C%20%EA%B5%AD%EC%A0%9C%EC%A0%81%20%EC%B0%B8%EC%97%AC%EC%9D%98%20%EC%9E%AC%EB%8F%84%EC%95%BD%3A%202025%20NK%20%EC%9D%B8%EC%82%AC%EC%9D%B4%EB%8D%94%20%ED%8F%AC%EB%9F%BC "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%97%90%20%EB%8C%80%ED%95%9C%20%EA%B5%AD%EC%A0%9C%EC%A0%81%20%EC%B0%B8%EC%97%AC%EC%9D%98%20%EC%9E%AC%EB%8F%84%EC%95%BD%3A%202025%20NK%20%EC%9D%B8%EC%82%AC%EC%9D%B4%EB%8D%94%20%ED%8F%AC%EB%9F%BC&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%97%90%20%EB%8C%80%ED%95%9C%20%EA%B5%AD%EC%A0%9C%EC%A0%81%20%EC%B0%B8%EC%97%AC%EC%9D%98%20%EC%9E%AC%EB%8F%84%EC%95%BD%3A%202025%20NK%20%EC%9D%B8%EC%82%AC%EC%9D%B4%EB%8D%94%20%ED%8F%AC%EB%9F%BC "Reddit") **Categories:** Press Release --- ### [보도 자료: 김정은의 전체주의의 길을 가고 있는 베네수엘라 마두로의 부정 선거 개표 규탄 집회](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism-2/) **Published:** August 16, 2024 **Author:** Ahn Chan-il **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Shutterstock_2452677991.jpg "Caracasvenezuelaapril132024venezuelaspresidentnicolasmadurospeaks | nk insider")**행사 일정:** - **일시:** 2024년 8월 17일 (토) 오후 2시 - **장소:** 서울 광화문 세종문화회관 앞 (지하철 5호선 광화문역 2번출구 건너편) 300 여명의 한국의 여러시민 단체 대표들과 탈북민 단체 대표들이 베네수엘라 마두로 정권의 부정 선거를 규탄하는 성명서 발표 집회를 개최합니다. 베네수엘라는 범죄, 부패, 그리고 기아로 800만 명의 사람들이 나라를 떠나 전 세계로 흩어진 잔혹한 독재 국가입니다. 베네수엘라는 서방에서 가장 큰 규모의 감옥을 운영하고 있으며, 최근 3주 동안 2,000명 이상의 사람들을 정치범으로 수감하였습니다. 그리고 지난 7월 28일 선거에서 야당이 승리했음에도 불구하고 자기들이 승리했다고 부정개표를 하고 억지를 부리고 있습니다. 마두로는 최근 베네수엘라에서 틱톡, 왓츠앱, 엑스 (구 트위터) 등 커뮤니케이션 어플리케이션 사용을 금지했습니다. 그는 사람들이 서로 대화하는 것을 두려워하고 있습니다. 이는 북한 김정은의 전체주의와 다를바 없습니다. 이를 널리 규탄하고, 베네수엘라 야당과 민주세력에 대한 지지와 연대를 보내기 위해 한국의 대표적인 시민단체들이 모여 성명서를 발표하는 행사를 가질 예정입니다. (성명서는 현장에서 배포) 많은 언론과 시민들의 관심과 참여를 부탁드립니다. **2024년 8월 16일** **문의:** +82 -10-9077-6759 - 사단법인 북한인권 - 한반도인권과 통일을 위한 변호사모임 - 올바른 북한인권법과 통일을 위한 시민모임 - 세계탈북민총연맹 - 북한전략센터 - 세계탈북여성지원연합 - 북한민주화위원회 - SNK 글로벌센터 영문 버전을 보시려면 [여기를](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/08/16/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism/) 클릭하세요. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Ahn Chan-il](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/ahn-chan-il-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/ "Ahn Chan-il") [Ahn Chan-il](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/) Chan-il is the Founder and Executive Director of the World North Korea Research Center. He oversees the center’s mission to serve as a prominent think tank dedicated to North Korean studies. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Korea University, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science from Konkuk University. [![Ahn Chan-il](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/ahn-chan-il-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/ "Ahn Chan-il") Latest posts by Ahn Chan-il ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/)) - [Press Release – South Koreans rally to condemn Maduro’s election fraud in Venezuela, following in the steps of Kim Jong-un’s totalitarianism](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism/) - August 16, 2024 - [보도 자료: 김정은의 전체주의의 길을 가고 있는 베네수엘라 마두로의 부정 선거 개표 규탄 집회](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism-2/) - August 16, 2024 - [A Puzzling Propaganda Discrepancy: Kim Jong-un Says the “Republic of Korea” but Others Say “Gwaerae”](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-puzzling-propaganda-discrepancy-kim-jong-un-says-the-republic-of-korea-but-others-say-gwaerae/) - October 8, 2023 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%EB%B3%B4%EB%8F%84%20%EC%9E%90%EB%A3%8C%3A%20%EA%B9%80%EC%A0%95%EC%9D%80%EC%9D%98%20%EC%A0%84%EC%B2%B4%EC%A3%BC%EC%9D%98%EC%9D%98%20%EA%B8%B8%EC%9D%84%20%EA%B0%80%EA%B3%A0%20%EC%9E%88%EB%8A%94%20%EB%B2%A0%EB%84%A4%EC%88%98%EC%97%98%EB%9D%BC%20%EB%A7%88%EB%91%90%EB%A1%9C%EC%9D%98%20%EB%B6%80%EC%A0%95%20%EC%84%A0%EA%B1%B0%20%EA%B0%9C%ED%91%9C%20%EA%B7%9C%ED%83%84%20%EC%A7%91%ED%9A%8C&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%EB%B3%B4%EB%8F%84%20%EC%9E%90%EB%A3%8C%3A%20%EA%B9%80%EC%A0%95%EC%9D%80%EC%9D%98%20%EC%A0%84%EC%B2%B4%EC%A3%BC%EC%9D%98%EC%9D%98%20%EA%B8%B8%EC%9D%84%20%EA%B0%80%EA%B3%A0%20%EC%9E%88%EB%8A%94%20%EB%B2%A0%EB%84%A4%EC%88%98%EC%97%98%EB%9D%BC%20%EB%A7%88%EB%91%90%EB%A1%9C%EC%9D%98%20%EB%B6%80%EC%A0%95%20%EC%84%A0%EA%B1%B0%20%EA%B0%9C%ED%91%9C%20%EA%B7%9C%ED%83%84%20%EC%A7%91%ED%9A%8C https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%EB%B3%B4%EB%8F%84%20%EC%9E%90%EB%A3%8C%3A%20%EA%B9%80%EC%A0%95%EC%9D%80%EC%9D%98%20%EC%A0%84%EC%B2%B4%EC%A3%BC%EC%9D%98%EC%9D%98%20%EA%B8%B8%EC%9D%84%20%EA%B0%80%EA%B3%A0%20%EC%9E%88%EB%8A%94%20%EB%B2%A0%EB%84%A4%EC%88%98%EC%97%98%EB%9D%BC%20%EB%A7%88%EB%91%90%EB%A1%9C%EC%9D%98%20%EB%B6%80%EC%A0%95%20%EC%84%A0%EA%B1%B0%20%EA%B0%9C%ED%91%9C%20%EA%B7%9C%ED%83%84%20%EC%A7%91%ED%9A%8C "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism-2/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%EB%B3%B4%EB%8F%84%20%EC%9E%90%EB%A3%8C%3A%20%EA%B9%80%EC%A0%95%EC%9D%80%EC%9D%98%20%EC%A0%84%EC%B2%B4%EC%A3%BC%EC%9D%98%EC%9D%98%20%EA%B8%B8%EC%9D%84%20%EA%B0%80%EA%B3%A0%20%EC%9E%88%EB%8A%94%20%EB%B2%A0%EB%84%A4%EC%88%98%EC%97%98%EB%9D%BC%20%EB%A7%88%EB%91%90%EB%A1%9C%EC%9D%98%20%EB%B6%80%EC%A0%95%20%EC%84%A0%EA%B1%B0%20%EA%B0%9C%ED%91%9C%20%EA%B7%9C%ED%83%84%20%EC%A7%91%ED%9A%8C&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism-2/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%EB%B3%B4%EB%8F%84%20%EC%9E%90%EB%A3%8C%3A%20%EA%B9%80%EC%A0%95%EC%9D%80%EC%9D%98%20%EC%A0%84%EC%B2%B4%EC%A3%BC%EC%9D%98%EC%9D%98%20%EA%B8%B8%EC%9D%84%20%EA%B0%80%EA%B3%A0%20%EC%9E%88%EB%8A%94%20%EB%B2%A0%EB%84%A4%EC%88%98%EC%97%98%EB%9D%BC%20%EB%A7%88%EB%91%90%EB%A1%9C%EC%9D%98%20%EB%B6%80%EC%A0%95%20%EC%84%A0%EA%B1%B0%20%EA%B0%9C%ED%91%9C%20%EA%B7%9C%ED%83%84%20%EC%A7%91%ED%9A%8C "Reddit") **Categories:** Press Release --- ### [Students forcibly mobilized for corn harvest after school](https://www.nkinsider.org/students-forcibly-mobilized-for-corn-harvest-after-school/) **Published:** November 5, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/A-group-of-north-korean-students-gathered-for-after-school-extracurricular-activities_nktimes.jpg "A group of north korean students gathered for afterschool extracurricular activitiesnktimes | nk insider")With North Korea facing more chronic food shortages, the regime is doing what it does best and looking to boost productivity by enlisting students for farm work. Elementary, middle, and high school students in Hoeryong City have recently been mobilized for corn harvesting after school, according to a source in North Hamgyong Province reached by phone on October 29. This is no voluntary character-building exercise. The city’s education department has directed that all students, except those who are ill or assigned to school cleaning duties, are required to participate. The work takes place at local farms and generally lasts for three or four hours. To ensure the work is taken seriously, the Hoeryong officials require confirmation from each school regarding results. In response to this, teachers are allegedly making students collect at least 2 kilograms of corn each before letting them go home. “The mobilization order came from the central government and was issued to each provincial, city, and county education department. They then pass it down to the schools,” the source said. “Because this is subject to evaluation, teachers feel compelled to make unreasonable demands of their students.” At Nammun High School in Hoeryong City, students were sent to a local farm on October 25 and told that those who collected 2 kilograms of corn first would be allowed to go home immediately. This led some students to pick corn from unharvested fields, drawing reprimands from guards, while others reportedly resorted to thieving husks already collected by other students. “Teachers assign tasks to students and allow them to go home in the order they complete them. This has made students desperate to find husks as quickly as possible,” the source said. “Once autumn begins, this happens two or three times, and students are mobilized each time. But where is there any corn left to collect? Despite this, teachers continue to make unreasonable demands in hopes of themselves receiving favorable evaluations,” he said. “To increase efficiency, teachers often assign tasks that foster competition among students. This competition leads to conflicts and negatively impacts the fundamental goals of education which should be learning and growth,” he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Students%20forcibly%20mobilized%20for%20corn%20harvest%20after%20school&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Students%20forcibly%20mobilized%20for%20corn%20harvest%20after%20school https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Students%20forcibly%20mobilized%20for%20corn%20harvest%20after%20school "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/students-forcibly-mobilized-for-corn-harvest-after-school/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Students%20forcibly%20mobilized%20for%20corn%20harvest%20after%20school&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/students-forcibly-mobilized-for-corn-harvest-after-school/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Students%20forcibly%20mobilized%20for%20corn%20harvest%20after%20school "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Feature: Obscured by clouds](https://www.nkinsider.org/obscured-by-clouds/) **Published:** October 29, 2025 **Author:** — Michael Bluhm, Michael Breen **Content:** *Why does North Korea keep threatening South Korea and its allies without ever going to war? Michael Breen on theater and reality in one of the most enigmatic places on Earth.* ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-95-2.jpg "Body952 | nk insider")Published with The Signal. Sign up [here](https://www.thesgnl.com/newsletter/). On May 21, when North Korea’s navy attempted to launch its second destroyer, the Kang Kon—with the country’s Supreme Leader, Kim Jong Un, looking on—the ceremony ended in disaster. As the ship accidentally slid off its cradle into Kyŏngsŏng Bay, the weight of the vessel crushed and ruptured parts of the hull, leaving the ship’s stern stuck underwater for two weeks. While the failure prompted a lot of good memes and jokes, the 5,000-ton-class Kang Kon—which the navy repaired, relaunching it in June—is part of a standing, ambitious initiative to upgrade the North Korean navy’s capabilities. Just a few weeks earlier, it had launched its first destroyer, the Choe Hyon. In late April, it test-fired weapons systems, including supersonic cruise missiles. The Choe Hyon also has anti-aircraft missiles, a phased radar array, and air-defense systems—sophisticated technologies that some military analysts have concluded Russia must have helped North Korea develop. At the Kang Kon’s relaunch in June, Pyongyang announced plans to build two more destroyers next year. In March, it unveiled a nuclear-powered submarine already under construction. In May, Kim supervised ballistic-missile tests to simulate nuclear counter-strikes against South Korean and U.S. forces. Meanwhile, Pyongyang has conducted a seemingly unending series of weapons tests. Among all the interpretations of these military displays, one stands out: that the North Koreans are preparing a military attack. Late in 2023, Pyongyang announced it would now consider South Korea a hostile country and no longer seek reunification with it. Then, in January 2024, Robert Carlin and Siegfried Hecker—two U.S. officials who’ve worked on North Korea for decades, Carlin with the State Department and CIA, and Hecker as the former director of Los Alamos National Laboratory, the U.S. center for nuclear-weapons research—[released an influential report](https://www.38north.org/2024/01/is-kim-jong-un-preparing-for-war/?ref=thesgnl.com) detailing why they think Kim has made the decision ultimately to go to war. Is this true? **Michael Breen** has lived in South Korea for more than 40 years and is the author of three books on the two Koreas, including a biography of Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il. Breen says outside observers are always in the position of having to interpret North Korean weapons tests through layers of possible meaning, often difficult to parse. Still, he sees evidence for the shape of a different reality: that all these military upgrades belong to the beginnings of a transformative change—in a country long known for almost no change. After decades of privileging the military above all other institutions in North Korea, Pyongyang is now instead showing signs that it’s really focusing on economic development. Yet if he’s right, Breen says, it means Kim is trying to alter his country’s economy without altering its totalitarian politics—raising an enormous question about where and how far this change could go … **Michael Bluhm**: Why all the endless public weapons testing? ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Alicja-podstolska-bodyimage-1024x576.jpg "Alicjapodstolskabodyimage | nk insider")Alicja podstolska**Michael Breen**: It’s never entirely clear what’s happening with anything in North Korea. But when it comes to weapons tests, it’s usually several things at once. Of course, one of them is a basic research need: In order to develop new weapons, you have to test new weapons. But there’s also the consideration of how a test will play at home—and another still of how it will play abroad. Given how opaque North Korea is, weapons tests can seem to come out of nowhere. And it’s always easy for outside observers to imagine there’s a single reason for the timing—or for outside observers in the U.S., in particular, to think that reason is a message, meant for Washington—when in fact, there are often multiple reasons for the timing; and when they’re messages at all, the U.S. is just one possible audience. **Bluhm**: Still, in 2024, this report from Carlin’s and Hecker’s made an influential case that the North Korean regime is gearing up for some sort of military attack. They said it’s the “most dangerous time” on the Korean peninsula since the Korean War. What do you make of that? **Breen**: Well, I respect their knowledge, but I disagree with them. And to be clear, they didn’t actually say they were sure Kim was preparing for war; they were careful to say only that it *looked* like he was. Most analysts are somewhat mystified by what North Korea has been doing; all analysts know it’s ambiguous; and these two presented an interpretation at the pessimistic end of the spectrum. It’s never entirely clear what’s happening with anything in North Korea. Some context for what we’re seeing now: Toward the end of 2023, and again early in 2024, Kim Jong Un pronounced that his regime was now opposed to the reunification of North and South Korea—saying South Korea should be seen as a foreign country, like any other, as much as an enemy. Which has enormous implications. Historically, the governments of both Koreas have considered it a sacred task—which they’ve enshrined in their constitutions—to reunify the peninsula under a single government. And in the North, that idea has been at the heart of the whole conceit for running their country like a military base. For the most part, South Korean people haven’t taken Kim very seriously on any of this. Many just said, you know, *There he goes again.* But the interpretation that got the headlines was Carlin’s and Hecker’s—the interpretation that by reversing the longstanding North Korean narrative about South Koreans being our brothers and sisters suffering under the boot of the imperialist Americans, Kim created a justification for war, even a nuclear attack. I wouldn’t see the circumstances in the country supporting that view, though. Some more historical context: By the 1980s, it was clear that of the Koreas’ two different economic-development models, South Korea’s was the more successful—even though after the Korean War, the North had started out with the more industrialized economy. Today, there’s no economic competition between these two countries—and no one’s been expecting a military operation by either side to reunify the peninsula. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christopher-pap-de-pesteny-bodyimage-1024x576.jpg "Christopherpapdepestenybodyimage | nk insider")Christopher pap de pestenyInstead, analysts have been expecting one of two things: a coup in the North to replace a leadership that badly lost its economic competition with the South; or an acceptance in the North that the South has the better model—and with that, an opening of the North’s economy, like Deng Xiaoping, then the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, opened China’s in 1979. For a long time, it’s been hard to imagine a transformation like that happening in North Korea. But now there’s some prospect that one might tentatively be underway. When Kim Jong Il took over the country back in 1994, he realized he needed the military in order to keep himself in power, so he made it the most important element of the North Korean state. And for his nearly two decades of rule, this primacy of the military he cultivated remained in force. Now, though, it seems the North’s decades-long commitment to that primacy is being displaced by what appears to be more of an interest in economic development and improving people’s livelihoods. We can’t know for sure yet, but if this is starting to happen—if—it could be the beginning of Kim Jong Un’s Deng Xiaoping moment. **Bluhm**: What evidence would you see for that? **Breen**: I don’t want to give myself to any wishful thinking, of course, but I see two big items of potential evidence. One is the fact of Pyongyang having declared its new opposition to the idea of reunification with South Korea. It’s evidence of a major change in the country’s strategic direction, if not of the direction itself. They know if they did anything serious, they’d be thrashed by South Korea and the U.S. The second suggests the new direction, though: Across North Korea, we’re seeing huge construction projects—some 25 factories in all, which is about two factories for each province. It’s an enormously ambitious move intended to produce economic growth. That would sound unremarkable for most countries, but North Korea is different. The government there hasn’t had to focus on its economy at all to maintain political power. Hundreds of thousands of people died in a famine from 1994 to 1998, and the whole time, the regime never faced a threat to its control. But that’s also a reason to be circumspect about the possibility of a transformation in North Korea: There’s still no political change. For years, Beijing tried to get North Korea to open its economy, and Pyongyang basically said, *When you open a window, you let flies in.* They always worried that reform or liberalization would lead to demands for freedom and democracy. Today, it looks like they’re trying to have it both ways—to reform their economy without changing their politics. If it were another ruler doing this, I’d be more confident in saying a transformation is happening. But Kim Jong Un spent the first 10 years of his rule keeping the military happy and affirming dynastic succession. So there’s evidence indicating the possibility of systemic change in North Korea, but there’s also the persistent question of how deep change in North Korea can ever be—and how far it can go. **Bluhm**: So how would the recent defense displays fit with a potential reorientation toward economic development? That seems counterintuitive. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Micha-brandli-bodyimage-1024x576.jpg "Michabrandlibodyimage | nk insider")Micha brandli**Breen**: It does. But think of it this way: If you needed to reorient North Korea without signaling that you were surrendering anything to anyone—to keep the military happy, along the way—one way you could do that would be to puff up your posture of being a tough guy with the outside world, not least by building nuclear weapons and threatening neighbors. Which would also explain Pyongyang’s recent diplomatic initiatives. In late April 2024, a North Korean delegation visited Iran. North Korea called 2024 “the year of friendship with China.” In 2023, Kim had a summit with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, and North Korea continues to supply arms and spare parts for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. It even sent soldiers to fight on Russia’s side. Pyongyang appears to be stepping out in the world much more confidently and boldly, as it abandons the idea of reunification with the South in favor of its emerging priorities domestically and internationally. **Bluhm**: About this move away from the idea of reunification: In April 2022, Stephan Haggard said here in The Signal that Kim’s missile tests [didn’t ultimately disturb the stability of the Korean peninsula](https://www.thesgnl.com/2022/04/north-korea-icbm-test/), because South Korea and the U.S. had established such powerful deterrents to any attack by North Korea. Do you think that’s true? **Breen**: I do. The North Koreans aren’t stupid. They know if they did anything serious, they’d be thrashed by South Korea and the U.S. Over the past 20 years, Pyongyang has provoked small incidents here and there, but they’ve always been very careful not to trigger a major retaliation. What Kim really wants from the Americans is a peace treaty to end the Korean War formally—because then he can say, *Okay, so why do you still need troops in South Korea.* That said, North Korea’s nuclear capability does remain a serious threat—as does North Korea’s ability to strike the U.S. mainland with non-nuclear missiles. Pyongyang does have those capabilities. **Bluhm**: Thinking about the dynamic between North Korea and the U.S.: In 2022, after Kim ended a moratorium on missile tests, Haggard said that Kim’s primary concern was his relationship with Washington. How would you say the U.S. figures in Kim’s calculations? **Breen**: Historically, the North Koreans used to play the Chinese and the Russians off against one another, to see who’d give more aid. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Pyongyang quickly reached out to the U.S., apparently trying to continue its old strategy, only now with Washington replacing Moscow. But it didn’t work, because the U.S. has consistently required that North Korea give up its nuclear-weapons program—which it just isn’t going to do. The North Koreans have also, historically and very publicly, cast the U.S. as their main enemy. Which remains very useful for Kim’s domestic position today, because it makes him look like a determined underdog standing up to the big, global bully. Kim would also like to sideline South Korea as much as possible and get some money out of Washington—without working too closely with the U.S. What Kim really wants from the Americans is a peace treaty to end the Korean War formally—because then he can say, *Okay, so why do you still need troops in South Korea.* ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Bodyimage-copy-1-1024x576.jpg "Bodyimagecopy1 | nk insider")Thomas evansAt the same time, Pyongyang is also strengthening its relations with America’s enemies more intentionally and more clearly than before—which is creating the appearance that Kim has given up on any expectation of progress with the U.S. **Bluhm**: A lot of media reports have suggested that Kim was very disappointed by his 2019 summit in Hanoi with U.S. President Donald Trump—that this was the moment when he gave up the longstanding goal of normalizing relations with Washington. Carlin and Hecker say this was when Kim decided on a new strategy of increased belligerence and confrontation with the U.S. How do you see Kim’s military moves since fitting with this picture? **Breen**: I see two possibilities here. One is Carlin and Hecker’s argument that Kim has given up on normalization—at least until there’s a new administration in 2029, when there might theoretically be some reset with Washington. In which case, Kim’s objective meanwhile would be to strengthen relations with Putin and other American enemies. The other possibility is that Kim intends increased belligerence and confrontation to push the U.S. toward normalization talks. It can seem he’s sending a message: *We’re not going to give up our weapons, and we can be dangerous—so why not talk to us. Let’s look for some sort of realistic agreement we can come to.* But it’s unclear to me to what extent Kim’s behavior is directed toward the U.S. at all. People in Washington tend to think everything revolves around America. And a lot can. I’m just not entirely sure that’s the case here. Though the nuclear threat is real, any U.S. administration focusing mainly on nuclear weapons isn’t going to make any progress with North Korea, anyway, because the North Koreans simply aren’t giving up their nukes. The Americans and their allies have no real vision for North Korea or Northeast Asia; they only care about nuclear weapons here. But there’s tremendous potential in Northeast Asia for a broad regional strengthening of democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and free markets; South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are already far down that path. Washington could be helping with those considerations generally and these countries specifically when there’s an opportunity. Instead, it’s focused on nuclear security narrowly. Their position on North Korea is just, *If you don’t give up your nuclear weapons, we aren’t even talking to you.* And though the nuclear threat is real, any U.S. administration focusing mainly on nuclear weapons isn’t going to make any progress with North Korea, anyway, because the North Koreans simply aren’t giving up their nukes. **Bluhm**: You mention that North Korean officials traveled to Iran in 2024, and that Pyongyang has worked more closely with Russia since it invaded Ukraine. How do Pyongyang’s foreign alliances look today? **Breen**: It’s interesting, North Korea almost entirely shut down after the pandemic broke out. Partly because Kim himself got Covid, the entire system became very serious about it. They didn’t even allow diplomats to re-enter the country. But things have since reverted more to normal. Before the pandemic, in 2019, North Korea sent a delegation to Iran, so we shouldn’t read too much into the 2024 trip. Western scrutiny of Pyongyang’s relationships with Russia and Iran is intense because of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. And true to form, Kim is picking the sides opposed to the U.S. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Random-institutebodyimage-1024x576.jpg "Randominstitutebodyimage | nk insider")Random instituteStill, I see a new confidence in North Korea that comes with saying, *We’re not interested in reunification anymore; South Korea is just another country that we still have problems with on our border. We’re firming up ties with countries that treat us with respect and help us get around unjust sanctions.* So if the sanctions ended, Pyongyang’s relations with Moscow and Tehran might not be as important. **Bluhm**: At the same time, relations with China seem to have cooled—though maybe that too is hard to say entirely, with both countries being so opaque. How do you see the relationship between Pyongyang and Beijing these days? **Breen**: They’re close formally but not so close in reality. China’s ties with North Korea were forged back in the 1950s, during the Korean War, when the People’s Republic rescued the North from defeat. Many Chinese soldiers died for this. Today, many Chinese admire South Korea for its culture and its economy—and China’s economic relationship with South Korea is far more important than with North Korea. Beijing and Seoul do an enormous amount of trade together. Meanwhile, there are a significant number of ethnic Koreans living in China near the border with North Korea—and they tend to be very glad they’re not in North Korea. They’re freer and wealthier in China than they would be there. That said, ties between Beijing and Pyongyang are warming—but the context there could be that Kim is trying to revive the old competition between his two major allies, the Russians and the Chinese. It can seem he’s trying to play them off each other. As far as we can see. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/michael-breen-michael-bluhm/ "— Michael Bluhm, Michael Breen") [— Michael Bluhm, Michael Breen](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/michael-breen-michael-bluhm/) [](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/michael-breen-michael-bluhm/ "— Michael Bluhm, Michael Breen") Latest posts by — Michael Bluhm, Michael Breen ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/michael-breen-michael-bluhm/)) - [Feature: Obscured by clouds](https://www.nkinsider.org/obscured-by-clouds/) - October 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Feature%3A%20Obscured%20by%20clouds&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Feature%3A%20Obscured%20by%20clouds https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Feature%3A%20Obscured%20by%20clouds "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/obscured-by-clouds/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Feature%3A%20Obscured%20by%20clouds&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/obscured-by-clouds/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Feature%3A%20Obscured%20by%20clouds "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Feature: The way of Kim Jong Un](https://www.nkinsider.org/feature-the-way-of-kim-jong-un/) **Published:** October 29, 2025 **Author:** — Soo Kim, Oliver Mills **Content:** *How is political upheaval in South Korea affecting North Korea? Soo Kim on what’s driving Pyongyang’s increasing hostility toward Seoul.* ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-39.jpg "Body39 | nk insider")Published with The Signal. Sign up [here](https://www.thesgnl.com/newsletter/). In late 2023, North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un declared he no longer wanted to reunify with South Korea. Seoul was now Pyongyang’s “principal enemy.” Since then, Kim has tested new and more powerful missiles, launched his navy’s first destroyers, and unveiled a nuclear-powered submarine under construction. Kim made this shift when South Korea was ruled by President Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who took a hard line against the North. But then on December 4, 2024, Yoon made a power grab: He declared martial law, disbanded the legislature, and said some members of the liberal opposition—the Democratic Party of Korea—were working with North Korea to undermine the South’s security. Yoon’s gambit failed. Members of the National Assembly—including some from his own party—sneaked past soldiers that same night to meet in the chamber and revoke his declaration. Yoon eventually backed down, the legislature impeached him, and the Constitutional Court removed him from office in April. He’s now awaiting trial on charges of insurrection and abuse of power. On June 3, voters chose Lee Jae Myung of the DPK to replace him. Lee has made conciliatory moves toward Kim—a major change from Yoon. He pledged to reopen communication channels with Pyongyang, suspended propaganda broadcasts into the North, and in August, the country dismantled some loudspeakers along the border. How is North Korea responding? **Soo Kim** is a former analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency and the RAND Corporation, where she tracked East Asia and the Korean Peninsula. Kim says that despite predictably bombastic rhetoric from Pyongyang about events in Seoul—and despite how hard it always is to know what’s really going on inside the North Korean regime—one thing seems clear: Kim Jong Un has no interest in engagement with South Korea. The supreme leader is playing a long game, Kim says, and his primary interest is the survival of his family dynasty—not dissolving it in reunification. He sees nuclear weapons as his best tool for strengthening the regime, and his growing partnership with Russia is valuable too. He sees little to gain through diplomacy with the South—and meanwhile, the idea of reunifying the Korean Peninsula recedes further with each new generation in both Koreas. **Oliver Mills**: In late 2023, Kim Jong Un said he no longer wanted reunification with the South and saw it as an adversary like any other. What do we know about why he did that? ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-40-1024x576.jpg "Body40 | nk insider")Yohan cho**Soo Kim**: It’s related to the degeneration of Korean relations and the development of North Korea’s nuclear weapons. Back in 2017—when Moon Jae-in was South Korea’s president and Donald Trump was in his first term—Seoul tried to frame itself as a mediator of inter-Korean relations. Pyongyang rejected that. It didn’t want the South meddling in its dealings with the U.S. and saw Moon as a hindrance. Then, when Moon lost the election in 2022, Pyongyang no longer saw any utility in engaging with the South, because Moon’s successor, Yoon Suk Yeol, refused to make concessions to North Korea. Both Koreas used to talk about reunification like it was a realistic outcome, but it’s not easy for either side; that’s why they’ve been separated so long. Kim is realistic about that. Now he’s got nuclear capabilities, and he’s cooperating with Russia on the war in Ukraine, so it seems he thinks he doesn’t need to engage with South Korea anymore. South Korea’s current administration, led by Lee Jae Myung, has expressed unconditional patience toward the North and is taking independent steps toward reconciliation. However, as Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong recently stated, North Korea no longer has an appetite for reunification. They want to go it alone—on nuclear talks, on all relations with Washington. There’s really no place for South Korea right now in engagement—much less reunification. Pyongyang has shut the door, calling out South Korean cabinet members to tell Seoul it doesn’t want to deal with it and doesn’t see it as a partner. Instead, it sees the administration in Seoul as an obstacle to its nuclear ambitions and any potential opening for a deal with Trump. North Korea no longer has an appetite for reunification. They want to go it alone—on nuclear talks, on all relations with Washington. **Mills**: So relations between the North and South had been poor for some time, and Kim has had nuclear weapons for many years. What do we know about why he decided to make this major strategic shift when he did? **Kim**: It relates to how the outside world views North Korea’s weapons. Pyongyang’s short, intermediate, and long-range ballistic missiles are increasingly seen as a normal part of the world’s security dynamic, so we’re no longer fazed when Kim Jong Un tests a missile. Kim has capitalized on this. Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons are a credible threat, but the U.S. still hasn’t recognized North Korea as a nuclear state—partly because there’s no real way for Washington to deal with that. It’s a unique situation. Kim’s very attuned to that. If unification isn’t possible, and he already has nuclear weapons—then severing official ties makes an even stronger case for retaining his nukes. Designating South Korea as its principal enemy allows Pyongyang to say, *We have an enemy, so we’re going to strengthen our capabilities—and there’s no way for the world to convince us to get rid of them.* **Mills**: How do you see Kim’s shift in the context of the two countries’ relations since the end of the Korean War? **Kim**: Simply put, times have changed. North Korea’s system remains similar—no change in the Kim dynasty, and the population is still restricted in movement and freedom of speech. The X factor here is the North’s nuclear weapons. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-42-1024x576.jpg "Body42 | nk insider")Yohan choDuring Kim Il Sung’s rule, from 1948 to 1994, the goal was to reunify the two Koreas under the North’s ideology; that made sense at the time, as not much time had passed since the split. In Kim Jong Il’s era, reunification was still in the picture, but Pyongyang leveraged this willingness to sell “engagement”—economic cooperation and cultural exchange—to get money. Over time, the growing rift between the two Koreas—economically, socially, politically—has made it ideologically unrealistic to unite them. Now we have Kim Jong Un, who’s shown himself over the years to be much more ruthless than his father or grandfather. We’ve also seen greater steps toward nuclear sophistication in his less than two decades of rule, which—combined with this rupture on unification, and changes to Pyongyang’s constitution—says a lot about where his mindset is. **Mills**: Was reunification always a high priority for Kim’s father and grandfather, or did that wax and wane? **Kim**: Under Kim Il Sung, it was definitely a priority, after the trauma of the war. But with each new generation, the idea of reunification became more and more diluted, even though it was written into the constitution as a goal. Both countries were facing the realities of how each had evolved. South Korea became more westernized and reaped the benefits of integrating with the international system, while North Korea became much more isolated. The directions the two countries took only made reunification more difficult. Pyongyang described the declaration as a sort of crazy attempt by South Korean leadership to seize control—which is pretty ironic, given North Korean standards. Kim Jong Un has taken a tougher, more recalcitrant stance on reunification, largely due to his expansive weapons system. Kim clearly understands that reunification has been diluted as an idea, and he wants to capitalize on the nuclear progress he’s made over the years. Crises elsewhere—wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, U.S.-China tensions—have distracted from North Korea’s nuclear capabilities being a primary concern. Unification is now a pipe dream for both sides, and Kim is smart enough to realize that even though it’s been removed from the constitution as a goal, the two countries still won’t go to war any time soon. Some people on the peninsula have concerns about the future direction of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, so the stars have aligned for Kim to maintain his grip on these weapons without having to deal with the consequences of having them. With so much going on in the world right now, it’s hard to pay much attention to the threat from North Korea. **Mills**: How did North Korea react to Yoon’s declaration of martial law in December 2024? **Kim**: Surprisingly, North Korea didn’t respond immediately. Instead, Pyongyang waited a week to say something; they wanted to see how things would play out, and recognized there was a risk of backlash to an immediate reaction. When they did respond, they tried to craft a narrative in favor of the North’s political system and leadership. Some people might have expected a quick response, but criticizing a country already designated as their principal enemy might have had an adverse effect, drawing too much attention to North Korea’s own political system and Kim Jong Un’s leadership. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-41-1024x576.jpg "Body41 | nk insider")Christopher pap de pestényEventually, Pyongyang moved to widen the divide between the two Koreas, by criticizing the South’s regime and calling it weak compared to the North. It stirred up ideas that South Korea is a tightly controlled society, and used Yoon’s declaration to frame Seoul as a fascist regime—labeling the move as an attempt to tighten his grip over the South’s population. **Mills**: When Yoon declared martial law, he accused members of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea of working with Pyongyang. Did the North react to these charges? **Kim**: No. Interestingly, Pyongyang described the declaration as a sort of crazy attempt by South Korean leadership to seize control—which is pretty ironic, given North Korean standards. This was similar to Pyongyang’s reaction to the South Korean military coup in 1980, when General Chun Doo-hwan seized power after President Park Chung-hee’s assassination and then expanded martial law to consolidate power. Pyongyang used that episode as an opportunity for propaganda comparing the two systems; it framed North Korea as superior, demonstrating to its own population that the South had political dysfunction that didn’t exist in its system. **Mills**: How did Pyongyang react when Yoon was impeached within two weeks? **Kim**: North Korea kept this reaction pretty mum and issued a report pointing to weaknesses in South Korea’s institutions—calling it a fascist dictatorship. The reaction was all rhetoric—no show of military force, no weapons testing, just a cynical readout of Seoul’s political system. We’re apt to see a lot of South Korean pining toward North Korea—and North Korea rebuffing the South. People may have expected more from North Korea at the time, but Kim Jong Un knew that a stronger reaction risked backlash toward his own leadership and political system. He was also cognizant that, having already pushed reunification out of the picture, the optics of reporting on a leadership crisis in a country already labeled as its principal enemy might look odd for North Korea. **Mills**: After Yoon’s impeachment, Lee Jae Myung won a special election for the presidency in June. He’s taken a much friendlier tone toward the North. How is Kim reacting to Lee’s conciliatory moves? **Kim**: Last week, Kim Yo Jong issued a statement calling Lee unfit to be North Korea’s partner. She called out top cabinet ministers too, to make sure Seoul knows that North Korea has no desire whatsoever to engage with the South right now; she made clear the North looks with disdain on whatever peaceful gestures the Lee administration is trying to make. Lee has talked about unilaterally reviving the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement—which North Korea suspended in December 2023—and taking independent steps to ensure peace can be achieved without fighting. But that’s all been rebuffed by Pyongyang. Lee clearly gets it. He knows that what he’s saying isn’t being received favorably by the North—but from his perspective, he can at least demonstrate to Pyongyang that Seoul harbors no threatening intentions. Lee also knows this won’t be taken as sincere, but these gestures are basically the best he can do right now, given his situation and North Korea’s lack of receptivity. In the next few months, we’re apt to see a lot of South Korean pining toward North Korea—and North Korea rebuffing the South. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Body-4-1-1024x576.jpg "Body41 | nk insider")Yohan cho**Mills**: Earlier this month, South Korea said Pyongyang had started to dismantle its propaganda loudspeakers near the border in response to Lee’s move to suspend broadcasts and dismantle the South’s speakers. Pyongyang’s response was that this unequivocally did not happen. What’s going on here? **Kim**: That incident was pretty comical. Seoul was saying, *We’re going to dismantle our loudspeakers—and look, North Korea did too.* Not long after, North Korea said, *No, we didn’t.* This shows the current discord between North and South Korea. It shows just how much animosity Pyongyang has for the South—animosity, or indifference. It can be hard to tell the difference. Either way, it was a bold gesture by Seoul—but one the North Korean administration seems just to have ignored. **Mills**: Has the turmoil in the South since the declaration of martial law affected North Korea’s strategic posture toward the South? **Kim**: In the big picture, I don’t think it has. You have to remember, North Korea is playing a long game. We see changes with elections in countries like the U.S. and South Korea, where strategy can change every four or five years under a new leader—but meanwhile, North Korea is just staying the course. Until the day Kim Jong Un dies or gets overthrown, their path will probably stay the same. What Kim says about the declaration of martial law failing might be interesting—but all his talk about the superiority of North Korea’s system is a survival strategy. Shifts in South Korea’s democracy are interesting, but they don’t change the calculus around Pyongyang’s continuing build-up of nuclear weapons. Kim’s made it very clear he’s going to keep ramping up their weapons research and construction. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/oliver-mills-soo-kim/ "— Soo Kim, Oliver Mills") [— Soo Kim, Oliver Mills](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/oliver-mills-soo-kim/) [](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/oliver-mills-soo-kim/ "— Soo Kim, Oliver Mills") Latest posts by — Soo Kim, Oliver Mills ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/oliver-mills-soo-kim/)) - [Feature: The way of Kim Jong Un](https://www.nkinsider.org/feature-the-way-of-kim-jong-un/) - October 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Feature%3A%20The%20way%20of%20Kim%20Jong%20Un&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Feature%3A%20The%20way%20of%20Kim%20Jong%20Un https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Feature%3A%20The%20way%20of%20Kim%20Jong%20Un "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/feature-the-way-of-kim-jong-un/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Feature%3A%20The%20way%20of%20Kim%20Jong%20Un&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/feature-the-way-of-kim-jong-un/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Feature%3A%20The%20way%20of%20Kim%20Jong%20Un "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Kim Jong-un camp followers to cavort with Manhattan’s Marxists… US Juche jamboree, part Comintern, part bombintern](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-camp-followers-to-cavort-with-manhattans-marxists-us-juche-jamboree-part-comintern-part-bombintern/) **Published:** July 22, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Ureuk-symphony-orchestra.jpg "Ureuk symphony orchestra | nk insider")For anyone seeking insight into the nature and scope of the [pro-North Korea movement](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghWXBzf6ZQA) in the United States, an opportunity is just about to arise. The[ Riverside Church](https://juicyecumenism.com/2021/07/29/churches-cuba-communism/) in New York City, host to [radical](https://keywiki.org/Riverside_Church_Disarmament_Program) events for decades, will host a major conference of pro-North Korea and terrorism supporting [groups](https://peoplessummitforkorea.org/partners) and [activists](https://peoplessummitforkorea.org/speakers) from [July 25 through July 27](https://peoplessummitforkorea.org/faq) with participants from across the U.S. and around the world. Everyone who is anyone in the pro-North Korea movement will be there. The sponsoring, organizing, and participating groups and speakers constitute a “who’s who” of pro-North forces. In addition, pursuant to “intersectionality,” many pro-terrorism groups and activists, including those [supportive of Hamas](https://www.ajc.org/news/what-is-students-for-justice-in-palestine-the-hamas-supporting-anti-israel-group-being-banned) will attend, as well as several communist parties and groups representing a variety of not only [Kimilsungist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5RAcS4pVMw), but also [Marxist](https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/students-for-a-democratic-society-sds/), [Leninist](https://www.liberationschool.org/lenin-and-the-path-to-revolution-3-part-course-with-brian-becker/), [Stalinist](https://frso.org/statements/the-contributions-of-stalin-and-the-struggle-for-socialism-today/),[ Trotskyist](https://www.workers.org/2022/06/64874/), [Maoist](https://www.qiaocollective.com/articles/cpc-centenary?rq=Mao), [Castroist](https://www.cuba-venezuela.org/index.php/2025/06/04/may-day-in-cuba-2025/), and [Hoxhaist](https://www.americanpartyoflabor.com/statements/2025-1-1) perspectives. This rogue’s gallery of extremism, the fringe of a fringe, will be the largest gathering of hardcore pro-North groups and activists since an ad hoc group called the Korea Truth Commission in June 2001 held a [Korea International War Crimes Tribunal](https://iacenter.org/2001/07/05/after-50-years-of-suffering-tribunal-finds-u-s-guilty-of-war-crimes-in-korea/) in New York City to blame the U.S. for starting the Korean War. Some of the same pro-North groups and activists who organized and participated in that event will now be involved in the conference. The years pass, but the hatred for America remains. [The People’s Summit for Korea](https://peoplessummitforkorea.org/), as it is being called, will focus on defending North Korea while calling for the “liberation” of South Korea, with copious doses of anti-Americanism. It will include advocates for [Hamas ](https://canarymission.org/organization/Palestinian_Youth_Movement)and the communist [New People’s Army](https://www.ntfelcac.gov.ph/post/c90b428e) rebels of the Philippines, both of which have murdered Americans and are designated by Washington as terrorist organizations. Supporters of other communist, jihadist, and dictatorial regimes such as China, Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela will also participate. This jamboree of Juche fans will thus be part Comintern and part Bombintern, a kind of 21st century Woodstock for cheerleaders for totalitarianism, repression, and terrorism. As for the timing, pro-North forces in the U.S. and elsewhere often hold events or conduct [congressional lobbying](https://www.womencrossdmz.org/an-incredible-three-days-in-dc/) campaigns in late June or late July, to coincide with North Korea’s annual [“Month of Anti-American Struggle.”](https://nypost.com/2015/06/25/north-korea-celebrates-hate-america-month/) Another major reason for the event at this time, and the explanation as to why so many pro-North groups and activists are involved, has to do with the strategic decision by Kim Jong-un in late 2023 and early 2024. When Kim [announced](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231231002300315) and began to implement his new policy [discarding a longstanding policy](https://www.ft.com/content/206dd3e6-19db-4cdf-932a-033c92a1a221) emphasis on the reunification of Korea, the result was confusion among pro-North forces in both South Korea and the U.S., since the policy shift had not been explained in advance. Pro-North groups and activists were taken by surprise. But those in the [U.S.](http://kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=40912) and [South Korea](https://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=210912) followed the North’s dictates by revising their rhetoric and changing the names of their organizations to comport with the change of direction. Some longtime leaders of pro-North groups who were associated with the North’s previous unification policy obediently stepped down to make way for [new chiefs](https://www.womencrossdmz.org/women-cross-dmz-announces-cathi-choi-as-new-co-director/), and in a few cases, groups closely affiliated with the old policy were urged to [disband](http://www.kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=39670). Nevertheless, a sense of [unease and confusion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53FsRbIQeIE) remains among pro-North activists as to how to proceed in promoting the cause. It is therefore highly likely that the conference is being held now to [further explain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4nGFg_q7LU) and ensure correct understanding of and full compliance with the North’s new policy which characterizes South Korea as a hostile state and discourages the reunification-related rhetoric of the past. This is not speculation, as some hardcore pro-North figures have hinted at this need for increased coordination under the new policy of Kim. Although several past and present leaders and members of the groups directly involved in this conference, such as Nodutdol and Women Cross DMZ, have for many years been communicating, meeting, and collaborating on [political influence projects](https://accountabilityinitiative.org/chinese-spies-and-california-democrats-part-1/) with North Korean [intelligence agents](https://www.newsweek.com/north-korean-stooges-step-light-opinion-1812844) based at the [North’s Mission](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zBQn8kx8O8&t=1s) to the United Nations, there is another foreign force which may also be present behind the scenes. Groups listed as “convening” or “supporting” the event, such as Code Pink, The People’s Forum, ANSWER Coalition (a front group of the communist Party for Socialism and Liberation) have been under [investigation by Congress](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/icymi-graham-rubio-to-ag-garland-provide-update-on-efforts-to-counter-ccp-propaganda-operations) and the subject of [media investigative reports](https://nypost.com/2025/06/13/us-news/house-gop-launches-probe-of-china-based-billionaire-linked-to-protest-groups-including-anti-ice-agitators-in-la/) for their alleged connection to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), via a funding and [political influence network](https://networkcontagion.us/wp-content/uploads/SID4P-Report_May-2024.pdf) operated by radical billionaire Neville Roy Singham. Based in Shanghai and married to a co-founder and co-leader of Code Pink, Singham, according to those [reports](https://www.thefp.com/p/american-marxists-funding-pro-palestinian-rage) and investigations (and allegedly through him the CCP) has been generously supporting these groups. The Congressional [investigations](https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/grassley_to_doj_fbi_-_code_pink_and_the_peoples_forum.pdf), which are seeking testimony from groups and individuals involved, will not conclude by the time of the conference, but it appears that Singham’s network may play a significant role in the event via its funded organizations. It is possible that New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani may stop by. He is a proud member of the Marxist [Democratic Socialists of America](https://socialists.nyc/zohran-mayor-nyc-dsa/), which is a “supporting organization” of the event, and was [endorsed](https://x.com/johnchoe4nyc/status/1937854846507311108) by a [co-founder](https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/nyregion/man-s-bridge-to-north-korea-is-seen-as-link-to-espionage.html) of the [fanatically pro-North](https://www.instagram.com/p/DFf-36vxhVX/?img_index=1) group Nodutdol, which is a “convening organization.” He may seek votes from his natural allies, who may put aside their distaste for “bourgeois elections” to vote for a comrade who, like them, has impeccable anti-Israel qualifications. Even if sourced from members of extremist groups which have [praised terrorist murders](https://nypost.com/2025/05/22/us-news/far-left-anti-israel-bronx-group-cheers-accused-dc-jewish-museum-terrorist-elias-rodriguez-encourages-more-violence/), [called for](https://www.instagram.com/nodutdol/p/C8pOuNIuzFJ/?img_index=1) the [overthrow of South Korea](https://nodutdol.org/about/), [urged](https://ngo-monitor.org/ngos/palestinian-youth-movement/) the [destruction of Israel](https://capitalresearch.org/app/uploads/Marching-Toward-Violence-1.pdf), and endorsed the [abolition of the U.S.](https://www.investigativeproject.org/8463/death-to-america-love-for-north-korea-and-hate), a vote is a vote. As for those coming from overseas for this festival of hate, no doubt the relevant authorities will exercise their discretion to identify those whose presence would be detrimental for U.S. national security. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20camp%20followers%20to%20cavort%20with%20Manhattan%E2%80%99s%20Marxists%E2%80%A6%20US%20Juche%20jamboree%2C%20part%20Comintern%2C%20part%20bombintern&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20camp%20followers%20to%20cavort%20with%20Manhattan%E2%80%99s%20Marxists%E2%80%A6%20US%20Juche%20jamboree%2C%20part%20Comintern%2C%20part%20bombintern https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20camp%20followers%20to%20cavort%20with%20Manhattan%E2%80%99s%20Marxists%E2%80%A6%20US%20Juche%20jamboree%2C%20part%20Comintern%2C%20part%20bombintern "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-camp-followers-to-cavort-with-manhattans-marxists-us-juche-jamboree-part-comintern-part-bombintern/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20camp%20followers%20to%20cavort%20with%20Manhattan%E2%80%99s%20Marxists%E2%80%A6%20US%20Juche%20jamboree%2C%20part%20Comintern%2C%20part%20bombintern&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-camp-followers-to-cavort-with-manhattans-marxists-us-juche-jamboree-part-comintern-part-bombintern/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20camp%20followers%20to%20cavort%20with%20Manhattan%E2%80%99s%20Marxists%E2%80%A6%20US%20Juche%20jamboree%2C%20part%20Comintern%2C%20part%20bombintern "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Pro-North Korean speakers in South Korea oppose capitalism and the US alliance](https://www.nkinsider.org/pro-north-korean-speakers-in-south-korea-oppose-capitalism-and-the-us-alliance/) **Published:** October 28, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Istock-1397604672-1.jpg "A man looking at the crowd from above a symbol of totalitarianism dictatorship machiavellianism a symbol of an authoritarian regime | nk insider")The greatest speeches of the world’s foremost political orators have often been collected in books, and many are also featured online, in some cases in original recordings. The most memorable – delivered in a colonial Virginia church by Patrick Henry, in a field outside of Gettysburg by Abraham Lincoln, in the House of Commons by Winston Churchill, or in a divided Berlin by Ronald Reagan – have taken the form of calls to action, solemn tributes, declarations of defiance, or appeals to conscience. Such orations are studied, memorized and admired for having marked historical turning points, and became historic in themselves, by their lasting ability to inspire free peoples. There are other speeches, however, typically forgotten as soon as they are delivered, which have no positive impact, and are viewed as “negative examples,” in that they express reprehensible views often expressed by vile individuals. Although certainly not great or worthy of any admiration, such speeches, in some cases, should be seen as warnings that there are always forces in our world, represented by individuals, whose views we should both fear and do everything possible to struggle against. Two such speeches were recently delivered in Seoul. They should be made known to Koreans and to Americans, not because they were important or inspiring, but because they reveal a dark vision and sinister worldview which free peoples, and specifically supporters of the U.S.-ROK alliance, must beware of and oppose. The first of these was given by the extreme-left revisionist historian Professor Kim Dong-choon, who served as the standing commissioner of the ROK government’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission from December 2005 to December 2010, and is a professor emeritus at Sungkonghoe University and director of the Good World Research Institute. Kim is known for his outlandish far-left views, heavily influenced by anachronistic Marxist analyses, which in several cases mimic the policy positions and propaganda statements of the North Korean regime. Nevertheless, his September 30 [speech](https://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=214680) entitled, “100 Years of Thought Control – Confronting Hatred and Violence,” organized by several pro-North Korean, anti-American, and other far-left radical groups, was shockingly extreme even by his own radical standards. According to a pro-North Korean website which reported his speech, Kim began by asserting that anti-communism, opposition to communism, is fundamentally racist in nature and leads inexorably to the devaluation of human life. To exemplify these points, he ridiculed the belief among some that the Soviet Union was an evil regime and that the North Korean army during the Korean War was an evil force, views which he describes as “McCarthyism.” This is a completely false historical claim, since it is incontestable that some of the strongest foes of Senator McCarthy sincerely believed that the Soviet Union and the North Korean army were indeed evil forces. Kim next declared that the root cause of hatred was the combination of racism (directly linked to anti-communism) and Christianity. He said that this mixture of Christianity and anti-communism, with their inherent and his view outdated concepts of good and evil, also served to breed dehumanization of enemies and the consequent justification of murder. As an example, he claimed that people who fled the North prior to the Korean War were Christians and privileged landowners who were opposed to societal reforms and were motivated by class interests. As for such supposed class interests of Christians leading to murder of enemies, however, he did not see fit to mention the fate which Marxist-Leninist doctrine, and the actual policies of communist regimes, have reserved for class enemies. Particularly annoying to Kim was what he claimed was the influential position of Christianity in the ROK from the time of its foundation, which he said led to the domination of Korean politics and society by Christians. He again linked this supposed situation to anti-communism (in his view the greatest vice), stating that it was American missionaries who somehow implanted opposition to communism among Koreans, as well as what he terms an obsession with religious faith. This obsession, he said, was caused by the anxiety of elites who were fearful of losing their property, which he criticizes as a lamentable feature of capitalist society. The fact that the American missionaries in Korea in the late 1800s and early 1900s were focused on gaining converts, and not on promoting anti-communism among Koreans, apparently escaped Kim’s notice. In light of current political trends among young Koreans, he focused on the much-reported conservative shift of young men, which he said was actually a worldwide phenomenon of increasing hatred based on misogyny and economic insecurity due to capitalist competition. He additionally tied this phenomenon to anti-North Korea views, which he said lead directly to anti-China views, and which he declared were also rampant in the U.S. His discussion of these factors, which he clearly deplored, was for the purpose of arguing for the repeal of the ROK’s National Security Law, which he said was based on and sprung from the hatreds promoted by the interconnected and mutually supporting elements of Christianity, racism, and opposition to communism. Kim seems to believe that the ROK is fundamentally the product of a supposed evil trinity of anti-communism, Christianity, and capitalism, which in his view combined with racism to promote hatred and murder. The fact that Kim’s views are particularly anathema to North Korea human rights activists (among many others opposed to the regime in Pyongyang and to communist totalitarianism in general) is illustrated by his shocking remarks in an interview with a left-wing Korean website in 2000, which one might have thought would have disqualified him from being appointed to any ROK government entity related to human rights, truth, or justice. In that interview, in which he expressed his view that the ROK had been colonized by the U.S., he asserted that while he had heard that there might be some human rights violations in North Korea, the facts had not really been fully verified, and it was therefore premature to make any firm judgments on the issue. A longtime foreign correspondent in Seoul who spoke with Kim has confirmed that Kim’s approach to the North’s crimes against humanity was basically one of dismissive disinterest. Kim went even further, claiming that the ROK should not engage in what he termed interference with the North on the issue of human rights, and he condemned what he called anti-North Korean forces which he said were seeking to exploit the issue. Although the ROK’s left-wing President Roh Moo-hyun apparently later thought that Kim’s views were a perfect fit for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, most people reading the interview would certainly not view Kim as a clear-sighted analyst, given Kim’s laughable assertion that Kim Jong-il was actually an open-minded fellow who intended to reform and open up the North. Kim Dong-choon’s [visit to Los Angeles ](https://yoojungtimes.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news07&wr_id=9)in 2014, though little noticed in the ROK, was noteworthy in that contrary to his supposed commitment to the ideals of truth and justice, he made a point of deliberately meeting with the top leaders of the most hardcore pro-North Korean, America-hating, anti-human rights, and openly racist groups in the U.S., including groups and individual fanatics that have called for the overthrow of the ROK’s free democratic system and the murder of their fellow Americans. The second [speech](https://www.facebook.com/daeil.jung.5/posts/pfbid02aqvFiQpzvqxkJDZP3ee9NNYgboG8yHgciNf299HbiVr2UvCXH13E1mzjDZaxXEi9l?locale=fr_CA) was given by extreme-left Presbyterian Pastor Jung Dae-il, who established a Christian-Juche Dialogue Research Institute, is standing representative of the Christian Social Mission Conference, and director of the pro-North Korean Tongil Times Research Institute. Pastor Jung’s gospel seems to be Juche ideology, his Bible seems to be Kim Il-sung’s fictional work *With the Century*, and his Ten Commandments seem to be cult worship rules of the North Korean regime’s “Ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System.” In a September 17 speech at the chapel of Hanshin University’s Graduate School of Theology Chapel entitled “Establishing a Multipolar World Order and the Path to Peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Jung set forth his pro-North Korean views in an unmistakable manner. Jung began by explaining and explicitly justifying Kim Jong-un’s new policy supposedly de-emphasizing unification and introducing the concept of two hostile states. In precisely the same manner in which pro-North Korean activists in the ROK and the U.S. have been explaining and justifying the North’s new stance for almost two years, Jung blamed the policy shift on what he claimed was the unceasing hostility and warmongering of the U.S. and the ROK. Describing what he maintained was the historical necessity of this new policy, he focused on what he said was the lamentable weakening of anti-imperialist forces after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and what he termed the resulting hegemonic triumph of U.S. imperialism. He also made the absurdly false claims that the U.S. had accused North Korea of being behind the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and that the supposed collapse of American power in recent years was somehow illustrated by the war between Hamas and Israel. Lauding Russia, China, and North Korea, pursuant to their new tripartite alliance, for supposedly respecting the sovereignty of other nations, he went on to explicitly defend Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which he apparently did not view as an indication of any disrespect for Ukraine’s sovereignty, since he made the laughably absurd claim that the war was caused by Ukraine’s genocide against Russia. He further stated that Iran’s anti-imperialist resistance has frustrated U.S. plans for conquest in the Middle East, so that the U.S. instead focused on using the ROK to provoke China and Russia. The way for the ROK to avoid this fate of being dragged into war, he said, is for the ROK to break free from the U.S.-ROK-Japan alliance. In addition, he called for a new declaration of the end of the Korean War between the ROK and the North, the signing of a peace agreement between the U.S. and the North, and for the ROK to end all military exercises and halt the sending of leaflets to the North, as well as cease what he terms anti-North education in schools, and protests against the North Korean regime. Finally, he also demanded the repeal of the ROK’s National Security Law, and the revision of the ROK’s Constitutional provision which defines the North as part of the ROK. As shocking as this speech was, however, it is far outdone by other even [more extreme statement](https://www.facebook.com/daeil.jung.5/posts/pfbid0cVVeEfngkKH8XJddLnxi8m4LkZshJs32eMGV9N89zP4b3gXxp2f4RcMUo2e6qHEcl)s by Jung, promoted on pro-North Korean social media accounts, in which he explains his pet project of widely promoting the North’s Juche ideology in the ROK. He stresses what he claims are Juche’s supposed commonalities with Christianity, and he seeks to accomplish a merging of Juche and Christianity by means of a syncretic approach under which Juche is combined with and promoted as fully compatible with Christian doctrine. Put bluntly, Jung seeks to incorporate North Korean ideology, including its inherent cult worship of the hereditary dynasty, into Christianity in general, and into the Korean church in particular. Indeed, Jung insists that it is both the mission and a privilege of the Korean church to foster a spiritual reconciliation between Juche and the Christian faith. Korean Christians must acknowledge the “true claims” of Juche and its “contribution to humanity.” He maintains that the Korean church has collaborated with warmongers and says that Korean Christians can dialogue with Juche and answer its accusation that the Korean church is a reactionary group serving the ruling class, participating in oppression, and failing to liberate the masses. This bizarre vision surely amounts to paganism and modern idol worship in the deceptive guise of social justice phraseology. These two individuals, those who share their views, and the destructive and extremist opinions they articulate, should serve as a negative example to Koreans and Americans who value the U.S.-ROK alliance, free democracy, and basic human dignity. If the history of the previous century teaches us anything, it is that poisonous ideologies and anachronistic theories, and sympathy for the world’s most brutal dictatorships, whether in the halls of academia, in government agencies, or in places of worship, must be exposed and opposed for the damage they do to societies. The extremist fringes of any society, if not challenged effectively, have a sinister way of spreading, often with tragic results for the cause of liberty. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Pro-North%20Korean%20speakers%20in%20South%20Korea%20oppose%20capitalism%20and%20the%20US%20alliance&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Pro-North%20Korean%20speakers%20in%20South%20Korea%20oppose%20capitalism%20and%20the%20US%20alliance https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Pro-North%20Korean%20speakers%20in%20South%20Korea%20oppose%20capitalism%20and%20the%20US%20alliance "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pro-north-korean-speakers-in-south-korea-oppose-capitalism-and-the-us-alliance/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Pro-North%20Korean%20speakers%20in%20South%20Korea%20oppose%20capitalism%20and%20the%20US%20alliance&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pro-north-korean-speakers-in-south-korea-oppose-capitalism-and-the-us-alliance/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Pro-North%20Korean%20speakers%20in%20South%20Korea%20oppose%20capitalism%20and%20the%20US%20alliance "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Memorial for fallen troops in Russia war erected in Pyongyang](https://www.nkinsider.org/memorial-for-fallen-troops-in-russia-war-erected-in-pyongyang/) **Published:** October 28, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/김정은-해외파병.jpg "김정은 해외파병 | nk insider")One year after dispatching troops to support Russia in the war with Ukraine, North Korea is constructing a memorial in Pyongyang to honor the dead. According to a Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report, Kim Jong-un attended a groundbreaking ceremony on October 23 for a “Combat Meritorious Memorial Hall, dedicated to the eternal life of our proud war heroes.” The memorial is being built in the city’s Hwasong district. Kim allegedly designated the site himself and took special measures to organize an elite construction unit for the project. The memorial is a “great symbol of the ever-strengthening DPRK-Russia relationship,” Kim declared in an address during the ceremony. “Pyongyang will always stand with Moscow.” “Exactly one year ago today, the final formation of our expeditionary combat troops departed for Russia,” he said. “They left without expectation of reward or recognition.” Kim emphasized that the relationship between North Korea and Russia had evolved into “the highest form of trust, forged in shared blood within the same trench—a truly sincere and unbreakable bond of life and death.” “This battlefield served as the most rigorous test of the strength of DPRK-Russia ties,” he said. Veterans who participated in the Kursk operation and their families attended the ceremony. State media showed Kim embracing returning soldiers and gently touching their faces, as well as emotional reunions between troops and their families. Kim also paid tribute to the bereaved families, saying, “This memorial will bear the immortal meaning of our nation’s enduring strength—a testament etched into history.” The memorial is expected to become an iconic site in Pyongyang alongside the country’s existing war victory monuments, serving as a representation of military heroism in the Kim Jong-un era and of DPRK-Russia cooperation. Analysts interpret the construction of the memorial as part of North Korea’s effort to highlight its military history and heroism, reinforcing national identity and the legitimacy of its regime. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Memorial%20for%20fallen%20troops%20in%20Russia%20war%20erected%20in%20Pyongyang&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Memorial%20for%20fallen%20troops%20in%20Russia%20war%20erected%20in%20Pyongyang https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Memorial%20for%20fallen%20troops%20in%20Russia%20war%20erected%20in%20Pyongyang "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/memorial-for-fallen-troops-in-russia-war-erected-in-pyongyang/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Memorial%20for%20fallen%20troops%20in%20Russia%20war%20erected%20in%20Pyongyang&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/memorial-for-fallen-troops-in-russia-war-erected-in-pyongyang/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Memorial%20for%20fallen%20troops%20in%20Russia%20war%20erected%20in%20Pyongyang "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Kim Ju-ae: successor or beloved daughter?](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-ju-ae-successor-or-beloved-daughter/) **Published:** October 28, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Close-shot-chat.jpg "Close shot chat | nk insider")Questions have resurfaced over whether Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is being groomed as his successor or not. When they appeared together at a Chinese military parade on September 3, speculation about whether she would one day be formally designated as his heir gained significant traction. But then, her absence from North Korea’s largest-ever nighttime military parade on October 10, held to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Korea Workers’ Party, reignited doubts. North Korea remains a deeply patriarchal society, analysts reminded themselves. The political power structure and the culture itself are male-centered. There is no precedent of a woman rising to the very top. Given this, the hypothesis that Kim Ju-ae is being positioned as the next leader may be an overly simplistic analysis that overlooks historical norms and the perceptions of the people. Within the elite and among ordinary citizens, there exists a strong resistance to the idea of a female leader. As such, Kim Ju-ae’s emergence would likely face considerable political opposition. It may seem that in the absolute dictatorship he presides over, Kim can make his decision and remove anyone who doesn’t like it. But the fact is that North Korea’s leaders have always had to manage perception, maneuver around opposition and build support. This goes back to the decision by the founding leader, Kim Il-sung, to bequeath power to his son, Kim Jong-il. The establishment of a monarchy in this way was unheard of in the communist world and was opposed by many in North Korea as a betrayal of the revolution. Again, after the death of Kim Jong-il in 2011, his son Kim Jong-un spent over a decade consolidating power by eliminating potential threats, including his uncle Jang Song-thaek, in order to overcome the lack of preparation and his consequently weak power base. This process of power consolidation revealed how closed and fiercely competitive the political system actually is. In this context, succession is not determined by bloodline alone. It requires political acumen, a solid base, and the support of the elite. We may assume that there would be significant political resistance if Kim Ju-ae were positioned as successor. For these reasons, it is still too early to present her as a successor. Being the child of the supreme leader alone is not sufficient grounds for succession. It appears premature to say she meets the conditions required. Her repeated public appearances may be part of a long-term strategy to gradually instill her image as the next leader among the populace. But this is not the only possible explanation. Considering Kim Jong-un’s own childhood, during which he lived abroad and had to conceal his identity, he may be trying to give his daughter the “official affection” and power he himself was denied. In other words, what we are seeing may be less about politics and more about a father’s desire to present his beloved child to the public. Some observers speculate that the existence of a son may eventually be revealed. If one does exist, it is likely that Ju-ae would take on a secondary leadership role to him, similar to that of her aunt Kim Yo-jong, and hold a key party position and wield political influence. Ultimately, the current debate over Kim Ju-ae as successor may simply reflect Kim Jong-un’s desire to attract international attention or to express his affection for his daughter. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Ju-ae%3A%20successor%20or%20beloved%20daughter%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Ju-ae%3A%20successor%20or%20beloved%20daughter%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Ju-ae%3A%20successor%20or%20beloved%20daughter%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-ju-ae-successor-or-beloved-daughter/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Ju-ae%3A%20successor%20or%20beloved%20daughter%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-ju-ae-successor-or-beloved-daughter/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Ju-ae%3A%20successor%20or%20beloved%20daughter%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Economic development is just another burden for the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/economic-development-is-just-another-burden-for-the-people/) **Published:** October 28, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Local-dev-2020.jpg "Local dev 2020 | nk insider")The North Korean regime is currently pushing economic development under the banner of a “20×10 Local Development Strategy.” This plan aims to build industrial factories in 20 cities and counties each year for the next ten years with the goal of revitalizing regional economies and raising living standards to match those of Pyongyang. Framed as a state-led initiative to counter international sanctions, strengthen local self-reliance, and reduce regional disparities, the policy is presented as a solution to the nation’s problems. But for ordinary citizens, this development brings hardship, not hope. That is because, in North Korea, building a factory or tourist site is never just a government project. The burden of supplying materials and providing costs is passed down to the local people, and their labor is mobilized without pay. When new directives are issued by the Party, people say, “Here comes more suffering.” Projects carried out in the name of economic development often end up adding to the weight of daily life rather than improving it. Since 2023, North Korea has promoted “revitalizing local industries” and begun constructing factories across various provinces. Reports indicate that food processing and pharmaceutical facilities have been built in the city of Chongjin, and a construction materials plant in South Pyongan Province. However, most of these facilities serve military or export purposes and have little to do with improving local livelihoods. The state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper praises these efforts as “historic projects that build the pillars of a self-reliant economy,” but behind the rhetoric lies the sacrifice of the people. Materials needed for construction are allocated to residents, and labor is framed as voluntary participation under the slogan of “socialist construction.” In reality, it is forced mobilization. There is no option to refuse. In rural areas, even during farming season, local people, mostly women and young people, are ordered to turn up at construction sites. To outsiders, this economic development may appear as a symbol of self-reliance. But internally, it represents another face of oppression and exploitation. The “20×10 Local Development Strategy” was introduced in 2024 as part of the “Five-Year National Economic Development Plan” launched in 2021. Promoted as an initiative to expand industrial infrastructure, it is nothing more than a top-down directive that disregards the lives of ordinary citizens. In the face of international sanctions, shortages of materials and technology are offset by the sacrifices of the people. With foreign currency inflows blocked, the regime has resorted to demanding foreign currency from citizens or expanding its overseas labor program to secure funds. These practices have been flagged as human rights violations. In 2023, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in North Korea warned that “North Korea’s economic development is being carried out in ways that violate the basic rights of its people.” True development must begin with guaranteeing the freedom and rights of the people. Building a single factory matters less than respecting the life of a single citizen. For North Korea’s economic development to carry real meaning, people must be at its center. The fact they are not at the center has led North Koreans to no longer believe in slogans like “revolutionary zeal” or “patriotic devotion.” Quietly but clearly, they are recognizing the contradictions of the system. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Economic%20development%20is%20just%20another%20burden%20for%20the%20people&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Economic%20development%20is%20just%20another%20burden%20for%20the%20people https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Economic%20development%20is%20just%20another%20burden%20for%20the%20people "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/economic-development-is-just-another-burden-for-the-people/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Economic%20development%20is%20just%20another%20burden%20for%20the%20people&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/economic-development-is-just-another-burden-for-the-people/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Economic%20development%20is%20just%20another%20burden%20for%20the%20people "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [Man killed in accident in Sariwon during rice harvesting](https://www.nkinsider.org/man-killed-in-accident-in-sariwon-during-rice-harvesting/) **Published:** October 27, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Nk-truck.jpg "Nk truck | nk insider")A man who had been mobilized for rice harvesting in Sariwon, North Hwanghae Province, reportedly died after falling from a moving vehicle. The accident happened on October 6th and involved a man in his 40s who had completed a full day of harvesting duty. “He had finished his work and was on his way home when he tried to ride a moving vehicle and fell,” a source in the province told NK Times on October 20. According to the source, buses in Sariwon primarily run for profit, and intercity buses are limited. For these reasons, some people, particularly able-bodied men, often try to avoid the fare by jumping on board moving vehicles. The victim of this accident was reportedly returning home from rural mobilization in this manner when the tragedy occurred. “Accidents like this happen every year,” the source said. “There need to be measures in place to ensure safe transportation so that people don’t have to rely on informal or risky methods. Without such policies, fatal accidents will continue to occur.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Man%20killed%20in%20accident%20in%20Sariwon%20during%20rice%20harvesting&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Man%20killed%20in%20accident%20in%20Sariwon%20during%20rice%20harvesting https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Man%20killed%20in%20accident%20in%20Sariwon%20during%20rice%20harvesting "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/man-killed-in-accident-in-sariwon-during-rice-harvesting/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Man%20killed%20in%20accident%20in%20Sariwon%20during%20rice%20harvesting&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/man-killed-in-accident-in-sariwon-during-rice-harvesting/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Man%20killed%20in%20accident%20in%20Sariwon%20during%20rice%20harvesting "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Why are mothers the first to go hungry? ](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-are-mothers-the-first-to-go-hungry/) **Published:** October 27, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1024px-north_korea_-_women_workers_5609059647.jpg "1024pxnorthkoreawomenworkers5609059647 | nk insider")Who is the first to go hungry in a North Korean household? It is always the mother. Women are both victims of the regime and the pillars of their families’ survival. With state rations that sustained the citizenry up to the mid-1990s long gone and the marketplace now the stage for survival, women live not as “mothers of the nation” but as shields for their families. That is because until recently, men were still required to report to work. Even though their state jobs paid very little and often nothing at all, failure to show up branded a man as “disloyal.” The burden of providing for the family thus fell mostly on women. Women rising at 4 a.m. to head to the market. Women fleeing with their goods when crackdowns hit. Such are the scenes that became part of daily life. If caught, their goods were confiscated, and they faced fines or detention. Yet they never stopped trading. Because they were driven by one desperate thought, “My children must eat today.” In North Korea, women engaged in economic activity receive no legal protection. If caught trading, they’re labeled “illegal vendors” and at home, criticized for “violating the regime’s discipline.” Trapped in this double bind, they often sacrifice their own wellbeing and risk their own survival to protect their families. I too experienced hardship as a child. During those times, I saw my mother quietly set down her spoon, saying, “I’m fine.” Her expression held not sorrow, but resolve. I didn’t understand it then. But now I see it as the purest form of love a woman can offer. Today, the regime sends women abroad to earn foreign currency. They’re dispatched to China and Russia to work in restaurants, garment factories, and on construction sites. Officially, they’re called “patriotic laborers.” But in reality, it’s forced labor as the state takes most of their wages. Even after working over 12 hours a day, women barely scrape by. They face constant risk of sexual harassment, violence, and illness. They’re monitored, forbidden from contacting the outside world. Yet many choose this path for their families. “If I suffer, but my children don’t starve, it’s worth it.” North Korean women are the final pillars holding up the regime. The government builds its system on their labor and wraps their sacrifice in the glory of the leader. But what they receive in return is silence and hunger. True change in North Korea won’t begin with political slogans. It will begin with a society where mothers no longer go hungry, where women can work freely, be protected, and be respected. Only then can North Korea become a nation worthy of its people. Sharing these stories is among the most meaningful responsibilities I hold as a woman who has defected. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20are%20mothers%20the%20first%20to%20go%20hungry%3F%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20are%20mothers%20the%20first%20to%20go%20hungry%3F%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20are%20mothers%20the%20first%20to%20go%20hungry%3F%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-are-mothers-the-first-to-go-hungry/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20are%20mothers%20the%20first%20to%20go%20hungry%3F%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-are-mothers-the-first-to-go-hungry/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20are%20mothers%20the%20first%20to%20go%20hungry%3F%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [All powerful Ministry of State Security expands remit to include foreign currency and border control](https://www.nkinsider.org/all-powerful-ministry-of-state-security-expands-remit-to-include-foreign-currency-and-border-control/) **Published:** October 27, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Security-agent.jpg "Security agent | nk insider")North Korea’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) is an extrajudicial intelligence agency responsible for national security and regime preservation that answers directly to the Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un. Given this role and direct line to the top, the MSS wields immense power. It conducts surveillance and controls political dissent, and has the authority to make arrests without legal procedures and to send offenders to political prison camps, and even execute them. In recent years, its already vast scope has expanded to include border control and foreign currency acquisition. This expansion suggests distrust toward other security bodies. It now encroaches into the territory of the Ministry of Social Security, which as the interior ministry, functions as the main law enforcement organization and manages the Korean People’s Social Security Forces responsible for border and coastal security. It also steps on the toes of the Border Security Command, which comes under the Ministry of People’s Armed Forces. The MSS’s grip on the border and its foreign currency activities has intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly impacting the overall economy. With 90 percent of the economy dependent on China, the border region is a vital political, economic, and cultural gateway. For residents in this area, smuggling is a critical means of survival, so much so that there’s a North Korean saying: “Even during war, smuggling continues.” However, using COVID-19 as its pretext, the MSS sealed the border and then took exclusive control, thoroughly blocking the flow of foreign currency to civilians. As a consequence, it started to generate profits rivaling those of official trade organizations. For example, before COVID-19, smuggling in ten Chinese-made cars required a bribe of 8,000 to 15,000 yuan. Now, depending on the vehicle type and price, the average has risen to 25,000–30,000 yuan. The MSS’s obsession with foreign currency doesn’t waver even during the Supreme Leader’s birthday or national holidays. Ahead of holidays, traders import supplies for residents in Pyongyang and major provincial cities not only through official trade but also via smuggling. In border provinces like North Hamgyong, Ryanggang, and Jagang, essential goods such as rice, flour, and cooking oil are smuggled in. Common sense would suggest that bribes shouldn’t be necessary for imports of holiday necessities, but the MSS still assigns foreign currency earning quotas to its regional security offices. According to internal sources, institutions wishing to participate in holiday smuggling must submit lists and total values of goods to the local MSS office for approval. In this process, private companies pay an average of USD 20,000–30,000 in bribes. They have no choice if they wish to maintain good relations and secure future smuggling opportunities. The MSS has created a structure that allows profit generation without regard to cost, effectively monopolizing smuggling revenue and using it to strengthen both economic power and political influence. Its control over foreign currency serves not only economic interests but also as a tool for regime maintenance and enhanced control. It uses economic gains to consolidate power and suppress public dissent. However, this behavior exacerbates economic instability and further deteriorates the quality of life for citizens. While the authorities may view the MSS’s actions as beneficial for short-term regime stability, in the long run, they only deepen economic hardship and fuel social discontent. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=All%20powerful%20Ministry%20of%20State%20Security%20expands%20remit%20to%20include%20foreign%20currency%20and%20border%20control&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=All%20powerful%20Ministry%20of%20State%20Security%20expands%20remit%20to%20include%20foreign%20currency%20and%20border%20control https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=All%20powerful%20Ministry%20of%20State%20Security%20expands%20remit%20to%20include%20foreign%20currency%20and%20border%20control "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/all-powerful-ministry-of-state-security-expands-remit-to-include-foreign-currency-and-border-control/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=All%20powerful%20Ministry%20of%20State%20Security%20expands%20remit%20to%20include%20foreign%20currency%20and%20border%20control&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/all-powerful-ministry-of-state-security-expands-remit-to-include-foreign-currency-and-border-control/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=All%20powerful%20Ministry%20of%20State%20Security%20expands%20remit%20to%20include%20foreign%20currency%20and%20border%20control "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [In North Hamgyong, farm households receive 5kg of newly harvested rice for Chuseok](https://www.nkinsider.org/in-north-hamgyong-farm-households-receive-5kg-of-newly-harvested-rice-for-chuseok/) **Published:** October 22, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Nktimes-1.jpg "Nktimes | nk insider")Some farms in North Hamgyong Province have reportedly distributed newly harvested rice to farm households for the annual Chuseok harvest festival. This measure appears to be aimed at supplying sufficient rice for farmers to use for ancestral ceremonies at family graves during the holiday. “Between September 26 and 30, farms in cities and counties across the province, including Hoeryong City, supplied 5kg of freshly harvested rice to each household,” a source in North Hamgyong told NK Times on October 6, which was the day when the rites are performed. “This was carried out under the provincial party’s directive that farmers who had worked hard all year should be able to offer warm freshly cooked rice at their ancestors’ graves,” he said. “Since around 40% of the rice weight is husk when milled, the actual amount of edible rice comes to about 3kg on average,” he said. “Although it’s a small amount, it’s enough to get through the Chuseok holiday.” “Without this, farmers would have had to buy rice at unofficial market prices to prepare for the rites,” he said. “Thanks to the rice distribution, some of the burden and worry farmers face during Chuseok has been eased.” Meanwhile, some farmers are reportedly selling part of their rice allotment at local markets. It’s said they are using the proceeds to purchase food and daily necessities needed for the holiday. “Farmers usually face a severe shortage of basic necessities like cooking oil, soy sauce, and salt. That’s why they’re selling the rice they received to buy food and essential items,” he said. Commenting on the situation, a defector identified A said, “Even in North Korea, Chuseok is an important holiday where families gather to honor their ancestors, and offering freshly cooked rice is a traditional ritual. I hope the rice supply allows farmers to offer warm rice at their ancestors’ graves and enjoy a happy Chuseok.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=In%20North%20Hamgyong%2C%20farm%20households%20receive%205kg%20of%20newly%20harvested%20rice%20for%20Chuseok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=In%20North%20Hamgyong%2C%20farm%20households%20receive%205kg%20of%20newly%20harvested%20rice%20for%20Chuseok https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=In%20North%20Hamgyong%2C%20farm%20households%20receive%205kg%20of%20newly%20harvested%20rice%20for%20Chuseok "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/in-north-hamgyong-farm-households-receive-5kg-of-newly-harvested-rice-for-chuseok/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=In%20North%20Hamgyong%2C%20farm%20households%20receive%205kg%20of%20newly%20harvested%20rice%20for%20Chuseok&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/in-north-hamgyong-farm-households-receive-5kg-of-newly-harvested-rice-for-chuseok/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=In%20North%20Hamgyong%2C%20farm%20households%20receive%205kg%20of%20newly%20harvested%20rice%20for%20Chuseok "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [The new generation, a quiet awakening amid control](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-new-generation-a-quiet-awakening-amid-control/) **Published:** October 20, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Istock-867747522.jpg "A north koreas girl in kim ilsung square pyongyang | nk insider")North Korea’s young generation is changing. Though still under strict surveillance, questions about the regime and a yearning for a different world are quietly growing in the hearts of young people. USB drives, South Korean dramas, and foreign music smuggled from abroad are more than mere entertainment to them. They are becoming seeds of new thought. When you look at teenagers and people in their 20s and 30s in North Korea, you can sense something is different about them. Their elders were raised to believe and obey whatever the Party dictated, faithfully following what they learned in textbooks. But in recent years, things have begun to shift. My friends who secretly watched South Korean dramas started asking, “South Koreans speak the same language as us — why do they live so freely?” Others, after hearing foreign songs, came to realize, “The world is much bigger than I thought.” For them, outside information wasn’t just fun. It became a mirror that made them reflect on their own reality. Most outside content enters North Korea via USB sticks or SD cards, while a lucky few, like those in my hometown near the southern border, can catch glimpses of South Korean TV and radio broadcasts. Storage devices smuggled in from China are traded in secret. These contain South Korean dramas, news, YouTube clips, foreign films, and more. Young people huddle under blankets late at night, secretly watching these videos, peeking into the world beyond. I did the same. That experience becomes a key that unlocks a new framework of thinking. “So South Korea isn’t the poor, corrupt society we were told it was.” “Foreigners don’t bow to their leaders.” As these realizations accumulate, the regime’s propaganda gradually loses its grip. Of course, the risks are enormous. Anyone caught watching foreign media faces public criticism, forced labor, prison, even public execution. Yet people continue to seek out information. That’s how deep their longing for freedom runs. Ideological censorship is still very much a part of daily life. Students are required to memorize the revolutionary histories of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. But within that rigid framework, the younger generation has developed a secret language. They share outside information using coded phrases like, “Did you hear about that thing?” Instead of saying “South Korea,” they refer to it as “the country where people can eat and live.” Outwardly, they conform. But inwardly, they are beginning to see the world differently. It’s not so much dissatisfaction as it is an awakening in silence. Even if they live as if nothing is wrong on the surface, deep down, they all know. The Kim Jong-un regime fears this change. That’s why it’s tightening its grip even further. There are ideological re-education programs targeting youth, random inspections of phones and televisions, and even “morality inspection squads” formed within schools to intensify surveillance. But it’s already too late to stop the generational shift. Information spreads like a contagion, and thoughts cannot be controlled. The moment a young person asks why they have to live like this, there is the beginning of change. North Korea’s youth may appear obedient on the outside, but inside, they are transforming. They are no longer fully indoctrinated. Even under control, they have begun to think, compare, and question for themselves. Change in North Korea will not begin with top-down political reform, but with a grassroots awakening of consciousness. And at the center of that awakening is the younger generation. I believe that the seeds of change will one day become a powerful wind, strong enough to sweep away the darkness that still hangs over North Korea. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20new%20generation%2C%20a%20quiet%20awakening%20amid%20control&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20new%20generation%2C%20a%20quiet%20awakening%20amid%20control https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20new%20generation%2C%20a%20quiet%20awakening%20amid%20control "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-new-generation-a-quiet-awakening-amid-control/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20new%20generation%2C%20a%20quiet%20awakening%20amid%20control&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-new-generation-a-quiet-awakening-amid-control/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20new%20generation%2C%20a%20quiet%20awakening%20amid%20control "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Reunification has disappeared, leaving only hostility](https://www.nkinsider.org/reunification-has-disappeared-leaving-only-hostility/) **Published:** October 16, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Istock-1083032078.jpg "Dmz panmunjon | nk insider")When I lived in North Korea, our rivals in the South were depicted as “the same people, a counterpart we must one day reunite with.” Of course, there was criticism that honed in on the differences between our systems, but the idea of reunification was always present. The history taught in schools, the news on television—all of it framed reunification with the South as the ultimate goal. The slogan “By our nation, for our nation” was central, and the belief that North and South would eventually become one was a core part of state propaganda. But after Kim Jong-un came to power, portrayals of South Korea gradually became more hostile. Then, at the end of 2023, Kim declared that “reunification with the Republic of Korea will never be possible.” He redefined our standoff with the South as “a relationship between two belligerent states at war.” This was not mere rhetoric. It led to a push to amend the constitution through the Supreme People’s Assembly, with the intention of removing the word “reunification” altogether. At the same time, organizations related to reunification, such as the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland and the Mt. Kumgang International Tourism Bureau, were dismantled. The northern section of the Gyeongui Line railroad, once a symbol of inter-Korean exchange, was physically severed. The Monument to the Three Charters for National Reunification, which commemorated Kim Il-sung’s reunification legacy, was demolished. North Korea now officially designates South Korea as its “primary enemy” and “unchanging main adversary.” This posture is reflected in education and propaganda. The shift is not merely for domestic consumption. It also underscores the North’s diplomacy. In September 2025, Kim reportedly [sought](https://cm.asiae.co.kr/en/article/2025091317265288714) understanding from Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding his policy of abandoning reunification, and explained the same to Russian President Vladimir Putin, gaining their support. North Korea is now presenting to the international community a “two hostile states” narrative, reframing its relationship with South Korea from one of ethnic connection to political antagonism. Despite these changes, the perception among ordinary citizens is different. With survival being the most pressing concern, people have little capacity to deeply engage with political messaging. No matter how strongly the government labels South Korea as the enemy, people still say, “At least in the South, people can eat.” There is a wide gap between state propaganda and the actual perceptions of the people. Especially among the younger generation, exposure to outside information has led them to view South Korea as “a prosperous country” and “a place they want to go.” South Korean dramas, news, and music are spreading through USB drives and SD cards, and more people are secretly using Chinese mobile phones. In border regions, despite the risks, people engage in communication and information exchange with the outside world as a matter of survival, and efforts to access the outside world continue. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Reunification%20has%20disappeared%2C%20leaving%20only%20hostility&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Reunification%20has%20disappeared%2C%20leaving%20only%20hostility https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Reunification%20has%20disappeared%2C%20leaving%20only%20hostility "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/reunification-has-disappeared-leaving-only-hostility/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Reunification%20has%20disappeared%2C%20leaving%20only%20hostility&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/reunification-has-disappeared-leaving-only-hostility/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Reunification%20has%20disappeared%2C%20leaving%20only%20hostility "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Venezuela's "Foreign Legion" in South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/venezuelas-foreign-legion-in-south-korea/) **Published:** October 14, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Shutterstock_2452677991.jpg "Caracasvenezuelaapril132024venezuelaspresidentnicolasmadurospeaks | nk insider")North Korea has had ties with Venezuela since 1965, but in the last two decades since the coming to power of dictator Hugo Chavez and under the rule of his handpicked successor Nicolás Maduro, the relationship has developed into a close alliance. This is a story with a long history that goes back to the 1960s and the 1980s, when Pyongyang was in contact with and reportedly provided funds and arms to communist[ rebels in Venezuela](https://books.google.com/books/about/Terrorism_the_North_Korean_Connection.html?id=sXrrAAAAIAAJ), just as it aided communist insurgents in several other Latin American nations. The two Venezuelan Marxists most well-known for their links to North Korea were perhaps[ Ali Lameda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al%C3%AD_Lameda) and Ilich Ramirez Sanchez. Lameda went there in the 1960s to work for the regime as a translator of its propaganda publications. He was eventually sent to the gulag after being accused of making unflattering comments about dictator Kim Il-sung. He languished for seven hellish years of torture and deprivation in the North’s dungeons before being deported. Sanchez had a different story. Better known as “[Carlos the Jackal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_the_Jackal),” he had a privileged upbringing and became infamous, not for any written propaganda, but rather for the “propaganda of the deed.” He had a murderous career as an international terrorist from the early 1970s through his capture in the early 1990s. Although variously working with and being supported by the Soviet KGB, several communist regimes in Eastern Europe, Western European terrorist groups, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, and Cuba, most of his terrorist attacks were committed as a member and on behalf of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). During his blood-soaked career, his PFLP backers were closely tied to the North Korean regime, which[ trained and provided them with arms](https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/north-korean-israeli-shadow-war), and welcomed its leaders in Pyongyang. PFLP founder and longtime leader[ George Habash](https://www.workers.org/2022/08/66320/) stated that, “Our real enemy is not Israel and Zionism only; it is American imperialism.” a view clearly[ endorsed and repeated](https://canarymission.org/campaign/Bringing_The_War_Home) in the slogans of Marxist and jihadist anti-Israel protesters on U.S. university campuses. In 2015, North Korea re-opened its embassy in Venezuela, which had been closed since the 1990s. In 2019, the Maduro regime opened Venezuela’s first embassy in the North, and the two rogue states signed a[ military cooperation](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20191002010500325) agreement. When North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister visited the United Nations to speak at its General Assembly in September of 2025, the[ only foreign ministers](https://www.chosun.com/english/world-en/2025/09/30/6KLFBJ3OBBBQNAK4PSWMEZC6BQ/) with whom he reportedly met were those from the fellow dictatorships of Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Eritrea. Venezuela and North Korea are also reportedly collaborating on efforts to evade international sanctions, and there have been[ reports](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/silent-threat-north-korea-china-venezuelan-network-obdola-sw5jc) of a covert military, intelligence, and cyberwarfare relationship between the two regimes, including the possible presence of North Korean[ special forces](https://www.intelligenceonline.com/government-intelligence/2016/05/18/kim-jung-un-comes-to-maduro-s-aid,108150329-gra) in Venezuela. In addition to its close ties to and political alliance with the Pyongyang regime, Venezuela also has ties with the ROK and maintains an embassy in Seoul. Unknown to the South Korean public, but hopefully under scrutiny by South Korean intelligence and immigration officials, is the presence in Seoul of what may be termed a kind of “foreign legion” of the Maduro regime. This Korean support network for the Venezuelan dictatorship takes the form of a far-left extremist group known as the[ International Strategy Center](https://www.goisc.org/home) (“ISC”), which was founded in Seoul in 2010. This is a[ Marxist-Leninist](https://www.goisc.org/englishblog/2024/3/26/hyper-imperialism?rq=Lenin) group which is also sympathetic to[ North Korea](https://www.goisc.org/englishblog/2017/06/28/peace-in-korea?rq=Kim%20Il-sung) and[ China](https://www.goisc.org/englishblog/2023/8/31/a-new-peace-movement-in-northeast-asia-south-koreas-peacemomo?rq=China), and stridently[ anti-U.S.](https://www.goisc.org/englishblog/2016/07/29/thaad-in-korean-peninsula-crumbled-democracy-and-constitutionalism?rq=U.S.%20imperialism) and[ anti-Israel](https://www.goisc.org/englishblog/2023/11/23/stop-genocide?rq=hamas). It has promoted[ conspiracy theories](https://www.goisc.org/englishblog/2015/12/04/lecture-on-the-cheonan-sinking?rq=cheonan) denying the North’s sinking in 2010 of the ROK warship *Cheonan* and defended the North’s nuclear weapons tests as[ conducive to peace](https://www.goisc.org/englishblog/2016/02/04/north-korea-and-east-asia-north-koreas-pursuit-of-peace-through-nuclear-tests?rq=North%20Korea). The ISC has also been closely allied with pro-North groups in the U.S., such as Nodutdol and the Korea Policy Institute, and was a[ “supporting organization”](https://peoplessummitforkorea.org/partners) involved in the [People’s Summit for Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/insight-into-a-totalitarian-seditious-mindset-what-was-said-and-applauded-at-a-pro-north-korean-anti-american-conference-in-new-york/) in New York this summer, an openly pro-North event at which the Pyongyang regime was effusively praised and calls were made for the final “liberation” of the ROK and the destruction of the U.S. One of the speakers at that conference was Carlos Ron, who until recently served as the Maduro regime’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Pro-North Korean activist[ Dae-han Song](https://www.kpolicy.org/people), one of the longtime key leaders of the ISC, essentially serves as its liaison with pro-North and other extremist groups outside of Korea. Now based in the ROK, Song previously lived in the U.S. where he participated in one of Nodutdol’s “solidarity” delegations to North Korea arranged in collaboration with agents based at the North’s Mission to the United Nations in New York. In addition to his involvement with Nodutdol in the U.S., Song is also an “associate” of the Korea Policy Institute, and he has collaborated with the Tricontinental Institute and Breakthrough News, two Marxist-Leninist entities which are under[ investigation by the U.S. Congress](https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-866651) for their alleged links to the Chinese Communist Party. The ISC is somewhat unique in that it is one of only a few radical groups in Korea which is composed of Koreans, Korean Americans, and a significant number of expatriates living and working in Korea as English teachers, academics, and in other fields. The only other extremist groups in the ROK which include as many or more foreign radical supporters than ISC are the fanatically communist and anti-Israel group Workers Solidarity, and various other anti-Israel groups such as BDS Korea, and People in Solidarity with Palestine. Aside from the ISC, some other major pro-Maduro groups in the ROK are[ Workers Solidarity](https://ws.or.kr/album/35584), the[ Korea Alliance for Progressive Movement](https://www.newspeak.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=152786), and the[ People’s Democracy Party,](http://pdp21.kr/?p=176074) but these other extreme-left groups are not nearly as focused on support for the Venezuelan dictatorship, and they are not as closely tied to the Maduro regime, as is the ISC. Unlike the ISC and the pro-Hamas groups, these other pro-Maduro groups do not include significant numbers of foreign expats. By[ its own account](https://www.goisc.org/events), ISC sent two delegations to Venezuela in 2012, and late that year held a “solidarity” event with the Venezuelan Embassy in Seoul. Another such event at the Venezuelan Embassy was held in 2013. ISC made another trip to Venezuela in 2014 and apparently held an event with the Venezuelan Embassy in Canada during a stopover on their way to Venezuela. After returning to Korea, ISC held yet another event with the Venezuelan Embassy in Seoul in 2014, and also that year ISC members held several pro-Maduro regime events in cities across the ROK. In 2015, ISC held at least six joint events with the Venezuelan Embassy, met with visiting officials of and delegations from the Maduro regime, and sent another ISC delegation to Venezuela. ISC sent yet another delegation to Venezuela in 2016, held further pro-Maduro events, and met officials of the Maduro regime visiting Seoul. Of course, these were only the “official” ISC visits to Venezuela, and only those events with the Venezuelan Embassy and meetings with visiting Venezuelan officials which they have seen fit to disclose during the five-year period from 2012 through 2016. ISC members were at the Venezuelan Embassy in Seoul so often, they have probably memorized the code numbers to unlock the door to its bathroom! They have been to Venezuela more often than pro-North Korean activist and Women Cross DMZ founder Christine Ahn has been to North Korea! However, the late pro-North Korean activist Kil-nam Roh reportedly visited North Korea about 75 times, so the members of ISC still have a long way to go before the number of their visits to Venezuela reach that remarkable milestone. Diplomats of the Maduro regime in Seoul apparently believe that they have a role to play in Korea’s domestic politics, in support of extreme-left, anti-U.S., and pro-North Korean forces in the ROK. As an egregious example of this, on September 13, 2025, [Isabel Di Carlo Quero](https://www.jajusibo.com/68680), the regime’s acting ambassador in Seoul, seemingly oblivious to her status as a foreign diplomatic representative, was a featured speaker at one of the “hate America” protest rally which the extreme-left Candlelight Action group has been holding for the past few years. It will be recalled that Kim Min-woong, the ultra-radical co-leader of[ Candlelight Action](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-anti-americanism-and-pro-north-korea-tendencies-of-south-koreas-candlelight-action-protest-movement/) and elder brother of Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, despises the U.S., defends North Korea, and justifies the Hamas atrocities of October 7, 2023. As the Maduro regime shares those vile positions, it is perhaps only natural that a Venezuelan diplomat would be invited to speak at an event of a political group such Candlelight Action, in contravention of standard diplomatic protocol. It appears that the Maduro dictatorship has been engaged in an extensive influence operation targeting the ROK with the assistance of the Korean and expat members of the ISC in Seoul. The non-Korean members of the ISC also serve to link the broader extreme-left in Korea with other radical and Marxist groups in other nations. Given its significant non-Korean membership and its ties to the Venezuelan regime, ISC may be seen as Maduro’s “foreign legion” in Korea. If ISC were a U.S. based organization, and thereby subject to the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act, it would surely have attracted the attention of American authorities who would be justified in suspecting that it was acting as an unregistered agent of the Venezuelan regime. Insofar as Venezuela under dictators Chavez and now Maduro has essentially become a country run by a[ narco-terrorist cartel](https://www.newsweek.com/venezuela-maduro-terrorist-ofac-2104445), it also seems reasonable that the ROK’s intelligence and immigration authorities might want subject the ISC to increased scrutiny in light of its close connections to the Maduro regime and its frequent visits to Venezuela. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Venezuela%27s%20%22Foreign%20Legion%22%20in%20South%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Venezuela%27s%20%22Foreign%20Legion%22%20in%20South%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Venezuela%27s%20%22Foreign%20Legion%22%20in%20South%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/venezuelas-foreign-legion-in-south-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Venezuela%27s%20%22Foreign%20Legion%22%20in%20South%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/venezuelas-foreign-legion-in-south-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Venezuela%27s%20%22Foreign%20Legion%22%20in%20South%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Ministry of Social Security mobilizes nationwide to crack down on illegal grain distribution](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministry-of-social-security-mobilizes-nationwide-to-crack-down-on-illegal-grain-distribution/) **Published:** October 12, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Nktimes.jpg "Nktimes | nk insider")North Korea’s Ministry of Social Security, the main policing agency responsible for maintaining public order, has mobilized across cities and counties to crack down on the distribution of the grain harvest. The operation aims to prevent crop theft and illegal trading ahead of the harvest this fall, sources in North Korea tell us. “Following recent directives from the Ministry, local security departments and forces in Hoeryong City and other regions are fully engaged in cracking down on the distribution system,” a source in North Hamgyong Province said at the end of last month. “This measure is intended to prevent theft of rice, corn, and other freshly harvested grains.” “The crackdown is actually an annual effort,” the source said. “Special inspection teams from local security departments are deployed to farms every fall to limit the amount of grain individuals can possess and to prevent theft.” The mobilisation includes intensified patrols around farms, inspections of grain transport vehicles and storage facilities, and verification of documents related to grain transactions. Authorities are also encouraging farmers to report illegal trading activities. However, there is growing public dissatisfaction with the excessive enforcement. “In some areas, conflicts have arisen due to the overly aggressive measures taken by security personnel,” a source reached by phone in Hoeryong said. “Many farmers have been taken away after clashes with officers.” In response, authorities have issued guidelines instructing officials to avoid causing harm or inconvenience to residents. Nevertheless, sources say it remains difficult to prevent disruption to farmers during the enforcement process. That said, the regime is not pulling its punches. “There are reports that farms or officials showing negligence during this crackdown will face severe punishment,” the source said. “As a result, farm managers and local branch officials are mobilizing all available personnel for the grain inspection effort.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20mobilizes%20nationwide%20to%20crack%20down%20on%20illegal%20grain%20distribution&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20mobilizes%20nationwide%20to%20crack%20down%20on%20illegal%20grain%20distribution https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20mobilizes%20nationwide%20to%20crack%20down%20on%20illegal%20grain%20distribution "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministry-of-social-security-mobilizes-nationwide-to-crack-down-on-illegal-grain-distribution/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20mobilizes%20nationwide%20to%20crack%20down%20on%20illegal%20grain%20distribution&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministry-of-social-security-mobilizes-nationwide-to-crack-down-on-illegal-grain-distribution/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20mobilizes%20nationwide%20to%20crack%20down%20on%20illegal%20grain%20distribution "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [North Korea tells UN General Assembly it will not give up its nukes](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tells-un-general-assembly-it-will-not-give-up-its-nukes/) **Published:** October 3, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Unga_nk.jpg "Ungank | nk insider")At the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 29, North Korea delivered one of its most uncompromising messages of recent years when Vice Foreign Minister Kim Sun-kyung[ declared](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-tells-un-we-will-never-give-up-nuclear-program-2025-09-29/) Pyongyang would “never give up its nuclear weapons” and would “not retract this position under any circumstances.” This stark rejection of denuclearization efforts marks a significant escalation in the country’s diplomatic posture and a direct rebuke to years of international pressure aimed at curbing its nuclear ambitions. Kim’s speech framed nuclear weapons not merely as a strategic deterrent but as a constitutional and existential necessity. He argued that a demand for denuclearization is akin to an assault on national sovereignty and violates North Korea’s right to survival. By embedding nuclear armament into the ideological core of the regime in this way, Pyongyang appears to be signaling a shift from tactical ambiguity to strategic finality. In other words, it is an attempt to normalize its status as a nuclear-armed state. The United States, South Korea, and Japan have [made](https://kr.usembassy.gov/092425-joint-statement-from-the-trilateral-meeting-of-the-united-states-of-america-japan-and-the-republic-of-korea-in-new-york-city/) their positions on the issue unmistakably clear. Washington condemned the weapons program as a breach of international law and a threat to global stability. Seoul reaffirmed that lasting peace on the peninsula hinges on full denuclearization, while Tokyo stressed the importance of bolstering trilateral security cooperation in light of North Korea’s expanding missile and nuclear arsenal. Yet, amid this diplomatic deadlock, an unexpected opportunity surfaced. President Donald Trump hinted at a possible meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during the upcoming APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, at the end of October. “Dialogue with Chairman Kim is always open,” Trump said, adding that a meeting could take place “if conditions are right.” Meanwhile, reports from Pyongyang indicate that Kim may be willing to engage, provided the U.S. abandons its demand for denuclearization. This mutual signaling, however tentative, could mark the first thaw in U.S. relations since the collapse of the Hanoi summit in 2019. Yet, the road to meaningful dialogue remains fraught. North Korea continues to demand regime guarantees and sanctions relief as prerequisites for any negotiation, while Washington and its allies insist that denuclearization must come first. Experts interpret North Korea’s UN speech as a calculated move to cement its nuclear status in the international arena. By publicly rejecting denuclearization at a global forum, Pyongyang is not just resisting pressure. It is attempting to redefine the terms of engagement. This strategy, however, risks deepening its isolation, as the U.S. and its allies remain firmly opposed to recognizing North Korea as a legitimate nuclear power. Whether the APEC summit becomes a turning point or another missed opportunity depends largely on the political calculus of both Trump and Kim. The denuclearization of the peninsula remains one of the most complex and unresolved challenges in global diplomacy, and the world now watches as the two leaders weigh confrontation against compromise. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20tells%20UN%20General%20Assembly%20it%20will%20not%20give%20up%20its%20nukes&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20tells%20UN%20General%20Assembly%20it%20will%20not%20give%20up%20its%20nukes https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20tells%20UN%20General%20Assembly%20it%20will%20not%20give%20up%20its%20nukes "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tells-un-general-assembly-it-will-not-give-up-its-nukes/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20tells%20UN%20General%20Assembly%20it%20will%20not%20give%20up%20its%20nukes&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tells-un-general-assembly-it-will-not-give-up-its-nukes/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20tells%20UN%20General%20Assembly%20it%20will%20not%20give%20up%20its%20nukes "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [North Korea marks 77th anniversary of national founding with a one-day break… Farm workers mobilized for harvest](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-marks-77th-anniversary-of-national-founding-with-a-one-day-break-farm-workers-mobilized-for-harvest/) **Published:** September 9, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Youth-dancing.jpg "Youth dancing | nk insider")On the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the national foundation day on September 9, workers at factories, enterprises, and farms were officially given the day off. According to an internal source in North Korea cited by NK Times on the 8th, the regime instructed all factories, enterprises, and farms across the country to observe a one-day holiday to mark the anniversary. It was not all fun and relaxation, however. Citizens were expected to watch a commemorative report session on the founding of the Republic between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. However, it has been reported that farm workers are unable to take time off due to the fall harvest. Although national holidays are meant to be days off for everyone, the circumstances of farmers differ from those of factory workers. While workers could take the day off and watch the commemorative report session, farm workers were unable to rest due to the busy harvest period. The source explained that because agricultural work is highly dependent on the seasons, failing to harvest crops during this critical time could lead to significant losses. As a result, farm laborers were required to continue bringing in the harvest despite the national holiday. The regime reportedly declared a “special security period” for 24 hours, from 5 p.m. on September 8. During this time, factory workers and farm laborers across the country will be assigned to guard revolutionary historical sites, instruction boards, and propaganda boards. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20marks%2077th%20anniversary%20of%20national%20founding%20with%20a%20one-day%20break%E2%80%A6%20Farm%20workers%20mobilized%20for%20harvest&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20marks%2077th%20anniversary%20of%20national%20founding%20with%20a%20one-day%20break%E2%80%A6%20Farm%20workers%20mobilized%20for%20harvest https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20marks%2077th%20anniversary%20of%20national%20founding%20with%20a%20one-day%20break%E2%80%A6%20Farm%20workers%20mobilized%20for%20harvest "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-marks-77th-anniversary-of-national-founding-with-a-one-day-break-farm-workers-mobilized-for-harvest/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20marks%2077th%20anniversary%20of%20national%20founding%20with%20a%20one-day%20break%E2%80%A6%20Farm%20workers%20mobilized%20for%20harvest&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-marks-77th-anniversary-of-national-founding-with-a-one-day-break-farm-workers-mobilized-for-harvest/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20marks%2077th%20anniversary%20of%20national%20founding%20with%20a%20one-day%20break%E2%80%A6%20Farm%20workers%20mobilized%20for%20harvest "Reddit") **Categories:** Culture --- ### [Traveling on North Korea’s long-distance buses](https://www.nkinsider.org/traveling-on-north-koreas-long-distance-buses/) **Published:** September 16, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Istock-1166047537.jpg "Pyongyang north korea | nk insider")I’m often asked whether there are city buses and intercity buses in North Korea. Yes, there are. But they’re not the kind of buses you might imagine. When people think of North Korea, they often picture people riding on top of train cars. That used to happen, but not anymore. Especially for long-distance travel, that’s not possible. You have to sit in a seat for such long journeys. North Korea has roads, of course. There is the Pyongyang–Nampo Expressway, the Pyongyang–Hyangsan Expressway, and the Pyongyang–Wonsan Expressway. However, there’s no express bus system such as the one we have in South Korea. Here, we go to the express bus terminal and see buses lined up that will take us to Daejeon, Daegu, Busan – anywhere in the country. But in North Korea, there are no express buses of this type. They’re mostly regular buses. South Korea’s roads are well-developed, so you can easily go over 100 km/h on highways. But in North Korea, many roads are unpaved, and even the paved ones are limited, making it hard to travel quickly. There are two main types of long-distance bus in the North. There are government-operated buses and privately registered and operated buses. To be honest, the government buses rarely run properly. They need fuel, maintenance, all of which cost money, and the government doesn’t provide much support. Privately operated buses are different. Since they’re personal assets bought with private funds, the owners take good care of them, keep them fueled, and run them cleanly. These days, privately operated buses are more popular and better maintained. I used to travel frequently for business between cities like Haeju, Pyongyang, Pyongsong, Sunchon, and Sariwon. You might wonder, “How did you get to such faraway places?” Well, there are buses, of course, but also long-distance taxis. Yes, I’ve taken long-distance taxis too. Some people ask, “How can you afford to take a taxi for long distances in a country like that?” Let me explain. Beside regular sedan taxis, there are some that are like mini-buses and that can seat 8 to 12 people. They carry more passengers and so are cheaper. Now, you might ask, “Why take a 12-seater taxi instead of a bus?” There’s a reason. These taxis help fill the transportation gap. Let me explain. In North Korea, buses would leave at scheduled times, just like anywhere else. But in South Korea, if you miss a bus, another one usually departs shortly after. In North Korea, if you miss your bus, there’s no other option. You have to wait until the next day for the same scheduled time. That’s where the 12-seater taxis come in. They leave about 1 to 1.5 hours later than the buses, so people who missed the bus can still travel. Even though taxis are more expensive than buses, staying overnight in another city means paying for lodging and meals, which ends up costing more. So even if the taxi fare is higher, it’s still more economical to take one. For businesspeople, time is money. They’d rather pay a bit more to arrive quickly and start selling their goods. For example, if you’re traveling from Haeju to Pyongsong, you might leave in the afternoon or evening. You might wonder, “Why not leave early in the morning for such a long trip?” There’s a reason. In South Korea, you can reserve seats via mobile apps or at ticket counters, and buses leave on time once seats are filled. But in North Korea, it was very inconvenient because such a system doesn’t exist. Long-distance buses wait at the bus station, and travelers go there in person to find the bus heading to their destination. The bus only departs when it’s full. If it’s not full, it just waits. Conductors stand outside calling out, “Where are you going? Take our bus!” trying to gather passengers. It’s a competitive scramble to fill seats. The distance on the map might be around 270–300 km, but it would take 15 hours, factoring in waiting time and in-between breaks and delays. Here’s a schedule that I took. - Departed Haeju at 6 PM - Arrived in Pyongsong at 5 AM the next day - Washed, ate breakfast, waited for the bus to Sunchon - Took the 9 AM bus, arrived in Sunchon around 10 AM The real issue isn’t the distance. It’s the delays. In South Korea, 300 km takes about 3 hours on the expressway. But in North Korea, you get stopped. The most exhausting part of long-distance travel in North Korea are the security checkpoints. Every province and county has them. They check your ID, inspect your luggage, and verify your travel permit. If soldiers suspect anything, they can stop you from continuing. Conductors try to persuade them or vouch for passengers. If that doesn’t work, the passenger is removed and the bus continues. So before traveling long distances, you must get a travel permit from your local office. Without it, your trip is screwed. Now, let’s look inside the bus. It’s survival mode. Most buses used by North Koreans don’t have air conditioning or heating. In summer, you wipe sweat with a handkerchief. In winter, thermal underwear, padded jackets, and blankets are essential. South Korea has highway rest stops, right? North Korea has them too. In theory, anyway. But they’re poorly maintained and rarely used. Back then, I just thought, “This is normal.” But after coming to South Korea and riding an express bus, I was shocked. Every seat has a power outlet, Wi-Fi, heating and cooling. It felt like transportation that treats people with dignity. North Koreans wonder, “Will we ever be able to travel freely, without inspections, and comfortably?” Just three years ago, I lived in that world. Now I’m here, sharing this story with you. I’m truly grateful. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Traveling%20on%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20long-distance%20buses&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Traveling%20on%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20long-distance%20buses https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Traveling%20on%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20long-distance%20buses "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/traveling-on-north-koreas-long-distance-buses/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Traveling%20on%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20long-distance%20buses&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/traveling-on-north-koreas-long-distance-buses/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Traveling%20on%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20long-distance%20buses "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Dismantled communications network makes life worse for North Korean dissidents](https://www.nkinsider.org/dismantled-communications-network-makes-life-worse-for-north-korean-dissidents/) **Published:** September 9, 2025 **Author:** Julian McBride **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Loud-speakers.jpg "Loud speakers | nk insider")The Korean Peninsula is witnessing a potential renewal of hostilities due to an even more emboldened North Korea post its involvement in Russia and with South Korea dealing with reforms post the attempted coup by the previous president, Yoon Suk-yeol. With the Kim regime [ending reconciliation efforts](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/north-korea-will-no-longer-pursue-reconciliation-with-south-kim-jong-un-says), Seoul has recently begun dismantling its speaker systems. The systems not only pumped out loud music, but also [psychological operations](https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-south-loudspeaker-trash-balloons-kpop-460f4e3d6a036a26595891210287924c) and countered North Korean propaganda for potential dissidents. South Korea views the new policy as a means of [easing tensions](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-lee-end-some-military-activity-border-with-north-korea-2025-08-15/) with the North amid rising challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. However, the system is a crucial factor in helping dissidents flee one of the world’s most brutal regimes, and without it, life becomes harder for potential escapees. There is a long history behind the loudspeakers on the demilitarized zone (DMZ). During the 1950-53 Korean War, the United States [implemented](https://arsof-history.org/articles/v7n1_standing_start_page_1.html) loudspeakers during combat operations as a form of psychological warfare. After the armistice froze the war along the 38th parallel, American-led speakers continued. The South Koreans took over psychological operations in the 1960s. Their first loudspeakers on the DMZ were [in 1963](https://www.nknews.org/2024/06/up-to-eleven-how-rok-loudspeakers-blare-propaganda-far-into-north-korea/) during the rule of Park Chung-hee. During this period, Seoul faced looming threats due to the U.S. military [allocating](https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/08/09/now-is-the-time-for-south-korea-to-mend-its-dark-past-in-vietnam/) much of its Indo-Pacific forces towards the Vietnam War. South Korea would temporarily suspend broadcasts during [reconciliation negotiations](https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/pdf-art2275.pdf) in 2004, but Pyongyang used the pretext of peace talks to [test its first nuclear bomb.](https://kls.law.columbia.edu/content/north-koreas-nuclear-program-history) There would be a several-year pause on broadcasts until the provocations by the North, notably the [2010 shelling](https://www.38north.org/2011/01/the-yeonpyeong-island-incident/) [of Yeonpyeongdo](https://www.38north.org/2011/01/the-yeonpyeong-island-incident/) and the [sinking of the ROKS Cheonan.](https://www.csis.org/analysis/sinking-cheonan) After the [ascension of Kim Jong-un,](https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/docs/political_succession_in_north_korea) there was hope for reconciliation, which the first Trump Administration pressed on. Nevertheless, the new North Korean leader became [even more](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/north-koreas-jong-un-more-aggressive-than-father-us-general-idUSKCN0XG2HN/) [aggressive than his father.](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/north-koreas-jong-un-more-aggressive-than-father-us-general-idUSKCN0XG2HN/) In 2024, Kim [ended](https://www.freiheit.org/north-and-south-korea/kim-jong-un-abandons-goal-peaceful-reunification) the process of peaceful reunification with Seoul and heightened escalation with tons of trash flown across the border and the [deployment of troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/lessons-from-north-korean-casualties-in-kursk/) in the Russo-Ukrainian War in Kursk. Pyongyang [increased](https://www.nknews.org/2025/08/dprk-expanded-loudspeaker-network-weeks-before-rok-dismantle-its-own/) its own speakers along the DMZ with an uncomfortable frequency, to the point where Seoul compensated citizens affected by them. Recently, the new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, wanting tensions mitigated on the peninsula, [ordered](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/04/south-korea-removing-loudspeakers-north) the removal of the loudspeakers. Broadcasts from South Korea’s loudspeakers didn’t only provide psychological elements against the Kim regime, but also served a critical humanitarian purpose for disenfranchised North Koreans. In 2017, two KPA soldiers [defected](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/21/second-north-korean-soldier-defects-south) to the South after hearing the broadcasts. The loudspeakers often play K-pop, which appeals to northerners, and display international news blocked by Pyongyang. According to defector [Kim Sung-min,](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/02/world/asia/north-korea-radio-station-defector.html) the broadcasts help North Koreans realize there is more to the outside world than the regime teaches. Hearing music and news broadcasts, unfamiliar in state-mandated education, the broadcasts help North Koreans develop critical thinking skills that Pyongyang attempts to repress. The broadcasts have an effective enough track record that Pyongyang’s reciprocal broadcasts are primarily used in an effort to block out Seoul’s messaging that reaches citizens of the North up to twenty kilometers away. Defectors not only [praise the system](https://www.crossingbordersnk.org/blog/tag/north+korea+speakers) but also actively participate in broadcasts, seeking to reach out to their former compatriots and provide them with a better understanding of life outside. Besides hotlines and diplomatic back channels, some of which could be ignored by Kim Jong-un’s more aggressive leadership, South Korean broadcasts can serve as an alternative emergency communication line. For instance, Kim and his family may not be reachable. They may conduct irrational decisions, as seen with heightened provocative missile launches, but potential rocket forces and troops mobilized near the border can be reached via broadcasts. As seen in the Cold War, in some instances, it was troops, not command or heads of state, that [averted disasters.](https://www.chathamhouse.org/2016/07/12-times-we-came-close-using-nuclear-weapons) Similarly, this can be applied through the DMZ broadcasting policy. President Lee Jae-myung is taking a proactive and pragmatic approach in foreign relations, neither provoking nor enacting first strike aggression on the peninsula. Nonetheless, it will be crucial to reconsider the loudspeaker broadcasts as the DPRK continues to show it is currently not interested in rapprochement or de-escalation, especially after becoming more emboldened, testing conventional warfare for the first time since the 1950s. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/ "Julian McBride") [Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/) Julian McBride, a former U.S. Marine, is a forensic anthropologist and independent journalist born in New York. He reports and documents the plight of people around the world who are affected by conflicts, rogue geopolitics, and war, and also tells the stories of war victims whose voices are never heard. His bylines can be found in the National Security Journal, Byline Times, 19FortyFive, Heritage Daily, The Defense Post, Journal of Forensic Psychology, Modern Warfare Institute, and UK Defence Journal. [![Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/ "Julian McBride") Latest posts by Julian McBride ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/)) - [Dismantled communications network makes life worse for North Korean dissidents](https://www.nkinsider.org/dismantled-communications-network-makes-life-worse-for-north-korean-dissidents/) - September 9, 2025 - [The Indo-Pacific 80 years on from the nuclear bombs on Japan](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-indo-pacific-80-years-on-from-the-nuclear-bombs-on-japan/) - August 6, 2025 - [The race for long-range missiles between Japan and North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-race-for-long-range-missiles-between-japan-and-north-korea/) - June 27, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Dismantled%20communications%20network%20makes%20life%20worse%20for%20North%20Korean%20dissidents&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Dismantled%20communications%20network%20makes%20life%20worse%20for%20North%20Korean%20dissidents https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Dismantled%20communications%20network%20makes%20life%20worse%20for%20North%20Korean%20dissidents "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/dismantled-communications-network-makes-life-worse-for-north-korean-dissidents/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Dismantled%20communications%20network%20makes%20life%20worse%20for%20North%20Korean%20dissidents&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/dismantled-communications-network-makes-life-worse-for-north-korean-dissidents/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Dismantled%20communications%20network%20makes%20life%20worse%20for%20North%20Korean%20dissidents "Reddit") **Categories:** Flash Drives for Freedom --- ### [A world I never knew was revealed by a USB](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-world-i-never-knew-was-revealed-by-a-usb/) **Published:** September 29, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Usbs.jpg "Usbs | nk insider")As everyone knows, information in North Korea is completely blocked. No internet, no foreign broadcasts, no international news. All TV and radio are state-controlled. The most common news we hear is praise for Kim Jong-un. When I lived there, a constant refrain was, “South Korea is collapsing.” It’s a poor country, the media said. There were even propaganda stories about children hanging signs around their necks saying “Please buy my eyes” to pay for their sick mother’s treatment. But it didn’t make sense. They said South Korea was poor, but the dramas and music didn’t look like they came from a poor country. People naturally started seeking outside information, in secret of course. How do they get it? Some of it is smuggled in through China. But there’s another route. I lived near the sea, and I sometimes found outside information there. You might wonder, how can someone find Korean dramas or outside content at the beach? Let me explain. Plastic bottles would wash ashore, filled with rice, paper with Bible messages, a USB drive, and foreign currency like $1 or $2 bills. We’d take out the rice, USB, and money – those were important. The Bible was too big and risky to keep, and most North Koreans don’t believe in God. Even if they read the Bible, they wouldn’t understand it. But underground Christians knew what it was. They couldn’t talk about it, though. It was too dangerous. So they lived quietly. The USBs contained Korean dramas, variety shows, and movies. We’d watch them at home. Watching alone felt wasteful, so we’d share them with close, trustworthy friends. That person would share it again. If you don’t trust them, you must not share. In North Korea, they say one in three people spies for the secret police. You never know who’s watching. So you only share with people you truly trust. If you get caught watching, you’re punished. No exceptions. You could be sent to a labor camp, interrogated, imprisoned, or even executed. I used to watch secretly, locking the door, closing the curtains. If someone came, I’d quickly unplug the USB and hide it. In 2019, Korean dramas were more accessible for some reasons. It was rare to find someone who hadn’t seen one. We’d trade them with friends. It was widespread. But in 2020, the “Reactionary Thought and Culture Rejection Law” was enacted. Punishments became harsher. If you were caught, you’d go to prison, or worse. If you didn’t have money, execution was almost guaranteed. With money, you could bribe officials and reduce the punishment. Without it, you were dealt with strictly by the law. Since 2020, North Korea has treated “ideological and cultural infiltration” as a serious threat. They created strict laws to “protect” youth from South Korean cultural contamination. That’s the “Youth Education Law.” It enforces socialist ideological education and blocks outside content, especially South Korean videos, music, and language. Parents, schools, and society are legally responsible for educating youth properly. The goal is to prevent youth from being influenced by anti-socialist ideas. Everything is monitored – speech, clothing, hairstyles. Even using Korean-style expressions like “heol,” (oh my), “daebak” (awesome) and “oppa,” (older brother, used by girls to refer to older boys) can lead to punishment. If a young person is exposed to anti-socialist culture, their parents and teachers are punished as well. North Korean youth can’t even choose their hairstyle or way of speaking freely. Can you imagine a law that punishes parents for how their children speak? This law isn’t really about education. It’s about control. A country where saying “oppa” can get you punished – that’s North Korea in the 21st century. If you’re caught watching Korean content, you face a public trial. If you’re unlucky, even public execution. You might ask, “Why take such a risk to watch?” Because North Koreans want change. Through outside information, they see South Korea’s development, freedom, and everyday life. They start to wonder, “Why is it so different from us?” At first, it’s just entertainment. But later, it becomes hope. You realize, “There’s a world I never knew existed.” That’s what I felt when I first saw a Korean drama. “Wow… is that real?” “South Korea is like another world.” “I can’t believe I didn’t know this until now…” Watching USBs in secret, listening to radio news. That was an information revolution for me. It planted the seed that led me to escape. Even now, someone in North Korea is listening to the radio through earphones in the dark, watching dramas without turning on the light. I hope they learn more about the world, and that through this information, they find hope and believe, “I can change too.” This reality reminds me how grateful I am to live in a free environment where I can access any content or information I want. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20world%20I%20never%20knew%20was%20revealed%20by%20a%20USB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=A%20world%20I%20never%20knew%20was%20revealed%20by%20a%20USB https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=A%20world%20I%20never%20knew%20was%20revealed%20by%20a%20USB "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-world-i-never-knew-was-revealed-by-a-usb/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=A%20world%20I%20never%20knew%20was%20revealed%20by%20a%20USB&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-world-i-never-knew-was-revealed-by-a-usb/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=A%20world%20I%20never%20knew%20was%20revealed%20by%20a%20USB "Reddit") **Categories:** Flash Drives for Freedom --- ### [The appeal of "Innocents' Clubs":  Why some good people associate with disreputable groups that have awful positions](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-appeal-of-innocents-clubs-why-some-good-people-associate-with-disreputable-groups-that-have-awful-positions/) **Published:** September 29, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Istock-1007193976.jpg "Magician doing trick with doves | nk insider")It would take a competent political psychologist to provide a comprehensive, professional explanation as to why there have always been decent people who voluntarily associate with disreputable groups which advocate awful positions on political issues, particularly those involving international affairs. It is nevertheless possible for non-professionals who have studied the nature of such groups and some of the basically good people lured into involvement with them to perceive some historical patterns and apply common sense analyses in reaching certain reasonable conclusions. This is an important question not only in a theoretical sense, but also as a practical matter as it relates to Americans who have chosen to associate and become involved with pro-North Korean and other types of extremist groups which portray themselves as advocating worthwhile causes and noble aspirations, but whose actual positions and goals are far from virtuous. Such groups were described by expert practitioners of communist propaganda in the 1930s as [“Innocents’ Clubs.”](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Cause_That_Failed_Communism_in_Ameri/hezKbKnXAUUC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22innocents%27+clubs%22&pg=PT262&printsec=frontcover) The “innocents” were the ordinary members or backers of such groups, and were distinct from the key leaders who formulated the policy positions and cynically exploited them. This was accomplished by deliberately keeping the rank-and-file members ignorant as to the hidden and disreputable intentions and unsavory connections of the group by portraying it as something which it really was not. The classic example of this is a group which claims to be for “peace,” in the context of U.S. foreign policy, but which actually promotes or opposes foreign dictatorships hostile to the U.S. and the interests of those states. Lest anyone imagine that this type of phenomenon occurs only in regard to [pro-North Korean groups](https://www.nkinsider.org/profile-of-the-pro-north-korea-movement-in-the-united-states/), a case in point relating directly to today’s headlines about the conflict between Israel and its enemies in Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups, is exemplified in the left-wing American advocacy group known as [J Street](https://www.jns.org/j-streets-dishonest-anti-israel-anti-peace-anti-democracy-manifesto/). This group strenuously insists that it is a “pro-Israel and pro-peace” entity, seeking to explicitly distinguish itself from organizations even further to the left, such as the extremists and terrorism-apologists of [Jewish Voice for Peace](https://www.jns.org/report-highlights-jvps-extremist-ideology-terrorist-connections/), which does not hide its virulently anti-Israel stance. However, in light of the demonstrable facts of the positions it takes, the other groups with which it collaborates, and those whose causes it defends as opposed to the causes it downplays or ignores, as well as its funding, it is far more accurate to characterize J Street as a group which is hostile to Israel, as many prominent mainstream American Jews, Jewish groups and Christian supporters of Israel now maintain. The ordinary people who have been involved with J Street, such as young graduates, take its stated goals at face value and have not paid much attention to the details of some very disturbing revelations about the group and its positions. Such “innocents” are likely unaware, for example, that it originally [backed](https://www.timesofisrael.com/j-street-received-over-500000-from-group-to-push-iran-deal/) and now calls for a [return ](https://www.jns.org/j-street-vs-israel-over-iran/)to the disastrous nuclear deal with Iran, [opposes](https://www.meforum.org/j-street-stands-with-hamas-naturally) the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s internationally recognized definition of antisemitism, [deprecated](https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/j-streets-not-pro-israel-or-pro-peace/) the historic Abraham Accords, has urged lawmakers to [block](https://www.jns.org/j-street-declares-war-on-israel/) arms sales to Israel, and although it claims that it officially opposes boycotts against Israel, it nevertheless [allies itself](https://www.jns.org/on-university-campuses-j-street-supports-anti-israel-boycotts/) with those who promote such boycotts as well as with [radical extremist groups](https://thejewishvoiceandopinion.com/j-streets-two-faces-on-pro-hamas-protesters/) which glorify terrorism. For these reasons, J Street is seen as a fringe group and has been strongly criticized by mainstream Jewish and Christian leaders and organizations supportive of Israel. There is also a North Korea connection, since J Street [opposed](https://www.jns.org/j-street-backs-terror-linked-ngos-that-also-take-soross-cash/) Israel’s crackdown on front groups controlled by the Marxist-Leninist terrorist group [Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine](https://ngo-monitor.org/key-issues/ngo-links-to-terror-groups/what-is-the-pflp/), (PFLP), a U.S. designated terrorist organization, and leading campus activists with J Street have been accused of wearing T-shirts [lauding](https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/179096) a notorious PFLP terrorist. J Street campus chapters have also co-sponsored events with pro-North Korea, pro-terrorist, antisemitic groups such as [Students for Justice in Palestine](https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/222366-j-street-pro-progressive-not-pro-israel/), which is being [investigated by Congress](https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Letter-to-National-SJP-5.29.24.pdf) for its alleged links to terrorist groups. The PFLP and its top leaders have been [closely allied with North Korea](https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/north-korean-israeli-shadow-war) for decades. PFLP terrorists have been trained in the North and armed by the Pyongyang regime, and it was the PFLP, with North Korean support, which assisted the terrorists of the Japanese Red Army in carrying out the murder of Christian pilgrims to Israel in the [Lod Airport massacre](https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10364909) of 1972. “Innocents’ Clubs,” ostensibly established for what their members considered to be a worthwhile cause, such as the so-called [“nuclear freeze” movement](https://bukovsky-archive.com/02-the-peace-movement-and-the-ussr/) of the 1980s, attracted the large numbers of ordinary Americans and Europeans as supporters who did not know, or did not wish to know, that the policies being advocated were being promoted by the Soviet Union and were extremely detrimental to the defense of the U.S. and Western Europe. State Department reports, Congressional investigations, and several authors and researchers, including Soviet dissidents and defectors from the USSR, [revealed at the time](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/09/20/Soviet-agents-allegedly-operating-in-the-United-States-as/6889401342400/) – and which have been confirmed with even [more disclosures](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Reagan_s_War/AEal3OUTTkYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22nuclear+freeze%22+peter+schweizer&pg=PA146&printsec=frontcover) from Soviet-era archives in subsequent years – showed that some of the leading organizations promoting a nuclear freeze included [Soviet agents](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Campaigns_Against_Western_Defence/MQSxCwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Soviet+active+measures+western+defence&pg=PA82&printsec=frontcover), were funded by Moscow, and were being [manipulated](https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/public/digitallibrary/smof/nscintelligence/degraffenreid/r27/40-139-39149351-R27-013-2019.pdf) to serve the interests of the USSR. The naive idealists who lent themselves to that cause were unaware, or perhaps in some cases simply did not care, that they were being cynically used to promote the goals of the Kremlin’s leaders. There are possible explanations for the historical involvement of well-intentioned but deeply naive idealists in such groups that lie beyond political and moral considerations. Psychological factors likely also played and continue to play a key role in the attraction of such groups. Some people may join or support such groups due to a kind of “bandwagon” or “peer pressure” effect. They become involved because they have been urged to do so by friends and colleagues, or they have simply seen the involvement of their friends, and did not want to be left out, particularly if the cause in question was fashionable among young people, or among certain groups such as academics and entertainers. This may explain how, for example, the famous, recently deceased movie star [Robert Redford](https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10355811) was once duped by pro-North Korean forces into writing an article opposing a naval base on South Korea’s Jeju island. Once involved in an “innocents’ club,” supporters are also likely to ignore, and become defensive about and thereby dismiss out of hand any factual criticisms of the group. Even in cases where individuals eventually become disenchanted with a group and its positions, their sense of self-esteem may prevent them from openly breaking with the group, out of a sense of embarrassment in having to admit, to themselves or to others, that they had been deceived and manipulated. A current example of an “innocents’ club” directly focused on North Korea-related issues is the innocently named Korean American Public Action Committee [(KAPAC)](https://townhall.com/columnists/lawrencepeck/2021/11/08/is-your-representative-in-congress-being-influenced-by-extremists-to-support-a-bill-foolishly-granting-concessions-to-north-korea-n2598740), which maintains extremely close ties to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and its lawmakers in Seoul, and is strongly supportive of Korea’s current President Lee Jae-myung, just as it was of the previous left-wing President Moon Jae-in. KAPAC is reportedly[ now under investigation](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/08/19/PZKKCE25ZNEZNKPQZ6IJQ3HYW4/) by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly functioning as an unregistered agent of a foreign principal. The main [function of KAPAC](https://sundayjournalusa.com/2025/09/04/%ec%b6%94%ec%a0%81%ec%b7%a8%ec%9e%ac1-%eb%af%b8%ec%a3%bc%eb%af%bc%ec%a3%bc%ec%b0%b8%ec%97%ac%ed%8f%ac%eb%9f%bckapac%ec%8b%a4%ec%b2%b4-%ec%9e%90%ec%82%b0%eb%88%84%eb%9d%bd-%ed%97%88/) is to lobby, in conjunction with those members of Congress whom it essentially has in its pocket based on unceasing flattery and large campaign donations, for a no-preconditions peace agreement between the U.S. and North Korea. This lobbying effort takes the concrete form of support for the deceptively misnamed “Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act,” a bill in the House of Representatives designated as [HR 1841](https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/under-a-new-south-korean-president-can-peace-activists-push-us-troops-out/). The bill amounts to a “wish list,” a true “dream come true” for Kim Jong-un, in that it grants a series of [major concessions to the North](https://www.newsweek.com/north-korean-stooges-step-light-opinion-1812844), without demanding or even seeking anything whatsoever in return. It is for this reason that the bill has been strongly and publicly opposed by most moderate and conservative Korea experts and policymakers. There are almost certainly some rank-and-file members and supporters of KAPAC who are not aware, or do not bother to become aware, that the group and its members have been collaborating in various ways with pro-North Korean and other extremist groups and activists, and that it includes some top advisors and key members who are involved with and supportive of pro-North Korean forces and have themselves made or endorsed pro-North, anti-U.S., pro-terrorist, and anti-ROK statements. These ordinary members play no role in shaping the positions and activities of the group, yet they support it and participate in its events under the delusion, at least among some, that KAPAC is a genuine “peace” organization, because they have no idea of the influence of certain key pro-North Korean figures involved with pro-North forces. Such “innocents” likely enjoy the camaraderie they experience by taking part in the group’s political and social activities, without delving too deeply into its true nature, and have been lulled into perceiving it as merely a Korean American community group engaged in what it trumpets as “public diplomacy.” They are also undoubtedly impressed, perhaps star-struck, by the uncritical support granted to KAPAC by certain self-serving politicians who are lavishly praised at its events and who in turn do the group’s bidding in Congress. A question which naturally arises is whether or not the “innocents” involved in or supportive of such groups will eventually become so deeply enmeshed in their activities, so loyal to the leaders of the groups, that they are willing to promote any position advocated in the name of the groups. A related question is whether or not those involved in “innocents’ clubs” of this type will at some point come to realize that they do not share the positions of the leaders of such groups, are troubled by the forces with which such groups collaborate and are allied, and will therefore eventually discontinue their involvement or support. Although psychological factors as noted above tend to make it unlikely that such major desertions will occur, there have historically been dramatic events which have caused individuals committed to a group or a cause to begin to question their continued loyalty. During the period of the Nazi-Soviet alliance from 1939 through mid-1941, which triggered the outbreak of World War Two, for example, many Americans and Europeans resigned in disgust and disillusionment from groups which were supposedly founded to promote peace, but which were really pro-Soviet front groups which they discovered were following every twist and turn of the Kremlin’s foreign policy. One may therefore hope against hope, in spite of the psychological barriers involved, that a similar process of disillusionment will eventually occur with regard to the rank-and-file supporters of modern day “innocents’ clubs.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20appeal%20of%20%22Innocents%27%20Clubs%22%3A%C2%A0%20Why%20some%20good%20people%20associate%20with%20disreputable%20groups%20that%20have%20awful%20positions&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20appeal%20of%20%22Innocents%27%20Clubs%22%3A%C2%A0%20Why%20some%20good%20people%20associate%20with%20disreputable%20groups%20that%20have%20awful%20positions https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20appeal%20of%20%22Innocents%27%20Clubs%22%3A%C2%A0%20Why%20some%20good%20people%20associate%20with%20disreputable%20groups%20that%20have%20awful%20positions "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-appeal-of-innocents-clubs-why-some-good-people-associate-with-disreputable-groups-that-have-awful-positions/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20appeal%20of%20%22Innocents%27%20Clubs%22%3A%C2%A0%20Why%20some%20good%20people%20associate%20with%20disreputable%20groups%20that%20have%20awful%20positions&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-appeal-of-innocents-clubs-why-some-good-people-associate-with-disreputable-groups-that-have-awful-positions/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20appeal%20of%20%22Innocents%27%20Clubs%22%3A%C2%A0%20Why%20some%20good%20people%20associate%20with%20disreputable%20groups%20that%20have%20awful%20positions "Reddit") **Categories:** United States --- ### [North Korea’s taxis are more than just a ride](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-taxis-are-more-than-just-a-ride/) **Published:** September 29, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Istock-1153214292.jpg "Pyongyang north korea | nk insider")As everyone knows, information in North Korea is completely blocked. No internet, no foreign broadcasts, no international news. All TV and radio are state-controlled. The most common news we hear is praise for Kim Jong-un. When I lived there, a constant refrain was, “South Korea is collapsing.” It’s a poor country, the media said. There were even propaganda stories about children hanging signs around their necks saying “Please buy my eyes” to pay for their sick mother’s treatment. But it didn’t make sense. They said South Korea was poor, but the dramas and music didn’t look like they came from a poor country. People naturally started seeking outside information, in secret of course. How do they get it? Some of it is smuggled in through China. But there’s another route. I lived near the sea, and I sometimes found outside information there. You might wonder, how can someone find Korean dramas or outside content at the beach? Let me explain. Plastic bottles would wash ashore, filled with rice, paper with Bible messages, a USB drive, and foreign currency like $1 or $2 bills. We’d take out the rice, USB, and money – those were important. The Bible was too big and risky to keep, and most North Koreans don’t believe in God. Even if they read the Bible, they wouldn’t understand it. But underground Christians knew what it was. They couldn’t talk about it, though. It was too dangerous. So they lived quietly. The USBs contained Korean dramas, variety shows, and movies. We’d watch them at home. Watching alone felt wasteful, so we’d share them with close, trustworthy friends. That person would share it again. If you don’t trust them, you must not share. In North Korea, they say one in three people spies for the secret police. You never know who’s watching. So you only share with people you truly trust. If you get caught watching, you’re punished. No exceptions. You could be sent to a labor camp, interrogated, imprisoned, or even executed. I used to watch secretly, locking the door, closing the curtains. If someone came, I’d quickly unplug the USB and hide it. In 2019, Korean dramas were more accessible for some reasons. It was rare to find someone who hadn’t seen one. We’d trade them with friends. It was widespread. But in 2020, the “Reactionary Thought and Culture Rejection Law” was enacted. Punishments became harsher. If you were caught, you’d go to prison, or worse. If you didn’t have money, execution was almost guaranteed. With money, you could bribe officials and reduce the punishment. Without it, you were dealt with strictly by the law. Since 2020, North Korea has treated “ideological and cultural infiltration” as a serious threat. They created strict laws to “protect” youth from South Korean cultural contamination. That’s the “Youth Education Law.” It enforces socialist ideological education and blocks outside content, especially South Korean videos, music, and language. Parents, schools, and society are legally responsible for educating youth properly. The goal is to prevent youth from being influenced by anti-socialist ideas. Everything is monitored – speech, clothing, hairstyles. Even using Korean-style expressions like “heol,” (oh my), “daebak” (awesome) and “oppa,” (older brother, used by girls to refer to older boys) can lead to punishment. If a young person is exposed to anti-socialist culture, their parents and teachers are punished as well. North Korean youth can’t even choose their hairstyle or way of speaking freely. Can you imagine a law that punishes parents for how their children speak? This law isn’t really about education. It’s about control. A country where saying “oppa” can get you punished – that’s North Korea in the 21st century. If you’re caught watching Korean content, you face a public trial. If you’re unlucky, even public execution. You might ask, “Why take such a risk to watch?” Because North Koreans want change. Through outside information, they see South Korea’s development, freedom, and everyday life. They start to wonder, “Why is it so different from us?” At first, it’s just entertainment. But later, it becomes hope. You realize, “There’s a world I never knew existed.” That’s what I felt when I first saw a Korean drama. “Wow… is that real?” “South Korea is like another world.” “I can’t believe I didn’t know this until now…” Watching USBs in secret, listening to radio news. That was an information revolution for me. It planted the seed that led me to escape. Even now, someone in North Korea is listening to the radio through earphones in the dark, watching dramas without turning on the light. I hope they learn more about the world, and that through this information, they find hope and believe, “I can change too.” This reality reminds me how grateful I am to live in a free environment where I can access any content or information I want. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20taxis%20are%20more%20than%20just%20a%20ride&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20taxis%20are%20more%20than%20just%20a%20ride https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20taxis%20are%20more%20than%20just%20a%20ride "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-taxis-are-more-than-just-a-ride/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20taxis%20are%20more%20than%20just%20a%20ride&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-taxis-are-more-than-just-a-ride/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20taxis%20are%20more%20than%20just%20a%20ride "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [The rise and fall of the jangmadang street markets](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-jangmadang-street-markets/) **Published:** September 25, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Market-1.jpg "Market | nk insider")In any discussion about the economy in North Korea, you can’t ignore the pivotal role of the *jangmadang,* the informal markets that have become the backbone of everyday survival for ordinary people. Far from being mere trading spaces, these jangmadang are the heart of the unofficial economy. Now, recent crackdowns have put the livelihoods of countless numbers in jeopardy. In the late 1990s and early part of this century, when Kim Jong-il ruled, the state rationing system that had been in place for decades effectively collapsed. The regime loosened restrictions to allow people to engage in small-scale commerce to survive. Those with initiative turned to trade, smuggling, and cross-border exchanges with China. This shift sparked economic awareness among people. The idea of earning money became central to daily life. Initially, the markets existed in select regions where they functioned as informal exchange zones. But as food and essential supplies dried up, the jangmadang rapidly spread across the country. What began as simple barter evolved into a survival hub where people could buy rice, cooking oil, medicine, clothing, and even foreign goods. This meant those who worked hard could earn enough to avoid starvation, though not necessarily enough to thrive. However, after Kim Jong-un came to power in 2012, and especially following the outbreak of COVID-19, the state sealed its borders, not reopening until August 2023. With external supplies cut off, jangmadang distribution networks collapsed. But rather than easing restrictions, the government intensified central control and began shutting down markets. These spaces had become more than economic lifelines. They were places where people could dream, plan, and connect. Predictably, their closure sparked widespread frustration. Merchants who had invested their entire household savings into goods for resale suddenly found themselves unable to sell. Market hours were pushed back from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., then to 6 p.m. – a time when winter darkness discouraged foot traffic. Despite the reduced hours, the government continued collecting fees as if nothing had changed. This wasn’t just poor policy. It was a deliberate move to suppress commerce. Such measures appear less about public health and more about controlling grassroots economic activity. The regime fears citizens gaining financial independence and, by extension, power. A prime example is the closure of the Okjeon Market in Pyongsong. Once a hub for the garment industry, it relied on Chinese raw materials and local sewing factories. With both the market and border trade shut down, production halted and jobs vanished. The consequences have been severe. Rice prices surged from 6,000–8,000 won per kilogram to over 10,000 won. Corn prices doubled to 4,000 won. Foreign exchange rates became volatile, eroding purchasing power. Basic goods like soap, salt, cooking oil, and seasonings became scarce, and black market prices skyrocketed. The burden fell squarely on ordinary people. Despite this, the government continues to push for a “restoration of socialist economics,” expanding state-run stores in place of the jangmadang. But the state’s supply chains are outdated and inefficient. Citizens, now accustomed to market dynamics, find little value in what the government offers. The gap between central policy and local reality is widening, and even basic survival is no longer guaranteed. The suppression of the jangmadang is not just a policy shift. It exposes the fragility of the system. No matter how tightly the regime tries to control its people, it cannot suppress the instinct to survive. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20rise%20and%20fall%20of%20the%20jangmadang%20street%20markets&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20rise%20and%20fall%20of%20the%20jangmadang%20street%20markets https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20rise%20and%20fall%20of%20the%20jangmadang%20street%20markets "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-jangmadang-street-markets/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20rise%20and%20fall%20of%20the%20jangmadang%20street%20markets&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-jangmadang-street-markets/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20rise%20and%20fall%20of%20the%20jangmadang%20street%20markets "Reddit") **Categories:** Culture --- ### [North Korea sees simultaneous drop in exchange rate and food prices… Due to fall harvest and Kim’s China visit](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-sees-simultaneous-drop-in-exchange-rate-and-food-prices-due-to-fall-harvest-and-kims-china-visit/) **Published:** September 20, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Suwon-grain-selling-station.jpg "Suwon grain selling station | nk insider")Recent developments indicate that both exchange rates and food prices have dropped simultaneously in North Korea. According to an investigation conducted by NK Times from September 1 to 7, the U.S. dollar exchange rate was reported as follows: - Pyongyang – 30,050 won - Pyongsong – 30,000 won - Sariwon – 29,800 won - Chongjin – 30,000 won - Hyesan – 29,600 won This reflects a decrease of 1,110 won from the average of 31,000 won at the end of last month. As for the Chinese yuan, the exchange rates were: - Pyongyang – 4,000 won - Pyongsong – 3,980 won - Sariwon – 3,960 won - Chongjin – 4,100 won - Hyesan – 4,150 won The average was 3,520 won, representing a drop of about 1,230 won from 4,380 won just 10 days earlier (as of August 29). Food prices have also seen a significant decline. The price of a kilogram of rice was: - Pyongyang – 12,500 won - Pyongsong – 12,500 won - Sariwon – 12,300 won - Chongjin – 12,400 won - Hyesan – 12,600 won This marks an average decrease of 540 won from 13,000 won just 10 days prior. Corn per kilogram was: - Pyongyang – 3,500 won - Sariwon – 3,700 won - Chongjin – 3,550 won - Hyesan – 3,600 won This is a drop of about 413 won compared to the average price of 4,000 won at the end of last month. Sources attribute the trend to the arrival of freshly harvested potatoes in July and August, followed by new corn from mid-August, as well as the distribution of imported rice and flour in the markets. Additionally, recent developments, particularly Kim Jong-un’s visit to China, are believed to be influencing the decline in both exchange rates and food prices. “With the autumn harvest season approaching, overall food prices are falling sharply, which is helping to ease economic instability,” a source contacted in the North said. “Furthermore, following the Marshal’s (Kim Jong-un’s) visit to China, there is growing optimism that the economy will improve, which seems to be contributing to the decline in currency exchange rates and food prices,” he said. “Many people believe that economic aid and exchanges with China will increase following the Marshal’s visit,” he added. “This expectation appears to be reflected in the falling exchange rates and food prices, and many expect this downward trend to continue through December.” If these findings hold true, the recent trends are likely to have a positive impact. In particular, the drop in food prices could improve basic access to food and ease the financial burden on the population. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20sees%20simultaneous%20drop%20in%20exchange%20rate%20and%20food%20prices%E2%80%A6%20Due%20to%20fall%20harvest%20and%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20China%20visit&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20sees%20simultaneous%20drop%20in%20exchange%20rate%20and%20food%20prices%E2%80%A6%20Due%20to%20fall%20harvest%20and%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20China%20visit https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20sees%20simultaneous%20drop%20in%20exchange%20rate%20and%20food%20prices%E2%80%A6%20Due%20to%20fall%20harvest%20and%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20China%20visit "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-sees-simultaneous-drop-in-exchange-rate-and-food-prices-due-to-fall-harvest-and-kims-china-visit/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20sees%20simultaneous%20drop%20in%20exchange%20rate%20and%20food%20prices%E2%80%A6%20Due%20to%20fall%20harvest%20and%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20China%20visit&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-sees-simultaneous-drop-in-exchange-rate-and-food-prices-due-to-fall-harvest-and-kims-china-visit/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20sees%20simultaneous%20drop%20in%20exchange%20rate%20and%20food%20prices%E2%80%A6%20Due%20to%20fall%20harvest%20and%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20China%20visit "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [What is something women could never imagine in North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-is-something-women-could-never-imagine-in-north-korea/) **Published:** September 18, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-09-18-a-las-10 30 30-a M.jpg "| nk insider")I want to talk about a special kind of freedom, something truly unimaginable in North Korea. I’d like to talk about driving. When I first arrived in South Korea, the very first thing that shocked me was the sheer number of passenger cars on the road. The moment I saw them, I thought,“ Wow, there are this many? How are they all lined up so neatly? Is this a movie set or what?” Of course, there are cars in North Korea too, but you’ll never see anything like that. Generally, you’ll see buses, trucks, or taxis. Passenger cars are almost entirely reserved for people in high-ranking positions. Most roads are unpaved. When it rains, they turn into mud. When it snows, they become natural skating rinks. The sight that stunned me in South Korea was something we could never even imagine in the North. At first, I honestly thought to myself, “Are all these people cadres? Is everyone here a president or something?” In the North, driving is strictly men’s work, a male privilege. Women cannot drive. They can’t ride motorcycles. Even bicycles require a license. The only exceptions are battery-powered bicycles (what South Koreans call e-bikes) or regular bicycles. Even if you have money, you can’t own a car. All vehicles are state property. Even if you “buy” one, you must register it with the state, and afterward you’re required to pay monthly registration fees called “planned quotas.” If you can’t pay, your driving is restricted, and you can’t really use the car. Driving is not something just any man can do. He has to attend a “driver training center,” complete months of education, and pass an exam. The first license I obtained after coming to South Korea was a driver’s license. At the Hanawon resettlement support center, where defectors receive help adjusting, I took lessons and was able to take the test. “Here, anyone can drive,” a teacher told us on my first day. “Even women?” I asked. “Of course. Anyone can.” That shocked me. The idea of women driving was unimaginable. But now, I take my kids to school, commute to work, and even go grocery shopping. My daughter goes to school, my son to kindergarten. It feels like a dream come true. Isn’t this what freedom is? North Korea always proclaims, “We are a nation of self-reliance. We never extend our hand to others and rise by ourselves.” And yet, they can’t even manufacture proper cars, let alone solve the reality of their people starving. What does North Korea produce? As you all know—missiles, nuclear weapons. Yes, there are things like Seungri automobiles, Geumseong tractors, and Gaengsaeng passenger cars. Lately, state media brags about increased tank production too. But in the provinces, ordinary people rarely, if ever, see such vehicles. So who are these vehicles really for? Tractors are distributed for collective farms, but passenger cars are never for ordinary people. Some cadres drive foreign cars. Perhaps it’s intentional that people can’t own cars. Perhaps if ordinary people had them, they’d appear on the same level as Kim Jong-un. In the North, a car is a symbol of power, and if that symbol collapses, the whole hierarchy is shaken. When black sedans pass by in North Korea, people step aside and react with awe. Why? Because those cars belong to the leader, the powerful, the State Security officials, or the cadres. The moment ordinary people get one, that entire order is threatened. But now, I myself get behind the wheel and drive freely to wherever I want to go. This isn’t just driving. It’s freedom of choice, freedom of movement, and freedom of existence. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20is%20something%20women%20could%20never%20imagine%20in%20North%20Korea%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%20is%20something%20women%20could%20never%20imagine%20in%20North%20Korea%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%20is%20something%20women%20could%20never%20imagine%20in%20North%20Korea%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-is-something-women-could-never-imagine-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%20is%20something%20women%20could%20never%20imagine%20in%20North%20Korea%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-is-something-women-could-never-imagine-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%20is%20something%20women%20could%20never%20imagine%20in%20North%20Korea%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Culture --- ### [State Security Ministry dispatches inspection teams to border areas during Kim’s China visit to prevent internal unrest](https://www.nkinsider.org/state-security-ministry-dispatches-inspection-teams-to-border-areas-during-kims-china-visit-to-prevent-internal-unrest/) **Published:** September 17, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Kju.jpg "Kju | nk insider")As North Korean leader Kim Jong-un embarked on a trip to China on September 2 to attend the military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Chinese victory in World War II, the State Security Ministry reportedly dispatched inspection teams to border areas of North Hamgyong and Ryanggang Provinces to conduct intensive inspections. The move is interpreted as an attempt to minimize internal unrest and block external contact in order to maintain regime stability during Kim’s visit. According to a North Korean source on September 4, the State Security Ministry has been carrying out inspections of border regions since August 23. While officially framed as inspections of security units accused of shielding or neglecting information leakers, the true purpose, the source explained, is to prevent subversive activities by anti-regime forces during Kim’s visit to China. “The current inspections are producing a number of absurd situations,” the source said. “The inspection teams are working with the goal of heightening a sense of tension, but lower-level security officers, fearful of the inspections, are putting down the names of people from other districts to protect their own informants. Among informants who use Chinese cell phones, there is widespread chaos as they denounce one another.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=State%20Security%20Ministry%20dispatches%20inspection%20teams%20to%20border%20areas%20during%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20China%20visit%20to%20prevent%20internal%20unrest&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=State%20Security%20Ministry%20dispatches%20inspection%20teams%20to%20border%20areas%20during%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20China%20visit%20to%20prevent%20internal%20unrest https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=State%20Security%20Ministry%20dispatches%20inspection%20teams%20to%20border%20areas%20during%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20China%20visit%20to%20prevent%20internal%20unrest "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/state-security-ministry-dispatches-inspection-teams-to-border-areas-during-kims-china-visit-to-prevent-internal-unrest/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=State%20Security%20Ministry%20dispatches%20inspection%20teams%20to%20border%20areas%20during%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20China%20visit%20to%20prevent%20internal%20unrest&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/state-security-ministry-dispatches-inspection-teams-to-border-areas-during-kims-china-visit-to-prevent-internal-unrest/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=State%20Security%20Ministry%20dispatches%20inspection%20teams%20to%20border%20areas%20during%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20China%20visit%20to%20prevent%20internal%20unrest "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Some myths regarding "demonization" of the North Korean regime, comedic mockery of Its dictator, and "dehumanization" of the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/some-myths-regarding-demonization-of-the-north-korean-regime-comedic-mockery-of-its-dictator-and-dehumanization-of-the-people/) **Published:** September 16, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Istock-1150562262.jpg "Korean schoolchildren at the memorial cemetery of revolutionaries | nk insider")Suzanne Labin was a French intellectual, originally of socialist views, who came to be a critic of totalitarian communist regimes. She authored a book entitled [*The Anthill: The Human Condition in Communist China*](https://archive.org/details/anthillthehumanc013613mbp) that was based on interviews with escapees from China in the mid-to-late 1950s. Robert Guillain was a French journalist, also of the left, who wrote a book entitled *The Blue Ants: 600 Million Chinese Under the Red Flag,* about his experiences in China as a visiting correspondent during the mid-1950s. By today’s standard, these books have very politically incorrect titles. But Labin’s, far from being patronizing or engaging in Western stereotypes, was actually a sensitive examination of the plight of Chinese living under Maoist totalitarianism, and Guillain’s was rather sympathetic to the communist regime. The references to “blue ants” and an “anthill” were therefore certainly not intended to be offensive. Nevertheless, during the heyday of left-wing revisionism which permeated much of Western academia from the late 1960s through the late 1970s, both authors were unfairly condemned and stereotyped. They were accused of using the “blue ants” and “anthill” metaphors in a “simplistic and dehumanizing” manner, but in fact were referring without malice to the blue cotton clothing worn by Chinese, and the massive “nature-remaking” and often failed work projects in which millions were compelled to toil in primitive and deadly conditions. Labin’s work, in particular, was a highly empathetic cry against the regime’s real dehumanization of those unfortunate Chinese. In denouncing these works based on their titles, a famous China-focused academic at UCLA in the 1970s employed a false dichotomy, a type of “straw man” argument, comparing what he unjustly termed the “simplistic and dehumanizing” nature of Labin’s book to the equally simplistic works published by outright apologists for and [enthusiastic admirers of the Maoist regime](https://medium.com/@usefulstooges/jan-myrdal-sweden-s-man-without-shame-958bf4fbc4d8), wrongly lumping the two types of books together without distinction. Few students would have bothered to read her book. The great funnyman Mel Brooks by today’s standards also produced politically correct comedic satires. He revived an entire genre of comedy films and plays mocking Adolf Hitler and the Nazis from the 1960s through the 1980s. That genre of insulting murderous enemies of freedom by making them look ridiculous, existed even during the dark years of World War Two, as exemplified in comedy films such as [*To Be or Not to Be*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBm1LhbANDk)*,* which was an Academy Award nominee of 1942, which Brooks himself re-made in 1983. Brooks*,* a Jew and a World War Two veteran who fought against the Nazis maintained that this was his way of seeking revenge. He claimed that in doing so, he was using his work “as a weapon” against such evil forces, [“posthumously robbing”](https://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/spiegel-interview-with-mel-brooks-with-comedy-we-can-rob-hitler-of-his-posthumous-power-a-406268.html) Hiter of any sense of dignity. Brooks in no way sought to minimize the genocidal crimes of Hitler and the Nazis. He was rather seeking some unorthodox way of bashing them. Young, idealistic opponents of the North Korean regime today are influenced by the some of the more tendentious findings of corrupted social science, of ideologically inspired intellectual straight-jackets such as the still fashionable concept of alleged demonization or dehumanization of an alien “other,” promoted decades ago by the late [Edward Said](https://www.meforum.org/campus-watch/answering-edward-said-review-of-defending) and those of his ilk. It is understandable that they would tend to recoil at the idea of mocking, ridiculing, and belittling dictators. However, even the most well-intentioned concern about making light of the absurdities inherent in life under a totalitarian state such as North Korea, a true dystopia as distinct from an authoritarian regime, and even such a concern among human rights activists, is fundamentally misguided, and even counter-productive. This is because such a focus will likely, if unwittingly, reinforce and play into the [false narrative](https://estatements.unmeetings.org/estatements/10.0010/20241217100000000/vfNnXLfCv/lPFQMQ-K_nyc_en.pdf) of those who support and make excuses for the North Korean regime, in their constant [accusation](https://liberationnews.org/stranger-fiction-interview-u-s-regime-change-policy-toward-north-korea/) that any and all Western critics of the North are guilty of [“demonizing”](https://liberationnews.org/stop-the-threats-on-north-html/) the regime and its people. While no decent, intelligent person would “demonize,” without exceptions, all the inhabitants of a country, any more than he or she would “demonize” all adherents of a religion or members of a racial or ethnic group, there are surely regimes of the past and present which, based on their demonic actions, fully deserve to be “demonized,” in the sense of being accurately recognized and justifiably [condemned as evil](https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/north-korea-gassing-its-citizens-rights-group-1.541256). The same justification certainly applies to mockery of brutal dictators. Who but a pro-North Korean activist or a morally confused individual would argue, for example, against the clever mockery of Kim Jong-un’s visage in the [“Flash Drives for Freedom Campaign”](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/) of the Human Rights Foundation, which publishes *NK Insider?* Who would seriously assert that mocking Kim Jong-un in that manner was somehow “dehumanizing” or a harmful stereotype? There have certainly been films and personal accounts of visits to the North which are oversimplifications, but it is still wrong, and counter-productive in the grand scheme of things, to hold up such “straw man” examples of negative stereotypes of the North as being somehow equivalent to, or as wrong and harmful as praise for the North. It should never be overlooked that in the most real sense, as a practical reality, it is the [North Korea regime itself](https://www.hrnk.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/publications/eng/HRNK_Songbun_Web.pdf) which fundamentally “dehumanizes” its people, rather than some silly film or stereotype-laden visitor’s account. After all, there are no organizations in the U.S. which are in any way dedicated to “dehumanizing” the people of North Korea, but there are[ organizations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghWXBzf6ZQA), well-funded ones with influential supporters, which are dedicated to defending the policies and actions of the North Korean regime and actively opposing its “demonization.” There are nevertheless those who maintain that popular negative stereotypes about the North should be countered and condemned just as strenuously as positive narratives about the North. What this approach fails to take into account, however, is the practical, real-life circumstances of American and more broadly Western perceptions of the regime. The simple fact of the matter is that the vast majority of people have neither the slightest inclination nor the time to familiarize themselves with details about the nature of the regime or those who suffer under it, and that given this lamentable situation, a negative perception of the North, even if laced with misunderstandings and stereotypes, is still preferable, as the “least worst” perception, for all its faults, than either total ignorance regarding the North, or positive perceptions of the regime. In some situations, as unfortunate as it seems, binary choices are a sad reality with which one must make the best of. The truth with regard to what are obviously the normal human feelings and behaviors of ordinary people in the North should not be expressed, either unwittingly by those rightly concerned with upholding their humanity, or wittingly by those who seek to falsely portray the North as a normal state, in such a manner that the highly abnormal system under which they suffer is masked by a deceptive veil of superficial “normality.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Some%20myths%20regarding%20%22demonization%22%20of%20the%20North%20Korean%20regime%2C%20comedic%20mockery%20of%20Its%20dictator%2C%20and%20%22dehumanization%22%20of%20the%20people&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Some%20myths%20regarding%20%22demonization%22%20of%20the%20North%20Korean%20regime%2C%20comedic%20mockery%20of%20Its%20dictator%2C%20and%20%22dehumanization%22%20of%20the%20people https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Some%20myths%20regarding%20%22demonization%22%20of%20the%20North%20Korean%20regime%2C%20comedic%20mockery%20of%20Its%20dictator%2C%20and%20%22dehumanization%22%20of%20the%20people "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/some-myths-regarding-demonization-of-the-north-korean-regime-comedic-mockery-of-its-dictator-and-dehumanization-of-the-people/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Some%20myths%20regarding%20%22demonization%22%20of%20the%20North%20Korean%20regime%2C%20comedic%20mockery%20of%20Its%20dictator%2C%20and%20%22dehumanization%22%20of%20the%20people&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/some-myths-regarding-demonization-of-the-north-korean-regime-comedic-mockery-of-its-dictator-and-dehumanization-of-the-people/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Some%20myths%20regarding%20%22demonization%22%20of%20the%20North%20Korean%20regime%2C%20comedic%20mockery%20of%20Its%20dictator%2C%20and%20%22dehumanization%22%20of%20the%20people "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Kim Jong-un’s special train: bulletproof carriages and luxury facilities](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-uns-special-train-bulletproof-carriages-and-luxury-facilities/) **Published:** September 14, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Kju-train.jpeg "Kju train | nk insider")When Kim Jong-un traveled to China recently, he went via a special train. Or, to be more precise, a moving hotel. The moment I saw that news, I thought of the experience ordinary North Koreans have of trains. I would like to share that story with you. The train Kim uses is no ordinary means of transportation. It’s called the “Taeyang-ho.” Even from the name, you can sense the characteristic cult of personality. It is a specially manufactured train made up of 17 to 20 cars. Every carriage is bulletproof, with stealth coating, satellite communication jamming systems, mortars, machine guns, and even luxury vehicles on board. It is literally described as a “moving palace,” a “moving fortress.” But the trains ordinary North Koreans ride chug along at 30 or 40 km per hour. When the electricity cuts out, they stop, sometimes for a day or two at a time. That is why, in winter, everyone brings blankets. That’s how uncomfortable and painful the experience is. North Korean propaganda always goes like this: “Our great General continues his guidance for the people, surviving on naps and balls of rice.” They spread this kind of ridiculous propaganda. But who is it that actually eats those cold rice balls? It’s the miners digging coal, the farm laborers working the fields, and the ordinary residents shivering in winter with no firewood to keep warm. Kim doesn’t eat rice balls. He has lavish banquets prepared with the people’s tears and blood. Even when families of soldiers sent to Russia are told they are being “consoled,” hundreds of sons from countless families have lost their lives. But the dictatorship tries to cover up all responsibility with just a single tear. He puts on a show, shedding tears in front of others. If he truly felt that heartache, wouldn’t he not send them in the first place? Just how precious and costly are Kim Jong-un’s tears supposed to be? After countless lives have been sacrificed, can a single gesture of sympathy really outweigh everything? According to reports, more than 600 have been killed. If you add the wounded, the total casualties come to about 14,700. It’s truly heartbreaking. So why does Kim insist on going by train instead of flying? Aircraft are exposed to international satellite systems. By contrast, a train, even if it’s slow, can still be controlled if there’s a malfunction or even a terror attack on the ground. The other reason is fear. He fears the people. He fears the outside world. He is afraid his fragile power might collapse. North Korea proclaims, “The people are the masters.” But in reality, the people are hungry servants, and Kim is the king in a steel-plated palace. The cost of a single car of Kim’s train could provide food for tens of thousands of farm laborers for a whole year. And where does the money come from? From the sweat, the blood, and the sacrifices of the people. All poured into a single man’s mode of transportation. It was only after coming to South Korea that I realized this deeply. No matter how alert you are in North Korea, no matter how much outside information you hear, you can’t really grasp the full truth. I knew some of it, but I never imagined it was this cruel. Exploiting the people, ruling over them, while securing one’s own safety in a gold-plated steel fortress—that is Kim Jong-un’s North Korea. I realized it too late, but I realized it. So now, if anyone tried to feed me that kind of propaganda again, I would say this: “You are not eating rice balls, you are eating the people’s suffering.” Now that I am in South Korea, where I can speak freely, I sincerely hope my message reaches those still inside North Korea, those who look out at the world but cannot freely speak or express themselves, living in darkness. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20special%20train%3A%20bulletproof%20carriages%20and%20luxury%20facilities&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20special%20train%3A%20bulletproof%20carriages%20and%20luxury%20facilities https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20special%20train%3A%20bulletproof%20carriages%20and%20luxury%20facilities "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-uns-special-train-bulletproof-carriages-and-luxury-facilities/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20special%20train%3A%20bulletproof%20carriages%20and%20luxury%20facilities&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-uns-special-train-bulletproof-carriages-and-luxury-facilities/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20special%20train%3A%20bulletproof%20carriages%20and%20luxury%20facilities "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) **Published:** September 12, 2025 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-09-12-a-las-8 47 46-a M.jpg "Captura de pantalla 20250912 a las 8 47 46 a m | nk insider")During the famine of the 1990s, estimates of the numbers who starved to death or died from related illnesses ranged from 240,000 to over [three million](https://japan-forward.com/speaking-out-mounting-deaths-in-north-korea-as-famine-worsens/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) out of a population of around 22 [million](http://million.if). If accurate, this higher figure surpasses the total number of casualties in the Korean War. The catastrophe was a direct cause of large numbers of defections. Even now, decades later, North Koreans are risking their lives to escape. However, the nature of defection has changed. Over time, the decision to escape has evolved from a matter of sheer survival into a choice driven by the pursuit of freedom and a better life. In addition, the methods, costs, and obstacles escapees face, notably, the surveillance systems, have changed tremendously. Today, the harsh reality is that without money, leaving for a better life isn’t possible. Tracing the history of defection reveals that it can never be explained as a matter of personal choice. It is more accurate to see it as a consequence of grave human rights violations by the regime, which has chosen oppression and control over protecting its citizens’ right to life. Well before the famine years, stories circulated of people executed following defection attempts. These early instances were not driven by economic hardship. They were rare acts by individuals who had realized the absurdities of North Korean society. For this, they were labeled “political criminals.” Around the time of the death in 1994 of the country’s founding leader, Kim Il-sung, the economic situation worsened drastically. Outbreaks of typhoid, paratyphoid, and cholera spread across the country. Residents whose immune systems had already been severely weakened by malnutrition, collapsed and died. Witnessing the deaths of neighbors and family members, people had no choice but to flee, preferably with their loved ones. During lectures, I sometimes hear people say, “You made the right choice.” But for me and countless others at the time, leaving was not a choice. It was the only way I could survive. I’m also often asked, “If you were struggling to survive, how did you pay for defection?” To which I reply, “If I had money to give a broker, I probably wouldn’t have defected at all.” Back then, people with nothing to their name crossed the Tumen River, only to be shot by soldiers or swept away by the river. Those who made it some distance were often captured and dragged back to prison camps. Families left behind were placed under surveillance for failing to prevent a “treasonous act,” and those who lost their breadwinner often starved to death. As a result, increasing numbers of orphans roamed train stations and black markets, where they became known as *kkotjaebi*. Defection at this time required courage, not money. Many crossed the river with the resolve, “If I’m going to die anyway, I might as well try.” The Arduous March, as the regime dubs the famine, is often described with the saying, “The rabbits all died (those who obeyed the Party and starved), the deer ran away (defectors), and only the jackals and foxes survived (those who lived through strength and corruption).” It appeared to end in May 2000 when Kim Jong-il, during a visit to China, declared, “[The Arduous March is over and a new phase has begun](https://nk.chosun.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=11847).” Of course, the famine did not slow down the nuclear development program. And it served to further isolate North Korea from the international community and deepen the food crisis. In addition to those fleeing for survival, some who encountered a taste of limited freedom and affluence in China defected again after being repatriated, while others hearing news from China were inspired to make their first escape. Defection was no longer just about survival. People defected for various reasons, such as smuggling, freedom, family reunification, or even through human trafficking. Many now crossed the border by paying brokers for safer passage. A tightly woven network formed between border guards and local residents to facilitate these defections, and the North Korea-China border became a busy passage through which people, information, and goods flowed nightly. This flow of content and knowledge into North Korea’s underground economy allowed outside influence to penetrate deep into society. In border towns, defection became so common it was likened to “visiting a neighbor.” At this time, both rich and poor could do it. The former with relative safety, the latter by taking greater risks. Most significantly, in the 2000s, defection began to shift from simple escape to the end goal of securing citizenship in a third country, a form of escape aimed at lasting freedom. However, unlike those fleeing for economic reasons, those who were caught while attempting to reach a third country were treated as political criminals and subjected to severe punishment, including execution. From the moment he took power in 2012, Kim Jong-un greatly intensified control and surveillance over the border with China. Even the border guards themselves became targets. To prevent collusion between guards and defectors or smugglers, the regime began [rotating military units](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/border-07012013171715.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com) at the border or even disbanding entire border guard units, an unprecedented measure. [Barbed wire and electric fences ](https://www.chosun.com/international/international_general/2024/10/08/XXXJWPORJZCS3JX7AWXNDY7WRA/?utm_source=naver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=naver-news)were added, along with [CCTV cameras, infrared sensors, night vision equipment](https://www.chosun.com/international/international_general/2024/10/08/XXXJWPORJZCS3JX7AWXNDY7WRA/?utm_source=naver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=naver-news), and [underground traps](https://www.dailynk.com/%E5%8C%97-%EA%B5%AD%EA%B2%BD-%EC%A7%80%EC%97%AD%EC%97%90-%EC%A7%80%EB%A2%B0%ED%98%95-%ED%8F%AD%EC%A3%BD%C2%B7%ED%95%A8%EC%A0%95-%EB%93%B1-%EB%8F%84%EA%B0%95-%EB%B0%A9%EC%A7%80%EC%9A%A9-%EB%B6%80/). The border became a double barrier, one visible, the other invisible. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the regime took extreme measures, designating border areas as special lockdown zones with [shoot-to-kill orders](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/border-12312020140512.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com) for anyone approaching the border. China also ramped up its border control measures. In addition to thermal imaging, they deployed [facial recognition cameras, collected biometric data, and began patrolling rivers by boat](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/fishing-net-police-quotas-surveillance-trap-north-koreans-china-2024-09-25/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) to prevent defection and smuggling. With the full force of physical, technological, military, and psychological measures in place, North Korea became virtually sealed off. This made defection nearly impossible. The era when a person could cross the river with nothing but courage, or rely on local networks, is over. And yet, just as prisoners managed to escape the world’s most infamous prison, Alcatraz, defections from North Korea have not ceased entirely. It’s just that today they require far more complex and organized operations. To avoid the advanced surveillance, brokers must bribe border guards at multiple levels. They must also arrange underground routes and make backdoor deals to avoid Chinese authorities during travel. Escape routes now often pass through third-country safe houses, requiring careful planning and significant resources. Defection, once possible through individual courage, is now nearly impossible without access to a specialized network. As the success rate of defections falls and the risks grow, broker fees have skyrocketed. In the 2000s, a few hundred dollars might have been enough. But under Kim Jong-un, and especially during COVID-19, costs soared into the thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars. Before COVID-19, rescuing one defector from China cost South Korean human rights groups about 1.5 to 2 million KRW ($1,080–1,440). Now, it exceeds 10 million KRW ($7,200). These soaring costs not only hamper the rescue efforts of civil society groups but have become an insurmountable barrier. The upshot is that today, if a person doesn’t have money, they can’t even dream of escape. Defection, in other words, has essentially become a privilege, revealing the deep inequalities of North Korean society, where even freedom is a commodity to be purchased. Rumors are now circulating in North Korea that a “second Arduous March”—another large-scale famine—has begun. The saying that once described the brutality of survival during the 1990s famine, “Only jackals and foxes survived,” has now evolved into, “Only ghosts and aliens are left.” This new expression reflects just how severe and surreal the struggle for survival in North Korea has become. Now escape is no longer an option. Under Kim’s extreme and aggressive control, the cries of citizens remain trapped within the country, unable to reach the outside world. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=From%20hunger%20to%20freedom%3A%2030%20years%20of%20changing%20reasons%20to%20escape%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=From%20hunger%20to%20freedom%3A%2030%20years%20of%20changing%20reasons%20to%20escape%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=From%20hunger%20to%20freedom%3A%2030%20years%20of%20changing%20reasons%20to%20escape%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=From%20hunger%20to%20freedom%3A%2030%20years%20of%20changing%20reasons%20to%20escape%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=From%20hunger%20to%20freedom%3A%2030%20years%20of%20changing%20reasons%20to%20escape%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) **Published:** September 7, 2025 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/김주애.jpg "김주애 | nk insider") Kim Jong-un has been repeatedly exposing his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, to public events, fueling discourse around leadership succession. Her appearances go beyond simply showcasing the leader’s child. They serve as a public announcement, both domestically and internationally, of how the regime is preparing for the transfer of power to the next generation. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that Kim Ju-ae has been featured in events focused on positive achievements and loyalty mobilizations. This suggests a deliberate attempt to cast her as a symbolic figure sharing in national accomplishments, while imprinting her across North Korean society as the inheritor of loyalty and leadership. However, given that the country continues to operate under a deeply rooted patriarchal order, some analysts question the likelihood of a female successor. It is therefore important to closely examine the timing and background of Kim Ju-ae’s emergence. Kim Ju-ae made her first public appearance in November 2022 at the launch site of the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Her youthful appearance and the way she held her father’s hand, was immediately reported by North Korean media and drew intense attention from the international community. This was not the first time a child of North Korea’s supreme leader had appeared in public, but her estimated age, around ten years old, sparked even more interest. Since then, Ju-ae has appeared at military, political, and economic events, gradually establishing an independent presence. While she initially appeared to be simply a child accompanying her father, over time her image shifted to that of a supporting figure. She was shown standing in front of her mother, Ri Sol-ju, and at times, [even appearing more central than Kim Jong-un himself.](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2025/09/03/KHUHVPVGZVGGXPYAPZBRJDJPNY/?utm_source=naver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=naver-news) Her attire also transformed from that of a child to business suits and heels, projecting the image of a mature adult and portraying her as someone directly participating in and contributing to state affairs, rather than just a young girl. This intent is further supported by the evolution of how she is addressed in state media. Initially referred to as “[beloved child](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2025/09/03/KHUHVPVGZVGGXPYAPZBRJDJPNY/?utm_source=naver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=naver-news),” by 2023 state media began using the plural form of a phrase traditionally reserved for Kim Jong-un—“[the great person of guidance](https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/defense/1132560.html)”—thereby putting her on equal footing with her father. More recently, terms evoking Kim Il-sung and reminiscent of the titles used when Kim Jong-un was being positioned as successor—such as “[Young General, the Shining Star of Korea](https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25210742)”—have been used to elevate her status. These changes in title and presentation clearly indicate that her appearances are part of a calculated political move with succession in mind. Evidence that Ju-ae is being positioned as a successor can also be found in the nature of the events she attends. She is consistently present at ceremonies that highlight the regime’s achievements or rally loyalty. According to *38 North*, North Korean media have reported [41 public appearances](https://www.nkleadershipwatch.org/kim-family/kim-ju-ae-watch-2022-2023-events/) by Ju-ae to date. Notably, she has never appeared at disaster sites. Her presence is strictly limited to events that showcase success and project the regime’s prestige domestically and internationally. This sends a clear message. The state is crafting her image as a co-inheritor of accomplishments and loyalty, imprinting her in the minds of citizens as the natural successor, while deliberately excluding her from negative contexts. This is a textbook propaganda strategy that North Korea has repeatedly employed with past successions. Leaders have always appeared at sites of success, and all credit was directed to them, reinforcing the narrative of “great leadership.” While Kim Jong-un has occasionally visited apartment collapse sites or flood sites to craft the image of a compassionate, “people-loving” leader, such a narrative cannot yet be applied to Ju-ae. She is too young. Rather than burdening her with the incongruous image of a nurturing leader carrying the people’s suffering, the regime finds it far more effective to brand her as a “competent next-generation leader” through appearances at successful events. Thus, her exposure is inevitably limited to events that build legitimacy for power succession and emphasize the continuity of loyalty. Some question whether Ju-ae can truly be the successor. The skeptics cite rumors that Kim Jong-un has a son. They note that while she did accompany her father during the recent visit to China, she only made a brief appearance and did not engage in any official activities, leading some to argue that speculation about her succession should be tempered. Given that North Korea’s traditional power structure is male-centered, these doubts are not without merit. However, the cases of Kim Jong-un and that of his father, Kim Jong-il, suggest a different perspective. Kim Jong-il did not make an official appearance in the media until his thirties. Kim Jong-un only began to rise in late 2009, just two years before taking over. In both cases, no alternative siblings were presented to the public during the succession process. If Kim Jong-un intended to position a son as his successor, there would be no reason to place his daughter at the center of all propaganda and achievements, thereby diluting the successor’s legitimacy. On the contrary, Kim Ju-ae’s prominent exposure at such a young age may reflect a deliberate and carefully planned strategy by Kim Jong-un to establish a female successor in a male-dominated society. Had Kim Ju-ae been a son, legitimacy based on gender would have been far more naturally accepted. Because she is a daughter, far more meticulous groundwork is required. Thus, Kim Jong-un appears to be placing his daughter on achievement-centered stages from an early age to help her build a public record, and over the long term, to accumulate legitimacy as both heir and future leader. Kim Jong-un’s past actions also support this interpretation. Early in his rule, he ruthlessly executed high-ranking figures such as his uncle Jang Song-thaek and Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Hyon Yong-chol to consolidate his own power. Given this precedent, it is only natural that he would be meticulously preparing the groundwork to securely transfer power to Kim Ju-ae and ensure a smooth succession. Kim Ju-ae’s recent presence during Kim Jong-un’s visit to China is also notable. On the international stage, her appearance alone serves as a way to stamp her image as a future leader. Domestically, the fact that she attended China’s Victory Day ceremony was sufficient to promote her as a “next-generation leader on the global stage.” However, her absence from any further appearances suggests that, due to her young age, meaningful roles cannot yet be expected of her. At the same time, it reflects the regime’s effort to carefully manage her image for protection. In short, North Korea ensured it achieved the symbolic success it needed from her appearance, while minimizing unnecessary risk. Her mere presence, rather than any action, was the message. Ultimately, Kim Jong-un’s calculated gamble raises a fundamental question of whether a female leader can emerge in a patriarchal society like North Korea? Kim Ju-ae’s repeated appearances and symbolic presentations clearly suggest she is being positioned as a key figure in the succession structure. However, whether this will actually lead to a transfer of real power remains uncertain. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Can%20a%20female%20leader%20emerge%20in%20patriarchal%20North%20Korea%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Can%20a%20female%20leader%20emerge%20in%20patriarchal%20North%20Korea%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Can%20a%20female%20leader%20emerge%20in%20patriarchal%20North%20Korea%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Can%20a%20female%20leader%20emerge%20in%20patriarchal%20North%20Korea%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Can%20a%20female%20leader%20emerge%20in%20patriarchal%20North%20Korea%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [North Korea under lockdown: My COVID experience (Part 6)](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-under-lockdown-my-covid-experience-part-6/) **Published:** August 29, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Istock-1286826136.jpg "Coronavirus mask crisis north korea health system flag of north korea coronavirus outbreak patterned mask wearing woman | nk insider")Everything started changing in North Korea in January 2020, when the border was suddenly closed. At first, we thought it would just be temporary, that the authorities had shut everything down for a short while because of the virus. We thought if we just endured it, it would pass. But it dragged on for months, then years. The country had always been what you would call closed-off. But now it had become truly locked in. Markets shut down, the flow of goods from China stopped, and food and clothing disappeared. We were supposed to produce everything domestically, but since production had depended on Chinese imports, once trade was blocked there were no raw materials. The government used COVID-19 as an excuse to tighten control even further. At that time, even looking at my cellphone terrified me. I had to be careful about making a single call, and even more careful walking down the street. If we were caught with a phone in our hand, it would be confiscated. To get it back took time and money. It was an exhausting process. New enforcement bodies, like the “8.2 Commerce Bureau,” sprang up, stopping people right there on the street. Once they caught you, they would find any pretext to arrest you. That was because in North Korea everything is “don’t watch, don’t listen.” Almost anything can get you in trouble. But interestingly, the more people were pressured, the more their eyes began to open. In the past, many believed whatever the Party said. But after COVID-19, rumors spread: “We North Koreans have a special constitution that makes us immune to the virus,” or “Our bodies are physically trained, so we don’t catch COVID.” Listening to this, I thought, “How could this possibly make sense?” In truth, people were starving, physically broken, and yet the claim was that we were somehow strong. It felt like an admission of suffering more than a boast. That was what I thought. So did people around me. As government pressure tightened, fewer people trusted the Party. Instead, they began trusting only themselves. They judged, acted, and survived on their own because there was no one else to rely on. I was one of them. When the markets shut and survival became impossible, all imported goods vanished. Even soap for laundry was gone. The elderly went back to old methods of digging up roots in the mountains, boiling them, and using the extract as detergent. I tried it myself. It really worked. The clothes came out white. Fabric also stopped coming in, so clothing production halted. People turned to old clothes, mending and reselling them. The markets may have died, but people invented new survival strategies. They had to live creatively. And that was the surprising change. People began shifting from living by the Party’s word to living by their own judgment. I believe this wasn’t just survival. It was a sign of real social change. In August 2022, North Korea declared, “We defeated COVID,” and slowly lifted restrictions on masks and movement. In May 2023, I left the country. That August, trade with China began reopening, and Russian tourists started coming in. Of course, North Korea remains closed. Information is restricted, communications are limited, and movement is not free. But inside, people’s hearts are changing. I saw it with my own eyes. I experienced it myself. Everything was cut off. Even basic ingredients such as *matnaegi*. You know, to cook a meal, you need seasoning, but there wasn’t even cooking oil. In North Korea we call it *matnaegi*, but in South Korea it is called *miwon*. In North Korea you can say that there isn’t a household that does not use it. They don’t use much, just a little bit, but it’s what they rely on to bring out flavor. Sugar is also used sparingly. So people would add a little *matnaegi* and a little sugar, and with oil, *matnaegi*, and sugar as the basics, that’s how food was made to taste decent. ​​In South Korea, there are countless ingredients. Instead of sugar, you have all kinds of things that can add sweetness, like plum extract, tuna extract, fish sauce, really just all sorts. There are endless options. But in the North, none of that exists. So if you don’t have sugar, *miwon*, or oil, it’s impossible for food to taste good. The prices went way up. Back when oil was being imported from China, 1 kilogram cost around 9,000 to 10,000 North Korean won. But once COVID started and everything was cut off, even that imported oil from China disappeared. After that, in North Korea, they started extracting oil from soybeans. Before, soybean oil wasn’t really sold much. But now people began pressing oil from the soybeans they grew on their farms. Meanwhile, the imported oil shot up to 55,000 won per kilo. To put that in perspective, in North Korea 1 kilo of rice generally costs around 5,000 to 5,500 won. So just to buy 1 kilo of oil, you had to give up the money that could buy about 10 kilos of rice. That meant people couldn’t really afford oil at all during that time. It was the same with *miwon*. Before COVID, a 350g pack was just 5,000 to 6,000 won. But once the pandemic began, that same pack went up to 35,000 won. Then it skyrocketed all the way to 80,000 won. Sugar used to be about 8,000 won per kilo, but then it shot up to 40,000 or 50,000 won per kilo. Thus there was no way to put any seasoning in food at all. People completely lost their appetite and couldn’t eat properly. You know, in life, eating tasty food gives you strength to go on. But at that time, when there was barely any food to begin with, and on top of that no seasoning to make it taste good, people couldn’t use anything in abundance, and living honestly didn’t feel like living. With information blocked, movement restricted, and even the markets shut down, people had no choice but to wonder how they could possibly survive. In the end, they found ways to think for themselves, to act for themselves, and to figure out how to live. Even though North Korea may not look very different on the outside today, I believe that in people’s hearts, the seeds of change are definitely sprouting. They’re small, careful, not easily noticeable, but I believe that one day they can become the strength to build a better society. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20under%20lockdown%3A%20My%20COVID%20experience%20%28Part%206%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20under%20lockdown%3A%20My%20COVID%20experience%20%28Part%206%29 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20under%20lockdown%3A%20My%20COVID%20experience%20%28Part%206%29 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-under-lockdown-my-covid-experience-part-6/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20under%20lockdown%3A%20My%20COVID%20experience%20%28Part%206%29&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-under-lockdown-my-covid-experience-part-6/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20under%20lockdown%3A%20My%20COVID%20experience%20%28Part%206%29 "Reddit") **Categories:** Health --- ### [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) **Published:** August 29, 2025 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Cruise.jpg "Cruise | nk insider")North Korea has been running river cruises since April along the Yalu River that forms the border with China in a development that is so unusual that it has become something of a hot topic among analysts. Given the regime’s long-standing policy of isolation, it seems that the introduction of river trips goes beyond mere distraction, propaganda, or foreign currency earnings. It seems to conceal another calculation. The passenger boat departs regularly from the banks of the Yalu in the city of Sinuiju and goes over to Dandong on the Chinese side and back in a 10 kilometer round-trip that takes about one hour. The service is not restricted to Chinese tourists. Any North Korean who presents his or her ID card and pays 20,000 won in North Korean currency can board. While river cruises have occasionally appeared in the past, they have been one-off events. What is striking now is that they are regular and have continued for several months now. Media commentators and experts have offered four types of explanation. But each comes with limitations and contradictions. The first is the [public sentiment–calming theory](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/world/11350958). Japan’s YTN suggested that the cruises were launched to ease local discontent in Sinuiju, where residents have faced economic hardship and frustration from the downturn in border trade with China. In other words, they are a form of entertainment intended to distract people. However, it is difficult to imagine entertainment of this sort as an attempted solution to serious dissatisfaction over soaring prices, job losses, food shortages, and power outages linked to the trade slump. And anyway, given the 20,000 won fare and the smart attire of passengers, it seems unlikely that it’s the socially vulnerable most affected by hardship who are opting for a cruise. The second angle is the [propaganda theory.](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2025/06/24/NX6TVNH35ZDKXNTOFEZD23YCKE/) Nikkei said that the sight of North Koreans leisurely touring by boat could be a staged attempt to project an image of ‘living in comfort’ both at home and abroad. Keio University professor Atsuhito Isozaki also saw the neat dress of passengers as evidence of deliberate staging for propaganda purposes. However, for internal propaganda of this sort to be effective, it requires repetition through state media and nationwide exposure. A limited border-zone spectacle cannot achieve that effect. In terms of external propaganda, the cruises could indeed shift the frame, from residents being passive spectacles for outsiders to observe to the residents themselves gazing outward at the world. But this simultaneously exposes them, up close, to the bustling reality of China, risking strong feelings of deprivation. Since the regime has always sought to avoid such direct external comparisons, it is hard to see this as mere external propaganda. The third possibility is the [foreign tourism preparation theory. ](https://www.ytn.co.kr/_ln/0101_202506241753505602)Mitsuhiro Mimura, a professor at Niigata University, emphasized the sustained nature of the cruises, noting that participants included not only Sinuiju locals but also visitors from Pyongyang and elsewhere. He argued that this could be groundwork for an opening to tourists once COVID-related restrictions are lifted. Yet so far, the regime has kept foreign tourism and domestic travel strictly segregated and controlled. Since the cruises are aimed at domestic passengers, the link to foreign tourism is tenuous. Lastly, we have the [revenue generation/privatized tourism theory.](https://www.dailynk.com/20250510-2/) Daily NK suggested that the cruises could function as private tourism products generating profit, becoming part of a commercial revenue model inside North Korea. But at 20,000 won, which is roughly equivalent to the price of one kilogram of rice, the fare is far from cheap for ordinary workers. It remains doubtful whether passenger numbers could be sustained enough to offset fuel, manpower, and security costs. Above all, the political risks of fueling ideological drift through exposure to the outside world likely outweigh any economic benefit. Each explanation carries some validity, but none are really persuasive given the context of Kim Jong-un’s overriding priority of regime preservation through internal cohesion. North Korea endured mass famine during the ‘Arduous March’ of the 1990s, yet chose stricter isolation over reform and opening. The reason was simple: fear that opening the gates could mean the collapse of the regime. By blocking access to information and contact with foreigners, the regime ensured that citizens remained unaware of the country’s absurdities and could not even conceive of other worlds or possibilities. To that end, it banned consumption of outside media. Even Kim’s recent rejection of the long-cherished goal of unification in favor of a ‘[two-state, two-nation](https://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0003027645&utm_source=chatgpt.com)’ line reflects a deliberate attempt to reshape national identity itself, [completely severing all ties with the outside (South Korean) world](https://www.dailynk.com/20240604-3/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). Against this backdrop, the regular operation of Yalu River cruises, which expose citizens to risky external comparison, seems contradictory. The key to resolving this contradiction lies in the changing desires of North Koreans. With the influx of outside content, especially among the younger generation, travel and leisure are no longer privileges of the elite but have become symbols of freedom. Defectors testify that in the past, they could not comprehend movie scenes of couples going on trips simply because of a breakup. Gradually, however, they came to envy ‘a life where one can travel freely even for personal or emotional reasons.’[ Daily NK also reported that the cruises sparked anticipation among residents that ‘perhaps freer travel will become possible.’](https://www.dailynk.com/20250510-2/) In other words, the cruises are not calming discontent over daily hardship or reinforcing belief in the regime’s resilience, but raising expectations of travel freedom. Thus, more than distracting residents, more than promoting the system, more than preparing for foreign tourists, and more than generating revenue, the cruises are likely intended to relieve the accumulated desire for travel, leisure, and curiosity about the outside world**.** In a situation where foreign travel permits or true border openings would be fatal to the regime, Kim has opted for an internal ritualized spectacle serving as a safety valve. The cruises allow residents to glimpse another world without crossing the physical boundary and enter it. They appear to symbolize freedom of movement and openness, but in reality are tightly designed experiences allowed only within a controlled environment. North Koreans, in other words, may gaze across to China, but they cannot cross, nor make free contact. Ultimately, the Yalu River cruise is likely a minimal exit channel designed to prevent citizens’ yearning for the outside world from building to a dangerous level. It is a new governing tactic that combines heavy censorship with limited release, like a high-pressure boiler with a tiny steam vent to prevent explosion. At the same time, it reveals the regime’s recognition that pure repression has reached its limits. There may also be the side effect of signaling internationally that North Korea allows some degree of freedom of movement and travel. But we must not forget, this cruise that lets residents poke their heads out beyond the bars is, in the end, nothing more than a tool to keep them confined. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Sticking%20your%20head%20out%20between%20the%20bars%2C%20What%20is%20the%20explanation%20for%20the%20new%20Yalu%20River%20cruise%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Sticking%20your%20head%20out%20between%20the%20bars%2C%20What%20is%20the%20explanation%20for%20the%20new%20Yalu%20River%20cruise%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Sticking%20your%20head%20out%20between%20the%20bars%2C%20What%20is%20the%20explanation%20for%20the%20new%20Yalu%20River%20cruise%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Sticking%20your%20head%20out%20between%20the%20bars%2C%20What%20is%20the%20explanation%20for%20the%20new%20Yalu%20River%20cruise%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Sticking%20your%20head%20out%20between%20the%20bars%2C%20What%20is%20the%20explanation%20for%20the%20new%20Yalu%20River%20cruise%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Articles --- ### [What will bring change to North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-will-bring-change-to-north-korea/) **Published:** August 29, 2025 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Fdff.jpg "Fdff | nk insider")Once thought of as the most rigid of societies where change was not possible under the heavy grip of dictatorship and indoctrination, North Korea has undergone shifts since the famine of the 1990s, and even now is struggling toward change. The collapse of the socialist planned economy, the tacit acceptance of private property, and advances in communication technology are all emblematic of this transformation. For instance, mobile phones, virtually nonexistent before 2000, jumped from roughly 100,000 in 2008 to [approximately 7 million in 2023](https://www.asiae.co.kr/article/2025060216175012493), and are now in the hands of more than half of all households. The spread of markets nationwide, the 2012 “June 28 Policy” allowing limited private land use, and the 2014 “May 30 Measures” that expanded individual responsibility within cooperative farms all pushed the country’s long-entrenched model into the past. Today, as long as citizens pay greater dues to the state, the regime permits private business and turns a blind eye to personal wealth accumulation. However, these changes have not yet translated into fundamental improvements in freedom and human rights. That is because they have not been driven from the bottom-up by the people and for the benefit of the people. Rather they have come top-down as a consequence of policy adjustments and institutional reforms designed by the regime to preserve its grip on power. The greatest barrier to bottom-up change is not only the suppression of free speech and free press, but the deep distrust among citizens fostered by the regime itself. There is a saying in the country that captures this: “If three people gather, one is a spy.” From elementary school through old age, state-imposed systems of mutual criticism and surveillance have systematically severed trust between individuals, making social control more efficient. As a result, no civic solidarity has been able to emerge that could channel discontent and calls for reform into a genuine force for change. Recently, however, signs of restored trust between individuals have begun to appear. At the center of this phenomenon are young people, and the driving force behind it is content coming in from the outside. Since the late 1990s, a steady flow of foreign culture and information has entered North Korea. It has been smuggled across the Chinese border, been carried in by ocean currents, come on the air waves in the form of foreign radio broadcasts, and it has arrived in on USB sticks and SD cards born on the wind in balloons. This material carries stories focused on human instincts and emotions. They depict free expressions of affection, tell of the dating culture, and show colorful, creative fashion and design. Such content has captivated the isolated North Koreans, opening up new worlds they could never imagine, let alone experience, inside their country, and allowing them to live vicariously. Defectors often say, “There may be a breeze you’ve never felt before, but there’s no such thing as a person who’s seen it only once.” Despite harsher punishment since Kim Jong-un took over, young people’s thirst for outside content has kept the exchange alive. Because sharing or watching foreign material in North Korea carries enormous risks, the relationships formed through this activity goes beyond a simple sense of closeness. They engender what is known as [risk-based trust](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/B:JOBU.0000040274.23551.1b?utm_source=chatgpt.com). This concept refers to the implicit promise and silent acknowledgement that neither side will betray the other, and it is creating powerful new social bonds within the regime’s repressive surveillance system. The shared experience of watching outside dramas and videos also generates [complicity-based trust](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/B:JOBU.0000040274.23551.1b?utm_source=chatgpt.com). The very act of possessing and exchanging forbidden content forms a shared secret that gives people a sense of belonging and a psychological bond as members of the same side. Trust built on risk and complicity, formed through outside content, has thus become a vital social resource, nurturing informal communities and the potential for resistant solidarity even within such a closed society. Beyond entertainment or curiosity about the outside world, these materials act as catalysts, prompting people to recognize their own inhumane reality and ask new questions. The shifts in awareness and the slow rebuilding of trust that follow become essential engines of bottom-up change. True change will come not from outside powers but from the North Korean people. It is possible, especially if its youth awaken on their own, recognize the problems, place trust in one another, and unite. Our effort as outsiders should be to protect this spark and ensure it does not go out. We must broaden social consensus so that more people understand that the inflow of information is not mere outside interference, but rather a seed of human rights, freedom, and change. Through the cooperation of civic groups, governments, and the international community, we must make sure that information reaches North Korea through safer and more diverse channels. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20will%20bring%20change%20to%20North%20Korea%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%20will%20bring%20change%20to%20North%20Korea%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%20will%20bring%20change%20to%20North%20Korea%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-will-bring-change-to-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%20will%20bring%20change%20to%20North%20Korea%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-will-bring-change-to-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%20will%20bring%20change%20to%20North%20Korea%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [The end of free medical care: My COVID experience in North Korea (Part 5)](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-end-of-free-medical-care-my-covid-experience-in-north-korea-part-5/) **Published:** August 28, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Excerpt:** During the pandemic, we would often see soldiers on TV and in movies in protective suits handing out medicine and checking people’s temperatures during the pandemic. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/군인들1.jpg "군인들1 | nk insider") During the pandemic, we would often see soldiers on TV and in movies in protective suits handing out medicine and checking people’s temperatures during the pandemic. At the time, I didn’t believe them. I wondered if anything like that really happened. I thought it was propaganda. Given the nature of North Korean cinema, it was a fair assumption. In truth, such scenes were real, but they only occurred in Pyongyang. Outside the capital, it was a completely different world. There we were left in total darkness. One of my cousins lived in Pyongyang. She told me that when she was sick, soldiers came to give her medicine, check her temperature, and carry out strict quarantine measures. That made me realize those film scenes weren’t exactly fictional. But in the provinces, there were no such benefits. As more and more people fell sick and died, the government began distributing medicine. Of course, we were told, “The General has released the state’s medicine for the people.” Actually, I heard that the drugs had come from the UN. In fact, if you looked closely, the medicine carried UN markings. Once distribution began, supplies increased. Medicine that had cost 5,000 won at the official price could now be bought for 350 won. But individuals couldn’t buy it directly. You had to go through the hospital. The neighborhood unit head would report to the hospital that someone in their unit was sick and a nurse would come to check the patient’s fever. If the nurse judged it to be high, they gave their signed approval. Only then could a patient receive the medicine. If the nurse judged the fever not serious enough, you got nothing. Without that confirmation, hospitals wouldn’t release any drugs. Because medicine was scarce, even healthy people wanted to stock up out of fear they might catch COVID-19. That was why the nurse’s verification step was strictly enforced. Later, people even joked that those who got sick later were the lucky ones. This was because if you were sick the medicine was cheaper. Some even joked “Getting sick late actually pays off.” North Korea claims that hospitals provide free treatment, but in reality, without money you can’t do anything. In the past, hospitals displayed the slogan “Free Treatment,” with posters and propaganda art showing the system’s benevolence. But now, price lists are posted on hospital walls. After COVID, these price lists became common. They even included comparison charts of medical costs between the U.S. and North Korea. For example, it claimed an appendectomy in the U.S. cost $500 (4.5 million won), while in North Korea it was just 200,000 won. Looking at that chart, I thought, “Wow, America is really expensive,” and believed North Korea was a good country because treatment was supposedly affordable. At the time, I genuinely thought that way. They even wrote that extracting a tooth in the U.S. cost $1,000–2,000, which shocked me. But after coming to South Korea, I learned that prices differ from country to country and realized how little I had understood back then. In North Korea, with almost no access to outside information, when you see such propaganda you can’t help but believe our country must be the best place to live. Even though I thought I was accessing some outside information, I still found myself thinking, “Why is that country so expensive?” whenever I saw propaganda like that. I also had a real experience at a hospital. My younger sibling needed leg surgery, but there was no anesthesia. He was just a child, yet they cut into his flesh without numbing him. My mother and I were helpless. As he writhed in pain, I couldn’t help but cry along with him. Without anesthesia, there was no way to ease his suffering. North Korea has many capable doctors, but without medicine or equipment, they are powerless to help. Even syringes are reused. The first few times might be okay, but by the fourth or fifth use, the needle becomes dull, making injections painful and difficult. At that point, you couldn’t tell if the pain came from the injection or from the illness itself. There were also rumors about vaccines. The government claimed some people had been vaccinated, but in reality, it was said that only officials or people traveling abroad received them secretly. I thought everyone had been vaccinated as I had, but that turned out to not be true. Even within the same region, some people were vaccinated while others were not. I personally received two shots, in April and October of 2021. At the time, I was told it was according to the designated schedule. Later, I learned that only residents of frontline areas like mine were vaccinated. People living just 30 kilometers away said they never received any vaccines. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20end%20of%20free%20medical%20care%3A%20My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%205%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20end%20of%20free%20medical%20care%3A%20My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%205%29 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20end%20of%20free%20medical%20care%3A%20My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%205%29 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-end-of-free-medical-care-my-covid-experience-in-north-korea-part-5/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20end%20of%20free%20medical%20care%3A%20My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%205%29&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-end-of-free-medical-care-my-covid-experience-in-north-korea-part-5/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20end%20of%20free%20medical%20care%3A%20My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%205%29 "Reddit") **Categories:** Health --- ### [Evolving North Korean rights abuses – state-sponsored human trafficking](https://www.nkinsider.org/evolving-north-korean-rights-abuses-state-sponsored-human-trafficking/) **Published:** August 29, 2025 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Nk-solider.jpg "Nk solider | nk insider")Young North Korean men sent to fight Russia’s war in Ukraine are caught up in a new kind of modern-day slavery. They have no idea where they are, who they’re fighting against, or why. Their lives are simply a means for the Kim Jong-un regime to make money, while their parents are forced to endure the unbearable pain of losing their sons. This is a new and unacceptable form of human trafficking in our modern world. That was my testimony at a UN human rights meeting in New York in May. I argued that the issue of human rights in North Korea has long been a source of concern for the international community. Amid hunger, political prison camps, suppression of freedom of expression, movement, and religion, countless people risked their lives to escape. Yet defectors often became victims of labor exploitation, forced marriage, and human trafficking in China, and even now live under constant fear of forced repatriation. Tragically, more than 30 years after the North Korean human rights issue began receiving global attention, it has now evolved into an even more severe and systemic problem. In the past, abuses largely took place inside the country, while trafficking of defectors was carried out by individual criminals. But today, state power itself is driving international human trafficking. Since late 2024, the regime has commodified its citizens’ lives, shamelessly committing human trafficking crimes by selling them off to battlefields as if they were mere goods. These soldiers are no longer defenders of their own homeland. Against their will, they are forced into another country’s war, reduced to cannon fodder and stripped of their basic rights. In exchange, the regime receives economic and military aid from Russia. According to multiple media reports, from late last year to early this year, [at least 12,000 North Korean soldiers](https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3955757/pentagon-says-10k-north-korean-troops-in-kursk-oblast/) were deployed to Russia, and within just a few months thousands became casualties. The regime receives about [$2,000 per soldier per month](https://news.tvchosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2025/03/22/2025032290063.html). If a soldier is killed, it receives additional compensation in the form of a “condolence payment.” This money, of course, never goes to the families. Even basic funerals are denied, and soldiers cannot even die under their own names. [Forged IDs](https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/fake-russian-military-id-found-on-north-korean-1736630443.html) found on the bodies of fallen North Korean troops in Ukraine carried fake Russian names. The burning youth of these conscripted soldiers is recorded only as cold numbers in the regime’s hard-currency ledgers. This pricing of human life itself and its sale on international battlefields represents the most harrowing reality of North Korean human rights today. It is heartbreaking to note that [young men are harming themselves to avoid deployment](https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/nk_nuclear_talks/north-korea-increase-self-harm-02212025095420.html). Previously, a small number of conscripts would cut off the index finger of their right hand to escape military service, where malnutrition, beatings, and forced labor were routine. But after deployment to Russia began, the criteria for exemption changed to only be granted if both index fingers were missing. As a result, reports say the number of young men cutting off both fingers has surged. This despairing reality of being driven to mutilate oneself to escape state-sponsored abuse is horrific beyond words. Pyongyang’s involvement in Russia’s war goes beyond human rights violations. It constitutes a grave threat to international peace and security. By dispatching troops, the regime is committing crimes under international law: the crimes of aggression, violation of neutrality, state responsibility, and collusion in invasion. These acts are prohibited under Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, the Hague Conventions, the International Law Commission’s Draft Articles on State Responsibility, and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). This is not mere diplomatic support. It is an outright international crime. By selling the lives of innocent young men, the regime is helping prolong the war, leading to greater civilian casualties. Even the recent U.S.-Russia summit failed to produce an agreement to end the war. The sacrifices of North Korea’s youth, and the insecurity threatening global peace, will likely continue. The international community can no longer afford a lukewarm response. The troop deployments are not simply a domestic issue. They are state-sponsored, organized human trafficking and acts of aggression. Just as Russian President Vladimir Putin was [ referred to the International Criminal Court in 2023 as a war criminal](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/17/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-iccs-arrest-warrant-for-putin), Kim Jong-un and the North Korean leadership must also be held accountable. This is not only for the sake of the North Korean people but is the minimum step necessary to protect international peace and universal human values. Kim’s regime will strike deals with any tyrant if it means survival and money. In such circumstances, the silence of the international community amounts to complicity, and the cost will ultimately be borne by the entire world. What is urgently needed now is firm and united action from the global community. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Evolving%20North%20Korean%20rights%20abuses%20%E2%80%93%20state-sponsored%20human%20trafficking&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Evolving%20North%20Korean%20rights%20abuses%20%E2%80%93%20state-sponsored%20human%20trafficking https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Evolving%20North%20Korean%20rights%20abuses%20%E2%80%93%20state-sponsored%20human%20trafficking "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/evolving-north-korean-rights-abuses-state-sponsored-human-trafficking/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Evolving%20North%20Korean%20rights%20abuses%20%E2%80%93%20state-sponsored%20human%20trafficking&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/evolving-north-korean-rights-abuses-state-sponsored-human-trafficking/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Evolving%20North%20Korean%20rights%20abuses%20%E2%80%93%20state-sponsored%20human%20trafficking "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Marathons, memes, and misunderstanding: The West’s flawed view of North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/marathons-memes-and-misunderstanding-the-wests-flawed-view-of-north-korea/) **Published:** August 27, 2025 **Author:** Maren Dunn **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Istock-1182064942.jpg "South korean boy looking into north korea at dmz | nk insider")On April 6, when Scottish YouTuber Lewis Buchan set off through the streets with thousands of other runners at the start of the annual [Pyongyang Marathon](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/04/07/north-korea-pyongyang-marathon/), the vlogged experience he uploaded onto YouTube quickly went viral. The video, “[Running A Marathon In North Korea (The World’s Strangest Country)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmNCmOJeuac),” showed enthusiastic crowds, smiling volunteers, and ordinary people cheering on the runners, as with any other such event. But the viral reaction to the video captured something essential about how North Korea is perceived in the West. While the regime itself is notorious for censorship, nuclear brinkmanship, and human rights abuses, the lives of ordinary North Koreans are often reduced to caricature. Americans and Europeans frequently see the country through memes, late-night comedy monologues, or sensationalist news coverage. In line with this, at many points throughout his video, Buchan leaned into common memes and stereotypes. In the opening minutes, for example, he joked that Kim Jong-un might join the runners, only to add that he doubted Kim could run very far, before cutting to an unflattering photo of the leader. When the race began, runners gathered in a packed area where they were surrounded by cheering crowds. Looking into the camera, [Buchan admitted](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmNCmOJeuac) he “had no idea what was going on” and said it “felt like they were going to be publicly executed.” Later, when a North Korean official gave a speech in Korean, Buchan, who does not speak the language, overlaid the clip with mocking English commentary. As the video went on, however, his tone shifted. He became more respectful, noting how warm and friendly people were as they lined the route to cheer on participants. He also observed that many people were walking the streets of Pyongyang and yet none seemed to be entering shops or buildings. Were the crowds staged by the government, he wondered? But by the end, Buchan closed on a surprisingly humble note. Although his experience had been overwhelmingly positive, he acknowledged that this was the version of North Korea the government wanted outsiders to see, and not the lived reality of the citizens. Buchan is not the first Westerner to use North Korea as a punchline, and he won’t be the last. Viral clips of North Korean state TV, jokes about Kim Jong-un’s haircut, and satirical films like [*The Interview*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2788710/) have all contributed to the “meme-ification” of the country. Many western songs mention North Korea as a one-line reference or joke about its nuclear capabilities. In the song [*Cash in Cash Out*](https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Pharrell-Williams/Cash-In-Cash-Out-21-Savage-Tyler-The-Creator) by Pharallel Williams featuring 21 Savage and Tyler the Creator, Tyler raps “Kim Jong-Un, in my pants is a missile.” While this media diet makes North Korea seem absurd and even entertaining, it also flattens the reality of the over 27 million people living within its borders. Rarely does Western coverage dwell on the complexity of daily life, such as the routines of going to school, eating dinner with family, playing sports, or watching foreign films secretly smuggled across the border. The marathon video, while seemingly lighthearted, reveals just how deeply entrenched Western assumptions about North Korea are. In the [comments section](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmNCmOJeuac), viewers expressed shock that North Koreans were “allowed” to smile, clap, or participate in something that looked like a normal international sports event. Others questioned whether the scenes were staged, unable to reconcile them with the idea of North Korea as nothing more than a grim dystopia. This reaction highlights a paradox: when ordinary North Koreans are visible, their humanity is often doubted or dismissed. The surprise at seeing “normal” life in Pyongyang is itself telling. Western audiences are not accustomed to seeing North Koreans as people first, citizens of an authoritarian state second. At first glance, such jokes and caricatures might seem harmless. But they carry consequences. Treating North Koreans as robotic or alien obscures the very real suffering imposed by their government. Instead of fostering empathy or solidarity, stereotypes create distance. When a population is seen as an object of ridicule, it becomes harder for outsiders to imagine supporting them in meaningful ways. Given this, it is important that we outsiders consume media created and supported by North Koreans. Instead of making memes and jokes, we need to take the time to educate ourselves, and make sure we are not promoting harmful stereotypes. This can be a small but meaningful resistance against both propaganda and prejudice. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Maren Dunn](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/maren.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/ "Maren Dunn") [Maren Dunn](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/) Maren is a recent graduate of Tufts University, where she earned a B.A. in International Relations and minored in French. She is currently interning with NK Insider through the Oslo Scholars Program, an initiative that connects students and recent graduates with human rights activists around the world. [![Maren Dunn](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/maren.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/ "Maren Dunn") Latest posts by Maren Dunn ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/)) - [Marathons, memes, and misunderstanding: The West’s flawed view of North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/marathons-memes-and-misunderstanding-the-wests-flawed-view-of-north-korea/) - August 27, 2025 - [North Korea’s tourism gamble: Kim unveils new resort to lure foreign visitors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-tourism-gamble-kim-unveils-new-resort-to-lure-foreign-visitors/) - July 24, 2025 - [When the U.S. steps in, North Korea listens and learns](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-the-u-s-steps-in-north-korea-listens-and-learns/) - July 15, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Marathons%2C%20memes%2C%20and%20misunderstanding%3A%20The%20West%E2%80%99s%20flawed%20view%20of%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Marathons%2C%20memes%2C%20and%20misunderstanding%3A%20The%20West%E2%80%99s%20flawed%20view%20of%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Marathons%2C%20memes%2C%20and%20misunderstanding%3A%20The%20West%E2%80%99s%20flawed%20view%20of%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/marathons-memes-and-misunderstanding-the-wests-flawed-view-of-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Marathons%2C%20memes%2C%20and%20misunderstanding%3A%20The%20West%E2%80%99s%20flawed%20view%20of%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/marathons-memes-and-misunderstanding-the-wests-flawed-view-of-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Marathons%2C%20memes%2C%20and%20misunderstanding%3A%20The%20West%E2%80%99s%20flawed%20view%20of%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [My COVID experience in North Korea (Part 4)](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-covid-experience-in-north-korea-part-4/) **Published:** August 26, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Excerpt:** Most people naturally assume that when you get sick, you can go to the hospital, get a prescription, receive treatment, maybe even get vaccinated. But in North Korea, none of that was taken for granted. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/북한-바이러스-방지-이미지.jpg "북한 바이러스 방지 이미지 | nk insider") I will now share what it was like when I first learned about COVID, how we tried to get treatment, whether vaccines or medicine were available, and how we managed to obtain them. Most people naturally assume that when you get sick, you can go to the hospital, get a prescription, receive treatment, maybe even get vaccinated. But in North Korea, none of that was taken for granted. In the area where I lived, COVID began spreading around June 2022. There had been a military parade in Pyongyang in April, and after that the virus spread nationwide. At first, people thought it was just a cold. “It must be some kind of fever,” they would say, brushing it off. But as more people fell ill, with body temperatures climbing as high as 40 degrees, people began suspecting, “Could this actually be COVID?” Saying that out loud was dangerous. The government was broadcasting, “There is no coronavirus in our country.” So simply uttering the word “COVID” could be a problem. If people spoke they could be punished. We all stayed silent. In my region, the first treatment that came down from above was to use the coniferous thuja (arborvitae) and willow trees. We were told that if you boiled them together and drank the water, the fever would go down. This was a kind of folk remedy, supposedly working as a fever reducer. So people rushed to chop down trees. Crowds swarmed anywhere those trees grew, cutting them down indiscriminately. Even the trees around schools were chopped, and teachers came out to try to stop it. But drinking that water was risky. No one knew the correct ratio, how much to boil, or how much to drink. The only “evidence” was word of mouth, if you drank it, you’d get better. Some people drank too much and even died. Eventually, the government issued an order telling people not to drink it. At first, I also went out to gather some, because everyone else was. But my husband stopped me. He said, “If that really worked, why would people all over the world be suffering so much?” So I only sipped a little as a precaution, while he refused to touch it. In the end, the so-called remedy was useless, and after that, people desperately scrambled to find real medicine. Many started hoarding drugs. Wealthier people bought up anything they could find. We weren’t prepared at all, so it was very difficult. My husband fell ill first, but we had no medicine to treat him. Thankfully, a close acquaintance who had stockpiled medicine shared some with us after I begged in tears. Once he took it, his fever started to go down and he began to recover. Then I collapsed while caring for him. Fortunately, we still had medicine, so I didn’t suffer as badly. But for those without medicine, the situation was miserable. Their lips cracked, they grew dehydrated, too weak to drink water, wasting away before our eyes. At the time, there was a fever reducer called ‘P500’. Before COVID, a day’s dose cost 500 won. During the pandemic, the price soared to 5,000 won. That was enough to buy a kilogram of rice. And even if you had the money, you often couldn’t find any. During those days, the price of medicine was higher than a day’s wages. Medicine was life itself and life meant money. Medicine wasn’t sold in proper markets or pharmacies. Instead, individuals smuggled it in and sold it privately. Many were graduates of medical or nursing schools who sold drugs from home. But once COVID began spreading, the authorities created a crackdown unit called the “Anti-Socialist Groupbar,” which banned all private medicine sales. If caught selling, your stock was confiscated. In severe cases, you could be dragged off to a “disciplinary labor center.” In my own neighborhood, several people selling medicine were taken away. During the pandemic, people desperately needed medicine, and in such a time selling to those in need was an act of kindness, but it was treated as a crime. With pharmacies closed, people had no choice but to buy in secret. Deals were made quietly, over the phone, or through trusted acquaintances. At that time, medicine was life itself. And to protect that life, you absolutely needed money. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%204%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%204%29 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%204%29 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-covid-experience-in-north-korea-part-4/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%204%29&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-covid-experience-in-north-korea-part-4/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%204%29 "Reddit") **Categories:** Health --- ### [How pro-North Korean activists and their friends tried to suppress a human rights documentary ](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-pro-north-korean-activists-and-their-friends-tried-to-suppress-a-human-rights-documentary/) **Published:** August 25, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Beyond-utopia.jpg "Beyond utopia | nk insider")By Lawrence Peck When Leo McCarey, director and producer of “[Going My Way](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Going_My_Way),” starring Bing Crosby as a Catholic priest, was testifying before Congress and asked if his hit 1944 film had been successful in the Soviet Union, he replied that it hadn’t made a single ruble. Asked why, [McCarey answered](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hollywood_Party/YWtZAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0&bsq=Leo%20McCarey%20%22God%22%20hollywood%20party) that there was a character in the movie the Soviets found objectionable. Was it Crosby that displeased Stalin’s regime? No, he said. It was God. That presumably got a laugh yet it was quite true. Fast forward to 2023 and the premiere of the acclaimed documentary “[Beyond Utopia](https://hrf.org/latest/beyond-utopia-now-available-on-streaming-platforms/)” which movingly chronicled the struggles of a family attempting to escape from North Korea. The film’s executive producer was Thor Halvorssen, founder and CEO of the Human Rights Foundation, which publishes *NK Insider.* It [won awards](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt25470468/awards/) from Sundance Film Festival, Hamptons Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Woodstock Film Festival, and Columbia Journalism School, in addition to nominations for dozens of other awards. However, when it failed to be nominated for the Academy Award nomination, *Hollywood Reporter* noted that it was one of the “[surprise omissions](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2024-oscars-snubs-margot-robbie-greta-gerwig-leonardo-dicaprio-1235804569/).” *Variety* lamented that it “[should have been there](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/mar/24/harrowing-film-north-korean-escapees-snubbed-oscar/).” A source involved in the making of the documentary believes that this denial of the top accolades was due to a hate campaign launched by pro-North activists and their friends in the United States who sought, if not to suppress the film, at least to smear it enough to deny it an Oscar. The pro-North activists and their friends did not object to any specific person in “Beyond Utopia*.*” Instead, they strongly objected to the negative portrayal of the North’s regime and the criticism of its massive human rights abuses as truthfully presented in the documentary. They clearly viewed it as being harmful to their cause, debunking their phony narrative that the North Korean regime is an innocent victim of “demonization” and “aggression” by “U.S. imperialism.” For the North’s sympathizers and their friends in the U.S., a film about defectors that highlights the regime’s crimes against humanity and was made by human rights activists, was just as objectionable as a religious-themed movie was to 1940s Stalinists. The activists were following the censorial mindset of American communists in the 20th century who attempted, in some cases successfully, to block the making of films and smear existing films which were critical of the Soviet Union and exposed its crimes. [Communist ](https://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Traitors-Blacklisted-Screenwriters-Agents/dp/1621572064)screenwriter [Dalton Trumbo bragged](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Subversive_Screen/rozDEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Dalton+Trumbo%22+reactionary&pg=PA77&printsec=frontcover) in a 1946 article how he and his comrades used their influence to prevent several films critical of communism and the Soviet Union from being made, including some based on novels by ex-communists and defectors such as Arthur Koestler’s “[The Yogi and the Commissar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Yogi_and_the_Commissar)” and Victor Kravchenko’s “[I Chose Freedom.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Chose_Freedom)” Few things upset defenders of communist regimes more than the experiences of those who have escaped them being described in books and movies. The suppression campaign aimed at “Beyond Utopia” involved [open letters](https://www.kpolicy.org/post/an-open-letter-to-independent-lens-about-beyond-utopia) and other targeted messages sent, for example, to Independent Lens, a weekly television series on PBS that eventually did show the film. The letters were relatively moderate in tone so as not to raise suspicions of pro-North bias. These [letters of complaint](https://www.documentary.org/online-feature/why-we-wrote-open-letter-independent-lens-about-beyond-utopia) were purportedly written by three longtime members or at least supporters of pro-North groups who did not disclose their full affiliations but instead emphasized their experience as documentary filmmakers. Their approach relied on what the brilliant Professor Philip Selznick, in his 1952 [study for the Rand Corporation](https://www.amazon.com/Organizational-Weapon-Bolshevik-Strategy-Classics/dp/1610272722) and book “The Organizational Weapon,” described as a “neutralization strategy.” In line with this, the activists who wrote articles and sent letters to targeted individuals and organizations were well aware that they were seeking to influence not their comrades, but those who, like most Americans, are hostile to the North’s regime. They therefore focused, as communist screenwriters of the 1930s and 1940s had done defending the party and the Soviet Union, “not so much to get pro-communist ideas on the screen as to keep anti-communist propaganda off.” As Selznick put it, “This tactic is predicated on conspiracy and deception,” which in the case of this campaign against the documentary was demonstrated by the manner in which pro-North front groups such as [Women Cross DMZ](https://www.womencrossdmz.org/what-you-should-know-about-north-korean-human-rights/) helped organize the effort, somewhat behind the scenes, by drafting and distributing “talking points” and a sample cover letter which its supporters were urged to send along with the full-length letter condemning the documentary from the three filmmakers. The deception involved an absence of any reference in that letter to the openly pro-North groups and pro-North fronts that its authors either supported or belonged to. As Selznick perceptively said, “The communists and sympathizers \[seek to\] appear as reasonable and restrained men \[in this case women\] who merely ‘call into question’ certain basic notions, who ask that ‘judgment be suspended’…and who suggest that criticism of Soviet totalitarianism does not serve the interests of peace. In this way, the intellectual and moral principles of the target audience are undermined, and open anti-communists can be labeled as fanatics who see grave danger where only mild criticism is apparent. This helps to neutralize the anti-communists…” The regime defenders raised six objections. First, they claimed the brief introductory description of the Korean War, its causes, and aftermath was “unbalanced and inaccurate.” Second, they objected to what they termed the “unequal power relations” between the escapees and the Christian pastor who helped them defect. Third, they protested the failure to blame the U.S. for hostility between it and North Korea, and for not holding the U.S. responsible for the North’s human rights violations, which they directly linked to U.S. sanctions. Fourth, they objected to the lack of roles in the film for Korean Americans and others who approach Korean issues from a “critical” theory, meaning a far-left perspective. Fifth, they objected that the film did not foster “diplomacy and engagement” with the North because it was made with the input of North Korea human rights activists and organizations, such as Thor Halvorssen, CEO of the Human Rights Foundation, who had a “vested self-interest” in the cause of North Korea human rights. Finally, they requested, that is, demanded, that Independent Lens add a disclaimer to the film to the effect that it offered only “one perspective,” that audiences be provided with “resources” explaining opposing perspectives, and that Independent Lens disclose the “fact checking processes” it used in approving the film for showing on PBS. The protesting filmmakers, Deann Borshay Liem, Hye-jung Park, and JT Takagi, listed the documentaries on which they have worked, but almost nothing about their organizational affiliations. Their letters stressed that they were simply professional documentarians, implying that they, unlike those whom they were condemning, had no particular ideological motivations, and were merely dedicated to accuracy and balance in filmmaking. Given that Liem, Park, and Takagi focused on the views, affiliations, and motives of those involved in the making of *Beyond Utopia,* an examination of their own views and affiliations is warranted and will prove enlightening. Since a thorough online search would likely cause them embarrassment, it was not disclosed in the letters smearing “Beyond Utopia” that Liem is a supporter, at minimum, of two pro-North groups. One is the[ Korea Policy Institute](https://www.kpolicy.org/search?q=Deann), on whose board of directors her husband and pro-North activist Paul Liem sits. It is a kind of think tank for pro-North and far-left activists. Originally established as a front group, it has in recent years become more openly pro-North and extremely hostile to human rights activists and defectors. The other is the hardcore pro-North group [Nodutdol](https://www.facebook.com/nodutdol/posts/were-excited-to-announce-another-set-of-featured-speakers-for-the-peoples-summit/1165121722324570/), whose fanatical young members enthusiastically praise the Pyongyang regime as a beacon of freedom, advocate its state ideology of Juche, and laud its dynastic dictators, and whose leaders have for many years been communicating, meeting, and collaborating with the North’s intelligence agents in New York and Pyongyang. Park is not a mere supporter of those same groups. She was in fact a [co-founder](https://global.journalismus.uni-mainz.de/html/hye-jung-park.html) of Nodutdol. She is also on the[ board of directors](https://www.kpolicy.org/people) of the Korea Policy Institute. Park was one of the delegates who [participated](https://www.womencrossdmz.org/hye-jung-park/) in the pro-North front group Women Cross DMZ’s cross-border march and related anti-U.S. propaganda events in the North in 2015, at which, to the applause of the delegates, the U.S. was denounced as the “kingpin of international terrorism.” She even played a key role in [planning](https://www.womencrossdmz.org/a-farewell-message-from-wcdmz-founder-christine-ahn/) that event in collaboration with the North’s officials, when she visited Pyongyang along with Women Cross DMZ founder Christine Ahn in 2013. Takagi is also a[ member](https://peoplessummitforkorea.org/speakers) of Nodutdol and on the [board of directors](https://www.kpolicy.org/people) of the Korea Policy Institute. Takagi and Liem were listed as [speakers](https://peoplessummitforkorea.org/speakers) at the July 2025 [People’s Summit for Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/insight-into-a-totalitarian-seditious-mindset-what-was-said-and-applauded-at-a-pro-north-korean-anti-american-conference-in-new-york/) conference in New York, which included calls for the “liberation” of South Korea, support for Palestinian terrorism, communist “revolution” in the U.S., and enthusiastic praise for the North’s regime. Their particular panel at the event was entitled “[Filmmaking for the People’s Struggle](https://peoplessummitforkorea.org/schedule),” which focused on “film as a weapon” for the “liberation” of South Korea and “resistance to U.S. imperialism.” One can see why Liem, Park, and Takagi were not eager to disclose their organizational affiliations to the recipients of their letters condemning “Beyond Utopia.” They clearly wanted to portray themselves as merely reasonable advocates of peace to PBS and the other organizations which they targeted in their ideologically inspired efforts to suppress it. As to their objections to the documentary, the hypocrisy and double standards exhibited are shameful. With tremendous gall, total chutzpah, Liem, Park, and Takagi accused the human rights activists who were involved in its making of having a “vested self-interest” in supporting human rights for North Koreans suffering under a brutal dictatorship. They derived that terminology from the standards and policy guidelines of PBS’ Independent Lens, and implied that the makers of the film were personally, selfishly profiting in some manner from the film, which was clearly not the case. Liem, Park, and Takagi would surely prefer that any documentary about escapees from the North be made by those who have no “interest” in the cause of human rights for North Koreans and oppose any serious discussion of the nature of the Pyongyang regime, while blaming its crimes on the U.S. Regarding the “alternative resources” about the North that Liem, Park, and Takagi demanded that PBS publicize, perhaps they had in mind the “balanced perspective” of the [1992 book](https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Korean_War.html?id=5GEVAQAAIAAJ) by Liem’s father-in-law Channing Liem, published in Pyongyang, which is based on a book by Soviet agent[ I.F. Stone](https://www.commentary.org/articles/john-haynes/i-f-stone-soviet-agent-case-closed/) that maintains that South Korea started the Korean War and that the ruthless dictator Kim Il-sung was a lovely fellow who was misunderstood. Have they condemned that book as “inaccurate” history? Further examples of the double standards and hypocritical “do as we say, not as we do” arguments of Liem, Park, and Takagi, are that some of their own documentaries lack the “alternative perspectives” they demanded of “Beyond Utopia.” Documentaries of Park’s and Takagi’s extreme-left Third World Newsreel lauded terrorist [Yasser Arafat](https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/we-are-the-palestinian-people-newrseel-65). Did it refer to Arafat’s [theft of millions](https://jewishjournal.org/2019/10/25/for-palestinian-leaders-a-legacy-of-corruption/) in international aid or his ordering murders of Israeli [children on school buses](https://www.johnstonsarchive.net/terrorism/terrisrael-2.html) and an [American diplomat](https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2004/11/09/backgrounder-yasser-arafat-2/)? The documentary of Liem’s Mu Films in [praise](https://www.mufilms.org/films/crossings/) of the pro-North front group Women Cross DMZ, a cinematic tribute to its founder Christine Ahn, was certainly far less “balanced” than “Beyond Utopia*.*” Did it note that she [lobbied against](https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Eberstadt_Peck-NK-Presentation-transcript.pdf?x91208) North Korea human rights legislation in the U.S. and South Korea? When Liem and Takagi interviewed Yoon Kil-sang, leader of the openly racist and virulently antisemitic pro-North group [Korean American National Coordinating Council](https://www.jns.org/virulent-jew-hatred-is-regularly-promoted-by-pro-north-korean-groups/) (KANCC), was he asked about that bigotry? When Park made a documentary about Korean American visitors to the North, did she disclose that KANCC [financially profited](https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Eberstadt_Peck-NK-Presentation-transcript.pdf?x91208) from helping the North’s mission to the United Nations process visa applications? Those filmmakers should be the last to complain of potential biases or lack of opposing perspectives in documentaries. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20pro-North%20Korean%20activists%20and%20their%20friends%20tried%20to%20suppress%20a%20human%20rights%20documentary%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=How%20pro-North%20Korean%20activists%20and%20their%20friends%20tried%20to%20suppress%20a%20human%20rights%20documentary%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=How%20pro-North%20Korean%20activists%20and%20their%20friends%20tried%20to%20suppress%20a%20human%20rights%20documentary%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-pro-north-korean-activists-and-their-friends-tried-to-suppress-a-human-rights-documentary/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=How%20pro-North%20Korean%20activists%20and%20their%20friends%20tried%20to%20suppress%20a%20human%20rights%20documentary%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-pro-north-korean-activists-and-their-friends-tried-to-suppress-a-human-rights-documentary/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=How%20pro-North%20Korean%20activists%20and%20their%20friends%20tried%20to%20suppress%20a%20human%20rights%20documentary%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [As young people embrace the finger heart, the regime is yet to respond](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-young-people-embrace-the-finger-heart-the-regime-is-yet-to-respond/) **Published:** August 20, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/손하트.jpg "손하트 | nk insider")Korea’s finger heart, arm heart, and cheek heart gestures have recently gained wide global popularity. Now, reports suggest that even in North Korea, they have become popular and are taking root as part of everyday culture. Of course, like everything, nothing can last without state approval. One must avoid the gaze of the State Security Department, Ministry of Public Security, the Youth League, and other surveillance and enforcement organs. North Korea has long referred to South Korea’s “culture of suffering” and has imposed all manner of restrictions to prevent its citizens, and especially its young people, from being infected. They even ban expressions such as “oppa” or “dang-geun” (“of course”) from South Korean films and dramas. Nevertheless, the heart gesture has been spreading. According to sources inside the country, there has been a sharp rise in people, particularly in Pyongyang and the border regions with China, making finger, arm, and cheek heart signs. While they cannot do this in public at official events or large gatherings, in private settings the gestures are being used freely. Reports indicate they are especially popular among teens and those in their twenties. Some say that even young State Security agents and Ministry of Public Security officers, who stand at the frontline of defending the regime, cannot help but smile when faced with a heart. One State Security officer in his late twenties, stationed in Hyesan, Ryanggang Province, said that he often receives finger hearts from his girlfriend when they go on dates. When she first made the gesture, he reportedly scolded her, saying, “What is that? Stop watching South Korean movies so much. Don’t do that.” But years later, the same officer now beams with happiness whenever his girlfriend flashes a finger or cheek heart. And at times he even sends her one in return. Even the frontline guards of the North Korean system seem to momentarily lay aside their duties in the face of a heart. Ryanggang Province and other areas along the China border are where foreign information and culture are most quickly accessed. It is there that the Korean Wave and other outside trends enter and spread most rapidly. Thus, while State Security officers outwardly shout slogans of loyalty to the Party, the Leader, and the system, behind closed doors they appear to sympathize with, and even share in, K-pop–style gestures like the heart. How far has the heart spread? According to sources, since last year in Pyongyang and other major cities, the very first gesture exchanged at birthdays, anniversaries, and small gatherings among students and young adults is the finger heart or cheek heart. Those who do not reciprocate are now seen by peers as out of touch with current trends. The popularity of the heart has risen especially among teenagers and university students in major cities. This phenomenon is said to have begun in the latter half of 2022 in the border cities of Sinuiju and Hyesan. Sources say it has quietly taken root and represents a clandestine but significant cultural shift. Analysts note that this change can be read as an important indicator of the cultural currents among North Korea’s younger generations and their links to the outside world. How is the regime responding? Right now it is unclear whether the authorities are fully aware of the growing popularity of the heart. There appear to be no special countermeasures in place. If Pyongyang were to recognize the trend, it could well invoke harsh measures under the [Law on Rejecting Reactionary Thought and Culture](https://nktimes.kr/%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C-%EB%B0%98%EB%8F%99%EC%82%AC%EC%83%81%EB%AC%B8%ED%99%94%EB%B0%B0%EA%B2%A9%EB%B2%95-%EC%9B%90%EB%AC%B8-%EC%9E%85%EC%88%98/) or the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Law that forbid cultural practices that risk undermining ideological loyalty. In fact, between 2020 and 2023, during the COVID-19 period, there were cases of teenagers caught watching South Korean dramas or imitating South Korean speech patterns. They were subjected to public trials and punishment. Such scenes are unimaginable in a normal country. But in North Korea, all means are deployed to prevent ideological drift among the young and protect the system. In such an environment, where even mimicry of foreign films or speech is met with severe punishment, the question arises, if the authorities truly become aware of residents adopting South Korean culture in gestures and body language, how long will it be before there is a severe crackdown? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=As%20young%20people%20embrace%20the%20finger%20heart%2C%20the%20regime%20is%20yet%20to%20respond&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=As%20young%20people%20embrace%20the%20finger%20heart%2C%20the%20regime%20is%20yet%20to%20respond https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=As%20young%20people%20embrace%20the%20finger%20heart%2C%20the%20regime%20is%20yet%20to%20respond "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-young-people-embrace-the-finger-heart-the-regime-is-yet-to-respond/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=As%20young%20people%20embrace%20the%20finger%20heart%2C%20the%20regime%20is%20yet%20to%20respond&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-young-people-embrace-the-finger-heart-the-regime-is-yet-to-respond/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=As%20young%20people%20embrace%20the%20finger%20heart%2C%20the%20regime%20is%20yet%20to%20respond "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [My COVID experience in North Korea (Part 3)](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-covid-experience-in-north-korea-part-3/) **Published:** August 18, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Coronavirus-part-3.jpg "Coronavirus part 3 | nk insider")To explain how North Korea initially responded to COVID, I originally planned to talk about the healthcare system, but then I came across the story of the “West Sea official shooting incident.” That incident took place right where I lived. It happened in September 2020, just as COVID was beginning to spread, and because it relates to the pandemic, I’ll start by sharing what I know about it. I can’t say for certain whether the details came from official government propaganda or from testimony by soldiers who actually participated. What I do know is that I lived near the coast, where naval bases were concentrated, and that some of the soldiers involved in the incident were stationed nearby. What I heard was this: an unidentified man from the South was discovered floating in our waters, wearing a life jacket and clinging to some kind of debris. The first thing I heard was that he had secretly defected. I remember being quite astonished by that story, because while there were cases of people escaping from North to South, it was almost unheard of for someone to defect in the opposite direction. I couldn’t help doubting whether it was even true. At the time, I also wondered if the government had not invented the story. But after I came to South Korea, I learned that the incident had indeed happened. Anyway, here’s how the story circulated. This South Korean man had drifted into North Korean waters. He was not rescued, but remained afloat on the debris as North Korean soldiers approached to check his identity. When he identified himself as being from the South, the information was relayed to the Naval Command and then up to the Central Party, meaning, to Kim Jong-un. In North Korea, anything important is reported directly to Kim, so if someone from the South had crossed over, it would certainly have been reported immediately. But rather than being rescued and taken to hospital, the man remained stranded on the debris. At the time, COVID rules required people to keep more than two meters apart and to avoid physical contact. At the time, the state broadcaster constantly replayed footage from around the world showing masses of people collapsing from the virus, instilling fear in the population. In the beginning, people were so frightened that they strictly followed quarantine rules. Later, rumors spread that the man was shot dead and his body burned. According to reports from sailors, the order handed down from above was not to rescue him, hospitalize him, or test him, but to kill him. The justification was that since he came from South Korea, he might be carrying the coronavirus, so he had to be incinerated. They had no choice but to obey. They knew all too well what punishment awaited if they refused. What made this especially tragic for me was that the soldiers who took part were of my own generation, the so-called ‘MG generation’ of North Korea. Most North Koreans join the military at age 18 and serve 10 years. This generation, unlike the older one, has had at least some exposure to outside information. Today’s MG generation has often seen South Korean broadcasts or content, and so they understand the outside world better than their elders. But in North Korea, no one has the freedom to act on personal judgment. The soldiers who took part in that killing will likely have to live with guilt for the rest of their lives. Another version of the story that circulated was that the man had been a spy sent on a mission to the North. In any normal country, the man should have been quarantined, tested for infection, and treated. What North Korea did was utterly irrational. This incident shows just how abnormal its system really is. When you look at the regime’s COVID response, you see how deep the fear ran. With such a weak medical infrastructure, it was terrified of an outbreak. We, too, were overwhelmed by fear, watching the endless footage of mass deaths from around the world, not knowing how dangerous this disease really was, and falling into confusion. At that time, North Korea had a directive known as the “combat order.” It instructed that anyone, or even any animal, that crossed into the border zone or buffer area without authorization should be shot on sight. Even a stray beast crossing the line had to be killed immediately. South Korea had in the past sent humanitarian supplies and aid to the North. That the same North Korea then turned around and murdered a South Korean in this way is something that fills me with anger. I offer my deepest condolences to the victim who was so unjustly killed and to his bereaved family. The reason I share what I know about North Korea’s COVID situation is because I feel it is a responsibility I bear. This is why I wanted to tell you about this incident, at least within the limits of what I know. This event was not something known across all of North Korea. It was only talked about in the region where I lived, the maritime boundary area, among those who were nearby at the time. I sincerely hope that such a tragedy never happens again. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%203%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%203%29 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%203%29 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-covid-experience-in-north-korea-part-3/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%203%29&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-covid-experience-in-north-korea-part-3/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%203%29 "Reddit") **Categories:** Health --- ### [My COVID experience in North Korea (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/inside-sealed-off-north-korea-my-firsthand-experience-with-covid-part-1/) **Published:** August 11, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Covid-19-in-nk-part-1.jpg "Covid19 in nk part 1 | nk insider")*Growing up in Haeju, in a coastal military area in North Korea’s South Hwanghae Province, Kim Yumi was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows. This experience exposed her to the vibrant, democratic society across the DMZ. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape there in May 2023. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in her home country, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.”* *The following is a transcript of Part 1 of a series that documents her personal experience with COVID-19 inside North Korea. Some portions have been edited for clarity.* Many people have asked me how North Korea dealt with the global COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to share my personal experience. When COVID-19 swept across the world, North Korea was unable to avoid it. The authorities treated it not simply as a public health crisis, but as a grave national security threat. In January 2020, the country abruptly sealed its borders and territorial waters. As this dragged on and as trade with China plummeted, people’s livelihoods took a serious blow. Already-strict market regulations became even harsher, making life that much harder. Through neighborhood watch units, workplaces, schools, and state-run TV, the government pushed the line that while countless people were dying of COVID abroad, not a single confirmed case had occurred in “our country where the General leads us.” The reality was different. Despite official denials that there were any cases at all, by around April 2022 people had begun falling ill. At first, we didn’t realize it was COVID. Then, as suspicions grew, no one dared call it by its name. The state’s propaganda claimed that our nation was too great for the virus to enter, so admitting its presence was tantamount to challenging the system itself. COVID is said to have begun in Pyongyang. On April 25, 2022, during the military foundation day celebrations, soldiers were bussed into the capital for a parade. The virus spread there and people took it home with them to the provinces and it spread across the country. The authorities bizarrely claimed that the disease had entered via contaminated waste sent by sea from South Korea. We were forbidden to even touch seawater. They said the virus was coming in from the ocean. But once the elite Unit 8 resumed fishing, people in our area began harbouring suspicions. If the virus is supposedly coming from the sea, why allow fishing at all? Later instructions shifted and suddenly they claimed seawater could kill the virus. But for those of us living on the coast, this was hard to believe. If seawater was a disinfectant, even if the virus was supposedly sent from the South by sea, wouldn’t the saltwater have neutralized any germs in the first place? Among close friends, we would say, “They say the virus is coming from the sea and they forbid people from going near it, but then they can catch and eat all the fish they want?” I should explain that Unit 8 is a special organization tasked with catching seafood for the Kim family and senior Party officials. While no other boats were allowed out, the unit’s vessels were exempt. Since the Kim family and senior Party officials promoted such propaganda while they ate all the seafood they wanted, people living in the city could have believed the propaganda, but coastal residents had a hard time believing it. Anyways the official story was that a frontline soldier had found contaminated waste washed in from the South, containing the COVID virus. He then traveled to Pyongyang for the military parade and spread the virus to soldiers from every province. It was absurd propaganda. Another rumor that spread in my area was that South Korea had locked up COVID patients on the islands of Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong. Supposedly, deaths from COVID were so high in the South that there was not enough space to bury the dead. They apparently threw the bodies into the sea, and thus the authorities in the North limit access to the sea all the way along the coast. The authorities stationed soldiers along every stretch of coastline, blocking access to the water and ordering them to collect and dispose of waste. They claimed South Korea was deliberately sending floating debris laced with the virus. Soldiers patrolled the beaches all day, dousing trash with oil and burning it. At times, it was hard to tell whether these soldiers were guarding the country or just collecting garbage. Looking back, it’s clear they were feeding people blatant lies. The strangest part was how soldiers got up before dawn, scrambled to pick up this so-called contaminated waste before anyone else. This was because they could sell the waste for cash. So, that’s what I personally experienced just two years ago. I hope this gives you some sense of how North Korea handled COVID and why such nonsensical propaganda spread. The COVID story will continue in the next installment, so stay tuned.Hello. Today, I want to share my personal experience with COVID-19 in North Korea, since many people have wondered how the country dealt with a pandemic that had such a massive global impact. When COVID-19 swept across the world, North Korea was no exception. The authorities treated it not simply as a public health crisis, but as a grave national security threat. In January 2020, North Korea abruptly sealed its borders and territorial waters. With the border closure dragging on and trade with China plummeting, people’s livelihoods took a serious blow. Already-strict market regulations became even harsher, making life that much harder. Through neighborhood watch units, workplaces, schools, and state-run TV, the government pushed the line that while countless people were dying of COVID abroad, not a single confirmed case had occurred in “our country where the General leads us.” The reality, however, was different. Although North Korea officially denied any cases, by around April 2022 people began falling ill with what was clearly COVID. At first, we didn’t even realize it was COVID. As suspicions grew, no one dared to call it by name. The state’s propaganda claimed that our nation was too great for the virus to enter, so admitting its presence could be seen as challenging the system itself. COVID is said to have begun in Pyongyang. On April 25, 2022, during the military foundation day celebrations, huge crowds were brought into the capital for a military parade. The virus spread there, and those who had come from other provinces took it home with them, carrying it across the country. The authorities claimed—bizarrely—that COVID entered North Korea from South Korea through “contaminated waste” sent via the sea. In my area, few people believed this. At one point, they wouldn’t even let us touch seawater, saying the virus was coming in from the ocean. But once “Unit 8” resumed fishing, rumors spread that seawater actually acted as a disinfectant. They mixed disinfectant with seawater for sanitation purposes, but initially, we weren’t allowed near the shore at all. People weren’t even allowed to approach the coast—until Unit 8 started fishing again. That’s when people began asking questions: If the virus is supposedly coming from the sea, why allow fishing at all? The story shifted—suddenly seawater was said to disinfect the virus. But for those of us living on the coast, this was hard to swallow. If seawater could disinfect, wouldn’t it neutralize any virus supposedly sent from the South in the first place? Among close friends, we would say: “If the virus is coming from the sea, why can’t we go near it—but they can catch and eat all the fish they want?” Unit 8 is a special fleet tasked with catching seafood for the Kim family and senior Party officials. While no other boats were allowed out, Unit 8’s vessels were exempt. People living inland might have believed the propaganda, but coastal residents could see right through it. The official story went like this: a frontline soldier found contaminated waste washed in from the South, containing the COVID virus. He then traveled to Pyongyang for the military parade and spread “the South Korean virus” to soldiers from every province. It was absurd propaganda. Another rumor that spread in my area was that South Korea had quarantined COVID patients on the islands of Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong. Supposedly, because the South had too many bodies to bury, they threw them into the sea. The authorities stationed soldiers along every stretch of coastline, blocking access to the water and ordering them to collect and dispose of “waste” from the South. They claimed South Korea was deliberately sending floating debris laced with the virus. Soldiers patrolled the beaches all day, dousing trash with oil and burning it. At times, it was hard to tell whether these soldiers were guarding the country or just collecting garbage. Looking back, it’s clear they were feeding people blatant lies. The strangest part was how soldiers would scramble to pick up this so-called “contaminated waste” before anyone else—because it could be sold for money. The trash was valuable, and they would get up before dawn to claim it. So, that’s what I personally experienced just two years ago. I hope this gives you some sense of how North Korea handled COVID—and why such nonsensical propaganda spread. If you’re curious about what “Unit 8” is, I’ve posted a separate video explaining it. The story of COVID in North Korea will continue in the next installment, so stay tuned. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%201%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%201%29 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%201%29 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/inside-sealed-off-north-korea-my-firsthand-experience-with-covid-part-1/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%201%29&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/inside-sealed-off-north-korea-my-firsthand-experience-with-covid-part-1/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%201%29 "Reddit") **Categories:** Health --- ### [My COVID experience in North Korea (Part 2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-sealed-off-north-korea-the-truth-about-my-covid-19-experience-part-2/) **Published:** August 12, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Excerpt:** During COVID-19, an enormous amount of “filth” washed ashore. Many of these were strange items we had never seen in North Korea before. Some refrigerators were huge — unbelievably large ones — and yes, even refrigerators floated in from the sea. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Kimyumi-1.jpg "Kimyumi | nk insider") I want to talk about the floating debris that washed in from South Korea, what the North Korean authorities call “garbage,” and how those who got their hands on the various things that arrived made some good money. During the pandemic, an enormous amount of “garbage” washed ashore. it included strange items we had never seen before. Some refrigerators, for example, were huge. They were unbelievably large. Yes, even refrigerators floated in from the sea. In restaurants, I saw noodle bowls, the kind used for serving naengmyeon or soup. There were also supermarket shopping baskets. Many of them were white and made of very high-quality material. After coming to South Korea, I haven’t seen quite the same kind. I’m not sure exactly where they were from, but they turned up in North Korea in large quantities, and fetched quite a high price. During the COVID-19 period, even more “garbage” arrived. That was because, before the pandemic, many ships went to sea and were able to scavenge debris before it could drift ashore. But when COVID hit, none could set sail and people were barred from approaching beaches. When I went near the coast, I could see piles of perfectly usable goods just sitting there on the beach, beyond the quarantine line. It was tempting to grab them, but picking anything up meant a risk of being punished for violating emergency quarantine rules, which could make your life miserable. I never took that risk myself. Soldiers in emergency quarantine suits patrolled the beaches, collecting debris and piling it in designated spots, then pouring fuel over the piles and setting them on fire. At first, they followed orders to the letter, burning everything even though it felt wasteful. Orders were orders. But as time passed, they started breaking the rules. At first they believed the propaganda claiming that South Korea was sending the virus through the debris, but after piles and piles of “garbage” kept arriving and they had burned it several times without getting infected, their thinking began to change. They began secretly siphoning off usable goods and selling them. Many items were brand new and in good condition. They squirreled them away, then sold them at high prices. A single basket could fetch 20,000 to 25,000 won. I remember seeing gas canisters. If they were in rough condition, they sold for about 200,000 won each. But if they were clean and in good shape, up to 500,000 won. Ordinary soldiers knew what was going on, but didn’t have the means to profit from it. The officers in charge did. They made huge profits. Soldiers would bring in items, the officers would give them a small cut, and keep the rest for themselves. I have to say from my experience that these items from South Korea were genuinely useful in our daily life. While the regime sent soldiers to destroy them, people survived thanks to that “garbage.” With the borders sealed and imports dried up, diesel and gasoline became scarce. Vehicles stopped running and machinery stopped operating. If a vendor ran out of fuel and couldn’t move his vehicle, he’d lose an entire day. Someone began producing a diesel-like fuel by burning and extracting it from plastic sheeting. North Korean-made plastic yielded very little oil, but the plastic washed in from South Korea produced a lot. So the “garbage” they had once burned became valuable. Everything was worth money. North Koreans admire South Korean products. They think they’re good. But they wouldn’t eat the rice sent from South Korea. That was because the authorities spread propaganda that it was poisoned. Sometimes plastic bottles would float in containing rice and leaflets. The rice looked so high-quality that people became suspicious. The rice we ate in North Korea was often broken, cracked, and mixed with small stones or other impurities. The South Korean rice, on the other hand, was so clean it was hard to believe it was real the first time we saw it. Now that I’ve eaten it here in South Korea, I can finally believe it’s just properly farmed rice. At the time, one of my coworkers secretly fed some of it to her dog. When the dog didn’t die after a few days, she whispered to me that she had started secretly cooking and eating it. “Poison? What poison? It’s delicious,” she said. Even now, it’s hard to believe. Just two years ago, I was living there, talking about that rice and now I’m eating it myself. It feels surreal. Some of you left questions in the comments. One person said, “COVID started in China. How could North Korea not know that?” I think there’s some misunderstanding. North Koreans did know COVID began in China. What I meant was that the government told people “South Korea is sending COVID into the North.” Another person asked, “They banned access to beaches because the seawater had COVID?” That’s correct. From February 2020, they blocked all access to the shore. Starting in November 2021, the restrictions were gradually eased. For one year and nine months, we could not approach the beaches. When someone’s ship ran aground, people wanted to go help secure it. But they couldn’t. They could only watch their valuable vessel break apart and cry. Someone else asked, “How did you get salt then?” Between 2020 and 2022, we couldn’t produce any salt. Prices skyrocketed. Refined salt was 400 won per kilogram, black salt 1,000 won, and MSG (seasoned salt) 2,500 to 3,000 won. COVID made life incredibly difficult for many people. I’ll talk next about what happened when I actually caught COVID. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%202%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%202%29 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%202%29 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-sealed-off-north-korea-the-truth-about-my-covid-19-experience-part-2/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%202%29&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-sealed-off-north-korea-the-truth-about-my-covid-19-experience-part-2/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=My%20COVID%20experience%20in%20North%20Korea%20%28Part%202%29 "Reddit") **Categories:** Health --- ### [Food warehouse robbed on military base… Inside job suspected](https://www.nkinsider.org/food-warehouse-robbed-on-military-base-inside-job-suspected/) **Published:** August 14, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Artillery.jpg "Artillery | nk insider")A recent case of theft at a military warehouse has prompted investigators to suspect the military was itself involved. According to sources contacted in North Korea, thieves broke into a food storage facility at an anti-aircraft artillery battalion under the 91st Capital Defense Corps in Sangwon county, in North Hwanghae Province, southeast of Pyongyang, in the early hours of July 27. As the incident took place on the anniversary of the Korean War armistice, which North Korea celebrates as its Day of Victory over the United States, the unit was immediately placed on high alert, sources said. Although the perpetrator has yet to be identified, the Ministry of State Security is reportedly conducting an investigation under the assumption that it was an inside job. “Military bases are under strict surveillance,” one source said. “Especially since ordinary civilians face severe beatings if caught attacking military units, it is highly unlikely that residents would dare do anything like this. That is why investigators are focusing on personnel on guard duty at the time.” “The State Security Department of the military unit in question is currently narrowing down suspects by checking the movements of all soldiers stationed there on the day of the incident,” he said, adding, “It appears likely the culprit will be identified before long.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Food%20warehouse%20robbed%20on%20military%20base%E2%80%A6%20Inside%20job%20suspected&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Food%20warehouse%20robbed%20on%20military%20base%E2%80%A6%20Inside%20job%20suspected https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Food%20warehouse%20robbed%20on%20military%20base%E2%80%A6%20Inside%20job%20suspected "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/food-warehouse-robbed-on-military-base-inside-job-suspected/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Food%20warehouse%20robbed%20on%20military%20base%E2%80%A6%20Inside%20job%20suspected&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/food-warehouse-robbed-on-military-base-inside-job-suspected/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Food%20warehouse%20robbed%20on%20military%20base%E2%80%A6%20Inside%20job%20suspected "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Insight into a totalitarian, seditious mindset:  What was said and applauded at a pro-North Korean, anti-American conference in New York](https://www.nkinsider.org/insight-into-a-totalitarian-seditious-mindset-what-was-said-and-applauded-at-a-pro-north-korean-anti-american-conference-in-new-york/) **Published:** August 11, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Peoples-summit-for-korea.jpg "S summit for korea | nk insider")Given the ambitious title of the event, observers would have expected speakers at the [“People’s Summit for Korea”](https://peoplessummitforkorea.org/) in New York City last month to come out with the usual euphemisms that pro-North Korean, communist, and pro-terrorist front groups employ to win over idealistic audiences. Instead, participants were treated to an edifying expression of the true beliefs of the speakers and organizations involved. The event was full of overt expressions of hatred for and determination to destroy the U.S., the ROK, and Israel, along with enthusiastic praise for North Korea and endorsement of its Juche ideology. Indeed, such provocative calls for communist revolution and destruction of the U.S. approached outright sedition. The master of ceremonies, [Simon Ma](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T56NmbElBRg) of [Nodutdol](https://www.instagram.com/p/DFf-36vxhVX/?img_index=1), a northern [California doctor](https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-ma-md-mph-49b6627b), set the tone with his opening remarks. North Korea’s “long history of socialist revolution is full of struggles, victories, and lessons that should inform our revolutionary work both locally and internationally,” he said. “Despite brutal U.S. aggression through the Korean War, economic sanctions, and racist propaganda, the Korean revolution continues.” “Western bourgeois media twists the realities (of North Korea’s) prudent defense policies (with) lies after lies,” he said. “Genocidal imperialist sanctions are killing thousands of Korean children,” he said, adding that Washington tries to make people believe that the people of North Korea are “oppressed” whereas North Koreans are, in fact, “our revolutionary comrades, full of love.” Pyongyang is “a guiding light for the international socialist revolution,” Ma said. He explained that the event’s purpose was to “prepare our movement to challenge U.S. impunity” in the event of war, although he did not specify what types of actions he had in mind. He concluded by expressing his hope that the event would assist attendees “in advocating for the DPRK’s fight against U.S. imperialism.” Next up was Marxist-Leninist [Manolo De Los Santos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T56NmbElBRg), the founder and leader of [The People’s Forum](https://peoplesforum.org/events/mnl-comintern/), a key element of radical, Shanghai-based billionaire Neville Roy Singham’s political [influence and funding network](https://networkcontagion.us/wp-content/uploads/SID4P-Report_May-2024.pdf), which is under [congressional investigation](https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Letter-to-Neville-Singham-06132025-1.pdf) for its alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. This connection to[ Singham’s network](https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/grassley_to_doj_fbi_-_code_pink_and_the_peoples_forum.pdf) perhaps explains how the organizers funded such a large and presumably very costly multi-day conference. Media reports indicate that Singham has given millions of dollars to The People’s Forum, which has held joint [pro-North Korea events](https://peoplesforum.org/events/us-out-of-korea/) with Nodutdol. De Los Santos said that the Korean people “yearn to be free from the terror of the American empire.” Next was [Miyeon Jang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T56NmbElBRg), also of Nodutdol, who asserted that Koreans who have migrated to the U.S. have no reason whatsoever to be grateful to their adopted country, because “U.S. imperialism requires our mothers to work multiple jobs while raising a household.” “U.S. imperialism requires our communities to face disproportionate rates of addiction and alcoholism,” she said, adding that Americans are “exploited to serve the very empire who dares to treat our homeland as a launch pad for their next war on China.” She ended by imploring her comrades not to “sit quietly in the empire’s belly” and threatening that she and Nodutdol were organizing across the U.S. to “create consequences for the U.S. empire and building towards our inevitable socialist future.” Again, she did not specify what consequences she had in mind. [Jamie Tyberg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf4qYxTmuOQ&t=6s) of Nodutdol moderated a discussion during which she said that the most important task is to help people become conscious that the enemy is U.S. imperialism. It is engaged in “the military encirclement of China (and seeks to) to portray China as a threat to nations around it, as well as to the people of the world, through mass propaganda.” Like New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, Tyberg has been a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Protesters-psfk-2-1024x554.jpg "Protesters psfk | nk insider")Protesters in new york city during the peoples summit for korea still image courtesy of aqua The communist [Workers World Party](https://www.workers.org/2025/04/85047/) was represented by [Sara Flounders](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf4qYxTmuOQ&t=6s), an activist with the party since the early 1970s. A supporter of North Korea, she claimed that U.S. military bases “dominate political life” in South Korea. She also mentioned U.S. military bases in Taiwan even though none exist. Flounders won applause when she claimed that the U.S. created “artificial famine and disease” in North Korea, and when she praised Hamas for the tunnel network it built using aid intended for civilians. She also lauded Iran’s missile attacks on Israeli cities. “Through seven decades, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has held the line, has pursued socialist development and self-reliance,” she said. “The spirit of Juche has won out.” She emphasized that it was important to oppose “the demonization of the DPRK and its socialist construction.” Flounders’ final words, which the audience enthusiastically applauded, were “Death to U.S. imperialism! Death! Death to U.S. imperialism!” U.S. “narratives around the DPRK are oriented towards advancing imperialism,” longtime Nodutdol member [Betsy Yoon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9xnuLXSBaM&t=1550s) said. Yoon lauded the regime’s “steadfast commitment” to its people. “The revolution is not something you do during the day and escape from at home, but is instead something that is woven into the fabric of society. Love is part of the revolution,” she said. She called on the audience to oppose the “constant ideological onslaught that we are immersed in here from birth to death (with) solid grounding in revolutionary theory.” To build a new society “out of the ashes of capitalism,” it is important to “learn from societies that have already done so,” she said. “We need to travel to North Korea and build relationships and connections (and) recognize and internalize the lessons of North Korea’s ongoing revolution.” She ended by quoting Lenin, “We are fighting better than our fathers did, our children will fight better than we do, and they will be victorious.” One of the more long-winded speakers was the dedicated Marxist-Leninist [Brian Becker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9xnuLXSBaM&t=1550s), who was a member of the Workers World Party from the early 1970s but left in 2004 to lead the communist [Party for Socialism and Liberation](https://liberationnews.org/leninclass/) and its front group [ANSWER](https://keywiki.org/ANSWER). Like Nodutdol, Becker’s party was one of the key organizers of the event and is also among the groups being[ investigated](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/congress-demands-investigation-into-billionaire-funding-radical-groups-including-one-linked-to-la-riots/ar-AA1Gxiin?ocid=DELLDHP) by Congress for alleged ties to the Singham funding and [connections](https://networkcontagion.us/wp-content/uploads/Master-PSL_ANSWER_Rodriguez-Brief.pdf) to the Chinese Communist Party. “One of the problems that we face in the United States is the non-stop demonization and caricaturing of the DPRK,” he claimed. Anyone who speaks about “peace” with North Korea is accused of being a “foreign agent,” he said. Apparently referring to the recent *NK Insider* [article](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-camp-followers-to-cavort-with-manhattans-marxists-us-juche-jamboree-part-comintern-part-bombintern/) about the conference, Becker angrily stated that, “Even this conference is being smeared by right-wing, anti-communist media.” He said of North Korea and Cuba that “real freedom, not simply formal equality, required that their countries take a socialist path.” To the applause of the audience, he added that “what happens here in the belly of the beast, in the center of imperialism, would make all the difference in the world for the people yearning to breathe free, for those yearning to take the socialist path.” Answering a question from [Simon Ma](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9xnuLXSBaM&t=1550s) about the “essential” need for pro-North activists in the U.S. “to continue to fight and advocate for the DPRK against U.S. imperialism,” in light of North Korea’s unification policy shifts, [Becker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9xnuLXSBaM&t=1550s) called for “a massive public education campaign for the broad U.S. public” about North Korea. He also said the U.S. should establish diplomatic relations with the North. [Ma](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9xnuLXSBaM&t=1550s) then accused the media of portraying North Koreans as “demons” who “deserve to be slaughtered.” Yoon said it was a myth that the North’s regime was repressing its people, and that North Korea actually “wanted to have an informed populace.” [She urged the audience](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9xnuLXSBaM&t=1550s) to adhere to North Korea’s state ideology, insisting that “we creatively apply our Juche spirit.” The session concluded with [Becker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9xnuLXSBaM&t=1550s) promoting “the Leninist concept of the professional revolutionary,” which drew applause. [Ju-hyun Park](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-hGtc4n3Ts&t=439s), a dogmatic Marxist-Leninist member of Nodutdol who [praises terrorist attacks](https://canarymission.org/individual/Ju-Hyun_Park) on Israel, said about the Korean War that although “Korea was the first place that U.S. imperialism faced a major setback, we were not the first people to resist the monster that we call the United States. What the Korean War proved was not just that the imperialists do not have a conscience, but it also proved that they are not invincible.” “The last two years of the Zionist genocide in Gaza have shown there is no atrocity that is too inhumane for imperialism,” he added. Park praised North Korea’s founding dictator, Kim Il-sung, which the audience applauded, and urged a communist revolution against the “bourgeoisie” in the ROK. “We are not going to defeat U.S. imperialism only by removing U.S. troops,” he said. “That means we have to understand that not everyone who is Korean is our friend. The Korean capitalists and their politicians who do the bidding of imperialism are not our friends.” “We can bring the struggle for national liberation here, right at the doorstep of imperialism, right where the enemy is most comfortable by bringing resistance to their home, and by organizing with our class for revolution in this country,” he said, without specifying the resistance he had in mind. Adding a [Maoist](https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/ncm-7/tianamen.pdf) and [Stalinist](https://frso.org/statements/the-contributions-of-stalin-and-the-struggle-for-socialism-today/) perspective was [Mick Kelly](http://marxism.cass.cn/en/marxist/202410/t20241028_5797088.shtml), a founding leader of the communist Freedom Road Socialist Organization, who is no stranger to controversy. His home was raided by the FBI in [2010](https://www.foxnews.com/world/u-s-anti-war-activists-linked-to-terrorists-in-colombia-and-middle-east) based on suspicions that he was providing material aid to terrorist organizations. “Sooner, not later, every inch of Korean soil will be liberated,” Kelly said. “We have common enemies and we have a common interest in seeing them wiped out.” Kelly also spoke of the “great unfinished business of the Chinese revolution which is Taiwan” claiming that it would be settled “sooner rather than later.” Kelly concluded with a claim that the Korean War was in fact a war waged by the U.S. on the people of Korea. “There actually was a resistance to that war in the United States,” he said, repeating hoary propaganda claims that the U.S. used germ warfare and that American prisoners of war were “treated well.” In closing the conference, the convening organizations declared in a [statement](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-hGtc4n3Ts&t=441s) that, “In the North, our people have met the daily challenges of U.S. aggression with unwavering unity and a steadfast commitment to their sovereignty.” “Korea’s liberation is not a question of if, but when,” the statement said. It included a condemnation of the “genocide in Palestine, the attacks on Iran, and the intensifying aggression against the People’s Republic of China.” “The Republic of Korea must transform from a U.S. outpost into a sovereign force that stands in fraternity with the DPRK,” the statement said, adding that the ruling class in the South will not make this transformation. The statement emphasized that U.S. imperialism is the “greatest threat to Korea and all of humanity,” and urged the audience to engage in “organized resistance” and participate in a “national day of action” on August 15. The conference organizers pledged to “bring the fight for national liberation into the belly of the beast alongside the working masses who will be the gravediggers of this empire.” The speakers and audience then chanted, in Korean, “Drive out America! Drive out America!” As with other gatherings of communists and their fellow travelers, just like party congresses in the former [Soviet Union](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr15pKwOt-E), [China](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6Q8GmhbKAA&list=RDd6Q8GmhbKAA&start_radio=1), [North Korea](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJLAMKdTWII&list=RDcJLAMKdTWII&start_radio=1), or [Cuba,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywZrRZWjS2Y&list=RDywZrRZWjS2Y&start_radio=1) the People’s Summit for Korea culminated with the speakers and audience singing the communist anthem [“The Internationale.” ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-hGtc4n3Ts&t=441s) - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Insight%20into%20a%20totalitarian%2C%20seditious%20mindset%3A%C2%A0%20What%20was%20said%20and%20applauded%20at%20a%20pro-North%20Korean%2C%20anti-American%20conference%20in%20New%20York&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Insight%20into%20a%20totalitarian%2C%20seditious%20mindset%3A%C2%A0%20What%20was%20said%20and%20applauded%20at%20a%20pro-North%20Korean%2C%20anti-American%20conference%20in%20New%20York https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Insight%20into%20a%20totalitarian%2C%20seditious%20mindset%3A%C2%A0%20What%20was%20said%20and%20applauded%20at%20a%20pro-North%20Korean%2C%20anti-American%20conference%20in%20New%20York "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/insight-into-a-totalitarian-seditious-mindset-what-was-said-and-applauded-at-a-pro-north-korean-anti-american-conference-in-new-york/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Insight%20into%20a%20totalitarian%2C%20seditious%20mindset%3A%C2%A0%20What%20was%20said%20and%20applauded%20at%20a%20pro-North%20Korean%2C%20anti-American%20conference%20in%20New%20York&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/insight-into-a-totalitarian-seditious-mindset-what-was-said-and-applauded-at-a-pro-north-korean-anti-american-conference-in-new-york/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Insight%20into%20a%20totalitarian%2C%20seditious%20mindset%3A%C2%A0%20What%20was%20said%20and%20applauded%20at%20a%20pro-North%20Korean%2C%20anti-American%20conference%20in%20New%20York "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Kim permits private car ownership… but not Benz and Lexus](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-permits-private-car-ownership-but-not-benz-and-lexus/) **Published:** August 8, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Cars.jpg "Cars | nk insider")After earlier allowing ordinary citizens to own their own cars, the government has taken high-end foreign luxury brands off the list of permitted vehicles. According to several sources in the country, the rules changed to permit ordinary people to own cars at the beginning of this year. But expensive luxury imports like Mercedes-Benz and Lexus have now been explicitly excluded. The government reportedly capped the purchase price of vehicles at 50,000 yuan (USD 6,960), banning both the sale and operation of cars that exceed this limit. As a result, even cadres and the wealthy class known as *donju*, who are interested in cars and want to buy higher-end vehicles, are now limited to cars within the designated price range, sources said. This move is interpreted as an effort to preserve high-end foreign cars as an exclusive symbolic privilege of the leadership. There is speculation that it is especially tied to the personal preference of Kim Jong-un, who is known to favor both the German and Japanese luxury brands. In fact, during his visit to flood-damaged areas in North Pyongan Province last July, Kim surveyed the scene from a Lexus LX, as reported by state-run Korean Central News Agency. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20permits%20private%20car%20ownership%E2%80%A6%20but%20not%20Benz%20and%20Lexus&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20permits%20private%20car%20ownership%E2%80%A6%20but%20not%20Benz%20and%20Lexus https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20permits%20private%20car%20ownership%E2%80%A6%20but%20not%20Benz%20and%20Lexus "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-permits-private-car-ownership-but-not-benz-and-lexus/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20permits%20private%20car%20ownership%E2%80%A6%20but%20not%20Benz%20and%20Lexus&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-permits-private-car-ownership-but-not-benz-and-lexus/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20permits%20private%20car%20ownership%E2%80%A6%20but%20not%20Benz%20and%20Lexus "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [The Indo-Pacific 80 years on from the nuclear bombs on Japan](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-indo-pacific-80-years-on-from-the-nuclear-bombs-on-japan/) **Published:** August 6, 2025 **Author:** Julian McBride **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Istock-1262642973.jpg "Ballistic missile launch from underwater | nk insider")August 6 and 9 this year mark the 80th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of [Hiroshima and](https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/ahf/history/bombings-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-1945/) [Nagasaki](https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/ahf/history/bombings-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-1945/) by the United States. Against this backdrop, Imperial Japan [unconditionally surrendered,](https://www.trumanlibraryinstitute.org/library-museum/museum-exhibits/photos-japan-surrenders/) bringing an end to World War Two. Eighty years later, eight countries besides the United States possess nuclear weapons, and due to rising tensions, diplomatic and armed conflicts have ensued over potential renewed proliferation. In Japan itself, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is still perceived negatively. A [2015 Pew Research Center poll](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2015/08/04/70-years-after-hiroshima-opinions-have-shifted-on-use-of-atomic-bomb/) found 79% of respondents believed it was not justified. This is in stark contrast to the view in America, where 56% say it was. A factor in Japan was not just the destruction of the two cities, but the aftermath, in particular, [radiation](https://www.atomicarchive.com/resources/documents/med/med_chp22.html) [sickness.](https://www.atomicarchive.com/resources/documents/med/med_chp22.html) Fallout, a New York Times Bestseller by Lesley M.M. Blume, tells the story of reporter John Hersey, who [exposed](https://www.lesleymmblume.com/fallout) to the general public the horrors of the A-bomb, which is enshrined in decades of current Japanese pacifism. Perception in China is not certain today, due to the authoritarian policies of the government in Beijing. According to Kaiser Kuo, the editor of The China Project, Chinese civilians he interviewed [stated](https://thechinaproject.com/2019/08/05/kuora-chinese-opinions-on-hiroshima-and-nagasaki/) that the bombings were tragic, but necessary to end the war. In North Korea, Japan is still considered a [major](https://www.e-ir.info/2025/04/06/opinion-japans-military-awakening/) [enemy of the Kim regime](https://www.e-ir.info/2025/04/06/opinion-japans-military-awakening/) due to past colonial horrors, while South Koreans have to some extent moved on. There, opinions vary, although the tendency is positive. This is despite the large number of Korean victims in the two cities, many of them slave laborers. A [January 2023 article](https://www.jpmph.org/journal/view.php?year=2023&vol=56&page=1) in the Journal of Preventive Medicine & Public Health said a study of the aftereffects on Koreans showed they suffered [a range of health](https://www.koreascience.kr/article/JAKO202314556433107.page) [problems,](https://www.koreascience.kr/article/JAKO202314556433107.page) such as cancer from radiation. In a [2009 PubMed article](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20518158/) titled “Imaginary Savior: the image of the nuclear bomb in Korea,” Kim Dong-won stated how South Koreans initially had a favorable view of the atomic bombings as they directly led to independence. During the Korean War, perception continued [to be positive](https://www.csis.org/analysis/will-south-koreas-nuclear-ambitions-subside-next-five-years) as the United States noted the possibility of using nuclear weapons to deter North Korean and Chinese aggression, which former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin [reaffirmed](https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3952030/defense-secretary-lloyd-j-austin-iii-and-south-korean-defense-minister-kim-yong/) in 2023. During World War Two, Japan’s focus had been on territorial conquests in the Indo-Pacific, as the ruling elite of the Imperial administration sought to create a “[Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere](https://apjjf.org/2011/9/49/janis-mimura/3657/article).” The attempt at forceful assimilation led to [brutal massacres](https://www.pacificatrocities.org/blog/list-of-war-crimes-during-pacific-asia-war) that left longstanding scars in East Asia. In the Philippines, for example, opinion about the use of nuclear weapons against Japan varies due to the generational trauma of Japanese occupation. In an article in the Asian Journal of Peacebuilding, [Hitoshi Nagai](https://s-space.snu.ac.kr/handle/10371/184160) gives firsthand accounts of the brutality experienced at the hands of Japanese soldiers during the occupation. One Filipino, Jose P. Rocha, was quoted expressing frustration that while Hiroshima was given special status in global perception, more civilians were killed in Manila than in the atomic bombing. China’s views over the bombings remain lukewarm for similar reasons. In the interwar period, millions of Chinese were killed in some of the most gruesome ways by Japanese troops in [Nanking,](https://sfi.usc.edu/collections/nanjing-massacre) [Shanghai,](https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/the-fall-of-shanghai-prelude-to-the-rape-of-nanking-wwii/) and other cities. Atrocities included ghastly experimentation at [Unit 731.](https://www.pacificatrocities.org/experiences-at-the-human-experimentation-complex.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=8932359075&gbraid=0AAAAADp0h4GKT3yKxD7jrcAcN-R2gbB9o&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-NfDBhDyARIsAD-ILeB3fVUORNgPtfj_NACS-pMQYyOzJsk5CgsvUKeAGySqspq3XdxJy5MaAl-UEALw_wcB) Koreans also suffered under [Japanese colonial rule](https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/korea-under-the-rising-sun/). Not only did Imperial Japan forcibly use Koreans as [slave laborers](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-labor-and-working-class-history/article/japans-forgotten-korean-forced-laborers-the-search-for-hidden-wartime-graves-in-hokkaido/A7913D417E14F8E727A4798FAF9F95C0), but it also sexually abused hundreds of thousands of its citizens as part of the notorious [comfort women battalions](https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/teaching-about-the-comfort-women-during-world-war-ii-and-the-use-of-personal-stories-of-the-victims/). Furthermore, the peaceful [March 1st independence protest movement](https://www.koreanquarterly.org/tag/march-first-movement-1919/) was violently cracked down upon by Japanese military units, with protestors facing torture and executions. Modern Japan faces a crossroads amidst heightened tensions with various nuclear-armed powers. China has become more aggressive in the [Indo-Pacific,](https://www.e-ir.info/2025/03/14/opinion-the-impact-of-an-indecisive-america-on-the-indo-pacific/) North Korea has become more [emboldened](https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/north-east-asia/korean-peninsula/addressing-challenges-emboldened-north-korea) on the Korean Peninsula, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to the domino effect of growing remilitarization amongst U.S. allies. Although the U.S.-Japanese Alliance remains intact, cracks between the mutual defense partners have begun to show. The Trump Administration has made several [misconceptions](https://www.e-ir.info/2025/05/12/opinion-reassessing-military-misconceptions-in-the-american-japanese-alliance/) about the mutual defense pact, especially given Japan’s American-written constitution, which has limited Japanese military growth. Furthermore, amid trade conflicts and U.S. policies toward Russian aggression, Tokyo may need to pursue a nuclear contingency, such as ratifying renewed nuclear sharing or potentially developing its own. Japan is currently [developing and purchasing](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-race-for-long-range-missiles-between-japan-and-north-korea/) conventional long-range missiles, as well as planning concepts for enhancing its air defenses. Seventy-five percent of Japanese continue to support ratifying the [Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.](https://www.icanw.org/japan) Still, due to the drift with Washington and the rapidly changing regional landscape, Tokyo could build a bomb within several months if it decided its existential security was threatened. On the Korean Peninsula, Seoul continues to [consider](https://www.csis.org/analysis/will-south-koreas-nuclear-ambitions-subside-next-five-years) to either have its own nuclear deterrent, or redeploy the tactical U.S. weapons which were on its soil [until 1991](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1991/10/19/us-decides-to-withdraw-a-weapons-from-s-korea/3759ee3f-e9bf-4944-bfdf-2f9ea727b546/). According to a 2024 Chey Institute for Advanced Studies poll conducted through Gallup Korea, 72.8% of South Koreans [support](https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20240206/4731163/1) the development of their own independent nuclear weapons program. Despite this level of backing, there are significant hurdles as regard where potentially weapons will be placed,[the question of political stability](https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/south-korea-trump-yoon-suk-yeol-unrest/) and the unpredictability of how Pyongyang might react if it believes Seoul is close to the bomb. Given this, it is possible Seoul might adopt a policy of [strategic ambiguity](https://www.e-ir.info/2025/03/28/opinion-the-potential-of-strategic-ambiguity-for-south-korean-security/) to keep the North Koreans guessing about its movements. # **Conclusion** The atomic bombings of Japanese cities ended the Second World War, but the horrors of nuclear weapons usage should not be taken lightly today. Nevertheless, due to brewing global remilitarization, indecisiveness amongst strong allies, and growing threats, the need for nuclear weapons could become even more pertinent today. Although winds are shifting from arms control, stemming from the threats of the Cold War, to a renewed weapons race amidst global tensions, the Indo-Pacific remains at a critical flashpoint. Arms control dialogue and diplomatic negotiations should stay at the forefront. Still, if mediation breaks down, nuclear proliferation and potential use could happen in the region once again, akin to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/ "Julian McBride") [Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/) Julian McBride, a former U.S. Marine, is a forensic anthropologist and independent journalist born in New York. He reports and documents the plight of people around the world who are affected by conflicts, rogue geopolitics, and war, and also tells the stories of war victims whose voices are never heard. His bylines can be found in the National Security Journal, Byline Times, 19FortyFive, Heritage Daily, The Defense Post, Journal of Forensic Psychology, Modern Warfare Institute, and UK Defence Journal. [![Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/ "Julian McBride") Latest posts by Julian McBride ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/)) - [Dismantled communications network makes life worse for North Korean dissidents](https://www.nkinsider.org/dismantled-communications-network-makes-life-worse-for-north-korean-dissidents/) - September 9, 2025 - [The Indo-Pacific 80 years on from the nuclear bombs on Japan](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-indo-pacific-80-years-on-from-the-nuclear-bombs-on-japan/) - August 6, 2025 - [The race for long-range missiles between Japan and North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-race-for-long-range-missiles-between-japan-and-north-korea/) - June 27, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Indo-Pacific%2080%20years%20on%20from%20the%20nuclear%20bombs%20on%20Japan&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Indo-Pacific%2080%20years%20on%20from%20the%20nuclear%20bombs%20on%20Japan https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Indo-Pacific%2080%20years%20on%20from%20the%20nuclear%20bombs%20on%20Japan "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-indo-pacific-80-years-on-from-the-nuclear-bombs-on-japan/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Indo-Pacific%2080%20years%20on%20from%20the%20nuclear%20bombs%20on%20Japan&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-indo-pacific-80-years-on-from-the-nuclear-bombs-on-japan/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Indo-Pacific%2080%20years%20on%20from%20the%20nuclear%20bombs%20on%20Japan "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Mobile Phones in North Korea — A World of Surveillance and Control](https://www.nkinsider.org/mobile-phones-in-north-korea-a-world-of-surveillance-and-control/) **Published:** July 28, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Cell-phone-e1753766458741.jpg "Cell phone | nk insider")> *Today we’d like to share a video by Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector and [speaker](https://youtu.be/nz2TdeuW5I8) at the 2025 Oslo Freedom Forum, titled “North Korea’s Mobile Phones: The Reality of Communication Under Surveillance and Control.” > > In the video, Kim draws on her own experiences to reveal what mobile phone use really looks like inside North Korea today. Below, we’ve included the English translation. > > She explains that while North Korean mobile phones may look like the smartphones we’re used to, in reality they come with strict surveillance systems, complete isolation from the outside world, and a harsh environment where freedom of expression simply doesn’t exist. > > Kim, who was born in Haeju, Hwanghae Province, escaped to South Korea with her family of eight in May 2023. She now lives in Seoul and works to raise global awareness about North Korea’s dire human rights situation. > You can watch more of Kim’s videos about life in North Korea @[kimyumitv](https://www.youtube.com/@KimYumiTV/videos "kimyumitv").* *The following has been lightly edited for clarity.* Hello, everyone. Today, I’d like to share with you some insights on the current state of mobile phone usage in North Korea. A few days ago, I was interviewed by a research team regarding this topic, and I want to share that conversation with you. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments, and I will answer honestly based on my experiences. **Q: I heard you recently left North Korea. How widespread is mobile phone use these days?** **A:** From my hometown Haeju, compared to a few years ago, noticeably more people in neighborhoods have mobile phones. According to a recent study, as of 2023, 40 to 50 percent of the entire North Korean population uses mobile phones. Especially in Pyongyang, the penetration rate is as high as 72%. The rates are lower in the provinces—about 43% in border regions and 35% in non-border areas. Since Pyongyang is home to many elites and was the first place where mobile phone service was introduced, power and wealth concentrate there, making it easier to obtain phones. That said, not everyone in Pyongyang is wealthy—income inequality is widening and many remain poor. Still, conditions are generally better than in the provinces, so the higher phone penetration is real. Pyongyang is the capital, after all. When benefits or supplies are distributed, residents of Pyongyang receive them before those in the provinces. So it’s true that people in Pyongyang get relatively more advantages. **Q: In South Korea, there are carriers like KT, SK, and LG U+. Does North Korea have similar companies?** **A:** Yes, it does. The main ones are *Koryolink*, *Kangsong Network*, and *Byol*. Most phones and telecom equipment are Chinese-made. In major cities like Pyongyang, the network offers 4G-level service, compared to 3G-level service in the provinces. Mobile phone service was first introduced in North Korea in 2002 through a joint venture with a Thai company using GSM technology. It was later suspended but restarted in 2008 via Koryolink. Later, competing companies like Kangsong and Byol emerged to help earn foreign currency. These days, smartphones like *Arirang*, *Pyongyang 243*, and *Blue Sky* are in use. In appearance, they look very similar to Samsung or LG phones—so similar that it’s hard to tell them apart. However, their functions are completely different. North Korean phones cannot access the internet or make international calls. They only allow domestic calls, texting, photo sharing, and government-approved content. Users can take photos and videos, but that’s about it. **Q:** **Can North Koreans watch outside content on their phones?** **A:** It’s not easy. North Korean phones are equipped with strict censorship features. All user activity is recorded, and unauthorized files are automatically deleted. For example, if someone watched outside content, they have to connect their phone to a computer to delete those file traces entirely. Recently, a crackdown unit called *Group 8.2* was established to oversee and enforce these controls. If an inspection team stops you on the street and asks to see your phone, you must comply. If any traces of outside content are found, your phone will be confiscated immediately. If South Korean dramas, music, or other Korean content are discovered, you could be punished under the *Anti-Reactionary Thought and Culture Law*, and in severe cases, even face public execution. Even domestic content can cause trouble. For example, if you record your children playing at home and a portrait of the Kim family appears in the video, your phone will be confiscated, and you’ll be forced to stand on a public criticism stage, facing great pressure and financial hardship. To avoid worse consequences, people must comply with inspectors’ demands, which often means paying bribes. Without bribes, it’s very difficult to get out of these situations in North Korea. **Q: I’ve heard that mobile phones are a symbol of wealth in North Korea. Is that true?** **A:** Yes, it was true. Until the mid-2010s, owning a phone was strongly associated with being wealthy. If someone carried a phone on their belt, people assumed they had money. But now, the situation has changed. Phones are no longer just a status symbol; they have become a daily necessity. Especially for merchants, phones are essential tools. They use them to coordinate deals in real time, check prices, and confirm inventory. In the past, without phones, they had to travel back and forth in person. Now, business is much easier. **Q: Mobile phones and information sharing often play a key role in transitioning from authoritarianism to democracy. Could this happen in North Korea?** **A:** I think it’s quite possible. Of course, the North Korean government allows mobile phone service mainly to maintain its power—earning foreign currency, monitoring citizens, and maximizing control. But it can also have unintended consequences. For instance, when a 23-story apartment collapsed in Pyongyang in 2014, the government would normally have hidden it. But the news quickly spread through mobile phones, leaving the government unable to cover it up. Similarly, North Korea only recently admitted to sending soldiers to the Russia–Ukraine war. I believe this was because the news had already circulated within the country, making it impossible to deny the troop deployment. **Q: So, mobile phones could become more than just communication tools—they could act as catalysts for social change in North Korea?** **A:** Exactly. Right now, phones are mainly a way to communicate. But over time, they could become an important medium that changes people’s perceptions and behaviors. When information spreads, people’s thinking changes, and when thinking changes, behavior changes. That’s why outside information is so important. I sincerely hope the day will come when North Koreans can freely make international calls and access the internet. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Mobile%20Phones%20in%20North%20Korea%20%E2%80%94%20A%20World%20of%20Surveillance%20and%20Control&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Mobile%20Phones%20in%20North%20Korea%20%E2%80%94%20A%20World%20of%20Surveillance%20and%20Control https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Mobile%20Phones%20in%20North%20Korea%20%E2%80%94%20A%20World%20of%20Surveillance%20and%20Control "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/mobile-phones-in-north-korea-a-world-of-surveillance-and-control/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Mobile%20Phones%20in%20North%20Korea%20%E2%80%94%20A%20World%20of%20Surveillance%20and%20Control&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/mobile-phones-in-north-korea-a-world-of-surveillance-and-control/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Mobile%20Phones%20in%20North%20Korea%20%E2%80%94%20A%20World%20of%20Surveillance%20and%20Control "Reddit") **Categories:** Science & Tech --- ### [Parenting: North Korea vs. South Korea!](https://www.nkinsider.org/parenting-north-korea-vs-south-korea/) **Published:** July 4, 2025 **Author:** Kim Yumi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/남북육아.jpg "남북육아 | nk insider")> *Today we’d like to share a video by Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector and* [*speaker*](https://youtu.be/nz2TdeuW5I8) *at the 2025 Oslo Freedom Forum, titled “Parenting: North Korea vs. South Korea!”* > > *In the video, Kim draws on her own experiences to raise a vivid picture of the hardships North Korean mothers face. She contrasts the endless cycle of washing and boiling cloth diapers in freezing conditions with the ease of disposable diapers and better childcare resources in South Korea.* > > *Kim, who was born in Haeju, Hwanghae Province, escaped to South Korea with her family of eight in May 2023. She now resides in Seoul and works to raise global awareness about North Korea’s dire human rights situation.* > > *You can watch more of Kim’s videos about life in North Korea @*[*kimyumitv*](https://www.youtube.com/@KimYumiTV/videos)*.* Hello, this is Kim Yumi. Today, I’d like to share my experiences of raising children in both North and South Korea. I’ve raised two children myself, so I want to talk a bit about what that was like. When I gave birth and raised my children in North Korea, we used cloth diapers made from cotton fabric. Every morning, mothers had to wash them, boil them in water, hang them to dry, and repeat the process every single day. Washing diapers was simply part of daily life. But when I came to South Korea, I was amazed—there was no diaper washing at all, and suddenly it felt like I had so much less work to do. The diapers here come prepackaged and ready to use. You just take one out, put it on, and throw it away after use. I remember thinking, *“Wow, you can just throw it away? That’s incredible.”* I thought to myself how fortunate mothers here must be. In North Korea, I raised both of my children this way—washing diapers every morning, boiling them, hanging them outside to dry. Summers and autumns weren’t too bad, but winters were freezing cold. I remember blowing on my hands while washing diapers in icy water. Most households couldn’t use washing machines because electricity was so unreliable, and using one could even get you reported for “wasting state electricity.” So nearly everyone washed by hand. In winter, after boiling the diapers, I had to hang them outside, where they would quickly freeze. It was heartbreaking. But in South Korea, things are completely different. There’s formula milk, breastfeeding support, and diapers that absorb so well that babies can stay dry and comfortable. In North Korea, if you didn’t change a diaper quickly, the poor absorption could lead to skin problems. Here, though, the diapers keep babies comfortable, and the fact that you can just throw them away after one use is something unimaginable in North Korea. In North Korea, mothers washed dozens of diapers every single day. Babies would eat, then soil themselves, then eat again—and the diapers would pile up endlessly. All of it had to be washed and boiled by hand. Here, you simply throw them away, and I thought, *“This is real happiness.”* Another difference is how babies are carried. In North Korea, mothers almost always carry their babies on their backs—feeding, soothing, and putting them to sleep while working. Here, I noticed mothers use strollers instead. My niece, for example, sits calmly in a stroller, and if someone tries to carry her on their back, she doesn’t like it. I told her, *“You are so lucky.”* In North Korea, because babies are carried on their mothers’ backs all day long, some children’s legs even became misshapen from the constant pressure before their bones were strong enough. In South Korea, babies ride in cars and strollers from the moment they’re born—something unimaginable back in North Korea. Only wealthier families could afford strollers, while most mothers had to carry their babies on their backs all day while also working in the fields to feed their families. As I film this, my mother-in-law is sitting nearby, saying, *“*You’re saying things that don’t even need to be said. North Korea hasn’t changed at all since when I was raising my children. Even now, mothers still wash, boil, and hang diapers, just as they did decades ago.” Here in South Korea, being able to simply use a diaper once and throw it away feels like such a blessing. Raising children here is so much easier and so much happier. Today, I shared with you some differences between raising children in North Korea and South Korea. In North Korea, mothers are still raising babies in unhygienic, outdated conditions—like living in the 1970s or 80s. Here in South Korea, seeing formula, disposable diapers, and washing machines made me realize just how happy mothers and children can truly be. Raising children should be filled with joy, not daily struggles for the most basic needs. Yet in North Korea, countless mothers still sacrifice their own health and comfort just to give their children the simplest care. Every time I see a child in South Korea sleeping peacefully in a clean diaper or riding safely in a stroller, I am reminded of the countless North Korean mothers who can only dream of such things. I believe that one day, North Korean mothers will no longer have to choose between survival and their children’s comfort. One day, they too will raise their babies in warmth, dignity, and peace. Until then, I will continue to share these stories—not only for the mothers who are still enduring these hardships, but for the children whose futures depend on change. Because every child, no matter where they are born, deserves a childhood filled with love, comfort, and hope. And every mother deserves the chance to give them that. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") [Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/) Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.” [![Kim Yumi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-yumi.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/ "Kim Yumi") Latest posts by Kim Yumi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/1059885a3d6c0946efb924f006e28c53d290793f/)) - [Pyongyang’s lights are North Korea’s greatest lie ](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyangs-lights-are-north-koreas-greatest-lie/) - July 12, 2026 - [Cry unification: the word that refuses to die](https://www.nkinsider.org/cry-unification-the-word-that-refuses-to-die/) - June 22, 2026 - [A North Korean team wins a trophy in South Korea. The victory raised harder questions about freedom.](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-team-wins-a-trophy-in-south-korea-the-victory-raised-harder-questions-about-freedom/) - June 5, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Parenting%3A%20North%20Korea%20vs.%20South%20Korea%21&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Parenting%3A%20North%20Korea%20vs.%20South%20Korea%21 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Parenting%3A%20North%20Korea%20vs.%20South%20Korea%21 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/parenting-north-korea-vs-south-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Parenting%3A%20North%20Korea%20vs.%20South%20Korea%21&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/parenting-north-korea-vs-south-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Parenting%3A%20North%20Korea%20vs.%20South%20Korea%21 "Reddit") **Categories:** Articles --- ### [What sparked the new cheek-kissing trend between parents and children?](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-sparked-the-new-cheek-kissing-trend-between-parents-and-children/) **Published:** July 24, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Kju-kja.jpg "Kju kja | nk insider")A new trend among young parents kissing their children on the cheek has reportedly taken hold in North Korea. The fad of parents sending their kids off to school or daycare in this way has quickly spread from Pyongyang to other cities and even to rural areas, said a Pyongyang-based source. The phenomenon is most pronounced among younger parents in the 20s and 30s age group and is rapidly becoming a normal part of everyday life. Since last year, there has been a sharp rise in the number of parents doing this and encouraging their children to kiss them back. It’s apparently become common to see a parent kiss the child on the cheek and then say, “Now you should give mother (or father) a kiss too.” There are some variations depending on age and gender. Female students under ten tend to kiss their parents without hesitation, but boys are more reluctant or find it awkward, the source explained. Given that public expressions of affection between parents and children have traditionally been rare in North Korea, this recent shift is unusual and therefore noteworthy. Analysts suggest it may reflect a broader emotional and cultural shift in North Korean society toward valuing familial affection. “Previously, it was rare to see parents kissing their children on the cheek, but now it’s becoming normal,” the source said. “This trend began naturally after the New Year’s celebratory performance in January last year, when a scene showing Kim Ju-ae kissing her father Kim Jong-un on the cheek aired on television.” Indeed, North Korea’s external propaganda outlet, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), aired footage on January 1st of last year showing[ Kim and his daughter exchanging cheek kisses](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2024/01/01/QVDT2CEJ7RGNTCSINRFA5XN4Q4/) at a New Year’s event. Since then, Kim continued to appear publicly with Ju-ae, cultivating a familial, affectionate image. While this is widely seen as a strategy to increase emotional closeness with the leader, analysts suggest the impact may extend beyond image-making. It appears to be influencing broader cultural shifts, encouraging everyday North Koreans to embrace closer emotional bonds with their children. “It began with Chairman Kim and his daughter and has now spread throughout society,” the source said. “This culture is likely to have a significant impact on family relationships and the overall social atmosphere going forward.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20sparked%20the%20new%20cheek-kissing%20trend%20between%20parents%20and%20children%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%20sparked%20the%20new%20cheek-kissing%20trend%20between%20parents%20and%20children%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%20sparked%20the%20new%20cheek-kissing%20trend%20between%20parents%20and%20children%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-sparked-the-new-cheek-kissing-trend-between-parents-and-children/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%20sparked%20the%20new%20cheek-kissing%20trend%20between%20parents%20and%20children%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-sparked-the-new-cheek-kissing-trend-between-parents-and-children/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%20sparked%20the%20new%20cheek-kissing%20trend%20between%20parents%20and%20children%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [North Korea’s tourism gamble: Kim unveils new resort to lure foreign visitors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-tourism-gamble-kim-unveils-new-resort-to-lure-foreign-visitors/) **Published:** July 24, 2025 **Author:** Maren Dunn **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Opening-ceremony.jpg "Opening ceremony | nk insider")North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over the long-delayed grand opening of the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area on June 24. After years of construction delays, international sanctions, and isolation brought on by the pandemic, the launch was a rare moment of public celebration in an otherwise secretive and economically strained nation. The sprawling seaside resort is touted by [state media](http://www.kcna.kp/en/article/q/59ff167348aa7bab60621a1741c8f65d7bc4d85fdede83a496765d63e64276f1.kcmsf) as a “monumental creation of our own style of civilization.” Situated along the east coast, it boasts high-rise hotels, amusement rides, and expansive beaches. The opening ceremony featured fireworks, military bands, and performances by youth groups waving party flags in a carefully choreographed spectacle designed to showcase the country’s resilience and [project an image](https://www.npr.org/2025/07/05/g-s1-75663/north-korea-beach-resort-wonsan-tourism) of prosperity in defiance of international sanctions. With tourism one of the few legal sources of foreign currency for North Korea, the regime is eager to tap into the market as a lifeline for an economy that has been crippled by a decade of sanctions linked to its nuclear weapons program. [Kim reportedly declared](http://www.kcna.kp/en/article/q/39fe6d16626f743979dbf8421474aca9.kcmsf) the resort to be a “leading force in establishing our tourist culture” and emphasized its role in expanding “our style of tourism on a large scale.” Initially restricted to domestic visitors, the resort began welcoming[ its first foreign tourists](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyrk588dlro) earlier this month. Notably, all were Russians, a reflection of the deepening relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine. The group of 15 Russian tourists, organized by Vostok Intur travel agency, spent several days touring Pyongyang before staying at the new resort. They reportedly praised the resort’s amenities, describing their experience as luxurious, with excellent food, attentive service, and unrestricted access to the resort’s nearly three-mile-long beach. [One traveler remarked](https://www.nknews.org/2025/07/how-north-koreas-wonsan-kalma-mega-resort-wowed-its-first-russian-guests/) they were “blown away” by the experience. However, in a sudden reversal just days later, Kim announced a[ ban on all foreign tourists](https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-tours-beach-resort-russia-28a5e4d8fc3c5ca3be93bc7b440c6217) at the resort. Although no official reason was given, analysts say it was prompted by a Russian newspaper article suggesting that the supposed local tourists at the resort were, in fact, actors paid by the government to simulate an active tourism scene. Experts believe the ban is likely to be temporary. Without foreign tourists, the resort will struggle to generate the revenue necessary to stay open. The domestic market offers little promise. The cost of a week-long stay, [approximately $1,800](https://www.nknews.org/2025/07/how-north-koreas-wonsan-kalma-mega-resort-wowed-its-first-russian-guests/), is way out of reach for most citizens in a country where roughly 60% of the population lives below the poverty line. The resort has also drawn scrutiny from international human rights organizations. [A report by the United Nations](https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152146) documented serious abuses during its construction, particularly involving forced labor. “Those enlisted into the ‘Shock Brigades’ are often required to live on-site for months or years with little or no remuneration,” the report stated. “Women, often the main income earners for families, are particularly impacted by these mobilisations.” For now, the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Area remains a symbol of North Korea’s contradictory ambitions. It seeks to present itself as a modern, welcoming destination on one hand, while continuing to repress its people and pursue isolationist policies. Whether the resort can survive as a functioning economic asset, or merely serve as propaganda, remains to be seen. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Maren Dunn](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/maren.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/ "Maren Dunn") [Maren Dunn](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/) Maren is a recent graduate of Tufts University, where she earned a B.A. in International Relations and minored in French. She is currently interning with NK Insider through the Oslo Scholars Program, an initiative that connects students and recent graduates with human rights activists around the world. [![Maren Dunn](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/maren.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/ "Maren Dunn") Latest posts by Maren Dunn ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/)) - [Marathons, memes, and misunderstanding: The West’s flawed view of North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/marathons-memes-and-misunderstanding-the-wests-flawed-view-of-north-korea/) - August 27, 2025 - [North Korea’s tourism gamble: Kim unveils new resort to lure foreign visitors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-tourism-gamble-kim-unveils-new-resort-to-lure-foreign-visitors/) - July 24, 2025 - [When the U.S. steps in, North Korea listens and learns](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-the-u-s-steps-in-north-korea-listens-and-learns/) - July 15, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20tourism%20gamble%3A%20Kim%20unveils%20new%20resort%20to%20lure%20foreign%20visitors&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20tourism%20gamble%3A%20Kim%20unveils%20new%20resort%20to%20lure%20foreign%20visitors https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20tourism%20gamble%3A%20Kim%20unveils%20new%20resort%20to%20lure%20foreign%20visitors "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-tourism-gamble-kim-unveils-new-resort-to-lure-foreign-visitors/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20tourism%20gamble%3A%20Kim%20unveils%20new%20resort%20to%20lure%20foreign%20visitors&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-tourism-gamble-kim-unveils-new-resort-to-lure-foreign-visitors/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20tourism%20gamble%3A%20Kim%20unveils%20new%20resort%20to%20lure%20foreign%20visitors "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [Veterans to receive gift packages to mark “Victory Day” on July 27](https://www.nkinsider.org/veterans-to-receive-gift-packages-to-mark-victory-day-on-july-27/) **Published:** July 23, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Nk-war-veterans.jpg "Nk war veterans | nk insider")The North Korean regime is to provide gifts to war veterans in commemoration of the 72nd anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice on July 27, which it promotes as “Victory Day.” The distribution of gifts as a show of respect and honor to veterans on this occasion is a customary annual practice. According to an NK Times source in North Hamgyong Province, the directive went out on July 16 to factories, enterprises, and farms nationwide instructing them to understand the difficulties faced by war veterans and to prepare and supply over 20 types of gifts to go in a gift package. “Do not prepare gifts for veterans as a mere formality,” the source quoted the directive as saying. “Prepare them more generously than in previous years so that the deep love and care of the Party can be genuinely felt.” In response, Party committees at factories, enterprises, and farms across North Hamgyong Province, and presumably across the entire country, have reportedly begun work to identify the needs of veterans and implement measures to address them. In the city of Chongjin, for instance, packages being prepared are composed of items intended to support the daily lives of veterans and help them feel the state’s care. They include rice, corn, cooking oil, meat, fish, canned goods, alcohol, medicine, health supplements, nutritional products, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and more. “The Victory Day gifts are being prepared by local factories, enterprises, and farms, and are delivered directly to veterans through the corresponding Party committees,” the source said. “However, in the process of preparing these gifts, there are also appeals being made to ordinary residents for donations of cash money and goods that could serve as gifts.” “In addition to this, various events such as meetings between veterans and students are also scheduled,” he said. “Although this year’s Victory Day is not a round-number anniversary, the authorities still seem to be putting considerable effort into it.” Since Kim Jong-un’s rise to power as Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, the state has provided food, clothing, and other gifts to war veterans annually on Victory Day. They are portrayed as “heroes who devoted themselves to the victory in the war,” with the state using this commemoration to instill loyalty to the regime and revolutionary unity across society. This year’s Victory Day appears to follow suit, using the distribution of gifts both to honor the veterans’ sacrifices for the country and to reinforce the message that the state has not forgotten them and continues to care. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Veterans%20to%20receive%20gift%20packages%20to%20mark%20%E2%80%9CVictory%20Day%E2%80%9D%20on%20July%2027&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Veterans%20to%20receive%20gift%20packages%20to%20mark%20%E2%80%9CVictory%20Day%E2%80%9D%20on%20July%2027 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Veterans%20to%20receive%20gift%20packages%20to%20mark%20%E2%80%9CVictory%20Day%E2%80%9D%20on%20July%2027 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/veterans-to-receive-gift-packages-to-mark-victory-day-on-july-27/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Veterans%20to%20receive%20gift%20packages%20to%20mark%20%E2%80%9CVictory%20Day%E2%80%9D%20on%20July%2027&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/veterans-to-receive-gift-packages-to-mark-victory-day-on-july-27/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Veterans%20to%20receive%20gift%20packages%20to%20mark%20%E2%80%9CVictory%20Day%E2%80%9D%20on%20July%2027 "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Assault on Special Task Force member…Two perpetrators arrested, one on the run](https://www.nkinsider.org/assault-on-special-task-force-membertwo-perpetrators-arrested-one-on-the-run/) **Published:** July 18, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Public-trial2.jpg "Public trial2 | nk insider")An incident has reportedly occurred in North Hamgyong Province in which an off-duty member of a Special Task Force unit was assaulted. According to an NK Times source in the province, early last month in Kilju County, a Special Task Force officer named Kim in his late twenties was attacked by three young men. Kim was dining at a restaurant when three young men began verbally harassing his girlfriend with sexually inappropriate remarks. A verbal altercation reportedly ensued between Kim and the men. Eventually, Kim was surrounded and brutally beaten. Bystanders attempted to break up the fight, but had little luck. Kim suffered serious injuries to his face and body and was later taken to a hospital in the county for treatment. According to the source, two of the assailants have been arrested, while the third is at large. The local Public Security Department has already identified the fugitive and is conducting a search operation to apprehend him. Given the strict control and surveillance system in place in North Korea, it is unlikely he will evade capture for long. “This is not being treated as an ordinary assault, but rather as a direct challenge to state authority,” the source said. “The perpetrators are expected to receive severe punishment.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Assault%20on%20Special%20Task%20Force%20member%E2%80%A6Two%20perpetrators%20arrested%2C%20one%20on%20the%20run&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Assault%20on%20Special%20Task%20Force%20member%E2%80%A6Two%20perpetrators%20arrested%2C%20one%20on%20the%20run https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Assault%20on%20Special%20Task%20Force%20member%E2%80%A6Two%20perpetrators%20arrested%2C%20one%20on%20the%20run "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/assault-on-special-task-force-membertwo-perpetrators-arrested-one-on-the-run/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Assault%20on%20Special%20Task%20Force%20member%E2%80%A6Two%20perpetrators%20arrested%2C%20one%20on%20the%20run&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/assault-on-special-task-force-membertwo-perpetrators-arrested-one-on-the-run/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Assault%20on%20Special%20Task%20Force%20member%E2%80%A6Two%20perpetrators%20arrested%2C%20one%20on%20the%20run "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [North Korea’s changing marriage culture…a choice not of love?](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-changing-marriage-culturea-choice-not-of-love/) **Published:** July 17, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Wedding-in-nk.jpg "Wedding in nk | nk insider")Marriage culture in North Korea is reportedly undergoing noticeable changes. While relationships across class lines have existed in the past, it is now common for people to date and marry people from families with similar circumstances and backgrounds. As a result, the trend is for class divisions to become even more pronounced. Young people from ordinary households, even if they lack financial means, tend to value relationships built on mutual understanding and support. Meanwhile, those from wealthier families are increasingly inclined to seek partners who match their own social standing. In particular, among the children of officials or affluent families, so-called ‘marriages within the same situation’ have become fashionable. On June 2, for example, the son of a North Hamgyong Province Party Committee official married the daughter of a Chongjin City Party Committee official after two years of dating. Since they were raised in families with similar social status and economic background, it is said that their expectations and understanding of married life were well aligned. The source said that such marriages are not merely personal choices but calculated, strategic unions aimed at maintaining shared privileges within the elite class, while leveraging political connections and economic benefits. A similar case occurred in Hoeryong last month when an official from the city’s Ministry of Public Security reportedly arranged for his daughter to meet the son of a deputy director at a Chongjin-based trading company, and the two agreed to marry on the spot. “In the past, those with high Party loyalty and revolutionary spirit were considered ideal marriage partners, but now, economic power and social status take precedence,” the source said. “As political and economic boundaries between classes become more rigid, rather than choosing a partner from different backgrounds, people are increasingly meeting partners from similar backgrounds,” she said. “Today, the gap between social classes has widened to the point where choices in dating and marriage are heavily influenced by economic and social background,” she said. As such, recently in North Korea, practical, survival-driven decisions are being prioritized. In particular, young people, when considering life after marriage, are placing increasing importance on financial stability, which naturally leads them to seek out partners with similar backgrounds, the source said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20changing%20marriage%20culture%E2%80%A6a%20choice%20not%20of%20love%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20changing%20marriage%20culture%E2%80%A6a%20choice%20not%20of%20love%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20changing%20marriage%20culture%E2%80%A6a%20choice%20not%20of%20love%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-changing-marriage-culturea-choice-not-of-love/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20changing%20marriage%20culture%E2%80%A6a%20choice%20not%20of%20love%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-changing-marriage-culturea-choice-not-of-love/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20changing%20marriage%20culture%E2%80%A6a%20choice%20not%20of%20love%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Warm up the ordinary people of North Korea, not the unyielding, self-absorbed elite](https://www.nkinsider.org/warm-up-the-ordinary-people-of-north-korea-not-the-unyielding-self-absorbed-elite/) **Published:** July 16, 2025 **Author:** June Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lee-jaemyung.jpg "Lee jaemyung | nk insider")In Aesop’s *The North Wind and the Sun*, the two characters quarrel over who is stronger. A timely traveller, wrapped in a cloak, appears on the road and the challenge for the wind and the sun is to make him remove his cloak. The wind blows with such force and intimidation that the traveller holds on even tighter to his cloak. The sun takes a different approach. Its radiant, gentle beams coax the cloak off. The Sunshine Policy [takes its name from this fable](http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7249/mr1555capp.9). Taken up by President Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in, this approach to North Korea features summitry, joint economic projects, and turning off the loudspeakers deployed along the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), all with the intention of warming up the North Korean elite. As newly elected President Lee Jae-myung’s North Korean policy takes shape, it seems to be following the path of his liberal predecessors. Here’s what has happened since his inauguration. The Unification Ministry [started off with verbal condemnation](https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10505040) of anti-North leaflet launches. This was a U-turn from the previous conservative administration, but in line with Lee’s election pledges. Then [the military cut off loudspeaker broadcasts](https://www.mk.co.kr/en/politics/11341451). Pyongyang soon followed. President Lee then explicitly ordered [“preventative and punitive action”](https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2025/06/16/QR6UCOL2PVGZJCT7AUHJUKU5JE/) following further leaflet launches. The Unification Ministry met with other ministries and [decided to send police](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250616002001315) to border regions. Two days later, [police arrested six Americans](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/27/americans-detained-trying-to-send-rice-bibles-dollar-bills-to-north-korea) for attempting to float plastic bottles filled with rice, dollar bills, and Bibles. Paju, a base for these humanitarian efforts, [banned anti-North leaflet launches](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-07-01/national/northKorea/Border-city-Paju-enacts-ordinance-banning-antiNorth-leaflet-launches/2342693) on 1 July. Lee Jae-myung is by far the most powerful of Korea’s democratically elected presidents. His party wields a majority in the legislature. The martial law incident has dealt a destabilising blow to the legitimacy of the opposition People Power Party. Promising to be a president for all, Lee seems set on national unity rather than political vendettas. His appointments hint at the direction of his North Korea policy. National security advisor [Wi Sung-lak](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250604009000315) is an expert in Russian and North Korean affairs. The director of the intelligence service, [Lee Jong-seok](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250604009300315), is associated with the Sunshine Policy. As hinted in Lee’s [first press conference](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/amp/southkorea/politics/20250703/s-korean-president-calls-for-dialogue-with-n-korea-more-summit-diplomacy-and-inclusive-politics-at-home), we may see fresh political momentum injected into inter-Korean dialogue and economic cooperation. In his previous presidential campaign, Lee called for [solution-based, pragmatic, step-by-step engagement](https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/east-asia/2022-02-23/practical-vision-south-korea). Given his unprecedented power, campaign promises, and recent confidence-building measures, I am not confident that he will maintain this prudent stance. The Lee Jae-myung Sunshine Policy is coming to light. But this is the wrong time for re-engagement with the North. Appeasing a brick wall at the cost of North Koreans’ inalienable right to information is the approach we cannot afford to take. Consider the international environment. First, the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites lock Kim Jong-un further into his nuclear program. [Pyongyang is watching closely](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250623005300315) and taking notes. Iran’s fate (not to mention that of Libya, Iraq and Ukraine) takes denuclearisation off the table for the foreseeable future. The conflict confirms the necessity of a hardline stance to Kim. In Iran, he sees the consequence of willing reduction of nuclear capabilities. To him, his own program has never felt more essential. American deterrence and “peace through strength” rhetoric are not good signals for Kim. They scare him back into his hermit kingdom. For this reason Lee Jae-myung’s overtures are likely to be met with silence, the same silence that former President Moon Jae-in saw towards his low-level humanitarian proposals in the second half of his presidency ([COVID-19 pandemic support](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20200302006451325), [video reunions of separated families](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211221004900325)). Secondly, the current geopolitical climate is different from Trump 1.0. A lot has changed since the all-time high of the 2018 summits, and today’s President Trump complicates re-engagement with the North. An obvious disclaimer to be noted: Trump is a wild card. He has taken outlandish, unthinkable foreign policy moves. Predicting Trump may be futile, and whatever expectations derived from these six months, we must prepare for something on another level. Regardless, what can we tell? Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, recently made [a last-minute cancellation](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/07/04/ACB46AVDUBFGPFST44TAUDXOUE/) on his South Korea visit. President Lee’s “close cooperation with the United States” seems to be way down the White House priority list. Trump’s continued personal approach to engagement with North Korea is a blatant misreading of the current political environment. But if anything, we’re likely to see Trump attempt to resuscitate his bromance with Kim, holding steadfast towards charisma and persuasion as the solution. According to Trump at a 27 June Oval Office event, he has [“a good relationship”](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/trump-says-he-will-get-conflict-solved-with-north-korea-2025-06-27/) with Kim and “get\[s\] along with him, really great”. But his beautiful letters don’t seem to be coming in this year. Kim has built up a stable rapport with Putin, and remembers the humiliation of diplomacy gone stale in 2019 in Hanoi. Kim looks set to give Trump the cold shoulder, and the American president will take it personally. America First is back again, but much more pronounced. The rules-based international order has collapsed. Trump’s approach to Gaza and the Ukraine mineral deal mark the descent into power politics. Political scientist and North Korea expert Victor Cha notes the possibility of [Trump bringing American troops back home](https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/big-bold-and-very-bad-north-korea-deal-trump) from South Korea, and fittingly, the South Korean public has [brought back calls to nuclearise](https://www.foreignaffairs.com/north-korea/why-south-korea-should-go-nuclear-kelly-kim) from the political fringe. Seeing Trump’s [demand for NATO allies to increase their defence spending](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/24/nato-allies-set-to-approve-major-defence-spending-hike-at-hague-summit?utm_source=chatgpt.com), there is no comfort in believing that the traditional US–South Korea alliance will endure. All of this points to disengagement from the United States. It means a change in balance in Pyongyang’s cost-benefit analysis of engagement. It means fizzled-out enthusiasm and a sidelined South Korea. It means a brake on the political momentum to protect North Koreans from the most egregious abuses by the Kim regime. North Korea has no intention of warming up to Lee Jae-myung’s efforts. In an [interview with Radio Free Asia’s Korean Service](https://www.rfa.org/english/korea/2025/06/05/north-korea-election-reaction-lee-jae-myung/), a North Korean citizen reminds us to consider the situation on the ground. “People remember that former South Korean presidents like Kim Dae-jung and Moon Jae-in were friendly toward the North,” the interviewee said. “But their policies did nothing to improve the living standards of ordinary North Koreans.” Let’s not lose sight of the ultimate aim of the Sunshine Policy. Let’s not get entangled in diplomatic gymnastics and photo-ops and conflate the means with the ends. North Korean people deserve much more than this circular, on-and-off engagement, and the only justifiable future of North Korea policy is one that empowers grassroots activism. Warm up the ordinary people of North Korea, not the unyielding, self-absorbed elite. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![June Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-9.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/seo-june/ "June Seo") [June Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/seo-june/) June Seo is a student from South Korea. Having first been introduced to the human rights field through the Oslo Freedom Forum and simulation activities of the United Nations, he studies international affairs with a particular interest in East Asia. Having spent his life taking open society and free education for granted, he hopes to dedicate his future to telling the stories of those less fortunate. [![June Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-9.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/seo-june/ "June Seo") Latest posts by June Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/seo-june/)) - [Warm up the ordinary people of North Korea, not the unyielding, self-absorbed elite](https://www.nkinsider.org/warm-up-the-ordinary-people-of-north-korea-not-the-unyielding-self-absorbed-elite/) - July 16, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Warm%20up%20the%20ordinary%20people%20of%20North%20Korea%2C%20not%20the%20unyielding%2C%20self-absorbed%20elite&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Warm%20up%20the%20ordinary%20people%20of%20North%20Korea%2C%20not%20the%20unyielding%2C%20self-absorbed%20elite https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Warm%20up%20the%20ordinary%20people%20of%20North%20Korea%2C%20not%20the%20unyielding%2C%20self-absorbed%20elite "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/warm-up-the-ordinary-people-of-north-korea-not-the-unyielding-self-absorbed-elite/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Warm%20up%20the%20ordinary%20people%20of%20North%20Korea%2C%20not%20the%20unyielding%2C%20self-absorbed%20elite&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/warm-up-the-ordinary-people-of-north-korea-not-the-unyielding-self-absorbed-elite/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Warm%20up%20the%20ordinary%20people%20of%20North%20Korea%2C%20not%20the%20unyielding%2C%20self-absorbed%20elite "Reddit") **Categories:** Oslo Scholars --- ### [When the U.S. steps in, North Korea listens and learns](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-the-u-s-steps-in-north-korea-listens-and-learns/) **Published:** July 15, 2025 **Author:** Maren Dunn **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Gbu-57-bombs.jpeg "Gbu57 bombs | nk insider")On June 22nd, 2025, the U.S. military, authorized by Donald Trump, dropped multiple GBU-57 bombs on three of Iran’s key nuclear facilities: The Nantanz Nuclear Facility, the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, and the Fordow Uranium Enrichment Plant. Working with the Israeli military, Trump’s decision to carry out a direct offensive on Iran’s plants has consequences that reach far beyond the Middle East. In particular, his actions allow us to analyze the position of the United States under his presidency and how America’s nuclear policy, which now focuses mainly on deterrence, might shift in the years to come. Also, Trump’s actions in Iran could affect [North Korea’s nuclear posture](https://www.38north.org/reports/2024/10/deterring-a-nuclear-north-korea-what-does-the-theory-tell-us/). Kim Jong-un and his allies are paying close attention. The U.S. decision to strike Iran shows that Washington, previously seen as risk-averse, is now willing to use force preemptively. In particular, the strike challenges existing nuclear deterrence scholarship which mandates that the mere possession of nuclear weapons by a state is enough to deter armed conflict. Scholars such as Vipin Narang point out that not all nuclear states hold equal power. Narang suggests that different nuclear postures, and not just possession, can produce varying levels of [deterrence](https://news.mit.edu/2014/mit-political-scientist-examines-multiple-political-uses-nuclear-weapons-0528?utm_source=chatgpt.com). Specifically, asymmetric escalation postures, in which a state signals readiness to quickly escalate to nuclear use, can be more effective at deterring conflict than by simply having the capacity to retaliate. Even states that possess secure second-strike capabilities – known as assured retaliation – often fail to deter serious conventional attacks by stronger powers. Given this, Narang drives the point that nuclear deterrence is not automatic or equally distributed. Smaller powers must do more than simply acquire nuclear weapons in order to deter aggression. In relation to the Israel-Iran conflict, with the U.S. militarily backing Israel, we can see these academic theories play out in real time. [Iran does not have an operational nuclear arsenal ](https://www.cfr.org/article/what-are-irans-nuclear-and-missile-capabilities)but has been advancing its nuclear program in recent years. Israel has been unwilling to admit just how many nuclear weapons it has in its arsenal. However, Israel does maintain enough weapons to retaliate massively if attacked. In other words, it has a sufficient arsenal to [secure second strike capability](https://www.britannica.com/topic/second-strike-capability). The U.S. presence also bolsters the strength of Israel’s deterrence posture by adding the threat of overwhelming conventional and nuclear retaliation against Iran. Iran crossed the threshold into acquiring nuclear weapons but failed to develop an asymmetric escalation posture (meaning credible, ready-to-use weapons). Scholars subscribing to the belief that basic deterrence is not enough posit that Iran will continue to fail to deter Israeli or U.S. strikes against its forces and/or nuclear facilities. This has proven to be true with the latest Iran-Israel war. Because the U.S. and Israel possess extremely powerful nuclear weapons as well as military might, the simple threat of Iran potentially building nuclear weapons has been enough to worry the U.S. and its allies, but not enough to deter an [attack.](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2539178) Unlike Iran, North Korea possesses nuclear weapons and subscribes to the concept entitled [asymmetric escalation](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09636412.2024.2311106#abstract). It has demonstrated willingness to use nuclear weapons early and offensively in order to prevent a regime change. This approach is seen to be more successful at deterrence than Iran’s. North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons and not just a threat of developing them is enough to stop the U.S. and its allies in the Korean Peninsula from taking outright military action against Pyongyang. If Iran’s nuclear posture was more like that of North Korea, such as credible threats of early use with a full nuclear arsenal, it could have potentially deterred U.S.-Israeli military action against its nuclear facilities. Thus, Washington’s choice to intervene in the Iran-Israel conflict sends a clear message to other states – especially North Korea – that ambiguous claims about possession of nuclear weapons are not a strong enough deterrence. Deterrence effectiveness depends less on having or developing nuclear weapons and more on how states plan to use them. North Korea’s strategy demonstrates that credible escalation threats, readiness to use these weapons, and a nuclear posture that strikes a balance between deterrence and reducing risk can be more effective than merely the threat of possession. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Maren Dunn](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/maren.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/ "Maren Dunn") [Maren Dunn](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/) Maren is a recent graduate of Tufts University, where she earned a B.A. in International Relations and minored in French. She is currently interning with NK Insider through the Oslo Scholars Program, an initiative that connects students and recent graduates with human rights activists around the world. [![Maren Dunn](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/maren.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/ "Maren Dunn") Latest posts by Maren Dunn ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/d9f881f4f64eadbae8a673911393756200ee7ae1/)) - [Marathons, memes, and misunderstanding: The West’s flawed view of North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/marathons-memes-and-misunderstanding-the-wests-flawed-view-of-north-korea/) - August 27, 2025 - [North Korea’s tourism gamble: Kim unveils new resort to lure foreign visitors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-tourism-gamble-kim-unveils-new-resort-to-lure-foreign-visitors/) - July 24, 2025 - [When the U.S. steps in, North Korea listens and learns](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-the-u-s-steps-in-north-korea-listens-and-learns/) - July 15, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=When%20the%20U.S.%20steps%20in%2C%20North%20Korea%20listens%20and%20learns&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=When%20the%20U.S.%20steps%20in%2C%20North%20Korea%20listens%20and%20learns https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=When%20the%20U.S.%20steps%20in%2C%20North%20Korea%20listens%20and%20learns "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-the-u-s-steps-in-north-korea-listens-and-learns/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=When%20the%20U.S.%20steps%20in%2C%20North%20Korea%20listens%20and%20learns&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-the-u-s-steps-in-north-korea-listens-and-learns/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=When%20the%20U.S.%20steps%20in%2C%20North%20Korea%20listens%20and%20learns "Reddit") **Categories:** Oslo Scholars --- ### [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) **Published:** July 14, 2025 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Nk-sk.jpg "Nksk | nk insider")When U.S. President Donald Trump said he “gets along well with Kim Jong-un, [the North Korean leader instantly fired back](https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25347502), calling the U.S. “a gangster nation,” casting further ambiguity on the actual nature of their relationship. North Korea has always denigrated South Korea as “America’s stooge” and “puppet regime.” The term “puppet” (괴뢰) refers to a marionette, and in the *Chosun Maldaesajeon* (North Korea’s official dictionary), it is defined as a traitor who, having submitted to foreign powers, such as imperialists, sells out the homeland and people. Such expressions reflect North Korea’s historical worldview that puts the blame for the division of the Korean Peninsula onto the U.S., and claims that South Korea has lost its autonomy, functioning merely as Washington’s subordinate. This adversarial view was long held under the premise that North and South Koreans are one people. But recently North Korea has cast this foundational concept aside. In December 2023, during the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, the North declared inter-Korean relations to be “those of two warring states, not a homogeneous people,” formally announcing its “hostile two-state theory.” At a plenary session, Kim declared, “We will no longer speak of unification. North and South are two hostile countries.” This statement marked the official beginning of North Korea’s “erasure of South Korea” strategy. Inter-Korean organizations such as the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland and the Mt. Kumgang International Tourism Bureau were dismantled, and long-standing South Korea-related departments like the United Front Department began to be phased out. Maps of the Korean Peninsula shown in North Korean media no longer display South Korea, and the phrase ‘three thousand ri” (a poetic reference to the Korean Peninsula stretching from the northern tip of North Hamgyong Province to the southern tip of Jeju Island), once part of the North Korean national anthem, has been removed. Even Pyongyang subway station names that once symbolized unification have been changed. This trajectory reached its institutional climax in January 2024 with a constitutional revision. A new “territorial clause” was added to the constitution, and Kim personally ordered the removal of words like “unification,” “reconciliation,” and “fellow countrymen.” This effort to redefine South Korea as a hostile state marks a turning point aimed at institutionalizing the permanent division of the Korean Peninsula, both ideologically and systemically. Experts have speculated on the motives behind the change. Some say it is a display of Kim’s intent to [sever inter-Korean relations](https://www.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/A2024050711390004832) and raise tensions on the peninsula, an attempt to [strengthen diplomatic ties](https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/ci/sereArticleSearch/ciSereArtiView.kci?sereArticleSearchBean.artiId=ART003094249) with countries like Russia. It is a strategy aimed at eliminating variables that could affect relations with Russia, under the judgment that communication with a conservative South Korean administration, one responding with a hardline stance, is unlikely. “Within the framework of the hostile two-state theory, which calls for living without interference from each other, North Korea has chosen a strategy of disregard and indifference,” said Yang Moo-jin, [president](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250522142300504) of the University of North Korean Studies. The [RAND](https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2024/11/north-korean-desperation-its-two-korea-theory.html?utm_source) Corporation said it was an effort “to maintain regime stability by thoroughly isolating the population from the outside world, including South Korea, and by labeling all external information as ‘enemy propaganda’ and banning its consumption.” Additionally, U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Julie [Turner](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240410000700315) described the move as “a desperate attempt to regain control over the domestic information environment,” further noting that “the Kim Jong-un regime is facing growing internal unrest and is using the two-state theory as an extreme strategy to maintain control.” Kim may be attempting to not only sever all ties with the South but also re-engineer a “Kim Jong-un-like people” from the ground up. In his tightly controlled dictatorship, what Kim desires tends to become reality. The most serious danger lies in the possibility that the outside world might begin to accept this logic. This has grave implications for defectors living in third countries such as China. If the international community begins treating North and South Korea as separate states, defectors could find themselves in a legal no-man’s-land, neither refugees nor returnees, stripped even of the right to enter South Korea. These concerns have only deepened under the administration of President Lee Jae-myung. Historically, progressive South Korean administrations have prioritized humanitarian aid over pressure when addressing North Korea’s human rights issues. “Providing humanitarian assistance to improve the lives of the North Korean public may be helpful,” he said, suggesting help be channeled through North Korean authorities. Past Democratic Party governments often viewed human rights advocacy as a [stumbling block](https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/election/1199324.html) to inter-Korean dialogue, and many defectors felt ignored or sidelined. Of particular concern is the appointment of Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who in his master’s thesis once referred to defectors as “traitors” and “[deserters](https://www.chosun.com/politics/assembly/2025/06/21/TMU4EJPV5JH3RNSRHBL5N4VLZI/).” That such views exist at the top levels of government raises fears of a rollback in defector protections. Under former President Moon Jae-in, [55 defectors were forcibly repatriated](https://www.sisaweekly.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=39158), and the 2019 case of [two fishermen](https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25315241) being sent back remains [controversial](https://www.bbc.com/korean/news-62062090). Im Jong-seok, who served as Moon’s presidential chief of staff, declared at the 6th anniversary of the September 19 [Pyongyang Joint](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20240922_0002894312) Declaration, “Let’s abandon the obsession with unification and accept two states,” openly supporting the two-state theory. Current National Intelligence Service Director Lee Jong-seok has also voiced agreement with the idea of a “temporary two-state arrangement,” seemingly endorsing North Korea’s position. In light of Kim’s hostile two-state rhetoric and the current South Korean government stance, it’s difficult not to be uneasy about the fate of North Korean defectors. “Apparently, regardless of political affiliation, interest in unification, exchange, and peace is declining across the board,” said a defector named Kim who is studying political science and diplomacy at Yonsei University and who recently attended a lecture where they discussed the 2024 Korean Unification Awareness Survey by the Seoul National University Institute for [Peace Research Center](https://ipus.snu.ac.kr/blog/archives/research/10097). “I always thought progressives were more interested in unification and North Korea issues, but last year’s stats show that interest is dropping among progressives and conservatives.” “This public sentiment may reflect the current government’s position,” Kim said. “Honestly, it’s starting to feel like South Korea might actually go along with North Korea’s two-state theory. President Lee has talked about pushing for constitutional reform and a four-year re-election system. If the constitution is amended and the territorial clause is changed, defectors like me who fled seeking freedom might no longer be considered South Korean citizens. We could be reclassified as refugees. Then the government would no longer have a legal obligation to protect us.” Kim said he was very young when he left North Korea and doesn’t really remember his family in the North besides his parents, but his mother still longs to see her relatives. “She’s spent the equivalent of five years’ salary trying to bring her brother here. Under the current government, she’s pretty much given up,” he said, “Since North Korea started talking about the two-state theory, she’s been increasingly worried about him. She often says now, ‘Will we still be okay?’” Another North Korean defector, also named Kim, said she’s heard that the international community is unlikely to recognize North Korea’s two-state theory. “But if the Democratic Party (in the South) or certain political circles accept it and go so far as to revise the Constitution and remove the territorial clause, then defectors might no longer be considered South Korean citizens, or even be able to enter the country at all. That really worries me.” “They risked their one and only life, escaping from the North, just to live like human beings. But if even South Korea won’t accept them, then where are they supposed to go?” she asked. “There are many North Korean defectors in China who want to come to South Korea, but if even that route gets blocked, then simply because they were born in North Korea, their human rights won’t be protected anywhere.” She said they would end up like “acorns in dog food,” a Korean expression referring to someone who is cast aside, rejected by the group, or left isolated with no place to belong. What they are concerned about is that if Article 3 of the South Korean Constitution is amended in this way, it could become more difficult for North Korean defectors to acquire South Korean citizenship. Article 3 stipulates that “the territory of the Republic of Korea shall consist of the Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands,” thereby defining North Korea as part of South Korean territory. Under this provision, defectors from the North are recognized not as foreigners but as “returning citizens,” and are granted the rights and duties of citizens immediately upon entry. However, the North were to be excluded from the national territory, newly arriving defectors could be classified as foreigners or stateless persons, making entry and protection difficult. This aligns directly with Kim Jong-un’s “two-state theory,” and not only threatens the legal status of defectors but also shakes the unification-oriented national identity that South Korea has maintained. Defection from North Korea is not a simple matter of immigration. It is a desperate and tragic choice, a life-risking journey in search of a life worth living. If, in the face of that desperation, South Korea ultimately closes its doors, it would be effectively sealing off the last escape route to freedom for defectors. In that moment, the Republic of Korea becomes an accomplice, quietly bolting shut the iron doors on the prison that is North Korea, a world Kim Jong-un dreams of, where no one can get out. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20embrace%20of%20the%20two-state%20theory%20a%20political%20death%20sentence%20for%20defectors&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20embrace%20of%20the%20two-state%20theory%20a%20political%20death%20sentence%20for%20defectors https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20embrace%20of%20the%20two-state%20theory%20a%20political%20death%20sentence%20for%20defectors "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20embrace%20of%20the%20two-state%20theory%20a%20political%20death%20sentence%20for%20defectors&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20embrace%20of%20the%20two-state%20theory%20a%20political%20death%20sentence%20for%20defectors "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [North Korea condemns U.S. human rights offensive in public lectures](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-condemns-u-s-human-rights-offensive-in-public-lectures/) **Published:** July 11, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lecture-materials.jpg "Lecture materials | nk insider")The government in North Korea has reportedly launched an ideological offensive in the form of public lectures targeting factory workers and residents, claiming there is “hidden poison” in U.S. talk of human rights. The timing of the lectures, which came just after Donald Trump announced his support for Israel’s attack on Iran, is drawing particular attention. According to an NK Times source in North Hamgyong Province on the 23rd, a lecture was held on June 21 in Hoeryong City, targeting workers from factories and enterprises as well as local residents, titled “Let’s crush the anti-republic schemes of the U.S. and its followers” The source quoted the lecturer saying, “Human rights issues have emerged as one of the most critical focal points on the international political stage and discussions are growing increasingly complex in the UN General Assembly and other international organizations. North Korean human rights issues are being frequently discussed.” “Human rights issues are no longer mere points of debate, but have escalated into serious political and sharply militarized matters,” the lecturer reportedly said. “There is no denying that the offensive launched by the U.S. and its allies under the pretext of human rights in North Korea is fiercer than ever.” “The true barren wastelands of human rights violations are the U.S. and its followers,” he added. “They parade as international human rights judges while engaging in coercion and tyranny. They exploit human rights issues to infringe on national sovereignty and are obsessed with war plots and invasions.” The remarks appeared aimed at raising awareness among residents of the threat embedded in the U.S. human rights rhetoric, and encouraging internal unity in response. “This so-called human rights offensive hides serious poison and a sharp blade,” the lecturer said. “Cowering in fear or retreating in the face of the enemy’s offensive is the path to self-destruction, and accepting it is akin to drinking poison.” “History has seen nations fall after yielding to the reactionary human rights offensives of imperialism, while others resisted with strong pressure, crushed such offensives, and protected their political ideology, sovereignty, and system like an impregnable fortress. One such nation is none other than our Republic (North Korea),” the lecturer said. “The coercion and tyranny carried out under the pretext of human rights by the U.S. and its followers can never be a ‘cure-all.’ Crushing this reactionary human rights offensive is a historical mission. We must educate correctly, show the true reality of human rights in our Republic, and we must rise as one to expose and denounce the vile schemes of the U.S. and South Korea with factual data,” he said. The source said that such lectures are held every three months in the border areas because people living there receive external news faster than anyone. “There are more people here who raise concerns about human rights violations committed by law enforcement officials,” the source said.”This time, the intent was to drive home the point that no matter how much abuse local officials commit, people should recognize that, relatively speaking, our human rights protections are still better than in other countries.” “Lately, news of war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran has become a hot topic among residents. A lecture related to that subject is expected soon,” he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20condemns%20U.S.%20human%20rights%20offensive%20in%20public%20lectures&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20condemns%20U.S.%20human%20rights%20offensive%20in%20public%20lectures https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20condemns%20U.S.%20human%20rights%20offensive%20in%20public%20lectures "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-condemns-u-s-human-rights-offensive-in-public-lectures/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20condemns%20U.S.%20human%20rights%20offensive%20in%20public%20lectures&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-condemns-u-s-human-rights-offensive-in-public-lectures/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20condemns%20U.S.%20human%20rights%20offensive%20in%20public%20lectures "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Soldiers killed in Russia honored as ‘Hero of the Republic’… Families relocated to Pyongyang](https://www.nkinsider.org/soldiers-killed-in-russia-honored-as-hero-of-the-republic-families-relocated-to-pyongyang/) **Published:** July 10, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Nk-soldiers-in-russia.jpg "Nk soldiers in russia | nk insider")North Korea has reportedly awarded its highest honor, the “Hero of the Republic,” to several soldiers who died in combat in the Russian war with Ukraine. “Following awards earlier this year, and under a recent directive from (Kim Jong-un), the Hero of the Republic title has again been posthumously conferred on a number of soldiers who died during deployment to Russia,” a North Korean military source said on July 4. “The recipients were mostly soldiers affiliated with the Reconnaissance General Bureau.” The source further said that the ceremonies were carried out privately by local Party committees in several cities and counties with family members. “Although it has been done quietly for now, it will later be made public through a documentary,” the source said. “When the war memorial is built, their names will be placed in the front row.” The source said the recipients are said to have died after making “valiant contributions while participating in the war.” “The authorities are heavily promoting the messages these soldiers wrote in their notebooks as inspirational examples for both the military and civilian and youth,” he said. Meanwhile, it has been reported that the families of some of the fallen soldiers who received the award have been relocated to Pyongyang. This is seen as a symbolic gesture of compensation for their loyalty and sacrifice to the state. “Recently, a family in Hamhung who received the award after their son was killed was assigned an apartment in a newly built complex in Pyongyang,” he said. The source added that while specific details of the deployments or the number of fatalities have not been made public, he knows of several families whose sons were honored as heroes and who have since moved to Pyongyang. Earlier, on June 30, Korean Central Television broadcast footage from a North Korea–Russia joint performance held the day before at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre. The video included an image of a bloodstained notebook, believed to have been written on the battlefield in Kursk by a North Korean soldier. The notebook bore the words: “With the boundless love and trust bestowed upon me by our dear Supreme Commander, I enter this sacred fight without hesitation, bravely…” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Soldiers%20killed%20in%20Russia%20honored%20as%20%E2%80%98Hero%20of%20the%20Republic%E2%80%99%E2%80%A6%20Families%20relocated%20to%20Pyongyang&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Soldiers%20killed%20in%20Russia%20honored%20as%20%E2%80%98Hero%20of%20the%20Republic%E2%80%99%E2%80%A6%20Families%20relocated%20to%20Pyongyang https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Soldiers%20killed%20in%20Russia%20honored%20as%20%E2%80%98Hero%20of%20the%20Republic%E2%80%99%E2%80%A6%20Families%20relocated%20to%20Pyongyang "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/soldiers-killed-in-russia-honored-as-hero-of-the-republic-families-relocated-to-pyongyang/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Soldiers%20killed%20in%20Russia%20honored%20as%20%E2%80%98Hero%20of%20the%20Republic%E2%80%99%E2%80%A6%20Families%20relocated%20to%20Pyongyang&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/soldiers-killed-in-russia-honored-as-hero-of-the-republic-families-relocated-to-pyongyang/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Soldiers%20killed%20in%20Russia%20honored%20as%20%E2%80%98Hero%20of%20the%20Republic%E2%80%99%E2%80%A6%20Families%20relocated%20to%20Pyongyang "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [ A victory for America, Israel, and the Republic of Korea … in the Middle East and in Washington](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-victory-for-america-israel-and-the-republic-of-korea-in-the-middle-east-and-in-washington/) **Published:** July 8, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Trump-and-rubio.jpg "Trump and rubio | nk insider")The new leftist administration of President Lee Jae-myung, which is causing [concerns](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/05/15/JRQHCAS3EBFLHGGXJNAZPD6G3M/) in Washington for his independent (non-values based) foreign policy proclivities, seems to be “looking a gift horse in the mouth.” The [anti-American background](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-anti-americanism-and-pro-north-korea-tendencies-of-south-koreas-candlelight-action-protest-movement/) of his prime minister, the harsh [condemnations of the U.S. and Israel](https://www.facebook.com/choomiae/posts/pfbid02bEao8M43HMrYHmtPyKpPGX3GLksQNNt6LghgpNWnM6McVENmBQci8sr8gg6Rgh6Yl) by ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmaker Choo Mi-ae, who is a key ally and important figure in Lee’s camp, as well as the excessively [neutral](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=103096) statements of his diplomats at the United Nations and the stridently anti-Israel views of many in Lee’s broad left [“united front” supporters](https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1266674138152785&id=100044306322299&set=a.404567571030117) (including the pro-Hamas views of the prime minister nominee’s brother and political ally), no doubt motivate such blindness on Lee’s part. However, pro-U.S. conservatives and moderates in the ROK perceive, and hopefully the editorialist writers and journalists at the conservative Chosun Ilbo will finally come to realize, that the U.S. and Israeli strikes against the Iranian regime’s nuclear weapons development-related facilities are a blessing for the ROK, not only because the mullahs who brutally rule Iran are allied with North Korea and China, but also because of the dramatically shifting political situation in Washington, D.C. as a result of the successful strikes. Just as the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes devastated Iran’s hopes of developing nuclear weapons, the political fallout of President Trump’s decision to go forward to remove this growing threat to the U.S., Israel, and the entire free world has crippled, at least temporarily and hopefully more permanently, the pro-North Korea forces and also the isolationist forces of the left and right who are to varying degrees hostile to the U.S.-ROK alliance and stubbornly dedicated to the appeasement (what they euphemistically term “engagement”) of North Korea and China. The same voices who were opposing any U.S. action against Iran are the same voices who have advocated appeasement of North Korea and are generally hostile to, or openly opposed to, the U.S.-ROK-alliance. In particular, the “peace agreement with North Korea” crowd in D.C., including some foreign policy analysts and pundits, a few individuals in Congress and in a couple of think tanks such as the ultra-libertarian[ CATO Institute](https://www.cato.org/commentary/its-time-united-states-reduce-sanctions-against-north-korea) to the left-isolationist and China-appeasing [Quincy Institute](https://freebeacon.com/national-security/quincy-institute-blames-anti-asian-violence-on-china-hawks-in-congress/), which is known for its deep hostility to pro-U.S. conservative forces in the ROK, have all suffered a serious defeat. These individuals, some of whom were [acting as de facto lobbyists](https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Opinion/view?articleId=170188) for the previous Moon Jae-in government and are [currently lobbying](https://www.jns.org/world-news/north-korea/23/7/26/305918/) for a series of major, unreciprocated concessions to North Korea under the guise of the deceptively misnamed and terribly ill-conceived [“Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act”](https://truthout.org/articles/under-a-new-south-korean-president-can-peace-activists-push-us-troops-out/) (HR 1841). Some journalists and opinion writers in the ROK media, including especially the conservative media, have clearly exaggerated the power and influence over the Trump administration of these U.S. isolationist forces of the far-right and far-left. Their mistake was to give undue weight to the sway of a small clique of online pundits and podcasters, and a few members of Congress, whose views, according to recent opinion polls, do not reflect the views of the [overwhelming majority](https://nypost.com/2025/06/18/us-news/maga-voters-overwhelmingly-support-us-strikes-on-iranian-military-poll/) of President Trump’s most loyal[ “MAGA” supporters](https://www.newsweek.com/thomas-massie-poll-kentucky-trump-2092884) or of the president’s closest advisors. In fact, these [isolationists](https://www.al.com/politics/2025/06/gop-congresswoman-says-trump-betrayed-neocons-with-iran-attack-maga-is-not-a-cult.html) have been [condemning](https://www.wuky.org/wuky-news/2025-06-23/kentucky-republicans-critiques-of-the-iran-strikes-earn-him-president-trumps-ire-and-primary-threats) President Trump over Iran, and he has in turn not only [criticized ](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-slams-republican-massie-not-maga-following-congressmans-criticism-iran-strikes)them, but also effectively sidelined them. Unwilling to heed their advice with regard to Iran, it is likely that going forward he will be equally reluctant to trust their counsel as to East Asian or specifically Korean issues. The [“unholy alliance of convenience” ](https://minjok-com.translate.goog/bbs/board.php?bo_table=tongil&wr_id=23051&_x_tr_sl=ko&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc)among those on the pro-North Korea and pro-appeasement left and those on the isolationist right is clearly demonstrated by the striking similarity of the arguments and even the terminology which they use, particularly as to their hatred for Israel. [The Quincy Institute](https://freebeacon.com/national-security/the-koch-soros-crackup/) has become a mecca for such figures, bringing together in common cause a motley collection of [pro-North Korea activists and agents of influence](https://quincyinst.org/?s=Christine+Ahn), [China-appeasers](https://x.com/TomCottonAR/status/1790881015537316169), left-libertarians, [partisan supporters of the DPK](https://quincyinst.org/author/nathan-park/), [old-style antisemites](https://www.timesofisrael.com/republican-accuses-soros-funded-think-tank-of-fostering-anti-semitism/), [sympathizers with the Iranian regime](https://quillette.com/2024/06/20/the-quincy-institute-middle-east-fantasies-trita-parsi-iran-israel/) (some of whom have been [accused](https://www.meforum.org/iran-and-qatar-unofficial-agents-in-dc) by Iranian [dissidents](https://iranian.com/main/blog/arash-irandoost/judge-bates-trita-parsi-moderately-intelligent-agent-iranian-regime-5.html) of being [assets](https://iranprobe.com/a-willfully-misguided-plan-for-conciliation-with-iran/) for Teheran), and other assorted elements [on the fringes](https://freebeacon.com/issues/koch-groups-launch-clouded-by-anti-semitism/) of American politics. That explains why the rhetoric of pro-North Korea, anti-ROK activists, some of whom are writers for that think tank, so closely mirrors that of its key members. In fact, one leading figure at the Quincy Institute, speaking at a conference in Seoul, declared that North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons was a [stabilizing factor ](https://www.nknews.org/2023/08/mearsheimer-north-korean-nukes-a-force-for-stability-on-korean-peninsula/)in Asia. This think tank’s views form an “arc of appeasement,” stretching from Iran to China, and including North Korea. Although named after President John Quincy Adams, whom they claim was their ideological inspiration with regard to his supposedly noninterventionist foreign policy, the truth is that President [Adams favored an assertive](https://www.hudson.org/domestic-policy/the-quincy-institute-vs-john-quincy-adams), in some respects even “hawkish” stance in world affairs, and was also a “Zionist before Zionism,” in that he, unlike the anti-Zionists at Quincy, was an [advocate of a Jewish national homeland](https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/president-john-adams-embraces-a-jewish-homeland-1819-2) in the Holy Land. By dismissing and even openly criticizing the protests of the isolationist cabal in Washington, and by taking the very actions regarding Iran which they had counselled him against, [President Trump has essentially excluded them](https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/06/19/iran-threat-trump-tucker-carlson-nuclear-weapon/84243407007/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) from his inner circle and almost “excommunicated” them from his “MAGA” movement, which contrary to some observers in the ROK and the U.S., has [never been fundamentally isolationist](https://www.hudson.org/foreign-policy/trump-is-no-isolationist) in nature. The fringe elements, a couple in Congress and a small clique at think tanks, as well as small number of podcast hosts, Iranian regime sympathizers, China-appeasers, DPK loyalists and pro-North Korea activists, clearly do not have the influence over President Trump which some feared that they might have had. The fact that these forces have now been sidelined amounts to a victory for President Trump, for Americans, and also for the ROK. Korean conservatives and moderates should therefore be as pleased at and as grateful for the U.S. strikes on Iran as are American conservatives, moderates, and the people of Israel. Other than the obvious “losers,” the terrorist mullahs who oppress the Iranian people, North Korea’s dictator, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the only others who are now despairing are the far-left elements and other isolationist forces in the U.S. and the ROK, including political figures such as Choo Mi-ae and others like her in the Lee administration. Choo, a very influential voice in the DPK, has long been known for her [anti-U.S. and pro-China stances](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=103532). In 2010, on a visit to Los Angeles, she participated in a meeting of a pro-North Korea group and [warmly greeted pro-North Korean activists](http://sf.koreatimes.com/article/593421) there. In 2017, Choo [dismissed accurate reports about Kim Jong-un’s assassination](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20170216003100315) of his half-brother. Also in 2017, she was a keynote speaker at the CCP’s World Political Party Congress in Beijing, where [she praised Xi Jinping](https://x.com/DrTaraO/status/1936836691488059622) as “the architect of the new era.” After the strikes on Iran, Choo denounced the U.S. action as illegal and praised America’s extreme isolationists. Is she now playing the role which fellow leftist Moon Chung-in used to play for former President Moon Jae-in, launching verbal [“trial balloons?”](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2017/06/19/politics/Blue-House-tells-adviser-his-trial-balloon-failed/3034842.html) Is Choo now saying what some figures in the Lee administration think, but are reluctant to publicly say? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%C2%A0A%20victory%20for%20America%2C%20Israel%2C%20and%20the%20Republic%20of%20Korea%20%E2%80%A6%20in%20the%20Middle%20East%20and%20in%20Washington&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%C2%A0A%20victory%20for%20America%2C%20Israel%2C%20and%20the%20Republic%20of%20Korea%20%E2%80%A6%20in%20the%20Middle%20East%20and%20in%20Washington https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%C2%A0A%20victory%20for%20America%2C%20Israel%2C%20and%20the%20Republic%20of%20Korea%20%E2%80%A6%20in%20the%20Middle%20East%20and%20in%20Washington "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-victory-for-america-israel-and-the-republic-of-korea-in-the-middle-east-and-in-washington/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%C2%A0A%20victory%20for%20America%2C%20Israel%2C%20and%20the%20Republic%20of%20Korea%20%E2%80%A6%20in%20the%20Middle%20East%20and%20in%20Washington&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-victory-for-america-israel-and-the-republic-of-korea-in-the-middle-east-and-in-washington/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%C2%A0A%20victory%20for%20America%2C%20Israel%2C%20and%20the%20Republic%20of%20Korea%20%E2%80%A6%20in%20the%20Middle%20East%20and%20in%20Washington "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Profile of the Pro-North Korea movement in the United States](https://www.nkinsider.org/profile-of-the-pro-north-korea-movement-in-the-united-states/) **Published:** May 20, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Istock-899364196.jpg "North korea national smoke flag | nk insider")*Editorial Note: The following article gives an overview of the character of the pro-North Korea movement in the U.S. It provides a portrait of the basic nature and scope of pro-North Korea activities and the operational methods of the groups and activists involved. The author has spent over 25 years of intensive research into and experience with this subject matter.* Despite a widespread and unfortunate lack of awareness, it is an indisputable fact that there exists a [pro-North Korea movement](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghWXBzf6ZQA) in the U.S. Pro-North forces constitute a “movement” in the sense that it is self-conscious and consists of a highly interconnected and often overlapping network of closely allied and mutually collaborating organizations. Although the movement’s constituent groups and activists may function in varying manners with distinct organizational forms and have different target audiences, they share most of the same basic views and goals. With regard to the use of term “pro-North” itself, to avoid any definitional confusion or controversy, it should be defined in the simplest, fairest, and most accurate manner, as a group or individual that [supports](https://minjok.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=tongil&wr_id=6697) or defends the North Korean regime, its policies or actions, that excuses, downplays or denies its essential nature and crimes, or is [affiliated or allied](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XCrG38bOQg) with an entity which does the same. Of course, the mere fact that a group or individual may disagree with or condemn any given policy of the ROK or the U.S. with regard to the North, or the fact that a group or individual may be leftist in overall orientation, does not necessarily mean that the group or individual in question should be characterized as pro-North. However, if a group or individual consistently condemns the policies of the ROK or the U.S. towards the North, in a completely [one-sided manner](http://www.minplusnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=10576) which avoids any significant criticism of the North, thereby evincing a clear double standard, that is surely a strong indication that the group or individual in question may indeed be pro-North in orientation. Pro-North Korea groups in the U.S. that meet this definition have varying characteristics in terms of their methods of operation precisely because they target different audiences and sometimes have different memberships. There are what may be termed “hardcore” or “openly” pro-North groups, some of which consist largely or entirely of [Korean Americans](http://kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=37620) and others whose members are mostly non-Koreans. These groups, because of their extreme and highly sectarian nature, tend to focus, in terms of their target audiences, on those Korean Americans or other Americans who are already predisposed to support or who are active on the far left. The [non-Korean](https://peoplesforum.org/events/korea-is-one/) groups within this “hardcore” category are often [Marxist-Leninist](https://www.workers.org/2024/10/81339/) in nature and function in the English language, whereas the Korean American groups within this category often function primarily or even entirely in the[ Korean language](http://www.pressarirang.org/2191). Hardcore pro-North groups in some cases feature [openly racist](http://www.kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=31525), [anti-Christian](http://kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=21429), and quite rabidly [anti-Jewish content](https://www.jns.org/virulent-jew-hatred-is-regularly-promoted-by-pro-north-korean-groups/) on their websites. Another common feature of such hardcore groups is that most of them have ties to the North Korean regime and its representatives, including its intelligence agents engaged in “united front” work in the U.S., such as those stationed at the North’s Mission to the United Nations in New York City. These [North Korean intelligence agents](https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/nk_nuclear_talks/nkun-03252016094804.html), deceptively posing as ordinary diplomats, have for years been [communicating](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abII9-M_Ajo&t=5s), [meeting,](http://minjok.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=editorial&wr_id=2151) and [collaborating](https://news.tvchosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2016/05/03/2016050390160.html) with pro-North forces in the U.S. North Korean agents have [arbitrated and issued “rulings”](https://minjok.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=social&wr_id=9910) in bitter disputes between pro-North groups and activists, issued instructions and policy guidelines to them, and in some cases even “coronated” the leaders of hardcore pro-North groups. Another major type are the [“front” organizations](https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-phony-korean-peace-movement-women-cross-dmz-human-rights-ahn-73d74222). These are groups which typically deny that they are pro-North in public, because they seek to recruit and seek support from individuals and collaborate with other left-leaning groups which may not want to be affiliated or involved with “hardcore” or “openly” pro-North groups. Some of these front groups consist of [Korean Americans](https://www.facebook.com/peacetreatynow/posts/pfbid0WvsqYTbPwyhHYE378RGiQFawwDJU4y4QDGXQ1LhzcQML4aHUPUbPuv6zxxcrEFJQl) and therefore operate largely in the Korean language. Others consist of both Korean Americans and non-Korean speaking Americans and operate in English, since their primary target audience consists of American society in general, especially other organizations, media, and religious and political circles in the broadest sense. This latter category includes some of the most influential pro-North entities in the U.S. Pro-North front groups have been increasingly focused in recent years on [lobbying](https://www.newsweek.com/north-korean-stooges-step-light-opinion-1812844) the U.S. government, and especially the U.S. Congress, in favor of [measures](https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/07/27/north-south-korea-peace-war-treaty-armistice-united-states/) which the North supports, and against measures which the North opposes. This includes campaigning in support of proposals for a no-preconditions [peace agreement](https://www.answercoalition.org/answer_statement_on_trump_kim_meeting_end_the_korean_war_sign_a_peace_treaty_now) between the U.S. and the North, as well as against human rights-related legislation. The members of Congress [targeted](https://www.veteransforpeace.org/our-work/vfp-national-projects/korea-peace-campaign/suspend-annual-us-south-korea-war-drills) are most likely unaware that the activists and groups that they and their staff are meeting with in this regard are supporters of North Korea who in some cases have ties to the regime and its intelligence agents and have essentially been engaged in an “influence operation” on behalf of the North. This basic distinction between hardcore, [openly pro-North](https://nypost.com/2017/02/04/nyc-should-expose-and-shame-those-using-a-concert-to-praise-north-korea/) groups and pro-North front groups is useful in the sense that it explains the different public relations strategies and other operational methods of both types. However, in recent years there has been a significant blurring of this distinction, which sometimes makes it difficult to firmly place a given group in one category or the other. This is due to the fact that the front groups, which have always been [quietly allied and collaborating ](http://kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=all&wr_id=1478)with the hardcore groups, have in recent years been [working together](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PAEhgkujUE) with the hardcore groups in a more overt manner and most leaders of the fronts are personally friendly with and supportive of the leaders of hardcore groups. It is nevertheless important to keep in mind that the hardcore groups and the fronts, despite their differences, have essentially the [same goals and positions](https://nodutdol.org/100-us-organizations-call-on-trump-to-stop-us-war-threats-on-korea/), especially at the core leadership level. In some cases, the two types of groups may even have overlapping staff members at their leadership levels and to a lesser degree among active members. It is also crucial to note that some of the fronts, like their hardcore allies, maintain direct ties to the regime and its agents at the U.N. Mission. In recent months and years, there has been a trend of some major [fronts becoming more extreme](https://www.codepink.org/lakor) and to a certain degree [more openly pro-North.](https://www.facebook.com/koreapeacenow/posts/pfbid02AqGTpLcu9ohn7LodkG6LA2C8d8hP5s9p3s83MvpxYg9psXvR18rT44byywm1N8qFl) Without a doubt, the most successful groups, in terms of their influence, have been the front groups. This is because they strive and are often successful in maintaining a “public face” of respectability and an important public deniability as to their pro-North nature, which has thereby enabled them to attract support from and forge alliances with groups and individuals, sometimes termed [“useful idiots” or “dupes,”](https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2214170632135085&set=a.2214169995468482) who are typically left-wing, isolationist, or both, but not themselves devotedly pro-North in nature. These allies of the fronts are willing to join forces, make common cause with, and provide valuable assistance to such fronts, often in the naive but terribly mistaken belief that they are somehow promoting peace. As a direct consequence of such nature and tactics, these fronts have been most suited to lobbying activities, in which they have increasingly engaged. Whereas all types of pro-North groups habitually rely on [deception](https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/07/how-north-koreas-marchers-for-peace-became-fellow-travelers-women-cross-dmz-gloria-steinem/) and distortion, the front groups are particularly adept at deceiving their target audiences, and even their own ordinary members, since that is the fundamental basis of their success and in strategic terms their very purpose. Although some front groups were specifically created to function as fronts, others are groups which were not originally pro-North but were infiltrated and “captured” by pro-North activists who then transformed them for their own purposes. Some current and former local, state, and national government officials and [members of Congress](https://www.jns.org/world-news/north-korea/23/7/26/305918/) have been supportive of and involved with pro-North front groups. Shockingly, there are even a few individuals associated with well-known human rights organizations who are members or [supporters](https://x.com/ThorHalvorssen/status/1852508675711156595?t=c4gjuxdfNCojWdTbpJgV2Q&s=19) of pro-North fronts. There are [pro-North foundations](https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/311681311) which provide them with [funds](https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/cultures-of-resistance-network/), and some pro-North groups, not only fronts but also in several cases those of the hardcore variety, have received significant funding from[ supposedly mainstream foundations](https://www.channelfoundation.org/grants/women-cross/) and in a few instances even from government-affiliated sources. There are also some very wealthy individuals, themselves pro-North or at least supporters of the pro-North movement, who have funded and otherwise assisted and promoted pro-North forces in the U.S. A few individual opponents of the North Korean regime, who may be termed [“enablers”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtp9kk4UCEY) of the pro-North movement, in spite of not being pro-North themselves, have provided great assistance to pro-North groups and activists by defending them, vouching for their supposedly virtuous intentions, and [speaking at their events.](https://minjok.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=social&wr_id=6177) A previous left-wing Korean government also [provided funds](https://efile.fara.gov/docs/6896-Short-Form-20201125-4.pdf) to pro-North activists in the U.S. for the purpose of publishing reports opposing sanctions and human rights pressure on the North and advocating a no-preconditions peace agreement between the U.S. and the North. These reports were provided to members of Congress who were likely unaware that they were funded by a foreign government and written by pro-North activists. Pursuant to the communist doctrine and practice of “revolutionary internationalism” which is now more often referred to by the fashionable term [“intersectionality,”](https://www.instagram.com/nodutdol/p/C98MCRsymWG/?img_index=10) the pro-North movement supports a wide variety of causes not directly related to Korea and [collaborates](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2023/12/13/frontline-struggles-against-us-militarism-in-northeast-asia/) closely with its [“comrades”](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/06/06/resistance-is-what-liberates-us-palestine-and-internationalism/) in groups which are not explicitly focused on Korean issues. Pro-North groups and activists regularly hold joint events with and participate in the various campaigns of a host of Marxist-Leninist and other [far-left extremist groups](https://www.instagram.com/k4dpenn/p/DDLDa0jvQHO/). These include support for the [terrorist groups](https://www.memri.org/reports/north-korean-rhetoric-gains-support-among-anti-israel-protestors) Hamas and Hezbollah, dictatorial regimes in [Venezuela](https://x.com/codepink/status/1126952990013784065) and Cuba, communist rebels in the Philippines, and in recent months and years especially, the actions and policy positions of [China](https://www.codepink.org/skcrisis) and [Russia.](https://x.com/thestustustudio/status/1810018670908772659?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet) Pro-North groups and activists habitually and [aggressively](https://x.com/TimothyS/status/1669136697357901824) oppose and [defame](http://www.kancc.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=eng_news&wr_id=878) North Korea [human rights organizations](https://x.com/ThorHalvorssen/status/1688309443421966337) and have specifically targeted groups such as the Human Rights Foundation, among others. This [anti-human rights stance](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14672715.2013.851154) of pro-North forces is sometimes quite [overt](https://x.com/nodutdol/status/1559888603966328832), in that it involves denying or dismissing the North’s well-documented crimes against humanity, but in other instances, depending on their target audiences, it is strategically disguised by very deceptively terming it a “peace first” approach. In almost all cases, pro-North groups and activists employ a crass moral relativism, to [excuse, diminish, or distract](https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/04/30/fellow-travelers-gloria-steinem-dmz-north-korea-christine_ahn/) from the North’s crimes. At other times, pro-North activists find it convenient to simply ignore the subject of human rights entirely, or when forced to confront it in certain circumstances, use the most value-neutral or passive, [non-judgmental terminology](https://www.chosun.com/politics/diplomacy-defense/2025/01/05/HL3N7BWVYFECZN55YA6POKMCPY/), referring euphemistically only to human rights “issues” or “problems” in the North. They also seek to distract from the North’s crimes by making allegations, real and imaginary, of often non-systemic, episodic human rights violations of varying degrees in free nations. When not engaged in their usual practice of disparaging defectors from the North, front groups have occasionally even been able to cynically make use, for their own purposes, of a few deeply misguided defectors. On their visits to the U.S., certain [left-wing Korean politicians,](https://www.newsis.com/view/?id=NISX20180929_0000430031&cid=10304) former government officials, NGO leaders, and academics have met with pro-North activists and participated in the events of both hardcore pro-North groups and pro-North fronts, probably in the expectation that such [collaboration with pro-North forces](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=19432) would not be known or widely publicized in South Korea. In addition, under left-wing South Korean governments, [Korean diplomats posted in the U.S.](https://m.monthly.chosun.com/client/mdaily/daily_view.asp?idx=4354&Newsnumb=2018064354) have had friendly meetings with leading pro-North activists in the U.S. and participated in the events of pro-North groups, with such disreputable behavior apparently having no discernable negative impact on their careers. In a few cases, Korean diplomats appointed by left-wing Korean governments have even expressed hostility towards North Korea human rights activists in the U.S. Due to the lack of attention paid to the pro-North movement, which has an impact not only within the U.S., but also within the ROK, and which is obviously relevant to relations between and among the U.S., ROK, and North Korea, pro-North forces have in recent years been more intensively engaged, usually with little or no opposition, in [lobbying](https://x.com/KoreaPeaceNow/status/1897711687626899948) U.S. [administrations](https://koreapeacenow.org/an-incredible-three-days-in-dc/), and particularly the U.S. Congress, with varying degrees of success. In light of the direct ties which leading pro-North groups and activists have with the North Korean regime and its [intelligence agents](https://irp.fas.org/world/dprk/dod-2017.pdf#page=20), the activities of the pro-North movement in the U.S. should surely be a matter of serious concern to Americans as well as Koreans, and in particular, more concerted efforts should be made to publicly expose their nefarious activities. As the old adage goes, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Profile%20of%20the%20Pro-North%20Korea%20movement%20in%20the%20United%20States&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Profile%20of%20the%20Pro-North%20Korea%20movement%20in%20the%20United%20States https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Profile%20of%20the%20Pro-North%20Korea%20movement%20in%20the%20United%20States "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/profile-of-the-pro-north-korea-movement-in-the-united-states/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Profile%20of%20the%20Pro-North%20Korea%20movement%20in%20the%20United%20States&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/profile-of-the-pro-north-korea-movement-in-the-united-states/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Profile%20of%20the%20Pro-North%20Korea%20movement%20in%20the%20United%20States "Reddit") **Categories:** United States --- ### ["Rope selling" and "rope supporting" — Lenin's lessons for South Korean and American politicians, Left and Right](https://www.nkinsider.org/rope-selling-and-rope-supporting-lenins-lessons-for-south-korean-and-american-politicians-left-and-right/) **Published:** June 12, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Istock-91723249.jpg "Vladimir iljich lenin | nk insider")Among the many [absurd claims](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://books.google.com/books?id%253DqoZx6hOCNukC%2526pg%253DPA11%2526lpg%253DPA11%2526dq%253D%252522fighters%252Band%252Bpsalmists%252522%252BKim,%252Bil-sung%2526source%253Dbl%2526ots%253Dq47gS9aiyM%2526sig%253DjgL5FIIyZxtNWofX0h_Q_Zjfaqw%2526hl%253Den%2526sa%253DX%2526ei%253DNvBxU9fSM5PtoAS7goK4Dg%2523v%253Donepage%2526q%253D%252522fighters%252520and%252520psalmists%252522%252520Kim%25252C%252520il-sung%2526f%253Dtrue%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555772192%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0jdtbwblUBqiaZRXE_plGi&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555803947&usg=AOvVaw27meEY98ZHocOrsjV2PfTv) of North Korea’s propaganda in promoting the cult of the hereditary Kim dynasty is that Kim Jong-il, as a very young boy, had read and fully comprehended the works of Vladimir Lenin. In spite of the unlikelihood that he had taken up Lenin at such a tender age, it is nevertheless certain that he would, as a young communist leader-in-training, have mastered the principles and tactics of Russia’s preeminent Bolshevik at some point during his education. Regardless of when he, his father Kim Il-sung, or his son Kim Jong-un first imbibed the Leninist canon, however, in such areas as state and party structure, economic policy, foreign relations, united front work, and propaganda, [Leninist tactics](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://books.google.com/books?id%253Dg2M_yhsWc6gC%2526pg%253DPA693%2526lpg%253DPA693%2526dq%253D%252522communism%252Bin%252BKorea%252522%252Bscalapino%2526source%253Dbl%2526ots%253DLe-_rY3zpA%2526sig%253DIokz08g0ekM-btBYqEvU6b0JxGA%2526hl%253Den%2526sa%253DX%2526ei%253DOOlxU_-MHNbioAS78oD4Dw%2526ved%253D0CCsQ6AEwATgK%2523v%253Donepage%2526q%253D%252522communism%252520in%252520Korea%252522%252520scalapino%2526f%253Dfalse%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555773497%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0-tBlU-upv2K28CxV0EkDc&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555804428&usg=AOvVaw26RfQOAn3CqnEsYaJJOYhk) have long been [incorporated](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://books.google.com/books?id%253DL74cVf94cGIC%2526pg%253DPA37%2526lpg%253DPA37%2526dq%253D%252522the%252Bpolitical%252Binstitutions%252Bof%252Bthe%252BDPRK%252522%2526source%253Dbl%2526ots%253DtKz4hPzk5Y%2526sig%253DdF-agvGQHVNULJ5KoSewx4ARX7g%2526hl%253Den%2526sa%253DX%2526ei%253DXfRxU5usI8__oQSxlYL4BQ%2526ved%253D0CCkQ6AEwAQ%2523v%253Donepage%2526q%253D%252522the%252520political%252520institutions%252520of%252520the%252520DPRK%252522%2526f%253Dfalse%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555773832%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2G5j7u5nZjhAWa-qdNQnsB&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555804622&usg=AOvVaw2b6-S8bj2gtn9EwPRHNqvu) into the North’s political playbook. The well-developed and consistently employed tactic of using pro-North “front groups” within the ROK and the U.S. to promote Pyongyang’s policy aims and manipulate public opinion is just one of many examples. Lenin is often quoted as having once written or said something to the effect that “The capitalists will sell us the rope with which we hang them.” While the authenticity of the quote is [in doubt](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://books.google.com/books?id%253DNCOEYJ0q-DUC%2526pg%253DPA76%2526lpg%253DPA76%2526dq%253D%252522they%252Bnever%252Bsaid%252Bit%252522%252Blenin%2526source%253Dbl%2526ots%253DhBTCXFC2Dy%2526sig%253DQyu_0DZsgOYya7OVnTmjEciF4iM%2526hl%253Den%2526sa%253DX%2526ei%253DqftxU9GECsrfoASRroCgCQ%2526ved%253D0CC0Q6AEwAQ%2523v%253Donepage%2526q%253D%252522they%252520never%252520said%252520it%252522%252520lenin%2526f%253Dfalse%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555774737%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3XbSHJX1qvcdi8ZGVV7owP&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555804936&usg=AOvVaw2jycN67nQxALy8Jo0kii7n), students of Soviet history, or the history of other communist states in various parts of the world, can’t deny that the principle implied by this statement, that non-communist [states](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?nid%253D354%2526dat%253D19990609%2526id%253D2sswAAAAIBAJ%2526sjid%253Dzj8DAAAAIBAJ%2526pg%253D3999,5319286%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555775135%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0qzHvuy83Wa3ozKVuJBetF&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555805108&usg=AOvVaw0yvv8rVd8uomnBFYRmueTS) and [private enterprises](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/06/world/2-companies-pay-penalties-for-improving-china-rockets.html%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555775377%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3DQG35rssfdaKJ08daR3OS&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555805235&usg=AOvVaw2QFCC4m5L-SgsmTKazo3Qj) have often substantially [assisted ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.multinationalmonitor.org/hyper/issues/1982/02/rope.html%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555775565%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0wPVcxEuisX5qfMgUBn3ZB&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555805355&usg=AOvVaw1cNaG5W30gIKLjw6yuAF10)their sworn enemies in Marxist-Leninist regimes to survive and partially compensated for the failure of their socialist policies by means of trade, [technology transfer](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cox_Report%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555775881%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3C1iJlcbtTJMILpt63tbr9&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555805485&usg=AOvVaw0naUsxdGJL9zD7SxiX3Lrr), aid and other forms [economic interaction](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://books.google.com/books?id%253DAEal3OUTTkYC%2526pg%253DPT171%2526lpg%253DPT171%2526dq%253D%252522Reagan%252527s%252BWar%252522%252Bthree%252Bwestern%252Beuropean%2526source%253Dbl%2526ots%253DIk0c3G4kf0%2526sig%253DR7iKi5yoRcLGltgI08qsE1IlqJ8%2526hl%253Den%2526sa%253DX%2526ei%253DRzWAU6mcBsTpoATVp4C4AQ%2526ved%253D0CDsQ6AEwAw%2523v%253Donepage%2526q%253D%252522Reagan%26%2339;s%252520War%252522%252520three%252520western%252520european%2526f%253Dfalse%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555776159%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0j6juQA3e05utGX-_Fe_2p&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555805685&usg=AOvVaw0DsBCmjg1q0TGQLhS89Mec). In the Soviet case, this phenomenon was well illustrated in the 1986 history of the USSR by Mikhail Heller and Aleksandr Nekrich entitled “[Utopia in Power](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1225189.Utopia_in_Power%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555776590%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3xyzCJpxiej7iL5H2qK6-Q&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555806039&usg=AOvVaw2YDPF_ZUYvNnfwoOBm1Tqn).” That supposed observation by Lenin also has a secondary meaning distinct from its implications in the realm of economics and trade. The notion that Marxist-Leninists, both historically and with regard to the few remaining communist states and movements, can rely on witting or[ unwitting assistance](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-106hhrg63194/html/CHRG-106hhrg63194.htm%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555777507%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2iIRnw9NsReP3IC7asmvCY&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555806419&usg=AOvVaw11-x-1XWQwwPL-Gd3cs75b) from non-communist states or private entities applies in a more general sense to fields such as politics, international relations, and public opinion. Unfortunately, it sometimes seems that certain [decisions made by ROK governments](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2008/02/14/JC5FIHU7LV37TQ4OZUQLRP5THU/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555777998%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0ZTn78kMiuO9Clv1ULfjJB&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555806706&usg=AOvVaw374R8vi_OHFdjPX6hQkaxD) and some private Korean organizations have had the practical effect of [aiding their foes](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/milk-powder-08142013163608.html%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555778329%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0cFMDtTLTz3vsqrwur8VSR&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555806904&usg=AOvVaw2EIf6H2QGjK_1Dpdtda51n). Some of these policies were enacted based on reasonable premises with the[ best of intentions](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://books.google.com/books?id%253DK0dfIxTr5MUC%2526pg%253DPA10%2526lpg%253DPA10%2526dq%253D%252522North%252BKorea%252522%252BNGO%252Bpulls%252Bout%2526source%253Dbl%2526ots%253D2hB0GLT_lP%2526sig%253DDEg5ECLRuRQg5Pi2deAEqLeyTCA%2526hl%253Den%2526sa%253DX%2526ei%253D1EV8U5SQFoHboASlh4HYDA%2526ved%253D0CDYQ6AEwAw%2523v%253Donepage%2526q%253D%252522North%252520Korea%252522%252520NGO%252520pulls%252520out%2526f%253Dfalse%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555778751%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2KdKsRz9hGwwo8WALzWM1M&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555807129&usg=AOvVaw16apbwiWHrv-PiJi-YrBgY), but have nevertheless often proved to do far more harm than good to the ROK and the cause of liberal democracy. In fact, such bad decisions have had the net result of providing North Korea, as well as far-left anti-ROK elements, with the “rope” which they use in their attempts to “hang” the ROK. On the macro level, American politicians, policymakers and private organizations have also been responsible for such “rope selling” to communists, including some which resulted in great harm to both the U.S. and the ROK. During the Second World War, for example, the U.S., under its “lend lease” aid program, provided the Soviet Pacific Fleet with large transport vessels known as “Liberty ships” which greatly expanded the USSR’s military transport capabilities in the Far East. The ships were loaned (but never returned after the war) for the purpose of assisting Soviet forces when they finally entered the war against Japan (with which they previously had a non-aggression pact), but were actually of little use in the USSR’s short campaign against Japan during the last week of the war. As Professor Richard Thornton points out in his 2001 history of the origins of the Korean War entitled “[Odd Man Out](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttp://www.amazon.com/Odd-Man-Out-Truman-Origins/dp/1574883437%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555780724%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3-P0LTuQgsMF0I7x7qajhe&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555807704&usg=AOvVaw1NAhu90ofNT8AZ4fIcuBYb),” these ships eventually served to enable the North’s 1950 blitzkrieg-style invasion of the ROK. The large shipments of [T-34 tanks](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttp://books.google.com/books?id%253DGjdVVww6W1EC%2526pg%253DPA26%2526lpg%253DPA26%2526dq%253D%252522T-34%252Btanks%252522%252BNorth%252BKorea%252BUSSR%2526source%253Dbl%2526ots%253Dg-BqGN5TaB%2526sig%253DOIfK7pe1-ORiMnxXa8WY5xlsvZs%2526hl%253Den%2526sa%253DX%2526ei%253D3vxxU5evMIyFogSos4CgAg%2526ved%253D0CGcQ6AEwCg%2523v%253Donepage%2526q%253D%252522T-34%252520tanks%252522%252520North%252520Korea%252520USSR%2526f%253Dfalse%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555781112%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw23Jn4uDwjksJe3SPv05ADh&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555807974&usg=AOvVaw37KMWdntreRkeMumweeGRj) which the Soviets supplied to Kim Il-sung’s forces in the months just prior to the North’s invasion are recognized by military historians as having played a decisive role in the speed of the North’s advance down the Korean peninsula, and it was by means of the U.S.-supplied transport ships that Stalin was able to provide these tanks rapidly and in avoidance of land transport. The North Korean submarine which was grounded off the east coast of the ROK in 1996 while infiltrating commandos was found to have contained cans of [food](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2008/03/20/YSZZU5V4B35NIWQBK3WSUSGED4/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555782095%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw02j65DMLmnSRvXQwaszbmT&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555808344&usg=AOvVaw22ZmwBP0EAzyTgj5vtEKQ4) (with English labels intact) [provided as aid](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttp://news.google.com/newspapers?nid%253D1915%2526dat%253D19971018%2526id%253DO5dGAAAAIBAJ%2526sjid%253DevgMAAAAIBAJ%2526pg%253D6066,3639362%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555782353%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw370UoNo78upDUxN5Q9HTbI&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555808536&usg=AOvVaw0BZBPodIdMkKyDdCAt7OZ8) to [starving North Koreans](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2010/09/28/5XKF3ATH5M6FGUJLA72UBGF62A/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555782559%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1_yKr7_B55nwUFG4tmQD0K&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555808731&usg=AOvVaw3h5v-ruZpHfIGQyuRLcGD4) by [Christian charities](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://wng.org/articles/wheres-the-beef-1617645066%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555782739%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1aNWwHGsQSVnffMuqMarKd&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555808908&usg=AOvVaw2ghd70dqNT7wxCATkDLlrL) in the U.S. The Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was founded by a wealthy Korean-American and funded by donations from churches in the U.S. and Korea (and to a lesser extent funded by the ROK government) and was intended as a showcase for so-called “academic engagement” with the North, has been a subject of great controversy. The [Committee for Human Rights in North Korea](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.hrnkinsider.org/2014/02/constructive-enragement-versus.html%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555783615%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3Z4KMOpvgCjcybUoh3Jsn-&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555809190&usg=AOvVaw3ID6GsShgNoQ_k7lIhJzth), has long pointed to increasing evidence that, rather than serving to help open the North to outside influences, the school is in fact helping to prop-up the regime through its tight ideological controls and a student body strictly limited to regime loyalists carefully selected from elite families. To make this an even more egregious case of “rope selling,” conservative ROK lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun revealed in 2010 that the university was using some of the [funds](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.dailynk.com/english/controversy-stirs-over-kim-monumen/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555784466%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0wYigtNV1536R32xlFeWki&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555809501&usg=AOvVaw1ZnFGfl4gj-2LC0jRVNV8w) it received (from Christian donors and the ROK government) to establish a research center[ promoting Kim, Il-sung’s Juche ideology](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2010/10/06/CBIGCKV4IV57PRH7PI2T52GTNY/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555784765%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3oyVI9le6nLd4sLe70-9Rh&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555809689&usg=AOvVaw2TOiXSYRwO4bvBtb7h1APV) and to build a monument to the Kim dynasty cult. In the realm of technology, foreign trade with the North has for decades enabled the Pyongyang regime to enhance its military-industrial capabilities in ways which would have been virtually impossible without such outside assistance. In 2012, an independent investigation commissioned by the United Nations’ [World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://ipwatchdog.com/2012/07/19/wipo-responds-on-sending-computers-to-north-korea-iran/id%253D26600/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555785431%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1xh8nw3pnAL9qxV_zOCtWf&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555810002&usg=AOvVaw38jXpPNvKyPgwBdhbDVnqH) found that the WIPO itself had provided the North (probably in violation of the U.N.’s own sanctions) with technology ostensibly for use in upgrading a patent retrieval system, but which was actually of a [“](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.illiberalism.org/digital-architecture-of-control-north-koreas-use-of-technology-to-consolidate-totalitarian-governance/%2523:~:text%253DNorth%252520Korea%26%2339;s%252520investment%252520in%252520dual,to%252520fortify%252520its%252520authoritarian%252520governance.%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555785883%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw00FIKg17qaH61nSqrwYu-w&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555810211&usg=AOvVaw0UYtur_Gm6woPZVaUtc_F-)[dual use](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.illiberalism.org/digital-architecture-of-control-north-koreas-use-of-technology-to-consolidate-totalitarian-governance/%2523:~:text%253DNorth%252520Korea%26%2339;s%252520investment%252520in%252520dual,to%252520fortify%252520its%252520authoritarian%252520governance.%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555786097%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0CRvQTkJxq1NuFtXhywBzq&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555810392&usg=AOvVaw3ZtVUQfcdZKS-hojJy1vsV)[” ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.illiberalism.org/digital-architecture-of-control-north-koreas-use-of-technology-to-consolidate-totalitarian-governance/%2523:~:text%253DNorth%252520Korea%26%2339;s%252520investment%252520in%252520dual,to%252520fortify%252520its%252520authoritarian%252520governance.%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555786316%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3mCcqP67MZnA8zI0Cixm8p&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555810598&usg=AOvVaw1ySRr7foT7_9lj4xgLaNOE)nature which could have easily been employed for military purposes. Another[ U.N. report](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/10726798/British-components-in-North-Korean-rockets-UN-finds.html%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555786827%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1a-2XRriW3z26oer1wyVXn&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555810954&usg=AOvVaw3u7rGG_dVB16w9OaSXct4z) disclosed that the North Koreans had obtained British, American and South Korean components for one of the most important missiles in their arsenal. Most recently, media reports have revealed that North Korea’s professional [hackers](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://cyberscoop.com/north-korea-workers-infiltrate-fortune-500/%2523:~:text%253DCybersecurity-,North%252520Korean%252520operatives%252520have%252520infiltrated%252520hundreds%252520of%252520Fortune%252520500%252520companies,behalf%252520of%252520the%252520country%26%2339;s%252520regime.%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555787552%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2oe5LML6jNrTVc6mwLGNpv&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555811246&usg=AOvVaw1BEYmx-XwEXmiSfKUZkvL3), fraudulently posing as remote employees, have been getting themselves hired in order to steal their employers’ intellectual property and engage in ransomware attacks. These are rather stark examples confirming the willingness of some non-communists to provide “the rope which will be used to hang them.” On the micro level, in the US, this “rope selling” takes the form of [financial support](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.womencrossdmz.org/the-human-costs-and-gendered-impact-of-sanctions-on-north-korea-report/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555788343%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0_5z1tHOkcuODOwxLvQ40z&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555811639&usg=AOvVaw3TG_Z90ZkTA4nY1eVLH9ly) for and [honors given](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://minjok.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table%253Dothernews%2526wr_id%253D3586%2526page%253D%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555788609%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2T4rP_7Cvf5m0hyscstVXI&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555811818&usg=AOvVaw1gcamECUOAESXMavxTKkiF) to elements [sympathetic](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/910319.html%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555788860%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw1nPgATlNu3NtM5wzclKwEf&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555811984&usg=AOvVaw3jq2xp2snIZbf-ntsjKU_b) to the North Korean regime and hostile to the ROK and the U.S.-ROK alliance. Unfortunately, such support and encouragement has often been [provided by the ROK government](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/People/view?articleId%253D163892%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555789257%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2SwnOlrec4yekW6kDV_pXB&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555812220&usg=AOvVaw20qr1Eyq--mZdoZp1xTkj8)[ ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/People/view?articleId%253D163892%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555789378%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2GQFFlW0S6q0CBLk92Q8h9&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555812351&usg=AOvVaw09V7zTmBzsOKxOU0DChIGU)to individuals and entities in the U.S. that employ such assistance in ways certainly not intended by its providers, to defend North Korea and slander the ROK. This support not only empowers anti-ROK forces in the U.S.,[ ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://m.monthly.chosun.com/client/mdaily/daily_view.asp?idx%253D4354%2526Newsnumb%253D2018064354%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555789873%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3wV1xVptkR0pCXBMU3zUMk&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555812584&usg=AOvVaw0_LBdaV8m5yD7bdr4R-TAb)[including extremists](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://m.monthly.chosun.com/client/mdaily/daily_view.asp?idx%253D4354%2526Newsnumb%253D2018064354%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555790045%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2j57lt8Xctaqeb3_BUWXYx&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555812736&usg=AOvVaw3DyTuG2HOvqTCeokxIOsnC) bent on the destruction of the ROK’s liberal democratic order, but has the additional negative consequence of disheartening and weakening those in the U.S. who support the ROK, the U.S.-ROK alliance, and oppose North Korean influence. While the provision of such support is motivated by the ROK government’s legitimate and laudable desire to promote Korean culture, enhance Korea’s positive image, the net results of such aid have sometimes not been positive and, on the contrary, have bolstered the influence of those opposed to the ROK. An example of such “rope selling” by the ROK government in the U.S, which ROK officials should seriously reconsider, is the provision of “no strings attached” financial support to Korean Studies programs at certain major American universities. This is obviously a sensitive issue, because such support is a key aspect of Korea’s efforts to promote the study of Korean history and culture overseas and is intended to enhance greater understanding of and goodwill towards the ROK. However, it is crucially important that ROK authorities responsible for funding these programs understand that some of this support is being used by [far-left U.S. academics](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.international.ucla.edu/korea/article/83719%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555791565%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2b1Rzt0vFosyxkcE_TTaCy&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555813057&usg=AOvVaw0sdmI7cHwMawkhwzMXo9xJ) in ways which were not intended, to [slander the ROK government](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://aaads.berkeley.edu/2010/11/korean-studies-symposium/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555791810%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0McFa-U4GQgSgYuAKhDn6l&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555813169&usg=AOvVaw3DxHySn_xfFfARdtq4jMra) and in some cases to [defend the policies and actions of North Korea](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://web.international.ucla.edu/institute/event/10000%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555792019%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw3GbpwsTlNGEFSkOFeQaqIw&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555813274&usg=AOvVaw3HZLttlpXLFqTg07YRWI5U). This is not an appeal for draconian ideological litmus tests to determine which American universities and academics are worthy of funding by Seoul. It is simply a suggestion that the ROK government take measures to ensure that its support is not misused, as it has flagrantly been, for political attacks (thinly veiled or quite openly) on the ROK and efforts to promote North Korea’s foreign policy goals. It seems reasonable that the ROK government, indeed any government, which provides financial or other support to an academic institution, while not being justified in obsessively micro-managing the uses to which such aid is put, would be within its rights and not infringing on academic freedom if it were to insist that the resources it provides not be used for extreme, ideologically-inspired political attacks or for invitations to non-academic political activists to engage in one-sided defenses of North Korea’s human rights. Pursuant to this analysis, which will hopefully be taken as constructive criticism, it should be kept in mind that there are other lessons from Lenin that ROK’s new left-wing government would do well to ponder. These lessons, really warnings from history, are related not to the phenomenon of “selling the rope” which one’s enemies will use to hang one, but rather to a statement which Lenin made with regard to the Bolsheviks’ relations with other non-communist forces on the left. In his famous 1920 work “‘[Left-Wing’ Communism: An Infantile Disorder](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://books.google.com/books?id%253DUFka6QM3i9QC%2526pg%253DPA85%2526lpg%253DPA85%2526dq%253D%252522as%252Bthe%252Brope%252Bsupports%252Ba%252Bhanged%252Bman%252522%252BLeft%252Bwing%252Bcommunism%252BLenin%2526source%253Dbl%2526ots%253DOlo-EJt6Od%2526sig%253D6V3Mvh1BWCKGcAKoHqID1PoTj8Q%2526hl%253Den%2526sa%253DX%2526ei%253DoVd4U7jfJ8X0oATCi4CoAw%2526ved%253D0CDwQ6AEwBA%2523v%253Donepage%2526q%253D%252522as%252520the%252520rope%252520supports%252520a%252520hanged%252520man%252522%252520Left%252520wing%252520communism%252520Lenin%2526f%253Dfalse%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555794235%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw30zlKPQtKWRbMSn5GYuoxn&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555813741&usg=AOvVaw3meC9U5uXVcO1ZUie5hFNl),” Lenin explained what communist policy should be with regard to the leftist Labor Party of Great Britain, stating that British Marxist-Leninists could give their “support” to Labor against the British government and Britain’s Conservative Party, but that the nature of such “support” must be “as the rope supports a hanged man.” Lenin was not prohibiting any form of collaboration between British communists and the Labor Party against their common foes, but used the analogy to emphasize to his disciples that any such cooperative effort must be of a purely tactical and strictly temporary nature, to be discarded once its short-term usefulness had been exhausted and to be pursued only if the non-communist left would agree to certain conditions. He demanded that communists have full freedom of activity within the Labor Party, which Labor wisely refused, no doubt based on the justified suspicion that this would lead not only to the [infiltration of their party](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entryism%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555795701%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2jpsstXvBURCr0knJDMX0b&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555814046&usg=AOvVaw26v7GfjniK6GERo4kt0pJh) but also to its destruction. He also insisted that communist work within non-communist groups such as the Labor Party must have the ultimate goal not of sincere collaboration, but rather of deliberate [destruction of the Labor Party from within](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://ozleft.wordpress.com/2004/01/01/britcpandlabourleft/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555796157%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0wlzIalPYBwp6S1ccOhehN&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555814165&usg=AOvVaw3GOBdITXynjfgTDI7orXTM). If philosopher [George Santayana’s warning](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_Santayana%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1749735555796452%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw0G0c4FdEBYa16CqyCbYpEY&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1749735555814343&usg=AOvVaw2Gu-KmltfWBMxj0GzHRxlb) about history repeating itself is to be avoided by the ROK, both its new leftist administration and its conservative opposition should heed Lenin’s lessons regarding “rope selling and rope supporting.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%22Rope%20selling%22%20and%20%22rope%20supporting%22%20%E2%80%94%20Lenin%27s%20lessons%20for%20South%20Korean%20and%20American%20politicians%2C%20Left%20and%20Right&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%22Rope%20selling%22%20and%20%22rope%20supporting%22%20%E2%80%94%20Lenin%27s%20lessons%20for%20South%20Korean%20and%20American%20politicians%2C%20Left%20and%20Right https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%22Rope%20selling%22%20and%20%22rope%20supporting%22%20%E2%80%94%20Lenin%27s%20lessons%20for%20South%20Korean%20and%20American%20politicians%2C%20Left%20and%20Right "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/rope-selling-and-rope-supporting-lenins-lessons-for-south-korean-and-american-politicians-left-and-right/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%22Rope%20selling%22%20and%20%22rope%20supporting%22%20%E2%80%94%20Lenin%27s%20lessons%20for%20South%20Korean%20and%20American%20politicians%2C%20Left%20and%20Right&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/rope-selling-and-rope-supporting-lenins-lessons-for-south-korean-and-american-politicians-left-and-right/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%22Rope%20selling%22%20and%20%22rope%20supporting%22%20%E2%80%94%20Lenin%27s%20lessons%20for%20South%20Korean%20and%20American%20politicians%2C%20Left%20and%20Right "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [The race for long-range missiles between Japan and North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-race-for-long-range-missiles-between-japan-and-north-korea/) **Published:** June 27, 2025 **Author:** Julian McBride **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Istock-1337051020.jpg "United states army raytheon mim104 patriot mobile surfacetoair missile launcher | nk insider")Eastern Asia is witnessing a military buildup not seen since the aftermath of WWII. North Korea is becoming an ever greater rogue regime, with increasing military capabilities that pose an existential threat to all countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Japan faces a particular threat from North Korea’s missiles, and the fact that [Pyongyang still sees Tokyo as one of its ancestral enemies](https://apjjf.org/2013/11/32/heonik-kwon/3982/article). In response, Japan will also need to grow its own missile fleet. The North has one of the world’s largest militaries in terms of manpower but it suffers from major flaws in [logistics](https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/collapse-north-korea-military-missions-and-requirements), [global](https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/un-security-council-resolutions-north-korea) [sanctions,](https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/un-security-council-resolutions-north-korea) and a [lack of recovery from the Korean War.](https://ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu/journals/ijoks/v14i2/f_0019553_16699.pdf) This stagnation makes it rely on its nuclear program and growing missile stockpiles. The Korean People’s Army (KPA) designates its Strategic Force ([KPASF](https://missilethreat.csis.org/country/dprk/)) as a specialized unit for missiles. The Strategic Force is responsible for mobile, submarine, and silo- based rocket strikes and missile tests. Currently, the KPASF employs a diverse range of missiles to instill both fear and deterrence in the region. The [Hwasal and KN](https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-threat-and-proliferation/todays-missile-threat/north-korea/) variations are cruise and short-range ballistic missiles with a top range of 1800-2000 and 240-900 km respectively. The KPASF’s medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) arsenal consists of the [Hwasong 7, 9, and](https://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/north-korea-nuclear-disarmament/) [Pukguksong-2](https://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/north-korea-nuclear-disarmament/). The [Hwasong-9 and Pukguksong-](https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-threat-and-proliferation/todays-missile-threat/north-korea/scud-er/)2 are upgraded MRBMs fitted with guidance and electronics to meet needs for a potential war with Seoul and Tokyo, as well as nearby American bases. The [Hwasong-16B](https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/nkorea-launches-mach12-hypersonic-glide-hwasong16b) intermediate-range ballistic missile, successfully tested in 2024, has a range of 1100 to 1500 km. North Korea’s SRBMS, MRBMs, and IRBMS would be the missiles that the KPASF would use the most in an armed conflict against the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). After decades of pacifism, Japan is preparing a [major remilitarization](https://www.e-ir.info/2025/04/06/opinion-japans-military-awakening/) effort in lieu of threats from North Korea, China, and Russia. Diverging from [Article 9](https://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1950_usjapan.htm) of its American-written Constitution, Tokyo recognizes its need to adapt and create a self-sustainable defense and deterrence. From late 2022 to 2023, Tokyo started a major [upgrades of the JSDF.](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/1136667.html) A primary focus on remilitarization has been on air and naval projection, along with missile defense, enhanced partnerships with regional allies, and the development of long-range missiles. A key aspect of the JSDF will be enhanced partnerships with regional allies, such as [Taiwan,](https://thediplomat.com/2024/05/yes-japan-will-defend-taiwan/) the [Philippines](https://www.19fortyfive.com/2025/04/set-to-boil-a-silent-south-china-sea-no-longer/), and [South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/japan-south-korea-relations-the-long-road-ahead/). Furthermore, establishing closer relations with NATO members and [sharing intelligence with Ukraine,](https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/japan-iqps-ukraine-satellite-intel-us-aid-suspension) which fought the KPA in Kursk, will be critical in strategic planning. North Korea is [increasing its stockpiles of various missiles](https://www.nknews.org/2025/05/us-intelligence-warns-north-korea-in-strongest-strategic-position-in-decades/) and growing more active and hostile not only in the Indo-Pacific but also in Europe, as seen in [Kursk.](https://www.nkinsider.org/lessons-from-north-korean-casualties-in-kursk/) Besides the troops, it sent dozens, possibly hundreds, of SRBMs for Russia to use, with the KPA getting access to post-combat data. According to the [May 2025 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report,](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10472#%3A%7E%3Atext%3DAccording%20to%20the%202025%20ATA%2Cexpanded%20cooperation%20will%20enable%20advancements) the North has increased fissile material for approximately 90 nuclear weapons, with 50 currently ready for the KPASF. Furthermore, Russia could [transfer](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/31/world/asia/north-korea-russia-weapons.html) key guidance, share intelligence, and satellite systems for the KPASF, which would enhance its ballistic missile fleet. Regarding Japan’s missile stockpiles, Tokyo finalized the purchase of [200 Block IV and 200](https://news.usni.org/2025/03/18/japan-still-deciding-where-to-base-new-anti-ship-missiles-china-surges-military-aircraft-near-taiwan) [Block V Tomahawk cruise missiles](https://news.usni.org/2025/03/18/japan-still-deciding-where-to-base-new-anti-ship-missiles-china-surges-military-aircraft-near-taiwan), along with [14 Tomahawk Weapon Control Systems](https://www.naval-technology.com/news/japan-bolsters-defence-arsenal-with-2-35bn-tomahawk-weapon-system-purchase/) [(TWCCS).](https://www.naval-technology.com/news/japan-bolsters-defence-arsenal-with-2-35bn-tomahawk-weapon-system-purchase/) Furthermore, Japan is developing the [Type 12 and 88 variants](https://armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2025/japan-completes-type-12-surface-to-ship-missile-deployment-to-protect-strategic-straits-against-chinese-naval-expansion) as part of its domestic push to upgrade long-range missiles. The Type 12 missiles are designed for surface-to-ship use, providing strategic deterrence and island defense. Type 88 is a ground-launched anti-ship missile that will also serve for island defense. The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended Range ([JASSM-ER](https://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/jassm/)) will also be procured and in JSDF service by 2027, and the missiles will be equipped with internal navigations to predetermined targets. The Japanese government will need concrete measures, both autonomous and jointly with the United States, in order to counteract North Korea’s growing missile threat. As Pyongyang strengthens its alliance commitments with Moscow, Tokyo will also need a counterbalance with Seoul. Rapprochement and [growing relations between Japan and South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/japan-south-korea-relations-the-long-road-ahead/) have helped Tokyo and Seoul find common ground in the defense, economic, tourism, and technology sectors. Both countries now share intelligence and early warnings about North Korean missile launches. With its increasing global diplomatic soft power, Japan can also persuade the United States, France, and Britain to put more [targeted sanctions](https://warontherocks.com/2025/04/putting-the-screws-on-the-partnership-between-north-korea-and-russia/) against North Korea’s missile program, such as imports of components and electronics needed for the KPASF that other rogue states such as Russia could provide. Lastly, Japan should continue an aggressive international relations approach in countering North Korea, wherever the Kim regime sets its sights. Taking a more proactive approach to autonomous foreign policy, such as [increased engagement by supporting Ukraine,](https://pism.pl/publications/japan-increases-its-support-for-ukraine) will demonstrate to Pyongyang that Tokyo will counter its unilateral actions with growing intelligence to countries that also fight against aggression. Employing layered air defense, thorough intelligence capabilities, prudent soft power, enhanced relations with regional partners, and reinvigoration of the JSDF, Japan can counter North Korea’s ever-growing ballistic missile capabilities. Nevertheless, Tokyo will need to continue adapting to the rising threat posed by Pyongyang in the Indo-Pacific by enacting strategic ambiguity and staying one step ahead of the Kim regime. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/ "Julian McBride") [Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/) Julian McBride, a former U.S. Marine, is a forensic anthropologist and independent journalist born in New York. He reports and documents the plight of people around the world who are affected by conflicts, rogue geopolitics, and war, and also tells the stories of war victims whose voices are never heard. His bylines can be found in the National Security Journal, Byline Times, 19FortyFive, Heritage Daily, The Defense Post, Journal of Forensic Psychology, Modern Warfare Institute, and UK Defence Journal. [![Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/ "Julian McBride") Latest posts by Julian McBride ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/)) - [Dismantled communications network makes life worse for North Korean dissidents](https://www.nkinsider.org/dismantled-communications-network-makes-life-worse-for-north-korean-dissidents/) - September 9, 2025 - [The Indo-Pacific 80 years on from the nuclear bombs on Japan](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-indo-pacific-80-years-on-from-the-nuclear-bombs-on-japan/) - August 6, 2025 - [The race for long-range missiles between Japan and North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-race-for-long-range-missiles-between-japan-and-north-korea/) - June 27, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20race%20for%20long-range%20missiles%20between%20Japan%20and%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20race%20for%20long-range%20missiles%20between%20Japan%20and%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20race%20for%20long-range%20missiles%20between%20Japan%20and%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-race-for-long-range-missiles-between-japan-and-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20race%20for%20long-range%20missiles%20between%20Japan%20and%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-race-for-long-range-missiles-between-japan-and-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20race%20for%20long-range%20missiles%20between%20Japan%20and%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [What fate awaits North Korean soldiers returning from the war with Ukraine?](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-fate-awaits-north-korean-soldiers-returning-from-the-war-with-ukraine/) **Published:** June 27, 2025 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nk-soldiers.jpeg "Nk soldiers | nk insider")When North Korea broke its silence and acknowledged back on April 28 that its troops were fighting for Russia in the war with Ukraine, media outlets overseas offered various analyses on the motivation for finally making the admission. At the time, Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean Studies at Dongguk University, told [BBC Korea](https://www.bbc.com/korean/articles/cwy6dn370ewo), that Pyongyang viewed the deployment as a way to show that cooperation with Moscow was working powerfully and to give Russia additional leverage in negotiations in the lead-up to a possible ceasefire. “From North Korea’s perspective, there may also be a desire to flaunt its contributions to the war effort and gain a first-mover advantage in postwar reconstruction,” he said, speculating that Pyongyang might send engineers and laborers in large numbers to aid in rebuilding. That speculation has now become reality. On June 17 (local time), Russian news outlet [Interfax](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-06-17/national/northKorea/Russias-security-chief-says-North-Korea-will-dispatch-6000-troops-for-reconstruction/2332353) and others reported that Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu visited Pyongyang and met with Chairman Kim Jong-un, after which it was agreed that North Korea would send 6,000 personnel to assist with reconstruction in Russia’s Kursk region. With both Pyongyang and Moscow now officially acknowledging the deployment of North Korean troops, the relationship between the two nations has entered a new phase. This is more than mere economic cooperation. It is a symbolic move to deepen military and political alignment. Earlier, North Korea used its ruling party newspaper, *Rodong Sinmun*, to formally confirm that its troops had participated in the Ukraine war, declaring that the “Kursk [liberation operation](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250428136300704)” had been “successfully completed.” The paper boasted that North Korean forces had “exterminated neo-Nazi forces” and “contributed to the liberation of Russian territory.” While the open admission of involvement itself is jarring, it leads now to the more critical question of how the homeland will receive the soldiers who return from the battlefield. In North Korea, war is not just a military operation. It is a stage for demonstrating loyalty. A soldier’s courage is interpreted as a measure of absolute obedience to the Supreme Leader. Survivors may, at least on the surface, be called “heroes.” At the same time, within the system, those who have experienced foreign battlefields represent something deeply unsettling. They have seen the outside world, experienced a different order, and may be viewed as a potential threat to ideological purity. This is a familiar narrative. Overseas laborers, students, abducted fishermen, and border-crossers alike, countless returnees have been met with suspicion and surveillance rather than welcome. The military is no exception. To suppress internal unrest, North Korea has historically emphasized control over loyalty, creating the ironic dynamic whereby those who fight for the state become objects of suspicion. So what does North Korea’s participation in the Ukraine war mean for the individual soldier? The real issue lies beyond geopolitics or military diplomacy. It is about how the cracks between state, system, and individual will be mended. The physical injuries, emotional isolation, and post-traumatic stress endured by these soldiers are forms of suffering that cannot be papered over with ideology or propaganda. What awaits them? Medals or monitoring? “The soldiers sent to Russia return home as heroes,” said Kim, a former laborer dispatched to Russia now living in South Korea. “But only for a moment. Their parents didn’t even know they were going to war, and neither did they. If they survive and return, they get the hero treatment and are admitted into the Workers’ Party. But from then on, they become lifelong surveillance targets, marked men.” “Some of those soldiers must have seen Ukrainian POW footage when they were in Russia. Imagine going back to live in North Korea after that. It’s got to feel like hell. They may be called heroes in name, but they’re really just under the regime’s microscope. At least in Russia they were fed. Back home, the regime won’t take responsibility for them. They earned money through deployment, but now they’ve become headaches. They’re Surveillance Subject No. 1. They’ll spend the rest of their lives in a prison called surveillance.” Another defector told us he believed the regime preferred that its soldiers die in Russia than return home. “I recently saw a report that 6,000 of the North Korean troops deployed to Russia have become casualties,” said Lee, adding that deployment is estimated to bring North Korea [$4.38 million](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2025/06/01/HMBE5P52J5DQDNEGDWIJYHXO3Y/) a month. In addition, Russia is reportedly paying $6,000 to $10,000 per deceased soldier in compensation. “I couldn’t sleep out of sheer rage,” he said. “North Korea’s troops deployed for construction or combat support are not just cases of human trafficking. They’re proof of a uniquely North Korean form of modern-day slavery.” “The regime probably prefers that these troops die in Russia and don’t return,” he said. “It’s inevitable they’d be placed under surveillance when they come back. In Russia, they ate well. I still remember how good it felt to finally eat freely. Loyalty to the state isn’t easy. The regime knows that the returnees are nothing but a burden. As sad as it is, dying on the battlefield might be better than returning to North Korea.” Indeed, according to sources inside North Korea cited by [NKDaily](https://www.dailynk.com/20241123-1/), the regime had already decided last year to treat deaths or disappearances during foreign deployment as classified matters. Reports even suggest the state may prefer its troops not to return [alive](https://www.dailynk.com/20241113-5/). “In North Korea, they hand out cigarettes to soldiers. But even goats won’t eat those cigarettes if you offer them one,” defector Kim said. “Then you come to Russia, and they give you two good cigarettes a day. Once you go back, you can’t help but make comparisons.” “If you come back missing an arm or a leg, of course you’ll feel bitterness,” he said. “The return of soldiers deployed to Russia could pose a threat to regime stability. The government would rather collect compensation for the dead. When have they ever treated us like people? In a country with no human dignity, there’s no human future. To them, we’re nothing but chewed-up gum, watched 24/7.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20fate%20awaits%20North%20Korean%20soldiers%20returning%20from%20the%20war%20with%20Ukraine%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%20fate%20awaits%20North%20Korean%20soldiers%20returning%20from%20the%20war%20with%20Ukraine%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%20fate%20awaits%20North%20Korean%20soldiers%20returning%20from%20the%20war%20with%20Ukraine%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-fate-awaits-north-korean-soldiers-returning-from-the-war-with-ukraine/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%20fate%20awaits%20North%20Korean%20soldiers%20returning%20from%20the%20war%20with%20Ukraine%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-fate-awaits-north-korean-soldiers-returning-from-the-war-with-ukraine/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%20fate%20awaits%20North%20Korean%20soldiers%20returning%20from%20the%20war%20with%20Ukraine%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [The myth of the "genuinely and primarily nationalist" communist leaders Kim Il-sung and Mao Zedong](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-myth-of-the-genuinely-and-primarily-nationalist-communist-leaders-kim-il-sung-and-mao-zedong/) **Published:** June 26, 2025 **Author:** Lawrence Peck **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kis.jpg "Kis | nk insider")Korea’s March 1, 1919, protest movement, like China’s May 4, 1919 movement, gave voice and impetus to a growing sense of nationalism, in the modern sense of the concept. The movements, along with the 1917 Bolshevik coup in Russia, heightened an interest in and the influence of Marxist-Leninist thought in both nations. This upsurge in nationalistic feeling was skillfully [manipulated by communists](https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv33mgbp9) to recruit idealistic youth, despite the fact that those specific movements were, in Marxist-Leninist terms,[ bourgeois in nature](https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-2/mswv2_13.htm). Marxist-Leninist ideology and nascent communist movements among Koreans and Chinese attracted young patriots who mistakenly, and tragically, viewed such alien forces as vehicles for achieving their nationalist aspirations. This cynical exploitation of nationalism by communist movements in China and Korea, and eventually by the communist dictators who came to power there, is manifested today in the [ultra-nationalist-tinged](https://www.jstor.org/stable/48610618) exhortations of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the [North Korean Workers Party](http://isdp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/North-Korean-Nationalism-Reading-the-Paleolithic-Text-IB-19.11.2021.pdf), and [pro-North Korea forces](https://en.namu.wiki/w/NL(%EC%A0%95%ED%8C%8C)) in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Contributing to this historically dubious conflation of communist activities and goals with authentic nationalism has been the tendentious work of revisionist left-wing historians, journalists, and other commentators, who have bought into the myth and promoted the impression that communist forces and leaders in Korea and China, in their actions and policies, were essentially and primarily nationalistic in nature, and only incidentally or opportunistically Marxist-Leninist in outlook. Those with a broader, more accurate and balanced historical perspective should not hesitate to challenge the dogma inherited from ideologically inspired revisionist academics. Myths which have long held sway in academic circles, and in public consciousness, finally began to be seriously challenged with recent historical research, thanks to the opening of various national archives. There has recently been a refreshing re-emphasis on the previously unfashionable facts which reveal that the Chinese and Korean communist movements and their respective leaders were far from the genuine, sincere nationalists. The early communist movements in China and Korea were founded with the direct [assistance](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4975928-the-communist-party-of-china-and-marxism-1921-1985) of, in the [presence](https://academic.oup.com/columbia-scholarship-online/book/13998/chapter-abstract/167771188?redirectedFrom=fulltext) of, and through the [funding](https://www.scribd.com/document/864005227/Documents-of-Korean-Communism-1918-1948-text) of, the Soviet Union and foreign communist agents. Particularly in their formative years and struggles for power, they were not only loyal servants of the [Communist International (Comintern)](https://www.jstor.org/stable/654602) in Moscow, ever willing to submit to its orders, but also, willing to betray their own nations, and even their own communist comrades in the interests of the Soviet Union and the world communist movement. Their leaders followed every twist and turn of the Soviet “party line” as ordered by the Comintern, even when such instructions were directly contrary to the interests of their own nations and amounted to treasonous betrayals. This submission to the interests of a foreign power included support for the killing of their fellow countrymen. In the case of China, this was clearly demonstrated by the CCP’s support for the Soviet attack on and invasion of China during the [Chinese Eastern Railroad](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327048068_SOVIET_POLICY_IN_THE_CHINESE_EASTERN_RAILWAY_CONFLICT_1929) conflict of 1929, in which thousands of Chinese were killed by the Soviet army. In Korea, this was notoriously displayed during the[ Free City Incident](https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EC%9E%90%EC%9C%A0%EC%8B%9C%20%EC%B0%B8%EB%B3%80) of 1921, when Korean communists, on the orders of the Soviets and in collaboration with the Soviet army, slaughtered fellow Korean independence fighters. In spite of these attacks on Chinese and Koreans by the Soviets, both the [Chinese](https://archive.org/stream/ConciseHistoryCPC/Concise%20History%20CPC_djvu.txt) and Korean communists, including Mao Zedong and Kim Il-sung, adopted the slogan, [“Defend the Soviet Union with arms!”](https://www.lalkar.org/article/831/proletarian-internationalism-and-the-korean-revolution) As early as the 1920s, the Soviets began deporting Chinese and Koreans from the Soviet Far East. Some Koreans were even deported to Japan. It was in the 1930s, however, under Stalin, that Soviet deportations, repressions, and executions of [Koreans](https://www.jstor.org/stable/131438) and [Chinese](https://www.jstor.org/stable/151700) began on a massive scale. Viewing Koreans and Chinese as politically [“unreliable”](https://uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/burnt-by-the-sun-the-koreans-of-the-russian-far-east/) based solely on their race, Stalin deported them en masse to Soviet Central Asia. Even loyal CCP members and Korean communists were [executed or sent to Gulag](https://www.jstor.org/stable/24455386) camps during Stalin’s “Great Terror” liquidation of imaginary enemies. This purge also included Korean and Chinese Trotskyists during the mid-to-late 1930s. The CCP and Korean communists fully backed and participated in these killings. Chinese and Korean communists obediently and ruthlessly hunted down and eliminated their own comrades based on policies originating from Moscow, as both the CCP and Korean communists engaged in their own bloody internecine purges. In China, one such murderous purge was that of the so-called [A-B League Incident](https://asianreviewofbooks.com/how-the-red-sun-rose-the-origins-and-development-of-the-yanan-rectification-movement-1930-1945-by-gao-hua/) of the early 1930s, in which CCP leaders and ordinary members slaughtered one another based on highly dubious accusations of anti-communist tendencies. This CCP purge eventually manifested itself within the Korean communist movement as well, as exemplified by the murders of Korean communists who were accused of sympathizing and with Japan, by their own Chinese and Korean communist leaders, during what was known as the [Minsaengdan Incident](https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EB%AF%BC%EC%83%9D%EB%8B%A8%20%EC%82%AC%EA%B1%B4) in Manchuria during the early-to-mid 1930s. Some historians, especially those of a leftist or pro-North Korean bent, have claimed that Kim Il-sung heroically tried to stop the purge, and portrayed the killings on trumped up charges as being ethnically inspired by Chinese communists against Korean communists. However, other historians and researchers suspect that Kim Il-sung was among those backing and implementing the purge, inexplicably remaining untouched himself. Although apologists for Kim claim that he destroyed the records of those who were suspects in the purge as evidence of his supposed nationalism, others assert that Kim may have done so for the ulterior motive of attempting to cover up his own role in purging his comrades. As one of the leaders of the Korean communists serving under the CCP in Manchuria, the fact he somehow survived may indicate his role in the purge went far beyond what leftist historians are willing to admit. Contrary to the [official myth](https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/334/article/756413) fabricated later by North Korean hagiographers, there was no “independent” Korean communist army under Kim Il-sung in Manchuria. Kim was a loyal [member of the CCP](https://guides.library.cornell.edu/c.php?g=225914&p=1497380), as were the other Korean communists serving with him. They were subject to and obediently carried out CCP policies and orders, which originated from the Comintern in Moscow. Recent scholarship has shown that Mao, even in his years at the CCP base at Yenan, where he was joined by some Korean communists, was far more [closely connected with the Soviet Union](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13547500-mao) and submissive to its policies and orders than had previously been thought. During the Hitler-Stalin alliance, like communists throughout the world, Mao and the CCP fully [endorsed the Soviet line](https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-6/mswv6_33.htm) that the Nazis were victims of British and French aggression, and that the war against Germany should be opposed and condemned as an “imperialist war.” While the CCP and the Korean communists were praising their masters in Moscow as the leaders of “progressive humanity,” they nevertheless fully endorsed the Soviet-Japanese non-aggression pact of early 1941, again demonstrating that they habitually prioritized the interests of the Soviet Union and the worldwide communist movement above the interests of their own nations. In this context, it is interesting to note that Kim Il-sung and his fighters under the CCP reportedly fled into the Soviet Union, effectively ceasing their operations against the Japanese in Manchuria, [sometime in late 1940](https://www.hrnkinsider.org/2021/04/the-true-identity-of-north-korean.html). Although this was conventionally viewed as being a retreat due to Japanese military pressure, it was also during the very months that the Soviet-Japanese pact was being contemplated by Stalin. Although the CCP and some left-wing historians in the West have attempted to falsify the wartime roles of the CCP under Mao and the nationalists of Chiang Kai-shek by claiming that it was the communists who led the struggle against Japan, it is well-known and accepted by mainstream historians that Chiang and his nationalist armies bore the brunt of the war against Japan by far, and that the [CCP played a minor role](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9746.Mao). The CCP and sympathetic historians have claimed that some nationalist forces collaborated to varying degrees with Japanese forces in China, but recently historians and researchers have demonstrated that the communist forces under Mao were also, for several years, [collaborating with the Japanese army](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2267240.New_Perspectives_on_the_Chinese_Revolution). Although North Korean propagandists and leftist historians in the ROK and the U.S. have falsely attempted to portray the ROK’s founding President Syngman Rhee as pro-Japanese for having had pro-Japanese individuals in his government, ROK researchers and historians have demonstrated that North Korea’s founder [Kim Il-sung had several collaborators](http://xn--zb0bnwy6egumoslu1g.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=tiath&wr_id=4) with Japan in his cabinet. Of course, the fratricidal war launched by Kim in 1950 is perhaps the starkest illustration which debunks the myth of his supposed role as a “genuine” nationalist leader allegedly motivated “primarily” by patriotism. Some have argued that the heated ideological disputes between Mao Zedong and the Soviet leadership during the 1960s, which resulted in armed skirmishes on the borders of Manchuria and Xinjiang, as well as the ideological disputes between Kim Il-sung and both the Soviet leadership and the CCP in the 1960s, were motivated by nationalistic motives. However, given the nature of the Chinese communist and North Korean regimes, it seems more reasonable, based on what we now know from archival research, to ascribe these disputes not exclusively to nationalism, but very substantially to other factors as well. For example, Mao sought to emerge as the [post-Stalin leader](https://cqpress.sagepub.com/cqresearcher/report/sino-soviet-relations-cqresrre1977020400) of the world communist movement and a position of premier influence among newly independent Third World states, a desire which had ideological roots. Both [Mao](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17287091-the-tragedy-of-liberation) and Kim, during the mid-to-late 1950s, also sought to consolidate their absolute rule by purging elements who were seen to be aligned with the Soviets, or in [Kim’s case](https://muse.jhu.edu/article/45109/summary) with the Soviets and the Chinese, or elements who simply favored a collective form of leadership. These motivations for the disputes with the Soviet Union, and in the case of Kim with both Mao and the Soviets, rather than being purely nationalistic in nature, were likely to a great extent the result of such jockeying for world communist leadership in an ideological sense by Mao, as well as purges conducted by Mao and Kim pursuant to power struggles of a [domestic nature](https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1328&context=sigma). Regarding Korea, the myth of Kim Il-sung as a supposed “genuinely and primarily” nationalist leader, as promoted by North Korean propagandists and leftist or pro-North revisionist historians and commentators, is not merely a matter of historical interest. It is also directly relevant to the ROK’s domestic politics since the 1980s and up until the present day. This is exemplified by the [nationalistic appeals](https://www.sup.org/books/history/anti-americanism-democratizing-south-korea), usually focused on anti-Japanese and anti-American feelings, which were and continue to be major themes of the [“National Liberation” faction](https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20131207/407455/1) of the far-left and pro-North Korea movement within the ROK. Such appeals typically portray Kim Il-sung and his progeny as the true heirs of supposedly “authentic” Korean nationalism, and the North Korean regime as the more “genuine” or “pure” Korean state, while the founders and subsequent leaders of the ROK are conversely accused of “toadyism” toward foreigners and the ROK itself is condemned as a “puppet” of the “U.S. imperialists.” This frame of mind is not merely an ideological stance. It also relates to electoral politics in the ROK. In recent decades the “National Liberation” faction and others known as the “Jusapa” element in Korean society have made serious inroads into leftist political parties, most notably through the vehicle of the now banned [United Progressive Party](https://www.dailynk.com/english/revolutionary-sparks-tracking-north-korea-covert-operations-1980s-today/) of Lee Seok-ki, and in the current Progressive Party, which is essentially the successor to and reincarnation of the United Progressive Party. Adherents of the “National Liberation” and “Jusapa” factions in the ROK, as well as other [pro-North Korean activists](http://monthly.chosun.com/client/news/viw.asp?nNewsNumb=201206100009), have been able to infiltrate the mainstream left by being brought into the Democratic Party of Korea by Moon Jae-in and [Lee Jae-myung](https://www.chosun.com/opinion/contribution/2024/03/12/QDJWYC7VRFFK5KGRKOK23S2HMU/), who appointed them as ministers or advisers, and arranged for them to run as party candidates and proportional representatives. In the recent election campaign, Lee and his Democratic Party even went so far as to agree to an official [“united front” type of alliance](https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-policy/2025/05/09/IV6XOW7WTZH6XI6L37IENRIDM4/) with the Progressive Party. This certainly does not bode well for the ROK or the U.S.-ROK alliance. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") [Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/) Lawrence Peck is a correspondent for NK Insider based in Seoul and Los Angeles. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He also serves as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S. Lawrence may be reached at the email address: lawrence.nkinsider@gmail.com [![Lawrence Peck](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/lawrence-peck.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/ "Lawrence Peck") Latest posts by Lawrence Peck ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ba111c9eb00fb4348b6844f7fa1b3f3e29b01db8/)) - [Interview: The ordinary defector who fights for human rights in the U.S.](https://www.nkinsider.org/interview-the-ordinary-defector-who-fights-for-human-rights-in-the-u-s/) - June 25, 2026 - [Kim Il-sung’s long record of murder, kidnapping, and plunder in the decade before he came to power](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sungs-long-record-of-murder-kidnapping-and-plunder-in-the-decade-before-he-came-to-power/) - May 25, 2026 - [Illegal transfer of funds to North Korea and forcible repatriation of defectors: Will justice ever be served at the highest levels?](https://www.nkinsider.org/illegal-transfer-of-funds-to-north-korea-and-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors-will-justice-ever-be-served-at-the-highest-levels/) - May 11, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20myth%20of%20the%20%22genuinely%20and%20primarily%20nationalist%22%20communist%20leaders%20Kim%20Il-sung%20and%20Mao%20Zedong&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20myth%20of%20the%20%22genuinely%20and%20primarily%20nationalist%22%20communist%20leaders%20Kim%20Il-sung%20and%20Mao%20Zedong https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20myth%20of%20the%20%22genuinely%20and%20primarily%20nationalist%22%20communist%20leaders%20Kim%20Il-sung%20and%20Mao%20Zedong "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-myth-of-the-genuinely-and-primarily-nationalist-communist-leaders-kim-il-sung-and-mao-zedong/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20myth%20of%20the%20%22genuinely%20and%20primarily%20nationalist%22%20communist%20leaders%20Kim%20Il-sung%20and%20Mao%20Zedong&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-myth-of-the-genuinely-and-primarily-nationalist-communist-leaders-kim-il-sung-and-mao-zedong/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20myth%20of%20the%20%22genuinely%20and%20primarily%20nationalist%22%20communist%20leaders%20Kim%20Il-sung%20and%20Mao%20Zedong "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [The problem of anxiety inherent in capitalism](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-problem-of-anxiety-inherent-in-capitalism/) **Published:** June 25, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Istock-2068388822.jpg "Korea crowds of shoppers in busy night street myeongdong seoul | nk insider")Why must capitalism lead to prosperity? Why must socialism lead to poverty? These were questions I had long before leaving North Korea. I suspect many esteemed economists have written thoughtful answers. Capitalism is undeniably a system of abundance. However, upon arriving in South Korea, I began to be puzzled by a different set of questions. Why, in a society where food is abundant, do people commit suicide? Why do they tremble with anxiety? In my humble view, we should see such problems in a society of scarcity, but reality is quite the opposite. So I can’t help but ask this question. Is a materially abundant society necessarily a stable one? I imagine some of those reading this are married. I want to ask if after you got married you were still as popular as you used to be. I ask because I believe a capitalist society resembles the single life, while a socialist society resembles the state of marriage. Married people are inevitably less popular than their single counterparts. (Let’s leave out those rare exceptions of people who are both wealthy and exceptionally good-looking). This is because we all understand that, through marriage, ownership of a person is now clearly assigned to the other member of the couple. The moment a person becomes someone else’s possession, their popularity naturally wanes. Married people understand this well as, unlike in their single days, they no longer radiate charm to the opposite sex. What does it mean to not radiate charm? It means not spending money to impress someone. It means not wearing stylish clothes, not driving flashy cars, not buying lovely gifts for someone you’re interested in. Thus, money is naturally saved. Marriage generally leads to a focus on the family, and people experience the accumulation of money. In other words, from a financial perspective, marriage is a state of stability, while being single means instability. Capitalist societies tend to be democratic, while socialist societies tend to be dictatorial. Here, democracy is like the state of being unmarried, and dictatorship is like being married. Dictators have no need to appeal to the public. They know they’ll remain in power next year and the year after that. But in a democracy, the president serves a fixed term, and anyone hoping to be elected must showcase every bit of charm they can muster to the people. They must present their plans and their vision for welfare. Even if these promises later prove false, that’s a problem for the future, not now. If they have little to offer, they can resort to tearing down their opponent to make themselves look better. Why is there political conflict? Why do gender conflicts arise? Why are societies divided? Have you ever considered that politicians might use small issues as kindling to stir up these conflicts just to gain more votes? Their political battles lead to instability in society. In South Korea now, this has become so severe that it’s even affecting marriage rates. Let’s narrow the scope and consider the individual. In a dictatorship, nearly every personal decision is made by the state. What job to take, and what to think. Do you assume everyone resents this and acts against it? From what I’ve experienced, while some do push back, many are actually quite content to let others make decisions for them. Not everyone is born with leadership qualities. For some, joining someone else’s plan is far less stressful than planning out their own life. Some people are just born to be followers. I watched a documentary once when I was in North Korea. It featured a Russian woman reminiscing fondly about the old Soviet days. Even though she admitted life had become materially better, she missed the past. I couldn’t understand her at the time. Why would she miss the days of poverty? What exactly was she longing for? Let’s delve a little deeper into that question. Do you think North Koreans are emotionally unstable?Their worries are mostly about food. They don’t spend time worrying about animal cruelty, environmental pollution, or things like that. But what about capitalist societies? In material terms, capitalism is a success. Never in history have societies produced so much with so little labor. The fear of going hungry vanished long ago. So naturally, people’s worries and interests have shifted. Take, for example, concerns about the ethical treatment of chickens or the freedom to choose one’s gender identity. These are new kinds of issues, and since we’re encountering them for the first time, they are bound to stir controversy. Perhaps we’ll never find solid answers and will be left in ongoing confusion. But these problems simply don’t exist in North Korea. There, people experience very little job-related stress and even less from interpersonal relationships. There’s no need to strive to get ahead of others, and therefore, no stress that comes from competition. Even if someone outperforms another, there’s no reward, so why bother? Even if one makes a mistake at work, the consequences rarely fall squarely on the individual. So life is simple enough that a beer in the evening can melt all your worries away. Emotionally, it’s a stable life. That’s why you see so few cases of depression in North Korea. In contrast, people in capitalist societies must make every decision themselves. What to do for a living, how to earn money, what kind of house to live in? Every day, they’re faced with choices, and that creates anxiety. Another problem in a capitalist society is that we are surrounded by fabulous people who make us feel small. They live in amazing houses and spend in a day what we earn in a month, all on full display through social media. How many people can just shrug that off? How many can walk their own path with confidence, unaffected by constant comparison with others? That’s why people feel anxious. Worrying becomes second nature. Some can’t even sleep at night. This anxiety pushes us to perform beyond our limits. Take the great thinkers and artists we know of, such as Beethoven and Van Gogh. They created their masterpieces in the midst of deep personal darkness. Capitalism is, in essence, a system of survival of the fittest based on merit. To survive and get ahead in this system, people must work tirelessly. And behind that drive lies anxiety. Ironically, the very anxiety embedded in capitalism becomes the fuel that drives it forward. Can we, then, find balance between anxiety and growth? Can we live materially abundant lives while also remaining emotionally content? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20problem%20of%20anxiety%20inherent%20in%20capitalism&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20problem%20of%20anxiety%20inherent%20in%20capitalism https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20problem%20of%20anxiety%20inherent%20in%20capitalism "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-problem-of-anxiety-inherent-in-capitalism/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20problem%20of%20anxiety%20inherent%20in%20capitalism&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-problem-of-anxiety-inherent-in-capitalism/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20problem%20of%20anxiety%20inherent%20in%20capitalism "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Who are the rural hospitals really being built for?](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-are-the-rural-hospitals-really-being-built-for/) **Published:** June 24, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-08-at-10 05 50-pm.jpg "Screenshot 20250608 at 10 05 50 pm | nk insider")North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently inspected a [rural hospital](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250603010000504) construction site and praised the project as “a great revolution in the backward health sector.” On the surface, his appearance and the honesty about the healthcare system appears to have been a gesture highlighting government efforts to make improvements. But when we look more closely, we can’t help but question whether Kim is truly concerned about the people’s wellbeing. Kim has spent the last several years tirelessly cultivating his image as a “leader for the people.” In March 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he broke ground on [a modern hospital in Pyongyang](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20200318015751504), and in [February this year, he attended its completion ceremony](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250228017800504), where he claimed, “The health of our citizens is our top priority.” As the capital, Pyongyang is home to those with privileged backgrounds, the *donju* (moneyed elite), and high-ranking officials. It is the heart of the regime’s power, wealth, and loyalty. Despite this, the Pyongyang General Hospital – touted as one of Kim’s most significant achievements – has continually faced allegations of understaffing and [inadequate medical equipment](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250228017800504). According to testimony from locals, patients often experience delays or are denied treatment due to a lack of qualified staff and functioning equipment. This has reportedly caused significant inconvenience for those seeking care. Now, Kim has pledged to build hospitals in the provinces. On June 2, he visited a construction site in Kangdong County and announced that pilot hospitals would also be built this year in Ryonggang County, which is in Nampo special city, and in Kusong, a city in North Pyongan Province. Starting in 2026, he plans to construct 20 hospitals annually across various cities and counties. While this initiative may seem like a commitment to medical access for all citizens, it is, in reality, more illusion than substance. It closely mirrors the legacy-building strategies favored by his father and grandfather when they ran the country. For North Korea’s leaders, construction projects have long served as an easy tool for self-promotion. The term “hospital construction” has a benevolent ring to it, and it lends itself well to propaganda aimed at rallying public sentiment. But the troubling reality is that these projects often demand an unsustainable level of sacrifice from ordinary citizens. In the past, whether for housing construction or disaster recovery, the regime has shifted the burden for materials, labor, and finances almost entirely onto the people. It is likely the same will happen with this rural hospital initiative. This raises the unavoidable question: Is this really for the people’s health, or just another feather in Kim Jong-un’s cap? North Korea’s hospital construction projects rely heavily on forced labor and compulsory donations from citizens. People in the targeted construction areas are required to provide building materials and manpower. “Any construction means collecting bricks, cement, even money and food from local residents,” said an escapee who arrived in South Korea in 2018. “Depending on the project, locals may be forcibly assigned to work on-site.” He said that those who refuse can face punishment ranging from mandatory street cleaning and mobilization to detention in labor camps. If Kim’s plan to build hospitals in 20 locations simultaneously proceeds next year, many citizens will be forced to give up their daily lives to supply labor and resources. This, combined with ongoing projects like Pyongyang’s 50,000-unit housing construction, and the country’s worsening economic crisis, means the burden of these new plans will only inflict more suffering on the public. The irony is that, once the construction is completed and the hospitals start operating, they are unlikely to provide any real benefit. North Korea’s medical facilities are notorious for chronic shortages of medicine and poor-quality equipment. A brand-new building means little if there are no medicines and no competent doctors. It is already well known that patients often must go to the black market to obtain medicine and bribe doctors to receive treatment. Given these realities, it’s likely that the newly built provincial hospitals will look impressive only in propaganda photos and videos, offering little real improvement to public health. So why is Kim so fixated on them? The likely answer lies not in benevolence, but in strategic image-building and internal control. Facing mounting challenges from international sanctions, economic hardship, and food shortages, Kim has sought to maintain regime legitimacy by emphasizing his “love for the people.” His promotion of the provincial hospital project, following the Pyongyang General Hospital initiative, is the one of the reasons there is criticism that this project is [aimed at placating public discontent and diverting their attention](https://www.dailian.co.kr/news/view2/1459322?sc=Daum). When citizens are mobilized for large-scale projects like hospital construction, they lose the ability to focus on their personal livelihoods and are less likely to voice dissatisfaction with the regime. Of course, rural hospitals are a genuine necessity. But if the regime truly wants to build hospitals for the people, it must go beyond erecting buildings. It should prioritize the acquisition of medicines and modern medical equipment, and invest in training qualified medical personnel. The quality of healthcare depends not just on infrastructure but on the professionals and support systems behind it. Additionally, the state should take responsibility for securing and allocating the necessary resources for construction, instead of leaning on the people. Only then will the new hospitals be seen as reflecting a genuine commitment to improving the lives of ordinary people. When that sincerity is finally communicated to the people – who live in some of the world’s harshest conditions – only then will the regime’s claim to a “people-first policy” begin to hold any weight. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Who%20are%20the%20rural%20hospitals%20really%20being%20built%20for%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Who%20are%20the%20rural%20hospitals%20really%20being%20built%20for%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Who%20are%20the%20rural%20hospitals%20really%20being%20built%20for%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-are-the-rural-hospitals-really-being-built-for/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Who%20are%20the%20rural%20hospitals%20really%20being%20built%20for%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-are-the-rural-hospitals-really-being-built-for/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Who%20are%20the%20rural%20hospitals%20really%20being%20built%20for%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [What happens when cinema loses its freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-happens-when-cinema-loses-its-freedom/) **Published:** June 23, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Istock-458243627.jpg "North korea propaganda | nk insider")Films have a great influence on our lives, whether we realize it or not. I can show this through my own life. If it weren’t for films, I wouldn’t be in South Korea now, and I wouldn’t be writing this piece. The world I saw through films told me that life held out so much. There was so much to enjoy, and it was free. Of course, films also gave me a reason to pursue an adventure. North Korea is a giant prison. Some may deny this, but when escape means being dragged back in, how else can you describe it? We can’t take a single step beyond the barbed wire that encircles us along the border. That makes us always curious about what lies beyond. But the moment that curiosity is expressed, it becomes a threat. Nothing threatens the regime more than dissatisfaction with life as it is. That’s why the government removes anything, even by force, that might generate instability. In North Korea, watching a South Korean film can get you seven years in prison. In some circumstances, it can mean the death penalty. This is plainly cruel. It is an egregious violation of basic rights. But from the regime’s perspective, film is not a simple matter. What starts as mere curiosity soon grows into love for the actors. That’s how personal emotions begin to enter into cinema. Some try to forget the harsh realities of their life by immersing themselves in the dazzling worlds portrayed on screen. The problem is that as you continue watching, those emotions inevitably evolve into distrust toward the regime. So, in the eyes of the regime, watching foreign films is not just disloyal. It’s betrayal. Maybe not today, but someday it will be. A friend once told me, “The Soviet Union fell because of Tom and Jerry.” In other words, America couldn’t take down the USSR with all its advanced weapons and technology, but Tom and Jerry did it. It was, of course, a joke, but it revealed something very real. That was, the power of cultural influence. I still remember my shock when I saw a South Korean film for the first time. There were no grueling work collectives, no weekly struggle sessions, no ideological training like I had to endure every day. There were just handsome men who wanted to fall in love. So ask yourself this: If I had to choose between a dreary collective routine and an entertaining film, especially one that made me laugh just by looking at a good-looking actor, isn’t my choice obvious? North Korea is, truly, a boring place. It’s no exaggeration to say that the reason young people become obsessed with dramas is tied to that very boredom. One story illustrates just how dull North Korean society is. There was an ethnic Korean grandmother who became wealthy after succeeding in business in Japan. She was over 80 years old and longed to return to her hometown. She hoped to spend the rest of her life in North Korea, and the regime had no reason to reject her. After all, she was incredibly rich. From the regime’s perspective, her return was a historic moment proving the greatness of the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.” But on the third day after her arrival, she visited a local official and made a plea: “Please send me back to Japan. I can’t live here anymore. There’s nothing to enjoy.” If a woman in her 80s couldn’t stand the boredom, imagine how I felt in my 20s. I know there are many people around the world who love K-pop. Do you know what I saw written in one of those K-pop videos? It was that South Korea had once exported labor. It exported wigs. It exported coal. Now, it exports culture. That hit me like a shock. It was an awakening. They – the South Koreans – were now selling the intangible. Even though I was North Korean, I felt overwhelming pride for South Korea. We had collapsed, but they had risen. I believe this emotion comes from the fact that we are one people. Hallyu, the Korean Wave, has undeniably caused a deep crack in the minds of North Koreans. So, at this point, I have to get back to North Korean cinema. If the North’s films were truly good, why would anyone risk their life to watch South Korean ones? North Korean films are always, inevitably, unnatural. They demand emotions like sacrifice, loyalty, and hostility. If someone betrays the state, even if it’s your own father, you must shoot him. This is actually the theme of the film “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.” North Korean films never explore human emotions in a natural way. The only film that even remotely tries to is “Nation and Destiny.” This movie was produced under the direct guidance of the then-leader Kim Jong-il, the father of the current leader, Kim Jong-un. It remains popular among North Koreans because, unlike other films, it includes scenes of kissing and love. We seem to have a desire to vicariously experience love. No filmmaker in North Korea had dared include a kiss in a film before. Only our General Kim Jong-il could come up with such a bold idea. He was truly a master of cinema. His contributions to film were even compiled into “Greatness Education Materials.” One curious thing about “Nation and Destiny” is that all the kissing happens with foreigners. In North Korean films, anything considered racy is always portrayed through the actions of foreigners. One filmmaker once believed cinema needed to change. This person once organized a meeting with fellow filmmakers, and the theme of the discussion was, “Why can’t we make films like South Korea does?” “Why do we watch movies?” he asked, standing in front of the actors. “Isn’t it to see beautiful women? Then why do our films keep casting women in their 50s to play 20-year-olds?” He was so passionate about film that he spoke a bit too honestly, too true to human instinct. He even brought up the South Korean epic series “Jumong” to illustrate the changes he thought we needed to make. Shortly after, he was dismissed. Did he really not know why no one dared include a kiss in a film? He had attempted something new in cinema, but he wasn’t Kim Jong-il, so the outcome was inevitable. In North Korea, film serves only the purpose of propaganda. In socialist societies, there’s a concept called “human reformation.” That is, an ideal human form is predefined, and people are shaped to match it. This concept highlights the core problem with North Korea’s arts sector. It ignores human instinct, and even tries to change it. That’s why the appeal of cinema keeps dwindling, while the popularity of foreign films keeps rising. Can the state really block this wave with harsh punishment alone? In a place as dark and sealed-off as North Korea, how warm and beautiful must that sliver of sunlight feel when it slips in through a crack? And this thought leads me to wonder whether, in this free place overflowing with sunlight, are we truly feeling the warmth and living with gratitude for it? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20happens%20when%20cinema%20loses%20its%20freedom&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%20happens%20when%20cinema%20loses%20its%20freedom https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%20happens%20when%20cinema%20loses%20its%20freedom "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-happens-when-cinema-loses-its-freedom/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%20happens%20when%20cinema%20loses%20its%20freedom&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-happens-when-cinema-loses-its-freedom/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%20happens%20when%20cinema%20loses%20its%20freedom "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [What’s behind mandatory military service for women?](https://www.nkinsider.org/whats-behind-mandatory-military-service-for-women/) **Published:** June 20, 2025 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Istock-1131100809.jpg "North korean female soldiers | nk insider")Growing up, my mother always said, “Don’t wait for a man who went to the army.” She was patient for ten years before my father was discharged from military service and they could marry. She often lamented how she had never had a chance to date in college. Forcing young men to spend the best years of their youth – ten long years – in compulsory military service is nothing short of brutal. Conscription isn’t unique to North Korea. [Around 70 countries](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250318095000518#:~:text=%EA%B5%AD%EA%B0%80%EC%A0%95%EB%B3%B4%EC%9B%90%EC%9D%80%202022%EB%85%84,%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C%20%EB%8B%A4%EC%96%91%ED%95%98%EB%8B%A4%EA%B3%A0%20%EB%B6%84%EC%84%9D%ED%96%88%EB%8B%A4.) have some form of mandatory military service. However, most of them limit it to between one and three years. In Egypt, for example, which has the next longest period after North Korea, [service lasts up to 36 months](https://www.chosun.com/opinion/specialist_column/2023/12/19/BOR56PLRXRCLRNHEBKL2H4L2IQ/). South Korea has also shortened its term to [18 months](https://m.ktv.go.kr/program/again/view?program_id=PG2180014D&content_id=560292#:~:text=%EC%9C%A1%EA%B5%B0%EA%B3%BC%20%ED%95%B4%EA%B5%B0%2C%20%ED%95%B4%EB%B3%91%EB%8C%80%EB%8A%94,22%EA%B0%9C%EC%9B%94%EB%A1%9C%20%ED%99%95%EC%A0%95%EB%90%90%EC%8A%B5%EB%8B%88%EB%8B%A4.&text=%EB%8B%A8%EC%B6%95%EC%95%88%EC%9D%80%2010%EC%9B%94%20%EC%A0%84%EC%97%AD%EC%9E%90,%EA%B0%9C%EC%9B%94%EB%A7%8C%20%EB%B3%B5%EB%AC%B4%ED%95%98%EB%A9%B4%20%EB%90%A9%EB%8B%88%EB%8B%A4.). But in the North, men serve up to 13 years, and women up to eight years. This system functions not just as a national defense strategy, but as a mechanism of regime control. North Korea’s military service began after the announcement of the “People’s Army Service Ordinance” in 1956. Service was presented as voluntary, but was effectively compulsory. Initially, service periods were set at 40 months for the army, and 48 months[ for the navy and air force](https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/pge/view.do;jsessionid=NDR2RcDMGgclohHh_zEiO1nMm9ePRsf5lqORbdBP.ins12?menuId=MR105), though in practice, they lasted much longer. In 1993, a new system was introduced with men serving 10 years and women seven, regardless of their age at the start. This policy was enforced broadly following North Korea’s withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its subsequent declaration of a quasi-wartime status. Except for a few university-recommended individuals, most were conscripted. In 1996, the policy shifted again, this time to a “service age limit system,” where men had to [serve](https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/pge/view.do;jsessionid=NDR2RcDMGgclohHh_zEiO1nMm9ePRsf5lqORbdBP.ins12?menuId=MR105) until they were 30 and women until 26. In 2003, the regime codified conscription into law as a nationwide obligation, relaxing physical standards to account for teenage undernourishment. Until recently, women were conscripted on a voluntary basis. But in June 2014, this was changed to a mandatory system. Most women now enlist after high school and serve for seven to eight years. Some North Korea experts interpret the shift as a strategic move by the regime to address troop shortages and labor issues within the country. “I was deployed as a midwife to a hospital and ended up conducting physical screening of new recruits,” said Kim Sara (alias), a 30-year-old who once studied medicine in North Korea and recently resettled in South Korea. “When it began, we received orders from above to record women’s height two centimeters taller than it actually was,” she said. “Male students, even if shorter than females, could pass if they were 147 cm because they were expected to grow taller. But since female students are considered to stop growing after they are 17 due to estrogen accelerating bone maturation, the minimum requirement was set at 153 cm.” “Under Kim Jong-il, the minimum height was 156 cm, but under Kim Jong-un, it was lowered. If a girl measured 151 cm, we wrote down 153. After the mandatory system was introduced, even the officials were reportedly troubled by the change.” “I heard from hospital officials that Kim Il-sung had once visited a male-only military unit and found it pitiful,” she said. “He ordered the creation of an adjacent women’s unit and specified the gender ratio should be about 8:2. That’s when I understood why male and female units were stationed together.” “During Kim Jong-il’s time, if a girl was tall enough, parents could bribe officials to keep her out of the military,” she said. “As such bribery became more common, fewer women volunteered. At least in Jagang Province where I lived, sending a daughter to the army was seen as abandoning her. People saw it as a choice, one they would not make. As support rates fell, the regime made military service compulsory for women.” Choi Ji-hyang, who once lived in Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province, and has since resettled in South Korea, said, “In North Korea, women who’ve been in the military are called ‘Stone Age.’ Men avoid them, saying they’re brainwashed and out of touch with reality. Families will do whatever it takes to keep daughters out of the army, faking medical conditions if necessary. So for North Korea, the only solution was to make enlistment compulsory.” “In December 2011, after Kim Jong-il died, an emergency collective enlistment order was issued at high schools,” she said. “They said we were entering wartime readiness and all girls had to serve. Parents sent daughters to relatives in other provinces to hide them. I hid at my grandmother’s house. But that couldn’t last. My mother bribed a doctor to issue a fake tuberculosis certificate, which we submitted to school. The school didn’t believe it the first time, so we kept getting new diagnoses every month from different doctors. Officials and doctors reportedly made a lot of money off families with daughters. That was when I started thinking about defecting.” “Even after reaching the initial draft age of 14, girls who got into special fields or universities were previously exempt,” she said. “But in 2012, universities barely had any freshmen because they were all conscripted. One of my friends was taken during that time and sent to an artillery unit near Pyongyang. Some thought she was lucky, but others whispered she was there because her family had no money.” Kim 0-chan, a male now living in South Korea, said, “Girls can dodge service during high school by submitting fake medical reports like tuberculosis diagnoses. But every April and August, there’s a mandatory physical examination known as ‘social draft.’ If no disease is found, they have to enlist. The real reason for mandatory service for women is a shortage of troops and the regime’s desire to control women who cause trouble by trading in the markets. They want to bind them within the military system to prevent that. But more than anything, it’s about ideologically tying youth to the regime.” “Personally, what angers me most is that I couldn’t even join the Party after serving,” Kim said. “Under Kim Jong-il, over nine out of 10 soldiers were allowed to join. Under Kim Jong-un, Party admission became competitive. Even superiors failed to get in. That’s when I decided to defect. For women, it’s the same. They suffer through service, don’t get into the Party, and are treated as je-ssem (the worst bride candidates) in society. This system is especially cruel to women.” The background behind the mandatory conscription of women includes troop shortages, youth control, suppression of market activity, and the long-standing 8:2 gender ratio policy in military units dating back to the Kim Il-sung era. The real reason may not even matter. What’s clear is that women have once again been sacrificed for the sake of regime maintenance. Whatever the truth may be, the principle that “the state should exist for its people” has collapsed in the face of North Korean women’s reality. Under the name of “mandatory military service,” the rights and freedoms of North Korean women have once again silently receded. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%E2%80%99s%20behind%20mandatory%20military%20service%20for%20women%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%E2%80%99s%20behind%20mandatory%20military%20service%20for%20women%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%E2%80%99s%20behind%20mandatory%20military%20service%20for%20women%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/whats-behind-mandatory-military-service-for-women/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%E2%80%99s%20behind%20mandatory%20military%20service%20for%20women%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/whats-behind-mandatory-military-service-for-women/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%E2%80%99s%20behind%20mandatory%20military%20service%20for%20women%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Soaring exchange rate drives up food prices](https://www.nkinsider.org/soaring-exchange-rate-drives-up-food-prices/) **Published:** June 18, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Istock-1598504723.jpg "Us 100 dollars bills and chinese currency yuan banknotes closeup background | nk insider")A recent surge in the U.S. dollar exchange rate against the North Korean won appears to have led to a rise in food prices. According to a recent investigation by NK Times, in Pyongyang, Pyongsong, Sariwon, and Hamhung, 1 U.S. dollar is being exchanged for 28,000 North Korean won, and 1 Chinese yuan for 3,850 North Korean won. Compared to just the middle of last month, this marks an increase of 1,000 won per dollar (3.8%) and 300 won per yuan (8.7%). In Hoeryong and Hyesan, in the border area, the rate is even higher at 28,500 won to the dollar. The main cause of the sharp rise is identified as a surge in foreign currency demand, spurred by active trade and state-sponsored smuggling. Since December, the state is reported to have smuggled large volumes of automobiles, household products, and [transportation equipment](https://nktimes.kr/%e5%8c%97-%ec%9e%90%ea%b0%95%eb%8f%84-%ec%a0%91%ea%b2%bd%ec%a7%80%eb%a1%9c-%e4%b8%ad-%eb%a0%88%eb%af%b8%ec%bd%98%c2%b7%eb%8c%80%ed%98%95%ed%8a%b8%eb%9f%ad-%eb%8c%80%ea%b1%b0-%eb%b0%98%ec%9e%85/) across the border into Ryanggang Province and other regions. However, payment has been delayed, reportedly prompting mounting pressure from Chinese merchants. As a result, trading companies and *donju* (moneyed elites) that brought in the goods are scrambling to acquire foreign currency, further accelerating the upward trend in exchange rates, according to sources. “Trade companies and *donju* that haven’t been able to make payments are desperately trying to buy foreign currency,” a source said. “This movement is making illegal forex market transactions more active and is pushing up the dollar rate even more.” “Even though state smuggling has been temporarily suspended, trade companies and *donju* who have yet to pay for previously imported goods are still purchasing foreign currency, so the upward trend in the dollar rate is likely to continue for the time being,” he said. With the continued surge in exchange rates, food prices are also reportedly spiking in tandem. In Pyongyang, Pyongsong, and Sariwon, 1 kg of rice is trading at 10,800 won, and 1 kg of corn at 3,500 won. In northern regions such as Hyesan and Hoeryong, rice is priced at 11,000 won per kg (up 200 won) and corn at 3,550 won per kg (up 50 won). The higher food prices in the northern areas are primarily attributed to a greater reliance on imported rice. “In the markets, imported rice is more widely distributed than domestically produced rice, so when the exchange rate goes up, food prices naturally follow,” he said. “Because of this continued price hike, more and more ordinary residents are reportedly skipping one of their three daily meals.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Soaring%20exchange%20rate%20drives%20up%20food%20prices&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Soaring%20exchange%20rate%20drives%20up%20food%20prices https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Soaring%20exchange%20rate%20drives%20up%20food%20prices "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/soaring-exchange-rate-drives-up-food-prices/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Soaring%20exchange%20rate%20drives%20up%20food%20prices&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/soaring-exchange-rate-drives-up-food-prices/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Soaring%20exchange%20rate%20drives%20up%20food%20prices "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [Ordinary North Koreans express optimism over Lee’s inauguration in the South](https://www.nkinsider.org/ordinary-north-koreans-express-optimism-over-lees-inauguration-in-the-south/) **Published:** June 16, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** Following a straight news report by the Korean Central News Agency on [the inauguration of President Lee Jae-Myung](https://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N1008128190), informing the populace about the change at the top in South Korea without comment, sources say that there is a sense of anticipation among ordinary North Koreans. According to an NK Times source in Hyesan City, news about Lee’s inauguration has become a major topic of discussion. Residents are said to be hopeful about an improvement in inter-Korean relations. News of the election has also spread in the North after being conveyed by defectors in South Korea, who rapidly passed it along to people in the region of the border with China. In particular, it is reported that the defectors emphasized during phone calls with North Korean family members that “President Lee is a politician who stresses dialogue and cooperation between the two Koreas.” In response, people are said to be expressing hopes for a loosening of internal controls and economic change, according to the source. “I heard the news that the president changed through people who went over there,” said A from Ryanggang Province, referring to defectors. He was speaking in a phone call with this paper. “Everyone who calls from there says relations between the two Koreas will soon improve and tells us to hang in there a little longer.” Another person from the same province expressed similar thoughts. “It’s fortunate that the president over there is someone friendly to us,” said B. “If someone becomes president who wants to engage with us, the controls here ease up a bit, and people aren’t pushed around as badly as they are now. I really hope relations get better soon.” The backdrop of such reactions seems to lie in the fact that defectors have clearly conveyed President Lee’s stance on inter-Korean relations to North Korean residents. This atmosphere is even being sensed among members of the security agencies, who are at the forefront of the suppression by the regime. “I heard that the president over there changed. Isn’t there a chance relations might improve soon?” asked C, a senior official from a security agency in the province. “If that happens, things won’t be as tight as they are now.” “People involved in trade understand better than anyone how relations with South Korea affect economic activity,” he said. “We don’t know when or what kind of decision will come from above, but isn’t there a high chance things will flow in a good direction?” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ordinary%20North%20Koreans%20express%20optimism%20over%20Lee%E2%80%99s%20inauguration%20in%20the%20South&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Ordinary%20North%20Koreans%20express%20optimism%20over%20Lee%E2%80%99s%20inauguration%20in%20the%20South https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Ordinary%20North%20Koreans%20express%20optimism%20over%20Lee%E2%80%99s%20inauguration%20in%20the%20South "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/ordinary-north-koreans-express-optimism-over-lees-inauguration-in-the-south/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Ordinary%20North%20Koreans%20express%20optimism%20over%20Lee%E2%80%99s%20inauguration%20in%20the%20South&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/ordinary-north-koreans-express-optimism-over-lees-inauguration-in-the-south/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Ordinary%20North%20Koreans%20express%20optimism%20over%20Lee%E2%80%99s%20inauguration%20in%20the%20South "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Serious accident during destroyer launch… Kim Jong Un: “An unacceptable crime”](https://www.nkinsider.org/serious-accident-during-destroyer-launch-kim-jong-un-an-unacceptable-crime/) **Published:** June 9, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kju.jpg "Kju | nk insider")Kim Jong Un witnessed a major accident May 21 during the botched launch of a newly built 5,000-ton-class destroyer. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that a “serious accident occurred during the launch process,” at the Chongjin Shipyard. “Due to inexperienced command and careless operation, the parallel alignment of the bogie movement was not ensured, resulting in the aft portion of the vessel detaching first during the launch incline and becoming grounded,” the KCNA report said. “Partial rupture of the underwater hull sections disrupted the ship’s balance, and the bow failed to detach from the platform.” Having witnessed the entire accident, Kim Jong Un was quoted as saying, “This is a serious, major accident and criminal act that could neither possibly happen nor be tolerated. It was caused purely by carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism.” “Swift restoration of the destroyer is not merely a practical task but a political issue directly tied to the authority of the state,” Kim said. “It must be completed unconditionally before the June plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee.” The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party has convened the 12th plenary session of the 8th Central Committee in late June to review the achievements of the first half of the year and plan for the second half. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Serious%20accident%20during%20destroyer%20launch%E2%80%A6%20Kim%20Jong%20Un%3A%20%E2%80%9CAn%20unacceptable%20crime%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Serious%20accident%20during%20destroyer%20launch%E2%80%A6%20Kim%20Jong%20Un%3A%20%E2%80%9CAn%20unacceptable%20crime%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Serious%20accident%20during%20destroyer%20launch%E2%80%A6%20Kim%20Jong%20Un%3A%20%E2%80%9CAn%20unacceptable%20crime%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/serious-accident-during-destroyer-launch-kim-jong-un-an-unacceptable-crime/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Serious%20accident%20during%20destroyer%20launch%E2%80%A6%20Kim%20Jong%20Un%3A%20%E2%80%9CAn%20unacceptable%20crime%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/serious-accident-during-destroyer-launch-kim-jong-un-an-unacceptable-crime/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Serious%20accident%20during%20destroyer%20launch%E2%80%A6%20Kim%20Jong%20Un%3A%20%E2%80%9CAn%20unacceptable%20crime%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [How the social system deteriorates ](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-the-social-system-deteriorates/) **Published:** April 1, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Istock-1150562262boggy22.jpg "Korean schoolchildren at the memorial cemetery of revolutionaries | nk insider")What is the function of a society? Each country, each person may answer this in a different way, but there is one thing we can all agree on. That is, that the function of a society is to uphold stability and order. Society, through laws and institutions, seeks to prevent chaos. But what if a society moves in the opposite direction? What could be the explanation for that? Was it designed that way from the beginning? Or did it evolve? If someone were to ask me what shocked me the most after escaping North Korea, I would say it was South Korea’s administrative system. Of course, many things left me astonished, but the administrative system was beyond anything I could have imagined. Perhaps this was because the first place I encountered in South Korea was the local government office. Once called the “dong” (neighborhood) office, this place is now known as the jumin (residents) center. Isn’t there a saying that a baby bird believes the first thing it sees after hatching to be its mother? In that sense, the jumin center was the world I first saw after defecting and being released as a free person into South Korean society. It was South Korea. It was capitalism. It was there that I received my second card identifying me as the resident of a nation. If I recall correctly, the entire process was completed in less than 30 minutes and in that brief span of time, I was left utterly astounded by the system’s efficiency and simplicity. I wondered, is that it? Could it really be this easy? Like a child confronted with something too astonishing to believe, my mind swarmed with questions. And then, I recalled the day I received my first resident’s card in North Korea and the administrative system I had known there. The endless waiting, the sharp, impatient voices of security officers, the desperate pleas of civilians. In North Korea, obtaining a single document called for boundless patience and effort. Someone once said that waiting is the hardest thing in the world. At least if waiting yielded results, it might be bearable, but more often than not, after hours of waiting, people were simply told, “Leave and come back tomorrow.” I think it was during my university years that I grew utterly sick of North Korea’s administrative system. The policy was for students attending university to have their residential registration changed from their home to the university. As a result, even when returning home, we were considered visitors and had to report to the security office. In other words, we had to file a lodging registration at the local security office. And if someone failed to do this, then they might be woken up in the middle of the night and taken away by security officers for a nighttime interrogation. The irony was unbelievable. I could not even sleep in my own home in peace. And that’s not all. When leaving home to return to university, we had to visit the security office once more to obtain a document confirming that we had caused no issues during our stay. The problem was that security officers never issued these documents easily, even for routine matters. They could not, would not, tolerate the sight of us resolving things too smoothly. I truly cannot understand why such unnecessary regulations were created. Honestly, who in their right mind would voluntarily report to the authorities just because they came home for a visit? It’s truly unnatural. It’s absurd. It is as if the entire system was designed not to function, but to obstruct. So why did the North Korean system evolve in such a manner? It all begins with the fact that people do not receive wages. No matter how hard people work, they are never paid. If the outcome of tireless dedication and of idleness is the same, then why bother putting in any effort at all? People might as well conserve their strength, focus on survival. But here is the most perverse irony of all. Those who refuse to work often earn more than those who do. By receiving bribes. Exhausted by endless waiting, worn down by repeated visits, people pay bribes to expedite the process. And thus, a grotesque environment takes shape, whereby the officials who do not do their jobs receive the most money. And so, the system mutates and evolves—not to facilitate, but to prevent work from getting done. Occasionally, those who lack money resort to pleading, but their pleas are meaningless. How absurd it is to have to beg, to have to bribe, for something that is rightfully yours. And yet, in North Korea, this is simply how reality works. When you register your residence, but they will not let you deregister when you leave, when you register your marriage, but they will not let you divorce. What can people do? They adapt and devise new methods. To avoid deregistration issues, they stop registering their residence. To avoid divorce problems, they stop registering their marriage. I am reminded of the story of two friends, one who lived by honesty, the other by deceit. One was a man of integrity, so upright that those around him would say, “He’s the kind of man who doesn’t even need laws to live by.” The other was a man adept at evading responsibility, so slippery they called him “Eel.” Both married at the same time, and by some twist of fate both decided to separate from their spouses at the same time. But here is where their paths went in different directions. One had registered his marriage. I suspect the readers can guess which one. At the time, under Kim Jong-un’s orders, divorce laws had been tightened that anyone seeking a divorce was sentenced to six months of forced labor. The law-abiding friend became a scapegoat for the government’s campaign to prevent divorces and was dragged into a public trial. There in the crowd, watching his humiliation, stood Eel. It was as if the lawbreaker was now judging the law-abiding citizen. Those who registered their marriage were punished, while those who illegally married multiple times faced no consequences. Some were even revered. Of course, Kim, being above the law, never had to register his marriages. The hypocrisy is staggering. This story reveals how people survive in such a place. The honest friend, of course, was the loser and the deceitful friend was the victor. In North Korea, sincerity and diligence are not virtues. They are liabilities. When I was a child, I was taught that kindness, righteousness, and sincerity were good values. Books said so. My parents said so. But the reality I lived in said otherwise. The honest lived in poverty and the swindlers and the manipulators flourished. Was the morality I believed in different from the morality the world demanded? I will never forget the despair of that realization. I saw it with my own eyes. That which should have been praised was punished. The result is that people stopped following the law. The residency registration system collapsed, and the marriage registration system collapsed. The entire social order began to crumble. What drives the evolution of North Korea’s system? It evolves for the sake of power, for the sake of extracting more bribes. Can a society that evolves through corruption ever be just? In such a society, people solve unjust problems through shortcuts and illegal means. A rotten system breeds a rotten consciousness and rotten people. That is an upside down world. And in that world, I once doubted even my own beliefs. But truth can never be destroyed by fire, water, or oppression. As Stephen Covey wrote, “We can never destroy absolute truth. We only destroy ourselves by thinking we can destroy the truth.” Perhaps, then, North Korean society will one day destroy itself. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20the%20social%20system%20deteriorates%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=How%20the%20social%20system%20deteriorates%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=How%20the%20social%20system%20deteriorates%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-the-social-system-deteriorates/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=How%20the%20social%20system%20deteriorates%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-the-social-system-deteriorates/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=How%20the%20social%20system%20deteriorates%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [State Security Ministry is now monitoring and restricting military counterintelligence agents—What’s going on?](https://www.nkinsider.org/state-security-ministry-is-now-monitoring-and-restricting-military-counterintelligence-agents-whats-going-on/) **Published:** June 7, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Nk-police.jpg "Nk police | nk insider")The State Security Ministry (SSM) is reportedly monitoring and restraining even the activities of military counterintelligence agents from the Defense Security Bureau (Security Command) in an effort to block the inflow of external information and the leakage of internal data. According to a source in Ryanggang Province, a 7th Bureau agent from the Defense Security Bureau stationed in Hyesan was caught by members of the SSM Radio Signal Detection Bureau (Bureau 11) using a Chinese cellphone. This led to what he described as an “embarrassing situation.” The agent reportedly explained to the SSM personnel conducting the crackdown that he was “on an operation.” However, the SSM agents challenged him, allegedly saying, “Is chatting meaninglessly with women what you call an operation?” They cited intercepted conversations as evidence. The source explained that the agent was not arrested on the spot, taking into consideration the fact that both parties belong to major intelligence agencies and that the agent claimed to be on duty at the time. The SSM and Defense Security Bureau share the common goal of defending the regime. They are separate organizations responsible for overseeing society and the military, respectively. Nevertheless, the fact that the SSM has begun monitoring and restricting the activities of the Defense Security Bureau has led to speculation that the regime may have granted the SSM even greater authority in maintaining the system. Following the incident, the SSM reportedly issued a warning to Defense Security Bureau agents saying that “unnecessary phone calls” would no longer be overlooked. As a result, agents have become more cautious about using Chinese cellphones, with some complaining that “it’s become a complete mess,” according to the source. “These aren’t just ordinary residents,” the source said. “They are agents of the Defense Security Bureau. They used to be referred to as *jieno* (the highest rank). Imagine how humiliating it must be for them to be monitored and restrained in their operations in this way.” “It seems the authority of the SSM has been significantly strengthened recently,” he said. “If this were not the case, how could one agency involved in state security surveillance monitor and reprimand another?” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=State%20Security%20Ministry%20is%20now%20monitoring%20and%20restricting%20military%20counterintelligence%20agents%E2%80%94What%E2%80%99s%20going%20on%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=State%20Security%20Ministry%20is%20now%20monitoring%20and%20restricting%20military%20counterintelligence%20agents%E2%80%94What%E2%80%99s%20going%20on%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=State%20Security%20Ministry%20is%20now%20monitoring%20and%20restricting%20military%20counterintelligence%20agents%E2%80%94What%E2%80%99s%20going%20on%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/state-security-ministry-is-now-monitoring-and-restricting-military-counterintelligence-agents-whats-going-on/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=State%20Security%20Ministry%20is%20now%20monitoring%20and%20restricting%20military%20counterintelligence%20agents%E2%80%94What%E2%80%99s%20going%20on%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/state-security-ministry-is-now-monitoring-and-restricting-military-counterintelligence-agents-whats-going-on/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=State%20Security%20Ministry%20is%20now%20monitoring%20and%20restricting%20military%20counterintelligence%20agents%E2%80%94What%E2%80%99s%20going%20on%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [North prepares for additional troop deployment to Russia… Aims to mass-produce combat-hardened fighters](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-prepares-for-additional-troop-deployment-to-russia-aims-to-mass-produce-combat-hardened-fighters/) **Published:** June 4, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Nk-soldiers-in-russia.jpg "Nk soldiers in russia | nk insider")North Korea is reportedly preparing an additional troop deployment to the Russian front in the war with Ukraine. The goal appears to be to mass-produce combat-hardened fighters. According to a high-ranking North Korean military source reached at the end of May, special forces, including the Reconnaissance General Bureau, have recently intensified live combat training in preparation. The military is said to have set a clear objective to foster a large number of troops with actual combat experience through additional deployments. In particular, a directive was reportedly issued in March saying that all soldiers in special operations units like the Reconnaissance General Bureau must gain experience in modern warfare. Accordingly, Reconnaissance Bureau units stationed in South Pyongan and South Hwanghae provinces are conducting live fire and field concealment training at least four times a week. The source said they are especially investing time in camouflage tactics to evade drone attacks. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Nk-soldiers.jpg "Nk soldiers | nk insider")North Korean special forces. \[Photo/Internet capture\] North Korea is believed to have sent a total of [15,000 troops to Russia’s war in Ukraine in two separate deployments](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=99679). They suffered around 4,700 casualties, most of them the result of [drone attacks](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20241218023000504). To reduce the high level of losses, the army is now concentrating on camouflage and concealment training. In other words, while gaining real combat experience through the deployment, it is also taking measures to prevent large-scale losses from drone attacks. “In the Russia war, most of our casualties were caused by drones,” the source said. “That’s why we’re stepping up camouflage and concealment training.” “Special forces like the Reconnaissance Bureau and the Storm Corps are now staffed with soldiers who have returned from Russia and are providing tactical training. They are already well-versed in how to evade drone attacks,” he said. “We don’t know when the next deployment order will come, but the troops are fully prepared to be thrown into combat at any time.” “Sending troops in this way to train more combat-hardened fighters is one of the Party’s strategies,” he said. “This also reflects the determination to strengthen the entire military’s real combat capability and fighting power in order to liberate the southern land as soon as possible.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20prepares%20for%20additional%20troop%20deployment%20to%20Russia%E2%80%A6%20Aims%20to%20mass-produce%20combat-hardened%20fighters&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20prepares%20for%20additional%20troop%20deployment%20to%20Russia%E2%80%A6%20Aims%20to%20mass-produce%20combat-hardened%20fighters https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20prepares%20for%20additional%20troop%20deployment%20to%20Russia%E2%80%A6%20Aims%20to%20mass-produce%20combat-hardened%20fighters "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-prepares-for-additional-troop-deployment-to-russia-aims-to-mass-produce-combat-hardened-fighters/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20prepares%20for%20additional%20troop%20deployment%20to%20Russia%E2%80%A6%20Aims%20to%20mass-produce%20combat-hardened%20fighters&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-prepares-for-additional-troop-deployment-to-russia-aims-to-mass-produce-combat-hardened-fighters/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20prepares%20for%20additional%20troop%20deployment%20to%20Russia%E2%80%A6%20Aims%20to%20mass-produce%20combat-hardened%20fighters "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [North enforces crackdown during rice-planting season… Forced labor for offenders](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-enforces-crackdown-during-rice-planting-season-forced-labor-for-violators/) **Published:** May 30, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Planting-rice.jpg "¸ð³±â ³ª¼± ºÏÇÑ ³ó¹Îµé | nk insider")Amid the height of the rice-planting season, an intensive crackdown is reportedly underway. Part of the regime’s broader effort to maintain social order, the season provides an opportunity for authorities to strictly control the activities of ordinary citizens. North Korea launches this kind of crackdown in conjunction with the “rice-planting battle” every year. Officials use it to underscore the importance of planting rice while creating an atmosphere of tension. According to an NK Times source inside North Korea, reached on May 19, the hours from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. have been designated as restricted periods during which free movement outdoors is prohibited. Special squads from the Social Safety Departments of each city and county, as well as local police patrols and university student inspection squads roam around at these times. They are reported to be stopping residents who are out on the streets and major roads during restricted hours and carting them off to work on nearby farms. In Sariwon, North Hwanghae Province, university inspection squads from Sariwon Industrial University and Sariwon Geological Exploration University are said to be patrolling the streets and alleyways, targeting students and young people. ![North Korean university inspection squad. [Photo / NK Times] ](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Inspection-group-1024x669.jpg "Inspection group | nk insider") north korean university inspection squad photo nk times City Security Department Special Mobile Forces are said to be conducting mobile crackdowns across cities and counties everywhere. Meanwhile, patrols affiliated with local police stations are detaining residents and youths within their jurisdictions, forcing them to nearby farms to transplant rice seedlings for at least three hours before sending them back home. The intensive crackdowns during rice-planting is nothing new. With chronic economic hardship and poor rural conditions accelerating the exodus of young people, the shortage of farming labor is said to have reached a critical level. This, the source explained, is why the authorities are fixated on the crackdowns. “Recently, the regime has prioritized the supply of modern agricultural machinery, fertilizer, and fuel,” the source said. “There is a shortage of trained personnel to operate the machines, so even the newest equipment is not being used efficiently.” “Farmers are taking the lead in rice planting, but manpower is still in short supply,” he said. “And because those being rounded up have no farming experience and were forcibly dragged there, they don’t work with any sense of ownership. This severely limits the effectiveness of the whole effort.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20enforces%20crackdown%20during%20rice-planting%20season%E2%80%A6%20Forced%20labor%20for%20offenders&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20enforces%20crackdown%20during%20rice-planting%20season%E2%80%A6%20Forced%20labor%20for%20offenders https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20enforces%20crackdown%20during%20rice-planting%20season%E2%80%A6%20Forced%20labor%20for%20offenders "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-enforces-crackdown-during-rice-planting-season-forced-labor-for-violators/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20enforces%20crackdown%20during%20rice-planting%20season%E2%80%A6%20Forced%20labor%20for%20offenders&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-enforces-crackdown-during-rice-planting-season-forced-labor-for-violators/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20enforces%20crackdown%20during%20rice-planting%20season%E2%80%A6%20Forced%20labor%20for%20offenders "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [The state takes over smuggling, violating sanctions and threatening livelihoods](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-state-takes-over-smuggling-violating-sanctions-and-threatening-livelihoods/) **Published:** May 29, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-05-29-a-las-11 39 01 a M.jpg "Captura de pantalla 20250529 a las 11 39 01 a m | nk insider")The widespread smuggling which has long been a means of livelihood for many ordinary citizens has been replaced by what is known inside North Korea as “state smuggling.” While illegal trade has long been practiced by state authorities, the scale has grown significantly since the borders were reopened in [August 2023](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2023/08/27/TA22DESM3FARRIHZ6FOOUUGSPM/) after the pandemic. What has effectively happened is that instead of individuals resuming their cross border trading, the state has moved in and taken over their businesses. The scale has accordingly increased. Smuggling has massively ramped up this year with a trade in [sedans and trucks](https://nktimes.kr/%EB%B6%81-%EB%86%8D%EA%B8%B0%EA%B3%84-%EC%9A%B4%EC%86%A1%EC%88%98%EB%8B%A8-%EB%93%B1-%EB%8C%80%EB%B6%81%EC%A0%9C%EC%9E%AC-%ED%92%88%EB%AA%A9-%EB%8C%80%EA%B1%B0/) and other vehicles, reportedly to the tune of hundreds of units each month. Recently, for example, it was reported that [over 100](https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/ne-kw-08262020065309.html/) large Chinese-made trucks, excavators, and sedans were brought across the border in one consignment at crossing points in Kimjongsuk and Kimhyongjik counties in Ryanggang Province. Prior to this, from early to mid-April, more than 200 sedans, cargo trucks, and excavators were brought in, and in March, a large volume of transport equipment including sedans and buses, as well as household appliances and industrial goods, was also smuggled in. The actual owners of these smuggled goods are members of the wealthy *donju* class. Since the pandemic, goods can only be imported by border-area trade bureaus and trading companies that are strictly controlled and inspected by state authorities. Yet the *donju*, who have emerged as a powerful new class, secretly supply export goods to these organizations or lend them operating funds, thereby leading state smuggling from behind the scenes. However, the large bribes required in this process have become a significant burden for the *donjus* involved. For instance, when importing a single sedan via state smuggling, the *donju* must cover all costs, with bribes distributed to customs officers, State Security Department agents, and Public Security agents. These bribes provide living expenses and rations for the government agents, but they must in turn pass on a portion to senior officials in their respective organizations. It is a complex web of payoff and corruption. In this way, state smuggling has evolved beyond a means to curb individual smuggling. It is now a system in which the state actively leads and monopolizes the operations. This monopoly by the authorities also functions as a strategic tool for regime maintenance and monopolization of foreign currency. In essence, state smuggling has become a mechanism for propping up the regime and revitalizing the economy. Through these activities, the state secures foreign currency, procures materials needed for construction projects in Pyongyang and other key regions, and deftly circumvents international sanctions. The new system, however, poses a serious threat to many people by depriving them of their means of livelihood. Until recently, residents in the border regions survived by engaging in small-scale smuggling of food, daily necessities, and medicine. But as the state-led smuggling system has become firmly established, they have lost this lifeline. The crackdown has led to [skyrocketing prices](https://nktimes.kr/%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C-%ED%99%98%EC%9C%A8-%EC%BD%94%EB%A1%9C%EB%82%98-%EC%9D%B4%ED%9B%84-%EC%B5%9C%EA%B3%A0%EC%B9%98-%EA%B2%BD%EC%8B%A0%EC%A3%BC%EB%AF%BC%EB%93%A4-%EC%9A%B0%EB%A6%AC/) and shortages of essential goods. Meanwhile, the *donju* and agents of the State Security Department and Ministry of Public Security monopolize enormous profits, further deepening economic inequality. Another consequence, probably intended, is the blocking of the inflow of external information and outflow of internal information. The foreign currency and goods secured through state smuggling are being heavily funneled into national projects, such as [the construction of 50,000 new homes](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20250505_0003164430) in Pyongyang. Meanwhile, ordinary citizens continue to suffer from severe poverty and hardship amid a lack of essential goods and runaway inflation. At the same time, the new trade violates international sanctions. North Korea has been under [UN sanctions](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20230724141000083) since 2006 over its nuclear and missile development. Additional restrictions were imposed in 2017 on the import of refined petroleum and crude oil. The UN Security Council has specifically banned the import of vehicles and heavy equipment to curb North Korea’s military and nuclear ambitions. Smuggling activities carried out under the direction of the North Korean authorities are a flagrant violation of these international sanctions. “There’s a very real possibility that vehicles and heavy equipment smuggled into North Korea are being diverted for military use, not just construction,” one expert said. “The international community must establish a more rigorous and specific monitoring system.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20state%20takes%20over%20smuggling%2C%20violating%20sanctions%20and%20threatening%20livelihoods&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20state%20takes%20over%20smuggling%2C%20violating%20sanctions%20and%20threatening%20livelihoods https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20state%20takes%20over%20smuggling%2C%20violating%20sanctions%20and%20threatening%20livelihoods "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-state-takes-over-smuggling-violating-sanctions-and-threatening-livelihoods/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20state%20takes%20over%20smuggling%2C%20violating%20sanctions%20and%20threatening%20livelihoods&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-state-takes-over-smuggling-violating-sanctions-and-threatening-livelihoods/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20state%20takes%20over%20smuggling%2C%20violating%20sanctions%20and%20threatening%20livelihoods "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Families of soldiers killed in Russia compensated with 30 days’ worth of groceries](https://www.nkinsider.org/families-of-soldiers-killed-in-russia-compensated-with-30-days-worth-of-groceries/) **Published:** May 29, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Nk-solider.jpg "Nk solider | nk insider")Government authorities are providing a month’s worth of groceries to the families of soldiers killed in combat in Russia in its war with Ukraine, according to sources in North Korea. But some bereaved families are refusing the food and crying out for their sons to be returned. Given chronic food shortages, 30 days of supplies can be a significant form of support for ordinary citizens. That said, as compensation it does not amount to much when compared to the [$30,000 the state is receiving](https://news.tvchosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2025/03/21/2025032190269.html) from Russia for each soldier killed. “Recently, factories and enterprises in Chongjin City have been delivering food to families of soldiers who died in the Russian war,” said a resident of North Hamgyong Province reached by phone. “Party officials from the factories are personally visiting the homes of the deceased to deliver the food and offer condolences.” “The food is being provided based on 700 grams per family member per day for 30 days,” he said. “However, the bereaved families are refusing to accept the food and are crying out, asking for their sons to be returned back alive instead of rice, leaving the officials in a cold sweat,” he said. In April the *Rodong Sinmun* and Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) belatedly acknowledged the large-scale [deployment of troops](https://ichannela.com/news/main/news_detailPage.do?publishId=000000470390) to Russia. These official media claimed that North Korea “made a significant contribution to the liberation of Russia’s border territory, Kursk Oblast,” and revealed that “[a monument honoring the military achievement](https://www.sedaily.com/NewsView/2GRP3QDRES)” was to be erected in Pyongyang. This was the first formal admission that troops had been dispatched to Europe and that there had been significant casualties. Following this, authorities took steps to provide the families of fallen soldiers deployed to Russia with compensation in the form of food. This is interpreted as an attempt by the regime to quell discontent over the deployment to Russia and strengthen internal unity by planting the image that fallen soldiers and their families are given special treatment. With the price of rice in North Korea figured at 9,800 North Korean won per kilogram, a 30-day supply of 21 kilograms per person costs about 210,000 won, which is equivalent to USD 26.25. This amount represents 0.088% of the $30,000 compensation North Korea receives from Russia. Given this, the gesture to families seems like the bare minimum to save face. Not that this is apparent to the families. The state keeps the compensation it is receiving secret. North Korean casualties in Russia are estimated to be between 400 and 700. Additionally, it’s reported that [substantial core military technology](https://www.ytn.co.kr/_ln/0101_202504301843233215) has been transferred from Russia to North Korea in this process. None of this information is publicly disclosed. What’s even more telling is that the compensation is not made at a national level. Instead, factories and enterprises the families are affiliated with have been instructed to provide it. North Korea cloaks the deaths of its young people in the language of loyalty and devotion to the state, but remains indifferent to their actual sacrifice. No one knows how far the sacrifice of these young soldiers sent abroad will go, but one thing is clear. Only when someone’s sacrifice is respected and rightfully compensated for their actions can a nation be recognized as a legitimate and worthy state. The North Korean authorities must not forget that returning the compensation received from Russia to the bereaved families, even now, is the very least they can do to fulfill their responsibility as a state and honor the young souls whose blossoming youth was buried in a foreign soil. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Families%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20Russia%20compensated%20with%2030%20days%E2%80%99%20worth%20of%20groceries&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Families%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20Russia%20compensated%20with%2030%20days%E2%80%99%20worth%20of%20groceries https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Families%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20Russia%20compensated%20with%2030%20days%E2%80%99%20worth%20of%20groceries "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/families-of-soldiers-killed-in-russia-compensated-with-30-days-worth-of-groceries/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Families%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20Russia%20compensated%20with%2030%20days%E2%80%99%20worth%20of%20groceries&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/families-of-soldiers-killed-in-russia-compensated-with-30-days-worth-of-groceries/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Families%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20Russia%20compensated%20with%2030%20days%E2%80%99%20worth%20of%20groceries "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Who digs through the garbage?](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-digs-through-the-garbage/) **Published:** May 29, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Istock-1166445357.jpg "North korea wonsan | nk insider")When I lived in North Korea, which was until recently, anything related to South Korea was completely taboo. All we knew was that it was a place located south of our Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Thus, its official name – the Republic of Korea – was unfamiliar to most of us. That said, there was one thing we were educated about as we grew up and that was South Korean children. They frequently made an appearance in the illustrations in our textbooks. They wore hats that looked like they had been trampled several times and kicked around tin cans. They stared up at the sky. Wild goose, wild goose, where are you flying to? This was the depiction of their apparent envy toward the geese, which had wings and could freely fly to North Korea. Of course, questions like the one above were ones I would later ask, as an adult, to the swallows flying south. As a child, I felt heartache thinking about South Korean children rummaging through trash bins, which is what we were told in school. And I never forgot the determination I made then. That reunification will be achieved and the ragged and starving children of the South will be rescued. The ironic fact was that my reality – no, the reality of almost all North Korean children – was not much better. At the time, it was hard to find a single child who had a toy. In the early 2000s, when we didn’t even have enough to eat, toys were an unimaginable luxury. In our childhood, we played with mud, stones, seashells, and such. Then, something miraculous happened. In every home parents started bringing French-made toys. Hands that had only touched dirt and sand were now feeling soft fur and the velvet clothes of the dolls that looked almost human. Happiness was not something in the distance after all. What surprised us even more was that there weren’t just one or two of these toys. There were many. Where had they all suddenly come from? The truth was they hadn’t fallen from the sky. They were, in fact, rescued from garbage belonging to other countries which North Korea had agreed to dispose of in exchange for payment. North Korean ships brought the waste into Chongjin Port by the ton. There was so much that there were literally mountains of garbage. At that time, the UN decided to conduct inspections to assess North Korea’s situation, and for the government, cleaning up this waste became an urgent matter. Pressed for time, the authorities told the people of Chongjin to take whatever they wanted from the heaps. Crowds swarmed over the waste piles and were shocked to find the trash in surprisingly good condition. Buckets, water containers, tires, toys. People eagerly scavenged, afraid someone else might grab the best pieces first. It was like the “dignified” North Korean people were helping sort the “rotten” enemies’ recyclables. Piled high were items never before seen, or at least considered extremely rare. The only flaw, and presumably the reason their original owners had discarded them, was that many containers were dented. But then collective intelligence kicked in. Someone said that if you poured hot water into a dented container, it would pop back to its original shape. This remedy turned out to work. But, frankly, even if something was dented, it was okay for North Koreans. As long as it wasn’t broken, it was usable. How it actually looked didn’t matter. Thanks to this trash, children got dolls with blue eyes and teddy bears with curly fur. Even if one eye was missing or a bit of fur had been ripped out, the kids were ecstatic. We were grateful to our parents who had dug through the filth for us. If there was any good news for North Koreans after the notorious “Arduous March” famine of the 1990s, it was that they could now engage in trade with Japan. All sorts of goods came into the country aboard the Durubong-ho from Japan. People came into contact with Japanese products for the first time. They were filled with envy, which led them to envy the people who transported those Japanese goods. Throughout society, those sailors became figures of admiration, respected by all and emulated by many. These sailors usually brought back secondhand clothes from Japan. They were either extremely cheap or could even be acquired for a disposal fee. It was the perfect business model for them. However, not all trading in Japanese clothing was profitable. Outerwear, for instance, was not popular. This is where we must make an important clarification. The concept of clothing in Japan and North Korea differs greatly. In North Korea, people wear clothes to cover their bodies from others or to protect against the cold, while in Japan, people dress to lift their spirits or to express their sense of style to others. In North Korea, clothing is utilitarian. In Japan, it’s fashion. That’s why most North Koreans look at Japanese clothes and wonder, “Where on earth are there people who would wear something like this?” But when it comes to Japanese underwear, it’s a completely different story. It’s high quality, perfectly suited to the needs of North Koreans, and incredibly popular. In other words, bringing in underwear from Japan is a far more lucrative trade than any other type of clothing. Of course, trading ship crew who are aware of this fact focus especially on women’s underwear when they go to Japan. As cranes unload bales of clothing from Japanese ports, the first thing the crew does is inspect the contents to see what kind of clothes are inside. Here’s a story from one of those much-envied trade crew members. One member once opened up a tightly packed bale. Because the clothes were compressed, as soon as he opened it, the contents exploded into the air. Panties and bras of every kind went flying. As underwear rained down from the sky, he was so thrilled that he gave a thumbs-up. To him, this was more valuable than any other type of clothing. Good, good. But if only that scene could have remained a private memory. Unfortunately, it was witnessed by South Koreans aboard a neighboring ship. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t even acknowledge our presence. Opposing ideologies and loyalties have made people who share the same language and ancestry hate each other. But maybe it was the absurdity of the scene? The captain of the South Korean ship clenched his fists and rushed toward the captain of the North Korean vessel. “When did you throw away the spirit of the Korean people?” he yelled. “Why are you giving a thumbs-up to underwear worn by Japs?” The South Korean captain reportedly ordered that all the underwear be thrown into the sea. Then he gave brand-new clothes to the North Koreans. The North Korean crew thanked him profusely and returned home. Of course, they brought the discarded underwear with them anyway. This is the reality of what happens to those considered elite in North Korea. I know about this episode because one of the crew members shared it with my father. “Thanks to that South Korean captain, we made a killing,” he said. “Brother, but honestly it was humiliating. If there’d been a rat hole, I would have climbed into it.” Such was the shame felt by someone from a poor country. Can you expect dignity from someone who is poor and hungry? If you yourself went hungry for a few days, you wouldn’t be able to laugh at Jean Valjean either. And one more thing. This whole story reveals the unspoken secret that underlying the ideology held by North Koreans is Kim Il-sung’s promise to feed them white rice and meat soup for the rest of their lives. That is why, if someone were to come along today and offer to make them wealthy, North Koreans might throw away their hoarse-throated loyalty in an instant. Just like the sailor who dreamed again of that moment when he wanted to crawl into a hole. Honestly, he was still eager for another windfall like that to come his way. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Who%20digs%20through%20the%20garbage%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Who%20digs%20through%20the%20garbage%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Who%20digs%20through%20the%20garbage%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-digs-through-the-garbage/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Who%20digs%20through%20the%20garbage%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-digs-through-the-garbage/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Who%20digs%20through%20the%20garbage%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [Successor or homegrown fashion icon? Why Is North Korea showcasing Kim Ju-ae?](https://www.nkinsider.org/successor-or-homegrown-fashion-icon-why-is-north-korea-showcasing-kim-ju-ae/) **Published:** May 29, 2025 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Kjukja.jpg "Kjukja | nk insider")When Kim Ju-ae stepped into the public eye for the [first time](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/19/north-korea-daughter-kim-jong-un/), holding her father’s hand, she was instantly thrust into the global spotlight. The supreme leader’s appearance with his daughter could give the impression overseas that he is a modern father. But given the male-dominated, hierarchy-oriented culture, people wondered why he appeared with her and not with a son. Was she the successor? Or was he trying to present himself as a warm and caring patriarch? The first thoughts North Koreans had were, “Why isn’t she at school?” and “How come she is allowed to wear her hair like that?” Failure to attend school or, for adults, to participate in one’s assigned organization can lead to life-threatening accusations of ideological deviance. Of course, everyone understands she is an exception to the rule, but even so, her attire and long hair, unbefitting for a teenage girl, would likely spark quiet resentment among ordinary citizens. Since her debut at [the launch site of the Hwasong-17 ICBM ](https://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N1007416640)on November 18, 2022, Ju-ae has been accompanied by a flurry of superlatives in North Korea and unrelenting attention outside of the country. With each subsequent appearance, international media have speculated. Their favored assumption is that she is the designated successor. Until now in North Korea, the family circumstances of the leader have been shrouded in secrecy. From that perspective, Ju-ae’s repeated public appearances are highly unusual. She has appeared alongside Kim Jong-un at military parades, on visits to generals’ residences, and at ceremonies marking the founding of the armed forces. The media have said her appearances are a form of [succession training](https://www.donga.com/news/Politics/article/all/20240729/126188153/1). The reason cited is that [60](https://www.donga.com/news/Politics/article/all/20240729/126188153/1)~[70%](https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/politics_general/1151280.html) of the official events she attends are related to the military. Another notable observation is the use of the title “hyangdo.” This refers to a leader who lights the path forward for the people and is historically reserved for a successor. Other words used to refer to her, such as Respected Child and Most Beloved Daughter, prompt further speculation. Whether she is being positioned for hereditary succession or whether this is all part of a well-crafted propaganda effort remains unclear. The true intentions behind her emergence remain a mystery and it is premature to firmly say she is being groomed to succeed her father. Given the way the state employs imagery and symbolism with extreme calculation, her presence may not simply be a declaration of succession. It may be designed to send a multi-layered message. To begin with, having her accompany him may be intended to construct the image of Kim as a humane leader. The family man image projects him as softer to both domestic and international audiences.This helps to shift the international narrative away from nuclear threats and dictatorship toward that of a normal state. Regarding her potential as the heir, previously, the future leader in North Korea has been through a long training out of the public eye. This suggests Ju-ae’s current visibility could mean something else. As noted, nothing publicly released in North Korea is coincidental. Everything carries a specific intent. Clues might lie in how ordinary North Koreans interpret it. “One thing clear to me is that North Korea would never openly present a successor to the world,” said Lee 0-sung, who once worked in the Department of Propaganda and Agitation—dubbed “North Korea’s mouthpiece”—and now resides in Seoul. “There is a calculated game here,” he said “Considering the hereditary nature of the Kim family, Kim Ju-ae as successor is impossible. Let’s be real—do you think Kim Jong-un can’t produce a son? Her appearance might simply be a strategy to protect the real successor.” Another defector who uses the alias Kim Hyun-bin and who is now a chef in South Korea, recalled, “Even 10 years ago, men would change their hairstyles or clothing after watching South Korean dramas. I had friends who bragged about their girlfriends having pretty (using the South Korean word) skin like South Korean girls and dressing like them. When Kim Ju-ae appeared on TV, I’m sure there were girls who copied her style. I think North Korea might be trying to redirect the craze for South Korean fashion.” The regime has sought to crack down on the public’s exposure to South Korean culture, enacting laws such as the Anti-Reactionary Thought and Culture Act and the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Act. Even clothing regulations have intensified in recent years. Yet it may be finding it impossible to counter the attraction of South Korea. Hence the attempt to introduce a Kim Ju-ae craze. “If Kim Ju-ae is to be the successor, the perception of women would have to change,” said . Kim ○-hyang, who was a nurse in North Korea. “In such a patriarchal society, appointing her would require a seismic cultural shift.” “I used to get assigned to serve high-ranking officials from Pyongyang who came to conduct inspections,” she said. “One time, I was told by the hospital to look after an official who I was told was sick. That ended in a physical struggle. I returned home with my pants all torn, hiding in fear. Among officials in particular, women are no more than females in the animal kingdom. Kim Jong-un knows this, so if she became the successor, do you think people under her would listen?” “It’s too early to see her as the heir,” she said. “When I was on the phone with my family, my sister said she wanted to get the leather gloves Kim Ju-ae wore when she appeared on TV. I reckon this is the reaction the regime intends. I think it is trying to make her a star.” Kim Ju-ae’s role may indeed be less about succession and more about image management, an attempt to channel youth admiration away from South Korean culture and toward regime-approved symbols. Yet ironically, her polished wardrobe, well-fed face, and fair complexion may backfire, highlighting the gulf between the elite and the struggling masses. Rather than offering a figure to emulate, she may come to symbolize everything that ordinary North Koreans cannot attain. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Successor%20or%20homegrown%20fashion%20icon%3F%20Why%20Is%20North%20Korea%20showcasing%20Kim%20Ju-ae%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Successor%20or%20homegrown%20fashion%20icon%3F%20Why%20Is%20North%20Korea%20showcasing%20Kim%20Ju-ae%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Successor%20or%20homegrown%20fashion%20icon%3F%20Why%20Is%20North%20Korea%20showcasing%20Kim%20Ju-ae%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/successor-or-homegrown-fashion-icon-why-is-north-korea-showcasing-kim-ju-ae/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Successor%20or%20homegrown%20fashion%20icon%3F%20Why%20Is%20North%20Korea%20showcasing%20Kim%20Ju-ae%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/successor-or-homegrown-fashion-icon-why-is-north-korea-showcasing-kim-ju-ae/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Successor%20or%20homegrown%20fashion%20icon%3F%20Why%20Is%20North%20Korea%20showcasing%20Kim%20Ju-ae%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Why North Koreans love the US dollar](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-koreans-love-the-us-dollar/) **Published:** May 28, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Istock-954478166.jpg "Man hand with a stack of hundred us dollars bills close up | nk insider")Of course, no one hates money. But with North Koreans, there is an attitude to money that is rather unusual. Despite being steeped in intense anti-American propaganda, North Koreans love the dollar more than any other people. This love isn’t limited to ordinary folk. It runs just as deep within the government. What is the explanation for this contradiction? Let’s take a look at the hidden motives behind it. The love affair with the dollar began in earnest after [November 2009](https://www.piie.com/commentary/op-eds/north-koreas-failed-currency-reform). People occasionally used dollars before that, but it was not widespread. Everything began to change drastically after the currency reform that year. Following the reform, the price of rice skyrocketed from 25 won to 5,000 won in under three years. There was a 200-fold increase in prices. People experiencing this hyperinflation for the first time were thrown into confusion, not knowing what to do. Why did this happen? There wasn’t a single person who could answer that question. People knew they had to take some kind of action to cope with the rapidly rising prices day after day. But they were helpless. They simply had no means to resist. There are no such things as corporate bonds or stocks in the country. If they had instruments like that, they might’ve been able to hedge against inflation because the value of such assets rises along with inflation. To explain this, we have to remind ourselves of the ideology the regime promotes. The state owns the means of production that can generate capital, supposedly making all people equal. But equality, in this case, is just another way of saying they’re making everyone equally poor. The people had no choice but to endure the full force of hyperinflation. Such a situation makes us truly understand just how powerless citizens are. And yet, even amid the chaos, there was always one phrase the regime proudly declared. “We are a tax-free country.” This does not seem to be what a government that has caused hyperinflation should be saying. Inflation is what happens when the government prints money, devaluing the purchasing power of what people already have. In other words, inflation is a hidden tax that people pay to the state. Thus, North Koreans paid thousands of percent in taxes over a few years. Yet the government, which can take away not just people’s earnings but nearly all their money at will, still went around bragging about being tax-free. This was laughable. In times of such chaos, it’s always those who live hand to mouth that get hit the hardest. The old lady in my neighborhood who sells bean sprouts was no exception. When she tried to buy beans with the money she earned from selling sprouts, prices had risen so fast that even with added profit, she didn’t have enough. The rate of inflation was higher than her profit margins. That was when people started turning their eyes to the dollar. When she sold goods in dollars, the exchange rate would rise along with inflation, so there was no loss. Even the old lady selling sprouts understood this fact. From that moment on, her love for the dollar began. Before you can even get your money out, she now says, “Dollars, please.” When even someone selling bean sprouts prefers dollars, what more can be said? After the currency reform, the dollar, which had been 4,000 won, shot up to 800,000. So if you had dollars, you could withstand that 200-fold increase in prices. People didn’t know what inflation was, or why it happened, but they knew the fact that as long as they had dollars, everything would be okay. Of course, the dollar can also lose value. But one thing seems certain, it is that no matter how recklessly the U.S. runs its fiscal policy, it’s still safer than North Korea. That is why the dollar is now the most trusted currency as far as North Koreans are concerned. In the past, it used to be viewed differently. In movies, spies were always shown carrying suitcases full of dollars, creating the image it was unholy money used by evil people. This was one of the government’s anti-American propaganda tactics. But now, such tactics no longer work. Do you know how we used to describe the kids from rich families when I was in college? We said they were the “kind of people who pull out Franklins like the Japanese police used to pull out their swords.” (We used this word, not knowing that in America, a $100 dollar bill was called a “Benjamin”). Now, the dollar has firmly established itself as a status symbol, a luxury item. Of course, there were those who doubted the dollar’s value during the currency reform. Some folks with rabbit hearts gave in to the regime’s instructions to surrender dollars, and handed over what they had. But those people later beat their chests in regret, realizing how incredibly foolish they had been when the regime later rescinded its dollar crackdown. On the flip side, those who held onto their dollars despite state pressure were handsomely rewarded. It was the first time anyone had scored a victory over the regime. To be precise, it was a victory of the dollar over the regime. Faith in the dollar was proven through a brutal power struggle with the merciless North Korean state. That’s why people now vow never to repeat the mistake of giving up the dollar, no matter what happens. Honestly, who knows when the government might launch another currency reform? And who can guarantee that prices won’t spike twentyfold overnight afterward? Now, even North Koreans now know the truth. As long as America doesn’t collapse, the dollar won’t disappear. And America will outlast the North Korean regime. For North Koreans, the dollar is the one and only way to protect their wealth. So how could they not love it? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20North%20Koreans%20love%20the%20US%20dollar&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20North%20Koreans%20love%20the%20US%20dollar https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20North%20Koreans%20love%20the%20US%20dollar "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-koreans-love-the-us-dollar/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20North%20Koreans%20love%20the%20US%20dollar&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-koreans-love-the-us-dollar/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20North%20Koreans%20love%20the%20US%20dollar "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [North Korea and China introduce AI-based surveillance at border, share information about unusual activity](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-and-china-introduce-ai-based-surveillance-at-border-share-information-about-unusual-activity/) **Published:** May 27, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Surveilance-camera.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")North Korea and China have introduced advanced AI alert systems along their respective border areas. While China completed its installation some time ago, North Korea began the process in early 2022 and completed installation across the entire border by the end of April. An NK Times source in North Hamgyong Province confirmed that construction of the AI-based advanced alert system was recently completed along border sections at Hoeryong City and Musan County in Ryanggang Province. The AI alert system is designed to automatically send alarm signals to the military command centers in both countries. The two countries are said to have established a real-time mutual sharing mechanism for any unusual activity, enabling a swift and effective response. “The Chinese-made devices are installed at border guard posts and when there is a sign of anything abnormal, it is shared with the Chinese border patrols in real time,” the source said. “Previously, with surveillance cameras, if duty officers fell asleep they would have no way to know what was happening,” he said. “But AI detects moving objects and issues warning sounds.” “This upgrading of surveillance means we are entering an era where illegal activities across the border, especially defection, are unthinkable,” he said. “Because of this, there are quite a few residents sighing in despair.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20and%20China%20introduce%20AI-based%20surveillance%20at%20border%2C%20share%20information%20about%20unusual%20activity&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20and%20China%20introduce%20AI-based%20surveillance%20at%20border%2C%20share%20information%20about%20unusual%20activity https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20and%20China%20introduce%20AI-based%20surveillance%20at%20border%2C%20share%20information%20about%20unusual%20activity "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-and-china-introduce-ai-based-surveillance-at-border-share-information-about-unusual-activity/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20and%20China%20introduce%20AI-based%20surveillance%20at%20border%2C%20share%20information%20about%20unusual%20activity&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-and-china-introduce-ai-based-surveillance-at-border-share-information-about-unusual-activity/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20and%20China%20introduce%20AI-based%20surveillance%20at%20border%2C%20share%20information%20about%20unusual%20activity "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [The oppressed youth of North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-oppressed-youth-of-north-korea/) **Published:** May 22, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Istock-1084906286-1.jpg "Mass dance | nk insider")What does the word “youth” mean to us? Does it represent the most passionate period in the cycle of life? Or perhaps the most fun period? Or simply the time when we were young? What we can say is that our youth will not be remembered the same way by everyone. In North Korea, there’s a saying related to youth. It is that, If party members are embers, youth are the flames. This saying is intended to demonstrate that the role of the youth is more important than even that of core party members. It’s another way of saying that for the hardest, most grueling tasks, young perple must be there. And so, within the notoriously harsh nation that is North Korea, the youth occupy the lowest ranks of the social pyramid. Thus for me – no, I would say for all in North Korea – youth is a chain of hardships. Did you know that North Korea has a bizarre organization called the “Gyuchaldae”? It’s an organization in charge of regulating attire. The job of its officials is to stand on the streets and spend their time examining people’s – specifically young people’s – hairstyles and measuring their skirts and pants. But while the official task is to crack down on inappropriate clothing, the true motivation is different. The state needs free labor, and if everyone dresses according to regulations, those in charge can’t meet their labor allocation targets. In other words, when there’s a shortage of manpower for construction projects ordered by Kim Jong-un, they make up for it by rounding people up. Countless youths are caught on the streets and shoved onto trucks and sent off as labor shock troops, without even time to notify their parents. From the perspective of the Gyuchaldae, how can they easily let go of prey they’ve finally caught? Watching those people getting dragged off to construction sites, you can’t help but think they make up a disordered, ragtag group. Here’s one who has been sniffling for 30 minutes. There’s another staring into space. A girl is holding down a fluttering skirt. Another girl is ruffling her carefully styled hair… In the end, it is the curse of being youths that makes us have to face these trials. And then, all the oppression and all these imposed standards quickly fade once we’re no longer considered young. This is especially true for women. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say it all practically disappears. It is no wonder my friend got married just to escape being considered a youth. The hardship of being young outweighs even the challenge of marriage. In North Korea, we use the expression “boiling blood of youth” a lot. Honestly, North Korea has tried to boil everything with the blood of its youth for so long that there’s hardly any left. What shocked me after coming to South Korea was that young people there live such comfortable and free lives. I often see them in cafés. Their main worry is what kind of coffee to order. “I have a really serious problem these days,” I overheard a girl say. “I think I have decision paralysis. I just can’t choose from the menu.” I don’t know why, but a wave of sadness came over me at that moment. How ordinary are the worries of young South Koreans. I thought of North Korean children dressed in sweat-drenched military uniforms and carrying logs. Can you even imagine it? The fact that a highway was built by human labor alone in this way? The Nampo Expressway was built by young people carrying gunny sacks, holding stretchers and running, sleeping in cement dust, and pushing boulders with their bare shoulders. That’s why they call it the Youth Hero Expressway. From that experience, a poem was born: “Sack, oh sack, let’s hurry up and go, Our General’s arrival day is being delayed.” Their story is one that truly brings tears to the eyes. There are youths around the world who claim their future is the bleakest, but that’s because they’ve never heard of the lives of North Koreans. In 2008, an American orchestra visited North Korea for a performance. Do you know what the youth of Pyongyang had to do then? The regime wanted to show Americans that their youngsters also live freely. So they selected university students in the city and ranked them by height and beauty. The chosen students spent over two weeks practicing dances. Then the directive that came down. They were to stand in alleys where the Americans were scheduled to pass by and perform the dances they’d practiced. Ahead of this important event, the Youth League Secretary told the students: “The American bastards think we sit in pitch-black caves sharpening knives like savages. Let’s show them. Let’s show them we are youths who can dance.” Amid this, though, there was one very welcome piece of news for the students. The Youth League Secretary told them they could wear whatever they wanted. In red hoodies and jeans—things you normally couldn’t wear—they danced joyfully at the designated time and place. For some, dancing might have felt shameful. One friend who participated described the atmosphere that day like this. “We were not dancing. We were in a battle against the enemy. A silent battle to show our enemies just how civilized we are. But maybe the enemy saw through our intentions? The Americans who were scheduled to come somehow didn’t show up. So one friend, exhausted after dancing so long, asked, When are the Americans coming? It felt like my feet were on fire.” In the end, they never saw any Americans, but later they received the news that a single American journalist had come and filmed the youth “having fun.” They said we had completed our mission. After the event ended, the students who had dressed freely had to pay the price. The Youth League Secretary shouted and scolded them: “Just because I said you could dress freely, you really went and dressed like that? You should’ve had the sense to dress appropriately.” From that, youths learned once again to know how to read between the lines. That even our spontaneous dancing must be performed. What could be sadder than this? We are youth who must act even our most instinctive movements and excitement. To some, youth is beautiful enough to bring tears. To others, it’s so tragic it’s laughable. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20oppressed%20youth%20of%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20oppressed%20youth%20of%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20oppressed%20youth%20of%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-oppressed-youth-of-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20oppressed%20youth%20of%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-oppressed-youth-of-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20oppressed%20youth%20of%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Troops baffled by ‘Drill-through-the-Earth’ propaganda push](https://www.nkinsider.org/troops-baffled-by-drill-through-the-earth-propaganda-push/) **Published:** May 21, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Nk-soliders-at-construction-site.jpg "Nk soliders at construction site | nk insider")Soldiers mobilized to rebuild housing in areas impacted by floods are being urged to adopt a “drill-through-the-earth mentality” as part of a propaganda devotion drive that is leaving them somewhat baffled. The campaign targeting soldiers in areas such as Uiju County, North Pyongan Province, is seen as a typical ideological education effort intended to quell the growing discontent of troops with their poor living conditions and work environment. An eyewitness reached by NK Times quoted a lecturer recently telling troops of the 567th Military Unit, who are participating in recovery work following floods in the northwest part of the country, that “the Party’s orders must be carried out to the death.” The lecturer referred to the Battle of Hill 1211 in the winter of 1951, a fierce encounter between North Korean and Chinese Communist forces and their ROK and UN enemy at a strategic point in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, that lasted for 40 days. North Korea has long used this battle in ideological education for everyone, not just soldiers, but from children to the elderly, and is now once again demanding that soldiers mobilized for flood recovery emulate its spirit. “During the Fatherland Liberation War, there wasn’t a single fighter at Hill 1211 who ignored the Party’s decision,” the lecturer reportedly said. “Defending the country and building socialism are sacred duties to be similarly shouldered by soldiers in this era.” “War veterans never second-guessed Party decisions,” he said, urging his audience to show the same level of loyalty and dedication, and stressing that “with a drill-through-the-earth mentality, you must carry out the mission to the end.” This line, which people have been hearing in one form or another all their lives, apparently isn’t working so well with young North Koreans these days. “That’s not something you say to starving people,” the source quoted some soldiers saying. “They can’t even provide warm beds or proper food for the troops who are working day and night, yet they unrealistically demand this kind of loyalty and submission,” the source said. “This is a legacy brainwashing method from the past, but it no longer works on today’s young soldiers.” “To young people going hungry, these hollow lectures only provoke resentment,” he said. “Officials clinging to outdated methods while ignoring present realities just leave soldiers shaking their heads.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Troops%20baffled%20by%20%E2%80%98Drill-through-the-Earth%E2%80%99%20propaganda%20push&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Troops%20baffled%20by%20%E2%80%98Drill-through-the-Earth%E2%80%99%20propaganda%20push https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Troops%20baffled%20by%20%E2%80%98Drill-through-the-Earth%E2%80%99%20propaganda%20push "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/troops-baffled-by-drill-through-the-earth-propaganda-push/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Troops%20baffled%20by%20%E2%80%98Drill-through-the-Earth%E2%80%99%20propaganda%20push&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/troops-baffled-by-drill-through-the-earth-propaganda-push/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Troops%20baffled%20by%20%E2%80%98Drill-through-the-Earth%E2%80%99%20propaganda%20push "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Women and young people targeted for “anti-socialist”  fashion](https://www.nkinsider.org/women-and-young-people-targeted-for-anti-socialist-fashion/) **Published:** May 19, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Img-anti-socialist-1.jpg "Img anti socialist 1 | nk insider")Each year, as summer approaches, the regime turns its control up a notch and launches ideological campaigns about fashion and personal grooming. This year, true to form, videos criticizing young people’s attire and hairstyles have been produced and used for ideological education. Such measures stem from the belief that women are being influenced by foreign cultural trends. Lectures were recently held at factories and enterprises in Hyesan City, where “unusual clothing and hairstyles” were strongly condemned, according to a local source. The lectures featured footage showing women being stopped for sporting what are considered anti-socialist and non-socialist styles. To drive the point home, it revealed personal information about those targeted. The video reportedly used phrases like “ideological and cultural schemes spread by the enemy,” and sharply criticized the cultural influence of South Korea and the West on women and young people. “Among some morally unsound women, clothing and grooming still do not align with the emotions and lifestyle of our people, disrupting the social atmosphere,” the narrator was quoted as saying. “Our youth, who as young people of Juche Korea should be the most ideologically and emotionally prepared, are getting swept up in the cultural schemes of the enemy, becoming obsessed with dressing up and wearing flashy clothes to the point where it’s embarrassing to even look at them.” “Despite relentless ideological education and intensified controls, people continue to act as if nothing matters, flaunting unconventional fashion and grooming,” it went on. “How should we deal with these individuals who ignore the Party’s voice and fall for the enemy’s ideological and cultural infiltration?” the narrator said. “They must be strictly punished in accordance with the law.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Img-antisocialist-2-1024x585.jpg "Img antisocialist 2 | nk insider")North korean women being stopped and forcibly filmed by the inspection squads for wearing unconventional clothing and hairstyles photo nk times Since the COVID-19 outbreak, North Korea has pushed hard to prevent ideological collapse among youth through what are now dubbed the “three evil laws,” including the [Law on the Elimination of Reactionary Thought and Culture](https://nktimes.kr/%eb%b6%81%ed%95%9c-%eb%b0%98%eb%8f%99%ec%82%ac%ec%83%81%eb%ac%b8%ed%99%94%eb%b0%b0%ea%b2%a9%eb%b2%95-%ec%9b%90%eb%ac%b8-%ec%9e%85%ec%88%98/) and the[ Law on Ensuring Youth Ideological Education](https://nktimes.kr/%ec%b2%ad%eb%85%84%ea%b5%90%ec%96%91%eb%b3%b4%ec%9e%a5%eb%b2%95-%ec%9e%85%ec%88%98%ec%9c%84%eb%b2%95%ed%96%89%ec%9c%84%ec%8b%9c-%ed%98%95%ec%82%ac-%ec%b1%85/). Nonetheless, youth — always sensitive to what’s new — remain highly interested in trends, and many young women are reportedly putting effort into dressing fashionably and styling their hair according to those trends. However, North Korea dismisses women’s pursuit of beauty as merely “unconventional clothing and grooming,” labeling such acts as anti-socialist or non-socialist behavior and subjecting them to public criticism. In the video, the regime criticized young people’s clothing by saying, “They talk about trends and fashion while wearing tight-fitting pants that cling to their bodies, disturbing the socialist way of life.” The phenomenon of wearing unconventional clothes, it noted, “isn’t limited to young women — even housewives are showing strong signs of it.” The source continued, “You can’t help but question whether these young people are in their right minds. Just look at this woman — her pants are so tight they’re glued to her hips. It’s because of women like her that the lines between right and wrong are becoming blurred.” The video also criticized how, instead of reflecting sincerely when caught, these individuals “justify their own faults and brazenly argue with the enforcement workers.” Given North Korea’s wariness of external cultural influence, which it sees as a threat to ideological purity, the use of video lectures appears to be part of that broader agenda. The source added, “They just say to dress neatly but don’t provide any clear guidelines. If your appearance happens to catch an inspector’s eye the wrong way, you’re stopped and filmed — regardless of your consent.” The source expressed frustration, saying, “If you have some money or connections, you can easily get away even if caught. But if not, you’re filmed and publicly humiliated without fail.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Women%20and%20young%20people%20targeted%20for%20%E2%80%9Canti-socialist%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%20fashion&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Women%20and%20young%20people%20targeted%20for%20%E2%80%9Canti-socialist%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%20fashion https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Women%20and%20young%20people%20targeted%20for%20%E2%80%9Canti-socialist%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%20fashion "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/women-and-young-people-targeted-for-anti-socialist-fashion/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Women%20and%20young%20people%20targeted%20for%20%E2%80%9Canti-socialist%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%20fashion&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/women-and-young-people-targeted-for-anti-socialist-fashion/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Women%20and%20young%20people%20targeted%20for%20%E2%80%9Canti-socialist%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%20fashion "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [A prisoner is set free from a camp of no return… Does this signal a shift in policy?](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-prisoner-is-set-free-from-a-camp-of-no-return-does-this-signal-a-shift-in-policy/) **Published:** May 14, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Prisioners-no-return-.jpg "Prisioners no return | nk insider")The release of a woman from a “total control zone” labor camp, where prisoners are normally held until they die, has set her neighborhood buzzing and prompted analysts to speculate that a change of policy towards long-term offenders may be in the works. The woman was accused of espionage in 2015 and held for ten years in Camp 25 in Chongjin, the capital of North Hamgyong Province. She was recently allowed to return to her home in the city. Camp 25 is known as a total control zone. This type of prison is distinct from the “revolutionizing zones” where offenders are re-educated through labor and expected to return to society after serving their sentences. The camp was built in 1968. Human rights groups say it may hold up to 5,000 inmates. Prisoners are sent there for political and religious offenses. They have their citizen registration revoked and therefore no longer officially exist. Thus they may be sentenced without a trial and can never expect to be set free. According to a source contacted in the province on April 21, Kim, who is in her 50s, used to travel regularly between Hoeryong and Musan delivering money to the families of defectors. She was arrested in 2014 by the Ministry of State Security in Chongjin. After six months of interrogation, she was found guilty of espionage in early 2015. Since coming home, Kim has remained silent about the reason for her release, the source said. Given she was released ten years after being sentenced, it is possible that she had a limited term. For now, the circumstances remain unknown. But what is apparent is that the news has caused a major stir in her neighborhood. “We can’t know exactly why or how she was released, but this has given hope to people who have family members in a similar situation,” said a Chongjin resident in a phone interview., “Political prison camps are known as places where you ‘can’t leave even in death,’ so the mere fact that someone has returned alive is itself a shock,” the source said. “Over the past ten years, many people have been sent to camps for espionage just because they communicated with the outside world,” another resident said. “Now that word is spreading that someone has been released from there, even people who had given up are saying, ‘This isn’t the time to just sit back, I need to act.’” “Many thought that once you enter a political prison camp, you could never come out, but this event is slowly changing public perception,” he said. “This could also have a considerable social impact.” This case is being interpreted as a possible signal that North Korean authorities are showing some flexibility in the management of political prisoners. “Political prison camps have been a core tool for maintaining the regime’s control, and returning to society after entering one was almost impossible,” one expert said. “This case can be seen as an example of authorities attempting a partial change in their approach to political prisoner management.” It is still unclear whether this is a reflection of North Korea responding to international criticism on human rights and shifting policy, or simply a temporary measure for internal political reasons. However, attention is now focused on whether this case will lead to broader changes. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20prisoner%20is%20set%20free%20from%20a%20camp%20of%20no%20return%E2%80%A6%20Does%20this%20signal%20a%20shift%20in%20policy%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=A%20prisoner%20is%20set%20free%20from%20a%20camp%20of%20no%20return%E2%80%A6%20Does%20this%20signal%20a%20shift%20in%20policy%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=A%20prisoner%20is%20set%20free%20from%20a%20camp%20of%20no%20return%E2%80%A6%20Does%20this%20signal%20a%20shift%20in%20policy%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-prisoner-is-set-free-from-a-camp-of-no-return-does-this-signal-a-shift-in-policy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=A%20prisoner%20is%20set%20free%20from%20a%20camp%20of%20no%20return%E2%80%A6%20Does%20this%20signal%20a%20shift%20in%20policy%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-prisoner-is-set-free-from-a-camp-of-no-return-does-this-signal-a-shift-in-policy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=A%20prisoner%20is%20set%20free%20from%20a%20camp%20of%20no%20return%E2%80%A6%20Does%20this%20signal%20a%20shift%20in%20policy%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Secret police use defectors in China to catch remittance brokers](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-use-defectors-in-china-to-catch-remittance-brokers/) **Published:** May 9, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Security-agent.jpg "Security agent | nk insider")North Korea’s secret police agency is reportedly using defectors in China to identify and apprehend brokers who arrange payments from escapees to family members still in the North. A source in North Hamgyong Province told NK Times on April 28 that a broker from Hoeryong City was arrested in Hamhung on April 10 by State Security Department officers while trying to deliver money to the family of a defector. Another broker from Hoeryong was detained in Pyongyang on April 4 and a broker from Musan County was arrested in Kaechon on April 20. Both were caught delivering money to defectors’ families. The common thread in these cases is that State Security Department agents were waiting in advance at the homes of the families, clearly tipped off about the brokers’ impending arrival. It is now being reported that the State Security Department has been recruiting defectors, who live in China and who are involved in cross-border remittance, to help expose the brokers. The secret police have reportedly been persuading defectors by promising that their families would be taken care of, while subtly pressuring them with threats of harm to their loved ones should they refuse. As a result, there are said to be a significant number of cases where defectors feel compelled to cooperate. According to reports, these recruits identify fellow defectors planning to send money into North Korea, then pass along the recipients’ addresses and personal details to other brokers, who, in turn, relay them back to the secret police. Using this information, agents set up surveillance near the homes of defectors’ families and arrest the brokers when they arrive with the cash. “Brokers who deliver money sent by defectors to their families have long been prime targets,” a cadre-level source in North Hamgyong Province said. “Since February, more than ten people have been arrested by the State Security Department at the North Hamgyong border alone.” “The State Security Department has been arresting family members who show up to collect remittances sent from abroad, tracing the funds’ origins and using the information to conduct broad sweeps aimed at dismantling domestic remittance networks,” he said. “People are being arrested on-site while unknowingly trying to deliver money.” “The core of this operation is to ensure that those attempting to send money have no idea how they’re being exposed and caught,” the cadre said, adding a warning, “People over there (South Korea) need to think much more carefully about providing recipient information from China.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Secret%20police%20use%20defectors%20in%20China%20to%20catch%20remittance%20brokers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Secret%20police%20use%20defectors%20in%20China%20to%20catch%20remittance%20brokers https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Secret%20police%20use%20defectors%20in%20China%20to%20catch%20remittance%20brokers "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-use-defectors-in-china-to-catch-remittance-brokers/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Secret%20police%20use%20defectors%20in%20China%20to%20catch%20remittance%20brokers&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-use-defectors-in-china-to-catch-remittance-brokers/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Secret%20police%20use%20defectors%20in%20China%20to%20catch%20remittance%20brokers "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Did Kim Jong-un’s ‘credit restoration’ order work…China, ramps up investment](https://www.nkinsider.org/did-kim-jong-uns-credit-restoration-order-workchina-ramps-up-investment/) **Published:** May 6, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pic0087817.jpg "Pic0087817 | nk insider")Chinese capital appears to have recovered its appetite for investment in North Korea. After a loss of trust in recent years due to repeated breaches of trade agreements, Pyongyang is now taking active measures to rebuild credibility at the direction of Kim Jong-un. As a result, Chinese companies and investors appear to be engaging in large-scale investments in the country again. According to sources inside the isolated country, reached by NK Times on April 23rd, the regime has recently permitted Chinese investment in land in major cities, notably Pyongyang, Pyongsong, Sariwon, Haeju, Pyongsong, Kaechon, and Hamhung. It is providing active support for the establishment of Chinese-owned factories and retail stores in these areas. Similarly, North Korea is significantly ramping up efforts to attract Chinese tourists and is organizing guided visits to key industrial facilities and tourist destinations, in a full-scale push to secure foreign investment. Trade offices in the main cities reportedly started selling land to Chinese investors and allowing Chinese businesses and individuals to build factories and shops in March. General tourism entry, however, is still only partially allowed, the sources said. The changes follow a directive by Kim in January to “restore international credit.” As an indication of Kim’s intent, the directive said that “any act that damages foreign credit (would be regarded) as an anti-state crime and punished severely.” As statements from the supreme leader are regarded as law and executed immediately, trade officials at once notified Chinese companies and investors of the change. The sources report that the previously tarnished credibility, damaged by failure to honor past agreements, has seen a rapid recovery and lead to a surge in investment. “In February, we learned that Chairman Kim had issued a directive stating that any act lowering the country’s international credit would be treated as an anti-state offense and punished severely,” said a Chinese businessman involved in North Korea-related operations in a phone interview. “We understand that the directive was targeted at trade agencies.” “This kind of strong commitment by the leadership to build trust has laid the foundation for our companies and investors to actively expand investment,” he said. “North Korean trade officials are proposing cooperation in a wide range of goods, from home appliances to manufactured products. However, there are still many investors unable to take advantage of these opportunities due to a lack of capital,” he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Did%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%98credit%20restoration%E2%80%99%20order%20work%E2%80%A6China%2C%20ramps%20up%20investment&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Did%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%98credit%20restoration%E2%80%99%20order%20work%E2%80%A6China%2C%20ramps%20up%20investment https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Did%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%98credit%20restoration%E2%80%99%20order%20work%E2%80%A6China%2C%20ramps%20up%20investment "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/did-kim-jong-uns-credit-restoration-order-workchina-ramps-up-investment/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Did%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%98credit%20restoration%E2%80%99%20order%20work%E2%80%A6China%2C%20ramps%20up%20investment&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/did-kim-jong-uns-credit-restoration-order-workchina-ramps-up-investment/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Did%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%98credit%20restoration%E2%80%99%20order%20work%E2%80%A6China%2C%20ramps%20up%20investment "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [The political calculation behind Kim Jong-un’s support for Chongryon](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-political-calculation-behind-kim-jong-uns-support-for-chongryon/) **Published:** April 28, 2025 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/From-1959-to-1984-approximately-93000-ethnic-koreans-residing-in-japan-moved-to-north-korea.jpg "From 1959 to 1984 approximately 93000 ethnic koreans residing in japan moved to north korea | nk insider")Kim Jong Un has reportedly [sent over ¥287 million ](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/northkorea/20250414/n-korean-leader-sends-educational-aid-to-pro-pyongyang-ethnic-koreans-in-japan?top-stories-page=1&prnewsidx=702b8e47-ffaf-11ef-b492-02eed468a967)(approximately KRW 2.8 billion) to the pro-North Korean General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, known as Chongryon, in the form of educational aid and scholarships. Schools in Japan continue to receive such sums each year, even though in North Korea itself, students pass around secondhand textbooks and teachers run short of blackboard chalk. To date, North Korea has provided Chongryon children with ¥49.988 billion (KRW 495.6 billion) in 171 separate payments. Why does the regime continue to pour billions into these schools? Why does Pyongyang still so steadfastly support the aging diaspora organization that runs them? Chongryon is not merely an overseas community group. For North Korea, it is a propaganda base, a source of foreign currency, and, most importantly, a way to demonstrate support for the regime from abroad. Kim’s funding is not evidence of benevolence towards overseas Koreans. It is a political investment to sustain a loyal generation abroad that will carry forward the Juche ideology. I feel some connection to this story. My hometown in Kyongsong County in North Hamgyong Province may be best known for the [dictator’s villa](https://www.dailynk.com/english/serious-misconduct-kim-jong-un-personal-guard-unit-leads-personnel-reshuffle/) and the [Kim Jong-suk sanatorium](https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-korean-sanatoriums-repurposed-military-activities-russia/), named after his grandmother, and also as a resettlement area for political offenders exiled from Pyongyang and others who were Korean War prisoners of war. But another unique feature of this region is the large number of returnees from Japan who liver there. These are ethnic Koreans who lived in Japan, or *Jae-Po,* in North Korean terminology. People in our area primarily work in the mining, forestry, and steel industries. So many of them have these backgrounds that are deemed undesirable. I grew up hearing that the returnees from Japan were people who “came home because they loved North Korea.” I remember a classmate in primary school whose grandmother had returned from Japan. He wasn’t particularly good at studying and was rather short, but he stood out because he wore Japanese-made clothes sent by relatives in Japan. Thanks to their support, his family lived relatively well. An old lady who helped my busy mother raise me was also a returnee, but her family was extremely poor. According to my parents, her relatives had stopped sending money. The thing this lady said most often was that she wanted to eat “anko mochi” (sweet red bean rice cakes) from Japan. Her cheeks were sunken, and her house was terrifyingly poor. She and her eldest son passed away within a month of each other. Neighbors whispered that they had likely starved to death but were too proud to admit it. They said it was a pity that they had died without knowing what had happened to their family in Japan. That image of the poor returnee struck me every time I passed their house. Another place where many returnees were sent was Tanchon, the port city in South Hamgyong Province. The place is known for its cobalt, magnesite and iron ore mines, as well as chemical production, smelting and textiles. When I was young, I visited with my mother. The apartment complex we went to was home to many returnees. It was the first time I saw a washing machine that could rinse and spin-dry clothes. We went because my mother used to illegally sell tiles from [the ceramics factory in Kyongsong](https://exploredprk.com/history/kyongsong-ceramic-manufacturing-techniques/) to the returnee families in Tanchon. People who had no cash would barter with Japanese made clothes. When I told her I was envious of Jae-Po, my mother suddenly mentioned how the lady’s favorite song was [Spring in My Hometown](https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0004045). Due to her undesirable background, her kids weren’t allowed to have full time work, and she was always under surveillance, but it was at least a relief that her family in Japan still sent money. Growing up, I always wondered, “Why did the Jae-Po choose to come here rather than stay in the wealthier country of Japan?” Only after coming to South Korea did I learn the full truth. The Jae-Po who returned were victims of a repatriation drive that took place between 1959 and 1984. During that time, North Korea used Chongryon to promote false propaganda about being a paradise on earth and promised that returnees could freely go back and forth to Japan. That lie led 93,340 [Koreans in Japan to migrate](https://apjjf.org/2023/6/ryang). Once they arrived, of course, they were forbidden from ever leaving. What awaited them was surveillance, discrimination, and forced labor. The hoped-for paradise became a prison of no release. The returnees were stripped of freedom of movement and assigned homes and jobs. Their letters to family in Japan were subject to censorship. In 2003, the family of one of my high school friends reportedly wrote in a letter to their relatives in Japan that they wanted to return. After the letter was intercepted, all communication with their Japanese family was severed. Unlike some, they were not sent to a prison camp. However, they did become much poorer. One returnee who recently escaped said he used to write in letters to his family in Japan saying that North Korea was a good place to live, but he would secretly scribble on the back of the postage stamp, “[Hyung-nim](https://www.tongnastory.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=358) (Older Brother), we don’t even have the freedom to go outside. Never come here.” “I saw returnees joining the Workers’ Party and becoming security agents,” said Lee Geum-hee, a former railway worker in North Korea. “I had issues with that. Looking back, I can see there was discrimination against them. They had been deceived by Chongryon and North Korea, ripped apart from their families, and forced to live a life they never chose. I feel sorry that we used to mock them and call them half-bloods. At least we defected by choice and knew we’d be separated from our parents. They were tricked, and never saw their families again. I can’t even imagine the guilt and torment they must have carried.” Kim Sun-kyung, a former medical student in North Korea, said in an interview that when she saw news that some returnees had filed a [human rights suit against Kim Jong-un](https://nk.chosun.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=201462), and that for the first time, the South Korean government had acknowledged the abuse, she wondered if Chongryon should also be held accountable. “Reading that Kim sent money to Chongryon made me furious,” she said. “People in North Korean hospitals are dying because they don’t even have penicillin. That money could buy syringes and save lives. Why is he sending it to well-fed children in Japanese schools? It’s clearly propaganda. What shocks me even more is that Chongryon, which practically functions as North Korea’s embassy in Japan, still exists.” Kang Ho-dong (alias), who worked in Russia before defecting to South Korea, said, “I worked for five years in Russia and earned $2,000. When I heard they sent money to Chongryon, I felt mental despair just having been born in North Korea.” “In my next life, I just don’t want to be North Korean,” he said. “Knowing there’s a group like Chongryon in Japan that praises North Korea under the guise of freedom makes me really question the foundations of democracy. Organizations like Chongryon that worship North Korea despite the human rights abuses are no different from cults.” The reason North Korea strategically supports Chongryon is not about nostalgia or past solidarity. Chongryon remains a living symbol of loyalty abroad, and an ideology and propaganda outpost justifying Kim’s regime in the heart of democratic Japan. It is also a channel through which North Korea, despite its isolation, acquires foreign currency, goods, and political leverage under the guise of overseas compatriot support. “Chongryon’s loyalty to North Korea is nothing more than an illusion built from a safe distance,” Kang said. “It’s a luxurious kind of loyalty only possible in an environment of freedom and comfort, a delusion born from ignorance of reality.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20political%20calculation%20behind%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20support%20for%20Chongryon&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20political%20calculation%20behind%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20support%20for%20Chongryon https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20political%20calculation%20behind%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20support%20for%20Chongryon "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-political-calculation-behind-kim-jong-uns-support-for-chongryon/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20political%20calculation%20behind%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20support%20for%20Chongryon&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-political-calculation-behind-kim-jong-uns-support-for-chongryon/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20political%20calculation%20behind%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20support%20for%20Chongryon "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Changing loyalties in the North Korean military ](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-loyalties-in-the-north-korean-military/) **Published:** April 28, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Shutterstock_231437962.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkoreacircaapril2012northkoreamilitary | nk insider")Ideological education emphasizes sacrifice for the Leader and the Motherland. (Astrelok / Courtesy of Shutterstock) What is the meaning and purpose of the armed forces? In most countries, the military exists to protect the nation’s interest and, in times of crisis, to defend the lives and homes of its people. North Korea’s original purpose in building up its military was not much different. Around 1950, the population was largely rural. Land was directly tied to survival. The government stirred the desperation of farmers with slogans. “Not an inch of land to the enemy.” “Defend every inch of our homeland with your life.” As society stabilized, the military’s mission shifted slightly to guarding the cradles of the children playing under the blue sky. But from the 2000s, there was a sharp redirection. The mission became to protect the *suryong* – the Leader, the Kim family. In a twisted three-step logic, the raison d’etre of the armed forces was ultimately reduced to protecting the Kims. Theories emerged asserting that the Party is the *suryong*, and the state is also the *suryong*, and that with the *suryong* and the gun, the nation and its people could be rebuilt from nothing. Frankly, the *suryong* (meaning the Kim family) is not some sort of queen bee, so how he could “recreate millions of citizens” is beyond comprehension. Yet there are songs saying just that. “If you exist, we exist. If you do not, we do not.” “A world without you cannot exist.” Such lyrics sanctified the Leader’s existence and characterized his protection as a sacred duty. North Korea still promotes slogans like ‘Defending the Fatherland is the sacred duty of the people’ and ‘Peace rests on our guns.’ A person I know once questioned how this was any different from fascism. So let’s talk about what North Koreans originally thought of the military. What was the reason that young people enlisted? They did so to protect their own land and their own families. In 1946, the new state carried out land reform, taking land from landlords without compensation and redistributing it to farmers for free. Until 1958 when the government assumed ownership of the land, farmers saw their plots not as state property but as their own. Thus, enlisting in the military aligned with their personal interests. There was also the societal atmosphere. In a community-oriented society like North Korea’s, people were heavily influenced by collective sentiment. Society conditioned them to believe that only those who had served in the military were “real men.” More practically, only those who completed their military service and joined the Workers’ Party could become state officials. Military service then became tied to promotion. It was the sole route to success. Thus, when their sons left for the army, mothers would see them off saying things like, “Come back a hero,” or “Obey your commander,” placing their hopes ten years into the future. But now, things are beginning to change. Today, parents say, “If you’re hungry, steal something and eat,” or “Your father doesn’t need a hero’s medal, just come back alive.” These softer farewells reflect a shift. North Koreans are becoming more honest with their emotions and are beginning to understand the worsening military supply conditions and the disappearance of equal opportunities for promotion. During times of state expansion, anyone who served faithfully could become a bureaucrat and rise above the masses. But now, state institutions have reached a saturation point. Only the chosen can become officials and ordinary people are completely barred from ever grasping even the fringes of power. Society’s formula for success no longer works. Those born in coal mining communities or rural villages have to inherit their parents’ occupations, regardless of their own dreams and hopes. Even though their parents have suffered more than anyone else in the harshest of places, they are not rewarded. The government, under the pretext of “revolutionizing” those who have committed “crimes” against the state, sent them to the mines and countryside. In such cases, the children of miners and farmers often endured difficult times, wondering what wrong they have done to be condemned to lifelong “revolutionization.” A community can only be well-maintained when every member of the group silently fulfills his duty in his respective role. The reason people carry out their duties is because of the hope that equal opportunities and a better life are possible. But what happens if, after working hard to build a society where everyone is supposed to be the master, they come to realize that they are not the masters, but slaves? When things get to this point, the society can no longer expect the sacrifice and dedication of its members, and the community cannot be sustained. That is why, today, North Korea is showing early signs of breakdown. The military stresses sacrifice for the Leader and the Motherland through ideological education programs. The problem is that this ideological message is steadily losing its value and no longer aligns with the worldview of the people. People use the word *seokgi* to mock discharged soldiers who have completed their service. This term derives from the Paleolithic and Neolithic stone tools of early human history, implying that the minds of such people are as hard and outdated as stone. Use of this specific term in society to belittle soldiers is indicative of a rapid change in the mindset of young men serving in the military. My cousin, who has military experience, recently told me that the hardest part of his service wasn’t hunger or cold, but the abuse inflicted by older soldiers on the new recruits. But, despite endless beatings, he never once considered desertion. He said he genuinely couldn’t even imagine it. But these days, new recruits desert without hesitation if even the slightest thing displeases them. And yet, they can’t be scolded or punished for it, because the moment that happens, they desert again. He concluded his story by saying, “Today’s youth are just too different. Too different.” How long will the North Korean military remain an army that exists solely for Kim Jong-un? If soldiers come to realize that their sacrifice is a fraudulent contract with no reward, they will no longer show loyalty. Moreover, no parent wants to see their child dragged into a senseless war like the one between Ukraine and Russia. Fresh-faced soldiers, just out of high school, are having their lives ended in vain as cannon fodder and drone targets. I saw the true face of the North Korean regime, one that trades its people’s lives for a few dollars without hesitation. As someone who once lived as a North Korean citizen, that truth was deeply saddening, and I couldn’t help but applaud my own courage for escaping such a place. The dispatch of soldiers to Russia is Kim Jong-un’s way of turning what little loyalty remains among the population into cash. He is like a delinquent with no remaining credit taking out a cash advance on his last credit card. But there is no card that can be drawn on forever. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Changing%20loyalties%20in%20the%20North%20Korean%20military%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Changing%20loyalties%20in%20the%20North%20Korean%20military%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Changing%20loyalties%20in%20the%20North%20Korean%20military%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-loyalties-in-the-north-korean-military/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Changing%20loyalties%20in%20the%20North%20Korean%20military%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-loyalties-in-the-north-korean-military/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Changing%20loyalties%20in%20the%20North%20Korean%20military%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Ministry of Social Security drastically tightens control over the people ](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministry-of-social-security-drastically-tightens-control-over-the-people/) **Published:** April 25, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Istock-1148823773.jpg "Traffic police in north korea | nk insider")The Ministry of Social Security, the main law enforcement agency in North Korea, is significantly beefing up its remit and intensifying control over the populace. In the past, officers would mostly stick to stopping people on the street to check IDs and belongings, but now they are reportedly conducting more intrusive surveillance and monitoring of people’s private lives. According to a source in North Hamgyong Province, the Hoeryong city branch of the ministry is currently forming security teams comprising neighborhood unit leaders and secret informants to more thoroughly monitor the daily lives of citizens. Neighborhood heads use the pretext of delivering government instructions to conduct home visits, while informants approach people under the guise of personal errands to get closer to people so that they may observe their day-to-day activity. For instance, they may casually suggest starting a business together or drop by claiming they’re just passing through, all to gain access in a natural way. These informants are not limiting themselves to surveillance of those designated high-risk, but are monitoring what ordinary people are eating, thinking and talking about. Security officers assigned to each “*dong*” (neighborhood) patrol several times a day under the pretext of inspecting the security status of the regular neighborhood *inminban* association, which functions for surveillance. As a result, even those who have done nothing wrong feel treated as criminals which causes significant psychological stress and anxiety, according to the source. The tightening of control has been building for some time. It appears to have been prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, the government revised numerous laws and regulations, and passed new ones, significantly expanding the legal basis for surveillance. According to documents obtained, the overall control system was reorganized at the 3rd Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party in June 2021. In particular, security officers across provinces, cities, and counties were ordered to implement a “single-room responsibility system.” This required them to patrol their assigned areas up to 100 times a day. At first glance, this may seem like a public safety measure, but it was in fact a drastic move aimed at suppressing public dissatisfaction. In October 2022, revised criminal procedure law education was conducted across all levels of public safety institutions and military security units to further reinforce surveillance and control activities. Then, in December of the same year, a directive titled “On Decisively Improving and Strengthening Substation Security Work” laid out in detail the roles of social safety institutions, ordering thorough implementation. This was understood to be a significant matter, beyond just a legal or organizational adjustment and directly impacting the fundamental human rights and daily lives of the North Korean people. Such measures seem to be an effort by the regime to use the Ministry of Social Security to suppress discontent and unrest among residents and maintain regime stability. Now this organized surveillance system has taken root, people feel increasingly intimidated, and mistrustful of one another. When security officers, neighborhood leaders and security team members make regular visits to people’s homes, they gather meticulously detailed information on family members’ activities, contacts with outsiders, and changes in household goods. All of this is reported to higher-ups. This is fostering a heightened level of mistrust among neighbors and serves as an effective control mechanism to preemptively block dissent and defections. The environment is such that dissatisfaction and potential resistance to the regime are extinguished before they begin. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20drastically%20tightens%20control%20over%20the%20people%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20drastically%20tightens%20control%20over%20the%20people%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20drastically%20tightens%20control%20over%20the%20people%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministry-of-social-security-drastically-tightens-control-over-the-people/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20drastically%20tightens%20control%20over%20the%20people%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministry-of-social-security-drastically-tightens-control-over-the-people/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20drastically%20tightens%20control%20over%20the%20people%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Why North Korea has not collapsed](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korea-has-not-collapsed/) **Published:** April 24, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Istock-1182064942.jpg "South korean boy looking into north korea at dmz | nk insider")Don’t you find it puzzling that North Korea, which always seems like it could collapse at any time, is still standing strong? Our media constantly pours out dire reports about the place. “The economic reality in North Korea, the human rights situation, the flood damage…” and so on. Yet, it is still there, solidly maintaining its form. So we’re left wondering. Why? The Arduous March famine of the ‘90s was certainly enough to shake the lives of the people. But not enough to finish them off. In the struggle to survive, many died. We can get a sense of how grueling it was from the sayings that emerged: “The sheep all died, and only the jackals survived.” Yes, those who survived truly had, to some extent, the fierce nature of jackals. The gentle people who believed in the words of the state and felt that somehow it would take care of them were all wiped out. Ironically, those who didn’t trust the state were the ones who survived. And not only did they survive, but they grew stronger through hardship. Isn’t there a saying that the pain that does not kill me just makes me stronger? Those who endured sprouted life even on barren land, and made flowers bloom even on stone. Then international sanctions hit as a second ordeal for the people. But they had already learned from the first ordeal how to avoid death. In other words, they had become antifragile. What would have happened if the Arduous March and the sanctions had struck them all at once? They would have undoubtedly met immediate death. But these trials came in sequence, over time, and having grown stronger from the previous round, they were able to resolutely face the next one. It’s like how slowly introducing a toxin builds immunity. Some might think, Is living such a life truly living? Why don’t North Koreans rise up and overthrow their hellish regime? But their experience is what they think life is. From their grandparents’ generation, they’ve only ever experienced hardship. So how can they dream of freedom or abundance? How can a frog in a well, who’s only seen a small patch of sky, dream of the open heavens? What’s more, the government cuts off even the smallest sprouts of independent thought from a young age through education. It turns people into mental invalids incapable of independent thinking. Everyone possesses the thoughts and preferences desired by the regime. They are like brothers who share the same psychological DNA. Though born different, they are shaped into the same mold as they grow up. Of course, there are rare cases where this molding fails. No matter how hard the government tries to erase individuality through early education, it doesn’t always work as intended. Some people see the faults of the government and raise their voices. But as far as I know, none who raised their voice is still alive. The dictatorship ruthlessly punishes even the slightest dissent. Did you know that in North Korea, there’s a crime called “speech reactionary”? It refers to people who merely complain about the regime. In that system, even moving your mouth the wrong way can cost you your life. From the fate of those who have resisted, we have learned a bitter truth. That is that, to preserve your life, you must accept your fate. If you lack the strength to break the chains of fate, you must find a way to live within them. This lesson taught us how to survive, but it took away our courage to stand against injustice. When I see people who shed blood for democracy, I’m in awe. Did they fight knowing they would die? What kind of heart willingly gives its life for a greater cause? The power that sustains the North Korean regime, that suppresses opposing forces and maintains the system, comes undoubtedly from the military. The ruling Kim family knows this well. They know the military is key, and that as long as they control it, their regime will endure. So the highest position in North Korea is not the President, but the Chairman of the National Defense Commission. In a country of 26 million people, 1.3 million are active-duty soldiers. That is five percent of the population, which makes North Koreans the most militarized people in the world. You may not know, but this relatively small country leads the world in some other things too. For example, military service lasts 10 years. That’s long enough for even the weak to be forged into steel. Here’s a story about a friend of mine. He hated organizational life and loved South Korean dramas. In other words, he qualified as a “corrupted” youth. We used to call him “Yellow-water,” meaning he held capitalist ideas in his head instead of the red water of the Workers’ Party ideology. But to reach his desired position in society, he had to serve in the military. Only those who have completed military service can attain key posts. Three years later, I saw him at a school reunion. As always, we talked, laughed, drank, and talked again, conversation blooming. “How’s life these days?” “It’s dark. I can’t see ahead.” “Why? Are you stuck in a cave?” one friend joked, and others laughed along. “All the more reason to trust the Party, don’t you think?” said Yellow-water. We honestly couldn’t believe our ears. Yellow-water said this. He was transformed. His comment left us speechless. The whole way back from the reunion, I kept wondering, how could a person change that much? I came to better understand the nature of the military and the ideological indoctrination that happens there. The military is not just a place that teaches you how to shoot a gun. It is of itself an educational system that could, in three years, turn our Yellow-water into a revolutionary warrior. That is why, as I said, only those who graduate with honors from this system are entrusted with key roles in the country. All the factors I’ve mentioned combine to keep the system alive. It survives due to our short-sightedness, the survival instinct that drives people to keep going no matter how hard life gets, our fear, the lifelong indoctrination, and the regime’s ruthlessness. Among these, the pillar that most supports the system is clearly that merciless repression. When I learned that in the U.S., it’s legal for ordinary people to own firearms, I wondered at once if the reason was to allow citizens to prepare for the possibility that their government might one day wield unilateral violence, like in North Korea. That makes me sometimes imagine. What if we weren’t afraid of death and had fought injustice head-on? What if North Koreans could own guns like Americans? What if it hadn’t been such an obviously one-sided fight that one side was bound to lose? Would North Koreans have still complied as they do now, or would they have fought back? *At dawn, in the alley, I write your name. Democracy. My mind has long forgotten you, my feet have long strayed from you, But deep inside my burning chest remains a memory of thirst, And I secretly write your name. Democracy.* (Excerpt from “The Burning Thirst” by Kim Ji-ha) - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20North%20Korea%20has%20not%20collapsed&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20North%20Korea%20has%20not%20collapsed https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20North%20Korea%20has%20not%20collapsed "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korea-has-not-collapsed/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20North%20Korea%20has%20not%20collapsed&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korea-has-not-collapsed/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20North%20Korea%20has%20not%20collapsed "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Is China stopping forced repatriation of defectors in pushback against NK-Russia alliance?](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-china-stopping-forced-repatriation-of-defectors-in-pushback-against-nk-russia-alliance/) **Published:** April 23, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Istock-1558383998-e1745434128106.jpg "China north korea and russia conflict | nk insider")Chinese authorities, starting this year, have reportedly stopped sending defectors arrested by public security forces back to North Korea. Instead, they are releasing them with fines. While actual surveillance of defectors who enter China illegally has been significantly tightened, the trend shows a marked change from the longstanding policy of forced repatriation. According to a local source in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, up until the end of last year, defectors arrested by public security were typically detained for 10–15 days before being sent to an immigration detention center in Dandong and repatriated. But since the beginning of this year, the practice has changed. Chinese authorities are no longer sending defectors to the immigration detention center. Instead, they are reportedly letting them go back to their homes—where they have Chinese husbands or acquaintances—after they pay a fine. [Three defectors arrested by public security](https://nktimes.kr/%eb%8b%a8%eb%8f%85-%e4%b8%ad%ec%8b%ac%ec%96%91%ec%84%9c-%ed%83%88%eb%b6%81%eb%af%bc-3%eb%aa%85-%ea%b3%b5%ec%95%88%ec%97%90-%ec%b2%b4%ed%8f%ac-%eb%b6%81%ec%86%a1-%ec%9c%84%ea%b8%b0/) in Shenyang while trying to reach South Korea were released at the end of last month without being sent to the Dandong immigration center. It was confirmed that local authorities demanded a fine of 50,000 yuan (approximately $6,855 USD) for their release. Similarly, in early March, five defectors who left their homes in Kunming, Yunnan Province, to try to reach South Korea were arrested by local police. They too were released immediately after paying the 50,000 yuan fine and returned to homes where their Chinese husbands reside. However, two defectors who were unable to pay the fine remain detained at the local police station. It is reported that public security authorities lowered the fine to 30,000 yuan (approximately $4,096 USD), but even this reduced amount couldn’t be paid by the detainees, who continue to be held. According to the source, these defectors remain in detention because their Chinese husbands claim their North Korean wives tried to abandon them and refuse to pay the fines or take them back. “In the past, if a husband didn’t come to retrieve his wife, she would be forcibly repatriated without exception,” the source said. “But now, even if they’re caught, the defectors are not being sent back to North Korea—they’re just being detained in local police stations.” China had previously carried out [mass repatriations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFg1cpytO80) of defectors following the COVID-19 outbreak, forcibly sending back up to 600 people at once. This new trend of releasing defectors for a fee marks a significant departure from past practices of [unconditional mass repatriation](https://www.voakorea.com/a/7816718.html). This change in stance is believed to be a strategic move by China to subtly counterbalance North Korea’s deepening military ties with Russia. By holding back on forced repatriations, China is maintaining its leverage over Pyongyang. Since the June 2023 [North Korea-Russia Military Agreement](https://www.bbc.com/korean/articles/cn00elnzqvzo), North Korea has actively pursued military agreements and sought energy support from Russia, signaling a desire to reduce reliance on China. These actions have left China feeling as though it is being sidelined or used as leverage in North Korea’s broader diplomatic strategy. Furthermore, the international community has consistently criticized China over the forced repatriation of defectors, calling it a serious human rights violation. The ongoing global condemnation not only damages China’s international image but also imposes diplomatic pressure. In this context, the deepening North Korea-Russia military partnership may have pushed China to ease its repatriation policy. This shift suggests a new phase in how North Korean defectors are handled. The practice of releasing defectors upon payment is less a humanitarian gesture and more a blend of economic gain and political calculation—yet it does open a narrow path for defectors’ survival. Particularly, many Chinese men are living with North Korean women, and considering the rising number of fines imposed by authorities and the rapidly evolving North Korea-Russia relations, China is expected to maintain a more flexible stance on the defector issue—at least for now. However, because the forced repatriation issue is still entangled in complex political dynamics between North Korea, Russia, and China, this leniency is likely to remain temporary. Observers also suggest that China’s broader stance on human rights remains a critical area to watch. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Is%20China%20stopping%20forced%20repatriation%20of%20defectors%20in%20pushback%20against%20NK-Russia%20alliance%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Is%20China%20stopping%20forced%20repatriation%20of%20defectors%20in%20pushback%20against%20NK-Russia%20alliance%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Is%20China%20stopping%20forced%20repatriation%20of%20defectors%20in%20pushback%20against%20NK-Russia%20alliance%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-china-stopping-forced-repatriation-of-defectors-in-pushback-against-nk-russia-alliance/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Is%20China%20stopping%20forced%20repatriation%20of%20defectors%20in%20pushback%20against%20NK-Russia%20alliance%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-china-stopping-forced-repatriation-of-defectors-in-pushback-against-nk-russia-alliance/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Is%20China%20stopping%20forced%20repatriation%20of%20defectors%20in%20pushback%20against%20NK-Russia%20alliance%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Secret police crackdown underway in border area](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-crackdown-underway-in-border-area/) **Published:** April 22, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Guardpost-2.jpg "Guardpost | nk insider")The secret police have reportedly launched a crackdown on its own people in the border region. With information leaks occurring frequently in areas along the border with China, this drive appears aimed at identifying internal sources of leaks. At the same time, the heightened surveillance is causing mounting anxiety among residents. According to a source in North Hamgyong Province on the 11th, joint inspections began on April 3rd in Hoeryong City and Musan County. They are being carried out under the directive of the Ministry of State Security, the feared secret police body that reports directly to Kim Jong-un. The main goal is the detection and arrest of security officials leaking internal information. In particular, authorities are said to have ordered a full-scale surveillance, tracking, and inspection of communications, movement, and economic activity of both local officials and residents in the border areas. As such, the priority is areas where Chinese mobile phones can be used, with a focus on uncovering illegal communications and transactions with the outside world, the source explained. In Hoeryong City, the State Security Bureau from Daehongdan County in Ryanggang Province has reportedly been tasked with carrying out the probe. Security agents dispatched to the area are said to be using both stationary and handheld signal detectors to monitor communication signals in real-time. At the same time, they are conducting close investigations into the communication records and recent activities of individuals previously caught using Chinese mobile phones. Due to this, residents who have used phones in the past or are currently using them are reportedly in a state of panic, with many fleeing to the homes of relatives or friends in other regions to avoid being caught up in the sweep. “Inspections like this happen every year, but this time it feels much more intense,” the source said. “The agents doing it are even keeping their lodging and dining locations secret, completely cutting off contact with the community while they carry out their activities.” “The border areas are tangled in a web of smugglers, *donju* (people with money), and law enforcement, so it’s not easy to root out illegal activity through inspections or crackdowns alone,” he said. “That’s why they are bringing in agents from other regions.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Secret%20police%20crackdown%20underway%20in%20border%20area&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Secret%20police%20crackdown%20underway%20in%20border%20area https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Secret%20police%20crackdown%20underway%20in%20border%20area "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-crackdown-underway-in-border-area/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Secret%20police%20crackdown%20underway%20in%20border%20area&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-crackdown-underway-in-border-area/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Secret%20police%20crackdown%20underway%20in%20border%20area "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Workplaces tasked with handing criminal suspects](https://www.nkinsider.org/workplaces-tasked-with-handing-criminal-suspects/) **Published:** April 21, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Monitoring-college-students-e1745322291702-1.jpeg "Monitoringcollegestudentse1745322291702 | nk insider")North Korean police authorities have taken steps to delegate the handling of criminal suspects to workplaces. According to a source in North Hamgyong Province on the 9th, local Public Security Departments received a directive on April 1 instructing them to “hand over criminals and legal violators to workers or guardians of the affiliated factories or enterprises for control and management.” The directive contained specific guidelines that included the transfer of data concerning a lawbreaker to the relevant personnel in the institution or enterprise, and the release of the individuals in question only after they sign a *dambo-seo* (written guarantee) promising not to re-offend. It seems that vagrants and unemployed people are also to be handed over to work institutions. People who have engaged in unruly behavior while under the influence of alcohol are to undergo ideological reeducation and forced labor, after which they must submit a *dambo-seo* pledging to thoroughly reform themselves and not engage in such behavior again as a condition for release. Additionally, the directive emphasizes that data on criminals and violators must be delivered through local security departments to relevant party organizations, labor groups, and educational institutions to ensure responsible ideological education and oversight. Though the order is ostensibly aimed at crime prevention, the source said the contradictory nature of some parts of the directive has caused considerable confusion. For example, the order includes instructions not to disclose sensitive information, such as data on individuals subject to criminal proceedings, unverified information, and individual surveillance reports, while at the same time calling for legal efforts to prevent prejudice and discrimination against suspects. Specifically, institutions are instructed not to reject or avoid placement of individuals who have been released from reform institutions or those who are deemed high-risk for criminal behavior, nor to forcibly retire, mistreat, or ostracize them. “This order seems to be an attempt to take a new approach to managing and controlling criminals,” the source said. “But the cadres are confused about who they’re supposed to take responsibility for and who to reject.” “They are particularly bewildered because they are told to monitor criminals while simultaneously being told to avoid bias,” he said. “This kind of contradictory policy always gives officials headaches.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Workplaces%20tasked%20with%20handing%20criminal%20suspects&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Workplaces%20tasked%20with%20handing%20criminal%20suspects https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Workplaces%20tasked%20with%20handing%20criminal%20suspects "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/workplaces-tasked-with-handing-criminal-suspects/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Workplaces%20tasked%20with%20handing%20criminal%20suspects&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/workplaces-tasked-with-handing-criminal-suspects/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Workplaces%20tasked%20with%20handing%20criminal%20suspects "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Where does patriotism come from?](https://www.nkinsider.org/where-does-patriotism-come-from/) **Published:** April 17, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Saving-priate-ryan.jpg "Savingpriateryan | nk insider")What does it mean to love one’s country? It means to feel pain when the country suffers, and joy when it thrives. It means to be willing to endure risk or loss if such a sacrifice contributes, even in the smallest way, to the nation’s progress. But what if the only thing my country gives me in return is neglect and discrimination? Can I continue to love it? Normally, people love the country they are born and raised in without needing any special education. It’s a natural emotion, like loving oneself. It’s an extension of the love one feels for family or neighbors. But those of us raised in North Korea are given a very specific education about patriotism and it is not the kind of emotion I just described. We are taught that patriotism is the noblest of all feelings. We are taught that it is a feeling that must come before even the love for ourselves. From childhood, we are told stories about people who sacrificed themselves for the country. And through these stories, we learn that while the body may perish, names and achievements live forever. In other words, we are taught to live in pursuit of immortality through death. Take the story of Ri Su-bok. He is a prime example of this kind of patriot. In October 1951, during the Korean War, Ri was part of a North Korean attack that was halted because of enemy machine-gun fire. Ri jumped up in front of the machine gun and blocked it with his body, saving his fellow soldiers who were able to advance. He was only 18. The words he supposedly wrote live on and are now sung in songs that echo among the people. “My life, my hope, my happiness—none of it is more precious than my country’s fate. For my one and only homeland, I gladly offer my one and only life. What could be more noble, beautiful, or great than offering my youth?” We see from this what the country expects of us. We are raised to become Ri Su-boks, prepared to run whenever the nation calls. During the Arduous March famine, in fact, we were urged in a mass propaganda campaign to become “Ri Su-boks of the 1990s.” Some do, in fact, die a death similar to his. We call them “suicide warriors.” Their stories are also used to educate and emotionally stir others. They tell of soldiers who strapped bombs to themselves and rushed toward enemy cruisers to sink them. These war stories send chills to my heart. To be honest, if someone told me to carry a bomb and blow myself up, no matter the eternal life promised, I’d be terrified. Must I really die in such a way? Can’t I just drop the bombs from a distance? Why volunteer to die by carrying them all the way to the target? Later, I came to understand the logic behind suicide tactics. It was to increase the hit rate. For example, cruisers have advanced sensors that make it hard for ships to approach within firing range. But an individual can get up close without being detected. These heroes were simply used like this to get around a technological problem. Such stories bring a question to mind. Does my country truly value my life and the lives of my fellow countrymen? Did those suicide warriors really think their deaths were honorable? Or did they see them as meaningless? Of course, questioning something deemed sacred is considered treason, so I never voiced these thoughts aloud. I could only whisper to myself, “Please, just let me die of old age.” Spies dispatched overseas face the same fate. If their mission fails and they’re captured, the country turns its back on them. To hide its own shame, it never acknowledges them as its own. Worse, the country is disappointed if they fail to get killed. Because the dead can’t talk, what the country wants from us is death. Then they teach us the twisted logic that becoming a prisoner is a form of betrayal. Have you ever seen a North Korean movie? In battles with the enemy, there’s always one bullet kept so the soldier can commit suicide. Why does the country always demand our sacrifice? And yet, never even consider sacrificing for us? The contrast is even more extreme when it comes to foreigners. While ordinary citizens are treated like old shoes, foreigners are treated with utmost hospitality. We don’t have access to good hotel rooms, the internet, or cars in our daily lives. But when foreigners visit North Korea, the government bends over backward to give them every convenience to create a good impression of the country. Let me say this clearly, the North Korea foreigners see, and the one its own citizens live in, are two entirely different worlds. As Charlie Chaplin once said, life is a tragedy when seen up close, but a comedy when seen from a distance. North Korea is a place that produces tragic comedies more than anywhere else. North Koreans dedicate themselves to their country more than anyone else, yet are treated worse than foreigners. If that is the case, what meaning does the nation hold for us? If the country demands sacrifice but offers us nothing, how can we genuinely love it? When I was still in North Korea, I watched the movie Saving Private Ryan. It struck me how, in this film, the U.S. government does not turn away from the sorrow of an ordinary mother whose sons were sent to the front. It endures great sacrifice to save just one soldier. The story demonstrates the will of the nation. If a citizen suffers in the line of duty, the country will never abandon him. While the country expects devotion from its people, it, too, will be devoted to them. How could that not move you? Watching this, I felt the urge to become an American. I wanted to be valued and protected in this way. I read in a book somewhere that even a janitor in America feels proud to be a citizen. Compared to the North Korean who is told to become a human bomb for Kim Jong-un, how much more is that pride worth having? To be honest, what struck me most after coming to South Korea was that no one forces you to love your country. In this country, I could choose where to live. Similarly, patriotism itself became a matter of choice. Perhaps globalization is erasing the boundaries of race and nation. Maybe this new way of life has diluted feelings like patriotism or made expressions of such emotions seem eccentric. Still, I always find myself hoping that my adopted country, South Korea, will grow strong. Because I know that when I face difficulties, she will protect me. And if that faith and determination isn’t patriotism, then what is? The patriotism I believe in isn’t about blind sacrifice or coercion. It’s about loving the country, and the country loving you back. I don’t expect much from my country. But I do have the faith that my country will be there to save me no matter what. Love or loyalty to one’s country is necessary, but it is only possible when the country deserves it. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Where%20does%20patriotism%20come%20from%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Where%20does%20patriotism%20come%20from%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Where%20does%20patriotism%20come%20from%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/where-does-patriotism-come-from/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Where%20does%20patriotism%20come%20from%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/where-does-patriotism-come-from/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Where%20does%20patriotism%20come%20from%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Why has Christianity become the religion of choice for most defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-has-christianity-become-the-religion-of-choice-for-most-defectors/) **Published:** April 14, 2025 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Istock-599897720.jpg "They share a strong faith | nk insider")“There’s no religious freedom in North Korea? What are you talking about—there are churches in North Korea. You know less about North Korea than I do.” This was something I heard less than three months after settling in South Korea. It was baffling. Later, after doing some research, I found out that the church being referenced was the Bongsu Church, located in the Mangyongdae District of Pyongyang. This church, where no worship can be held without permission from the authorities, was constructed by the regime in the 1980s for the purpose of showcasing supposed religious freedom to foreigners during the [1989](https://www.christiandaily.co.kr/news/116285) World Festival of Youth and Students. The church was also part of a broader strategy to secure humanitarian aid through public displays of Christianity during ‘the Arduous March’ famine of the 1990s, when millions of people starved to death amid economic crisis and food shortages. With the collapse of communist nations and the loss of aid from socialist allies, North Korea sought to engage with capitalist countries, and Bongsu Church served as a space for visiting foreign dignitaries [to attend Sunday worship](https://www.rfa.org/korean/weekly_program/ae40c528c77cac00c758-c228aca8c9c4-c9c4c2e4/co-su-02192019092159.html). But this church doesn’t symbolize religious freedom in North Korea. For someone like me, who had never even heard of a church in the North, learning about Bongsu Church and that Pyongyang was once called the [Jerusalem of the East](https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/21376947) came as a startling revelation. This was because of what we learned through our elementary school Korean language textbooks. One story in particular stands out. It told of a boy in South Pyongan Province during the Japanese occupation who sneaks into an American missionary’s orchard to steal an apple and gets caught. As punishment, the missionary writes “thief” on the boy’s forehead using sulfuric acid, condemning him to live his life branded as a criminal. The imagery of the missionary’s sharp nose, the cruel branding, and setting wild animals on the boy filled us with fear and hatred. In North Korea, the cross was more terrifying than a starless, stormy night sky. That’s the reason I used to get chills just walking past churches in South Korea. Even after I began attending church myself, it took time to shake the subconscious fear that came with anything associated with churches, missionaries, or the cross. Volume 1 of the Selected Works of Kim Il Sung, a compilation of his speeches and writings from 1967 onward, states, “[Religion](https://nk.chosun.com/bbs/view.html?idxno=3360&sc_category=) is a kind of superstition. Whether the belief in Jesus or the belief in Buddhism, they are all essentially beliefs in superstition.” In Volume 5, it reads that “Religion is a reactionary and unscientific worldview. When people believe in religion, they lose their class consciousness and become disinterested in revolution. Religion is like opium.” At the core of these writings is the belief that “religion is reactionary.” To be religious, to believe in Christianity, is to engage in anti-social behavior tantamount to choosing death. And yet, ironically, many North Korean defectors, people educated to demonize missionaries that believe in God and taught that religion is reactionary, end up finding their way to churches in the process of settling in South Korean society. In fact, according to a 2019 survey by the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB), [51.2%](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20220510115500009#:~:text=2019%EB%85%84%20%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%A0%95%EB%B3%B4%EC%84%BC%ED%84%B0(NKDB)%EA%B0%80%20%EB%82%A8%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%98%20%ED%83%88%EB%B6%81%EB%AF%BC%EC%97%90%EA%B2%8C%20%ED%98%84%EC%9E%AC%20%EC%A2%85%EA%B5%90%EB%A5%BC%20%EB%AC%BC%EC%97%88%EB%8D%94%EB%8B%88%2051.2%%EA%B0%80%20%EA%B0%9C%EC%8B%A0%EA%B5%90%EB%A5%BC%20%EB%AF%BF%EB%8A%94%EB%8B%A4%EA%B3%A0%20%EB%8B%B5%ED%96%88%EB%8B%A4.&text=%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%20%EC%A0%84%EC%B2%B4%20%EC%9D%B8%EA%B5%AC%20%EC%A4%91%20%EA%B0%9C%EC%8B%A0%EA%B5%90%20%EC%8B%A0%EC%9E%90%EA%B0%80%2023%%EC%9D%B4%EA%B3%A0,%ED%83%88%EB%B6%81%EB%AF%BC%EC%9D%98%20%EC%A2%85%EA%B5%90%EB%B6%84%ED%8F%AC%EB%8A%94%20%EA%B0%9C%EC%8B%A0%EA%B5%90%20%EB%B9%84%EC%9C%A8%EC%9D%B4%20%EC%95%95%EB%8F%84%EC%A0%81%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C%20%EB%A7%8E%EC%9D%80%20%ED%8E%B8%EC%9D%B4%EB%8B%A4.) of respondents identified as Protestant, while only about 10% said they followed Buddhism. Experts who have spoken to the [media](https://www.nknews.org/2022/05/why-are-so-few-north-korean-defectors-buddhist/) about why so many defectors choose Protestantism often point to three main reasons. First, most of the people who help North Koreans escape North Korea from China to South Korea are Christian organizations. Second, many of the groups that support North Korean defectors are led by Protestants, and traditionally, Protestant missionaries are especially active in the border areas between North Korea and China. Third, major churches in South Korea actively invest financial resources and support into defector-related business projects and devote significant energy to mission work targeting defectors. Most people agree with this analysis. I frequently witnessed many of my defector friends go to church, and receive some form of help from the church. If I were to add one more reason it would be familiarity. In North Korea’s education system, one of the most memorable aspects of life was organizational life. Every morning, we would get into formation and march into school from the school gate singing songs in praise of Kim Il-sung. By 7:30 a.m., we would arrive at school, and from 7:40 onward, we had about 20 minutes of ideological study. The leader of these study sessions would lead them based on instructions from Kim Il-sung or Kim Jong-il, or passages from prepared textbooks. After settling in South Korea and attending a Christian school, this writer could not get rid of the thought of how similar the school days began with a Bible verse and prayer seem to these ideological study sessions I experienced in middle and high school. Even the monthly “[life critique session](https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/knwldg/view/knwldg.do;jsessionid=FAlWqdAdxF67_phsA0W3lCQfK0GR9B2LMjwqXe6B.ins22?menuId=NK_KNWLDG_DICARY&knwldgNo=256#:~:text=%EC%83%9D%ED%99%9C%EC%B4%9D%ED%99%94%EB%9E%80%20%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%20%EC%A3%BC%EB%AF%BC%EB%93%A4,%EB%B9%84%ED%8C%90%ED%95%98%EB%8A%94%20%EB%AA%A8%EC%9E%84%EC%9D%84%20%EB%A7%90%ED%95%9C%EB%8B%A4.&text=%EC%B4%88%EC%B0%BD%EA%B8%B0%20%EC%83%9D%ED%99%9C%EC%B4%9D%ED%99%94%EB%8A%94%20%ED%95%9C,%EC%B0%B8%EA%B0%80%EB%A5%BC%20%EA%B0%95%EC%A0%9C%ED%95%98%EC%A7%80%20%EC%95%8A%EC%95%98%EB%8B%A4.)” in North Korea felt oddly reminiscent of confession time in Sunday Service. The act of confessing and repenting in Sunday Service at church is similar to self-criticism and mutual criticism time during the life critique session. People who are noted as lacking effort in organizational life stand up and start to criticize themselves. Then they say “I’d like to criticize comrade so-and-so…” and go on to criticize others. Furthermore, there’s the Ten Commandments, written in the Bible, which closely resembles the [Ten Principles](https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/landing/article.kci?arti_id=ART002456765) for the Establishment of the Monolithic Ideological System that must be memorized for North Korean organizational life. These 10 principles, which describe the things that must be done to establish the party’s sole ideological system, were principles every North Korean had to memorize from elementary school through university, and workplace. These principles were non-negotiable—”something you had to remember even if you forgot your own father’s name.” Additionally, the doctrine of the Trinity also bears a striking resemblance to North Korea’s socialist philosophy with the Great Leader as the brain, the Party as the bones, and the people as the flesh. “When I heard the story about Jesus walking on water, it reminded me of our history books about Kim Il-sung throwing pinecone grenades at Japanese soldiers and destroying them, and using teleportation techniques to appear at both the East and West Seas,” said Choi Kwang-myung, a defector who is now an office worker. “It was hard to take seriously.” “During new believer training, they said we’d get a gift card if we memorized the Ten Commandments,” he said. “That reminded me of memorizing the Ten Principles back in the North, and it was a breeze. I don’t really feel uncomfortable with the church atmosphere itself, but in North Korea I had no choice but to participate in organizational life, but this isn’t North Korea, so why would I keep going to church?” He decided to stop attending. Kim Sun-kyung, a college student living in Seoul who defected five years ago, said, “When I attended university in North Korea, I took Juche philosophy classes. The Trinity and Juche are kind of the same, the difference is whether you apply to religion or politics.” “One story from the Bible about Jesus healing a blind man was strangely similar to this North Korean propaganda piece I once saw,” she said. “In the propaganda, an American missionary tries to perform human experiments on a girl in the name of God, applies some medicine to her eyes, and she ends up going blind. However, she regains her sight after being embraced by the loving arms of the Supreme Leader.” “I personally came to realize while going to church that North Korea doesn’t simply suppress religious freedom, the whole North Korean system is a monolithic ideological faith that is centered on the Supreme Leader. It is a type of religion,” she said. “In that sense, Christianity is seen as a competing belief system, which is why it’s suppressed. They’re too similar in that both demand belief in an absolute being.” Perhaps the reason so many North Korean defectors choose Christianity isn’t only because the faith community helps them. It may be a personal transformation, where they build a new center in life within a framework they already know. Therefore, what they’re choosing might not just be a religion, but a new order for their lives. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20has%20Christianity%20become%20the%20religion%20of%20choice%20for%20most%20defectors%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20has%20Christianity%20become%20the%20religion%20of%20choice%20for%20most%20defectors%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20has%20Christianity%20become%20the%20religion%20of%20choice%20for%20most%20defectors%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-has-christianity-become-the-religion-of-choice-for-most-defectors/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20has%20Christianity%20become%20the%20religion%20of%20choice%20for%20most%20defectors%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-has-christianity-become-the-religion-of-choice-for-most-defectors/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20has%20Christianity%20become%20the%20religion%20of%20choice%20for%20most%20defectors%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [How media undermines truth-seeking](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-media-undermines-truth-seeking/) **Published:** May 24, 2024 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Istock-1213275620.jpg "Asian businessman in full suit reading printed newspaper near the office building | nk insider")Having grown up in North Korea where the media is so uniformly one-sided that we hesitate to call the stories in them “news,” I was surprised last month talking with friends about South Korea’s elections just how biased we can be even when we have access to a range of free media. It seemed to me that instead of truth-seeking, my friends were biased in line with the media they chose to read. During the campaign, we became very familiar with candidates on the streets during rush hour, holding placards and giving speeches that highlighted certain issues and signaled their positions. We heard the same from the parties’ representatives on TV. In due course, problems we initially questioned with skepticism often turned into certainties. My friends are quite diverse. They have different inclinations and support different parties. All expressed deep concern about the parties they didn’t like. “What makes you think that way?” I asked. “Don’t you watch the news?” they replied. I noticed then that their mistrust and points of criticism came from the media. It seems ironic that they had serious criticisms about parties but hadn’t checked out what the parties themselves said. Instead, they strengthened their convictions by selectively listening to what they wanted to hear. I’m curious about this issue, not so much from the point of view of political opinion, but in terms of the way we consume media. It’s no doubt that we live in a time of rapid change. Things once unimagined or considered fantastical have become part of daily life. Perhaps the most marked difference between the analog and digital worlds lies in the sheer amount of information and the speed of its transmission. In the analog world, information is scarce, and transmission is slow. This means that being the first to access new information is crucial. In North Korea, for example, the idea of a community taking action centered around information disseminators is seen as a challenge to the regime’s authority. It therefore employs various methods to suppress information disseminators and reserves the privilege of releasing new information exclusively to itself. How about South Korea in the digital era? Thanks to the internet, we can receive new information without time constraints. Furthermore, due to the activities of individual YouTubers, information that the government may be reluctant to disclose can easily be accessed. Given this situation, I would pose two questions. In the analog and digital worlds, how do people view and respond to new information? Second, what perspectives and stances do the media take? When I arrived in South Korea, people around me were curious about my use of the internet and social media. “I couldn’t access any information that wasn’t the voice of the Workers’ Party of Korea,” I said. They were surprised. “From now on, you’ll see much more information about the whole world,” they said. In telling me this, they conveyed the unexamined assumption that lots of information and ever more rapid delivery is better than scarce and delayed information. They believed that a system based on diversity would deliver more truthful information than a system that monopolizes information. I also adopted such beliefs. Now, after four years in South Korea, I have witnessed something very peculiar. Most of the people I’ve met here have 100 percent trust in the specific broadcasting station that they prefer watching. This observation leads me to conclude that in a society like North Korea, people may be materially backward, but in other ways, especially in their instincts, they are highly developed. I say this because North Koreans naturally acquire the skills necessary for survival. One such skill is the “power of thought.” For those living with limited information, the truthfulness of information is crucial. In impoverished societies, information is generally linked to food, clothing, and shelter so misinformation directly impacts their life. In North Korea, where people rely on a single media source for their livelihood, it is rare to find someone who completely trusts what the state tells them. People constantly discern whether the media information is accurate or not. Of course, they didn’t start with distrust and judgment. The villagers, you might say, didn’t doubt Aesop at the beginning. It’s the repeated lies within North Korean society that have made people wary. What, then, is the basis for believing or not believing in information? For me, it’s not who says it. It’s not because it’s from the government or high-ranking officials. Rather, it is down to the various indicators and standards I possess. This is what I mean by the “power of thought.” Ironically, media outlets in South Korea seem to diminish this power in their readers and viewers. A friend in South Korea once asked me where I got a certain opinion from. When I told him the media channel, he dismissed it, saying the channel was biased. I wondered then what made him think only the channels he enjoys watching were correct? Why do people believe that their preferred channels convey only the truth while dismissing others as spreading falsehoods? In capitalist markets, media outlets are not solely limited to being conveyors of information. To some extent, media that relies on advertising are bound to pander in some way to their audience’s tastes. This has intensified with the advent of the digital age. There is a greater temptation than ever to develop content and formats that consumers enjoy, regardless of the accuracy or truthfulness of the information being conveyed. This is the sad reality of capitalist media as I see it. It manipulates our thoughts without us even realizing it. I was captivated, and domesticated, by the media after escaping North Korea. What initially caught my eye was the towering billboards in the middle of the road. Even in pitch-black nights, these illuminated advertisements were apparitions of beauty for me. They symbolized freedom. This feeling stemmed from the contrast with the nights in North Korea, where we had to rely on moonlight when it was dark. “Capitalism’s night is truly beautiful,” I thought. A year later, the billboards no longer held such sway. The products sparkling within those advertisements made me feel insecure and alienated because I didn’t own them. The flickering lights seemed to say that I couldn’t enter the beautiful world they portrayed. Unbeknownst to me, my mind and body began to be domesticated by the media from that moment on. My “power of thought” was fading. Here in South Korea, the multiple media outlets keep whispering into my ears, disturbing me. This makes me wonder about freedom. Are we truly free from the media? Do we have a filter that allows us to sift through the stories they present? If not, how may we develop and strengthen it? - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20media%20undermines%20truth-seeking&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=How%20media%20undermines%20truth-seeking https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=How%20media%20undermines%20truth-seeking "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-media-undermines-truth-seeking/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=How%20media%20undermines%20truth-seeking&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-media-undermines-truth-seeking/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=How%20media%20undermines%20truth-seeking "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Border security supplies new phone detectors… ‘3 minutes, 5 meters’](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-supplies-new-phone-detectors-3-minutes-5-meters/) **Published:** April 9, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-04-09-a-las-7 48 41 a M.jpg "Captura de pantalla 20250409 a las 7 48 41 a m | nk insider")North Korean security authorities have reportedly replaced and supplied new portable radio wave detectors to officers stationed along the border region with China. The move is interpreted as an effort to strengthen border security by thoroughly blocking the inflow and outflow of information through Chinese mobile phones. According to an NK Times source in North Hamgyong Province, new portable radio wave detectors were distributed last month to officers in the Border Region State Security Department in Hoeryong City, Musan County, and other districts. Training on how to use the new devices was conducted from March 10 to 13, and distribution to officers of the Border Region State Security Department took place from March 15 to 25. The technology upgrade is part of an effort to identify users of Chinese mobile phones. The old devices, supplied in October 2022, were able to detect the location of a call within a 30-meter radius in under five minutes. But the new detectors can reportedly locate signals from Chinese mobile phones more quickly and accurately. The detection range has been narrowed to just five meters within three minutes, allowing for much faster apprehension of suspects. Alerted to the change, residents using Chinese mobile phones have reportedly been shortening their calls from five to two minutes. “Before the new devices were supplied, people would make calls deep in the mountains or in areas where detection could be avoided, but now even that has become difficult,” the source said. “As news spreads about the improved capabilities of the newly distributed detectors, people using Chinese mobile phones are drastically reducing their external communications.” “Since the pandemic, many people caught by the detectors have been sent to political prison camps,” he said. “Until the actual performance of the new devices is fully confirmed, residents using Chinese mobile phones are likely to refrain from external contact,” he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Border%20security%20supplies%20new%20phone%20detectors%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%983%20minutes%2C%205%20meters%E2%80%99&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Border%20security%20supplies%20new%20phone%20detectors%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%983%20minutes%2C%205%20meters%E2%80%99 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Border%20security%20supplies%20new%20phone%20detectors%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%983%20minutes%2C%205%20meters%E2%80%99 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-supplies-new-phone-detectors-3-minutes-5-meters/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Border%20security%20supplies%20new%20phone%20detectors%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%983%20minutes%2C%205%20meters%E2%80%99&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-supplies-new-phone-detectors-3-minutes-5-meters/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Border%20security%20supplies%20new%20phone%20detectors%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%983%20minutes%2C%205%20meters%E2%80%99 "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Locals subtly oppose Kim’s reforestation program… ‘Trees Are Planted, But They Don’t Grow’](https://www.nkinsider.org/locals-subtly-oppose-kims-reforestation-program-trees-are-planted-but-they-dont-grow/) **Published:** April 8, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Pic0089288.jpg "Pic0089288 | nk insider")Authorities in North Hamgyong Province are struggling to deal with the destruction of recently planted trees by local residents. Forestry officials in Hoeryong and other areas have been on high alert since mid-March, according to a source in the province cited by NK Times. Trees are routinely destroyed, but incidents surged in the wake of National Tree Planting Day on March 14, the source claimed. Inspectors from the Hoeryong City Forest Supervision Office are now patrolling the mountains from early morning until late at night, checking the condition of newly planted trees. Authorities are warning residents that destruction of a tree carries a 50,000 won fine per tree and serious offenders could even face a labor camp sentence. North Korea has long struggled with deforestation. With extensive wood harvesting and stripping of hillsides for crops led to the [loss of 2.2 million hectares](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01436597.2023.2233918) of forest between 1990 and 2010. Since he came to power, Kim Jong-un has tried to turn this around. In a speech, he said the country should “make green forests thick on the mountains.” According to a study by the South’s Korea Development Institute, some [1.33 million hectares of trees](https://www.nknews.org/2024/12/north-korea-on-pace-to-restore-6-5k-square-miles-of-forest-reach-10-year-goal/) have been planted since 2014. However, the [reduction of arable land ](https://www.38north.org/2021/05/reforestation-progress-and-backsliding-in-north-koreas-northern-and-southern-regions/#:~:text=Conclusion,communities%20once%20used%20for%20farming)has led to local resistance. In the past, the source said, people would pull newly planted trees out by the roots or snap their trunks. This year, however, they have taken to more discreet methods to avoid detection by forest authorities. These include cutting off branches or spraying herbicides, which effectively stunts tree growth while allowing them to escape punishment. This strategy has reportedly become widespread. “Now, even the ways of killing trees have diversified,” the source said. “By cutting branches or spraying herbicide, people can eliminate obstacles to crop growth without outright killing the trees—thus avoiding crackdowns and penalties.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Locals%20subtly%20oppose%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20reforestation%20program%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%98Trees%20Are%20Planted%2C%20But%20They%20Don%E2%80%99t%20Grow%E2%80%99&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Locals%20subtly%20oppose%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20reforestation%20program%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%98Trees%20Are%20Planted%2C%20But%20They%20Don%E2%80%99t%20Grow%E2%80%99 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Locals%20subtly%20oppose%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20reforestation%20program%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%98Trees%20Are%20Planted%2C%20But%20They%20Don%E2%80%99t%20Grow%E2%80%99 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/locals-subtly-oppose-kims-reforestation-program-trees-are-planted-but-they-dont-grow/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Locals%20subtly%20oppose%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20reforestation%20program%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%98Trees%20Are%20Planted%2C%20But%20They%20Don%E2%80%99t%20Grow%E2%80%99&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/locals-subtly-oppose-kims-reforestation-program-trees-are-planted-but-they-dont-grow/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Locals%20subtly%20oppose%20Kim%E2%80%99s%20reforestation%20program%E2%80%A6%20%E2%80%98Trees%20Are%20Planted%2C%20But%20They%20Don%E2%80%99t%20Grow%E2%80%99 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [High school graduates forced to “volunteer” for frontline duty… 90% are children of laborers and farmers](https://www.nkinsider.org/high-school-graduates-forced-to-volunteer-for-frontline-duty-90-are-children-of-laborers-and-farmers/) **Published:** April 7, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Pic0089198.jpg "Pic0089198 | nk insider")Senior high school graduates in North Hwanghae Province are reportedly being coerced into volunteering for frontline border units. Authorities held pledging ceremonies for students in cities and counties across the province in the first week of March after pressuring them to volunteer, according to a report in NK Times which quoted a source in the province. Although North Koreans are not able to outwardly protest, the forcible volunteering has sparked something of a controversy as it has been revealed that 95% of the “volunteers” are children of workers and farmers. For example, of over 300 graduates from Daesung Senior High School and Eunha Senior High School in the city of Sariwon, around 180 were forced to volunteer. All but ten were reportedly children of local factory workers. Similarly, out of 170 graduates from Seoksan Senior High School and Ryongcheon Senior High School in Hwangju County, around 160 who “volunteered” were children of collective farm workers, according to the source. “Every year, senior high school graduates are systematically forced to volunteer for difficult and labor-intensive sectors such as rural farming or mining,” he said. “But this year, they are being forced to go to frontline military units.” “The 1st Corps and 5th Corps on the frontline have the worst living conditions. Once deployed there, soldiers cannot see their parents for 10 years, and many suffer from malnutrition and are discharged in a severely weakened state,” he said. Given this, these two corps, which are in Gangwon, the only province that is itself divided between the two Koreas, are the ones which conscripts try hardest to avoid being deployed to. Hence the trend of forcing students into volunteering for them. “Students from border cities like Hyesan, Hoeryong, Chongjin, Manpo, and Sinuiju are not as naïve as those from North Hwanghae Province,” the source said. “This is why they are sending so many from North Hwanghae Province. They are more easily manipulated.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=High%20school%20graduates%20forced%20to%20%E2%80%9Cvolunteer%E2%80%9D%20for%20frontline%20duty%E2%80%A6%2090%25%20are%20children%20of%20laborers%20and%20farmers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=High%20school%20graduates%20forced%20to%20%E2%80%9Cvolunteer%E2%80%9D%20for%20frontline%20duty%E2%80%A6%2090%25%20are%20children%20of%20laborers%20and%20farmers https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=High%20school%20graduates%20forced%20to%20%E2%80%9Cvolunteer%E2%80%9D%20for%20frontline%20duty%E2%80%A6%2090%25%20are%20children%20of%20laborers%20and%20farmers "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/high-school-graduates-forced-to-volunteer-for-frontline-duty-90-are-children-of-laborers-and-farmers/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=High%20school%20graduates%20forced%20to%20%E2%80%9Cvolunteer%E2%80%9D%20for%20frontline%20duty%E2%80%A6%2090%25%20are%20children%20of%20laborers%20and%20farmers&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/high-school-graduates-forced-to-volunteer-for-frontline-duty-90-are-children-of-laborers-and-farmers/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=High%20school%20graduates%20forced%20to%20%E2%80%9Cvolunteer%E2%80%9D%20for%20frontline%20duty%E2%80%A6%2090%25%20are%20children%20of%20laborers%20and%20farmers "Reddit") **Categories:** Education --- ### [What now for the North Korean human rights movement with the loss of US support?](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-now-for-the-north-korean-human-rights-movement-with-the-loss-of-us-support/) **Published:** April 4, 2025 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Nk-flag.webp "North korea flag | nk insider")The experience of the North Korean human rights movement resembles that of Sisyphus, the mythological king of Corinth condemned in the underworld to roll a rock endlessly up a hill. Every time international support arrives, there is hope for progress. But then the funding stops, and organizations, particularly smaller groups, find themselves back at the bottom of the hill. Following the start of Donald Trump’s second term, it was somewhat predictable that foreign aid would be cut. Sure enough, on February 26, the administration [announced a 90 percent reduction](https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-cuts-6292f48f8d4025bed0bf5c3e9d623c16) in overseas funding by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). One prominent casualty in the United States was the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). It is trying [to fight back](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/us/politics/ned-lawsuit-funding-freeze.html). But for now, the damage is done. A nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting democracy worldwide, NED [provides annual funds for NGO projects](https://news.sbs.co.kr/news/endPage.do?news_id=N1007970283) in over 100 countries. It has been a critical pillar for human rights organizations in South Korea since 2005. In 2023, [it provided $4.89 million](https://www.ned.org/region/asia/?site=mapping_hyperlink) to 25 organizations related to North Korea. Its legal suit notwithstanding, suspension of its funding approvals has gone ahead and led to the termination of financial support for these NGOs. As cuts were implemented, some rights organizations in South Korea [went into crisis](https://www.chosun.com/international/us/2025/03/18/WKKBC3KOPFESHAIUZEWN634AP4/). “On the morning of February 13, I suddenly received a message which said that due to an executive order, funding from NED had been suspended,” said Kim Eun-kyung, a 30-year-old who leads a newly established organization that launched in 2025 with NED funding. “The message expressed deep regret for delivering such bad news but also earnestly requested that we continue our organization’s work.” “To be honest, I thought it was spam,” she said. “I rubbed my eyes and read it again. Though I had started this organization with a vision for North Korean human rights, I felt my strength completely drain away.” The day North Korean human rights organizations learned about the funding cutoff coincided with the day that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and [head of the Department of Government Efficiency](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/13/national-endowment-democracy-musk-funding-017146) (DOGE), launched an attack on NED via X (formerly Twitter). Musk labeled NED as a “malevolent organization” that “must be eradicated immediately.” As Musk suggested, NED may indeed be evil as far as Kim Jong-un is concerned. However, for organizations engaged in human rights activities, including the rescue of defectors, NED is a force for good. The sudden removal of funding highlights what some say is an over-reliance on the United States. “North Korean human rights organizations have been overly dependent on U.S. support.” said [Kang Chun-hyuk](https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/human_rights_defector/defectorexhibition-11162022085619.html#:~:text=%ED%95%9C%ED%8E%B8%20%EA%B0%95%EC%B6%98%ED%98%81%20%EC%9E%91%EA%B0%80%EB%8A%94%20%ED%95%A8%EA%B2%BD%EB%B6%81%EB%8F%84,%EB%9E%98%ED%8D%BC%EB%A1%9C%EC%84%9C%EB%8F%84%20%ED%99%9C%EB%8F%99%ED%95%98%EA%B3%A0%20%EC%9E%88%EC%8A%B5%EB%8B%88%EB%8B%A4.), a North Korean-born artist and musician who heads an organization called Draw of Dream. “In South Korea, support for North Korean human rights activities fluctuates with each change of administration. For this reason there is a structural dependency on U.S. funding because American support has been consistent regardless of which party is in power.” “This situation should serve as an opportunity to redefine the direction of North Korean human rights efforts,” he said. “Rather than approaching it from a political perspective where conservatives support and progressives oppose, we must establish a sustainable framework that ensures the continuity of human rights activities beyond political constraints.” Lee Eun-hye, a North Korean defector operating a human rights organization, expressed a similar sentiment. “When it came to North Korean human rights, I always felt indebted. I had done nothing for my fellow North Koreans. The only reason I could even begin working in this field was because of institutions like NED that provided the necessary support.” “For those who have relied on U.S. funding for over a decade, this must be a tremendous shock. However, this funding cutoff might serve as a test for organizations and individuals truly committed to North Korean human rights,” she said. She noted that some within the ruling People Power Party have suggested establishing a government agency that can provide politically neutral support for North Korean human rights organizations. Na Kyung-won of the ruling People Power Party [has called for a “North Korean Human Rights Freedom Alliance.”](https://www.pennmike.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=96128) For years, Washington has provided approximately $10 million a year for North Korean human rights efforts. This is five times the South Korean government’s annual allocation of around $2 million. “It’s been almost six years since I resettled in South Korea,” said a North Korean defector studying psychology in South Korea who uses the alias Kim Ji-yeon. “Growing up in North Korea, I was taught that the American ‘Yankees’ were our sworn enemies, but seeing the U.S. care more about North Korean human rights than South Korea changed my perception.” “This crisis should prompt those engaged in North Korean human rights work to establish an international institution that can support these activities,” she said. Rather than leading to the collapse of North Korean human rights advocacy, the suspension of U.S. aid could prove to be a turning point, one that, as April showers bring May flowers, fosters resilience and new strategies. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20now%20for%20the%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights%20movement%20with%20the%20loss%20of%20US%20support%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%20now%20for%20the%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights%20movement%20with%20the%20loss%20of%20US%20support%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%20now%20for%20the%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights%20movement%20with%20the%20loss%20of%20US%20support%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-now-for-the-north-korean-human-rights-movement-with-the-loss-of-us-support/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%20now%20for%20the%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights%20movement%20with%20the%20loss%20of%20US%20support%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-now-for-the-north-korean-human-rights-movement-with-the-loss-of-us-support/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%20now%20for%20the%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights%20movement%20with%20the%20loss%20of%20US%20support%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Crackdown on travelers in border area… Officials carrying confidential documents arrested](https://www.nkinsider.org/crackdown-on-travelers-in-border-area-officials-carrying-confidential-documents-arrested/) **Published:** April 3, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Istock-458355597-1.jpg "North korean military | nk insider")North Korea’s main law enforcement agency is currently conducting an intensive crackdown on people traveling to border areas for business trips. According to a report in NK Times at the end of last month, the Ministry of Social Security issued an order on March 10 instructing provincial, city, and county security departments nationwide to strengthen surveillance of business travelers. The report quoted a knowledgeable source in the country, who was unnamed for obvious reasons. The directive strictly prohibited ordinary citizens from accessing or moving within border areas. It particularly emphasized the need to thoroughly check officials carrying confidential documents in these regions. As a result, city and county security departments nationwide are now undertaking large-scale surprise inspections targeting regional road checkpoints, inns, and hotel parking lots. Since March 13, security departments in Hyesan city and Pungso and Samsu counties, which are all in the northern Ryanggang Province, have deployed agents at major checkpoints leading to border areas. On March 17, a party official from Hamhung City, identified as Han, was stopped and searched at a checkpoint designated as No. 10, as he was on his way to Hyesan for identity verification work. After prohibited documents were discovered, Han was arrested on the spot. He has reportedly been handed over to the city’s Ministry of State Security, where he is undergoing an intense investigation. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, officials traveling to border areas have been prohibited from carrying documents containing confidential information, computers, memory devices, or other electronic equipment. “Han was fully aware that he was not allowed to carry confidential documents when entering a border area, yet he still brought them,” the source said. “Authorities believe he intended to pass the documents to an enemy.” Han will be dismissed from his position and most likely charged with spying, the source said. “Recently, the authorities have been taking extremely strong measures to strengthen discipline among officials and tighten control over internal information,” he said. “The level of scrutiny on confidential documents and electronic devices has become way stricter than before, so much so that even party officials like Han get arrested on the spot.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Crackdown%20on%20travelers%20in%20border%20area%E2%80%A6%20Officials%20carrying%20confidential%20documents%20arrested&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Crackdown%20on%20travelers%20in%20border%20area%E2%80%A6%20Officials%20carrying%20confidential%20documents%20arrested https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Crackdown%20on%20travelers%20in%20border%20area%E2%80%A6%20Officials%20carrying%20confidential%20documents%20arrested "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/crackdown-on-travelers-in-border-area-officials-carrying-confidential-documents-arrested/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Crackdown%20on%20travelers%20in%20border%20area%E2%80%A6%20Officials%20carrying%20confidential%20documents%20arrested&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/crackdown-on-travelers-in-border-area-officials-carrying-confidential-documents-arrested/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Crackdown%20on%20travelers%20in%20border%20area%E2%80%A6%20Officials%20carrying%20confidential%20documents%20arrested "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [North Korea harangues people to exhibit “noble and civilized” standards ](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-harangues-people-to-exhibit-noble-and-civilized-standards/) **Published:** March 26, 2025 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/18-eraseo-1-copy.jpg "18eraseo 1 copy | nk insider")Citizens throughout North Korea this month are studying how to “thoroughly establish” noble and civilized socialist moral standards. This is the theme this month of the compulsory 45-minute lecture on ruling Party politics they have to sit through each week, according to material obtained by NK Insider. The objective, according to the lecture material, is for people to: become true patriots dedicated to making the country and nation shine brighter; vigorously promote the fight for increased production and saving across all sectors and units; and thoroughly establish noble and civilized socialist moral standards throughout society. All publications of this sort are released after receiving Kim Jong-un’s signed approval. However, the theme this month is making citizens reflect on many things. Until recently they have seen Kim Jong-un’s image on TV quite often and found him to be a poor example of the “noble and civilized” morality and etiquette being promoted. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/18-eraseo-1-1-759x1024.jpg "18eraseo1 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/18-eraseo-2-1-849x1024.jpg "18eraseo2 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/18-eraseo-3-1-1-887x1024.jpg "18eraseo31 | nk insider")The Regular Study Text on the Party’s Policies, obtained by NK Insider, was issued by the government in March. (Image: NK Insider)For example, it is customary in North Korea for people to [take their shoes off indoors](https://www.nknews.org/2014/05/defectors-criticize-kim-jong-uns-manners/), whether at home or in places like daycares and kindergartens. However, when Kim was filmed visiting a daycare, he didn’t do this. He just went into the building with his shoes on. If he had even the slightest consideration for children or showed the minimum courtesy to the people as a leader, he would not have acted this way. Yet, he demands morality from them. When visiting schools, he also smoked in the classroom, placing an ashtray in the back of the room. This scene while children were having lessons was publicly broadcast. In a time when even smoking outside the school fence would be considered inappropriate, Kim’s behavior shocked everyone. During tours of facilities, Kim often sits by himself on a chair while older officials, almost his father’s age, stand. Such untypical behavior makes those around him uncomfortable. Kim’s disregard for etiquette may be a consequence of his ascension to power through dynastic succession. [He evokes the image of a crime boss](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11989945/North-Korean-dictator-smokes-cigarettes-shows-daughter-ten-space-headquarters.html) or gangster. It seems as though morality does not matter to him. Yet, despite this, the study text claims, “Establishing socialist moral standards is an important requirement to uphold the essence of our society, enhance its superiority, and expedite the construction of a socialist great power.” It even cites Kim’s own words: “The issue of thoroughly establishing socialist moral standards throughout society is a critical and serious matter that will determine the destiny and future of our style of socialism.” There is a North Korean proverb that says, “When the upper water is clear, the lower water will be clear.” This means that those in power should set an example for those beneath them, and the national leader should embody noble and civilized morality as a model for the nation. The regime asserts, “A person with noble moral character is someone who behaves humbly at all times and in all places, conscientiously observes etiquette and social order in public spaces, and gives up their seat for elderly people and mothers with children when using public transportation.” Why is such a focus on morality being taught this month? It suggests that public etiquette and social order might be getting worse or be considered to have collapsed. This is not an unreasonable conclusion because the social issues raised in each period are highlighted through these study sessions. “The reality that imperialists and hostile forces are persistently trying to corrupt and degrade the morality of our people suggests that the struggle against immoral acts should be intensified more than ever,” the material says. The claim that external forces are corrupting the people is ironic. The authorities control the country so tightly, preventing citizens from freely traveling and blocking all foreign information, that it is somewhat absurd to argue that external forces are responsible for the lowering of standards. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20harangues%20people%20to%20exhibit%20%E2%80%9Cnoble%20and%20civilized%E2%80%9D%20standards%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20harangues%20people%20to%20exhibit%20%E2%80%9Cnoble%20and%20civilized%E2%80%9D%20standards%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20harangues%20people%20to%20exhibit%20%E2%80%9Cnoble%20and%20civilized%E2%80%9D%20standards%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-harangues-people-to-exhibit-noble-and-civilized-standards/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20harangues%20people%20to%20exhibit%20%E2%80%9Cnoble%20and%20civilized%E2%80%9D%20standards%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-harangues-people-to-exhibit-noble-and-civilized-standards/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20harangues%20people%20to%20exhibit%20%E2%80%9Cnoble%20and%20civilized%E2%80%9D%20standards%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Why does North Korea criminalize sex?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-does-north-korea-criminalize-sex/) **Published:** March 24, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Romantic-relation.jpg "Romantic relation | nk insider")The regime in North Korea makes people consider their natural desires shameful. It makes us feel guilty about the desire for sex or the instinct to beautify ourselves. Why does it do this? How does it benefit from it? We learn very early in North Korea that sex is a taboo subject. The instincts that arise in the heart are not bad or unpleasant when we follow reason and indulge in them. In fact, they are enjoyable. However, we are taught that our feelings are wrong. As a result, children who engage in innocent interactions with the opposite sex become the target of mockery. In this way, following our instincts brings shame and guilt. [This situation persists into adulthood](https://www.nknews.org/2016/12/strictly-business-the-sex-lives-of-north-koreans/). At the university I attended, students were forbidden from dating. Of course, some cleverly bypassed the rules. But even then, the very need for secrecy in a romantic relationship made it feel sinful. This was not just a feeling. It was a reality with consequences. One student who had been dating in secret was eventually expelled by the university committee. We had to learn to suppress our instincts in order to survive. When I was growing up, a very beautiful girl lived next door. She was of marriageable age. Many men courted her. However, she had someone she loved. The problem was that marriage was not seen as something that could be based solely on love between a man and a woman. In this context, there is [always the involvement of elders and family](https://www.nkhiddengulag.org/blog/marriage-and-family-life-in-north-korea-cultural-norms-and-challenges). Especially in North Korea, which is heavily influenced by Confucianism, one cannot separate these elements. Eventually, the couple broke up. After this, many of the men who had once pursued her hesitated to marry her because they believed she was no longer pure. What had she done wrong? Is a sad love story something that deserves to be criticized by society? She hadn’t harmed anyone. The only thing that had happened was that a young couple had fallen in love, yet this was perceived like a scarlet letter that followed her, creating an image of impurity. I truly cannot understand why people criticize sex in such a way. If the Kim family had set an example, perhaps we would understand it better. So, why are we unable to be more tolerant about sex? It is because society has been gaslighted into viewing sexual acts as inherently wrong. Initially, many men courted her because she was beautiful. This was an expression of instinct. It is natural to be attracted to beautiful people. That is why the effort to try to look beautiful is itself often seen as an act of seduction. Of course, the regime harshly punishes even this kind of behavior. For example, plastic surgery was popular for a period in North Korea. But then the government conducted a nationwide investigation and prosecuted young people who had undergone treatment. Some plastic surgeons were imprisoned. A few were executed. These doctors were not a threat to the regime. They merely enhanced women’s beauty with their skills. Why did the regime consider this to be such a serious crime? It wanted to suppress the human desire to be beautiful. The regime does not recognize the natural attraction or love between men and women based on beauty. It only recognizes comradely love. The government claims that true love is an emotion based on loyalty to the Party or revolutionary ideals. Using this as a bait, they offer young women to revolutionary soldiers or people whom the government deems worthy of benefits. This is the so-called “comradely love.” In the fall of 2000, many [long-term prisoners of war returned from South Korea](https://world.kbs.co.kr/service/contents_view.htm?lang=e&menu_cate=history&id=&board_seq=275303&page=4&board_code=) and were received with enthusiastic celebrations by citizens. Many had families in the South or had been captured at a very young age and grown up without a family. They longed for families, but no women in their 60s or 70s volunteered to marry them. The government then initiated a project to find wives for them. The department responsible, the 5th Bureau, selected women, but the age limit was set at mid-40s. If comradely love is based on revolutionary ideals, why the age limit? Are older women disloyal? The interesting fact is that the government even pressured the elderly parents of women who refused marriage to persuade them to change their minds. Newspapers promoted the children born to these former prisoners, trying to create public interest in their marriages. I wonder, what is the difference between the government arranging such marriages and selling sex? In North Korea, selling sex is a criminal offense. Once a woman charged with prostitution was brought before a public trial, where one by one, people stood up and criticized her for her actions and her ideological impurity. The criticism went on for two hours. At the end, the Party committee chairperson in charge asked her to express her reflections on her mistakes. “Tell us what you did wrong,” he said. “I thought it was mine because it was attached to my body,” she said. “I didn’t know it belonged to the party organization.” This is the essence of the matter. Our sexuality may be subject to government control, but it is not ours to decide. Is it a criminal act when individuals engage in sex on their own, but acceptable when the government orchestrates it under the guise of comradely love? There used to be a saying among those who opposed communism: “Communism is based on collective ownership. So you don’t own your wife. She’s everyone’s.” We learned in history that this was an absurd argument and a slanderous attempt to defame communism. But now, it no longer seems absurd. It’s clear that your wife is not yours, but the government’s. The government alone decides its value and how it is to be used. So, why does North Korea criminalize sex? It is to make us feel guilty about our natural instincts. This way, people settle into a state of guilt and become submissive and obedient. On the other hand, the purpose may be to create stress by suppressing sexual activity, allowing people to release that stress through activities for the Party or collective events. Or it may be to prevent the joy of sex from making other activities seem dull or boring. Ultimately, the suppression and control of sex is a tool to maintain control over the people. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20does%20North%20Korea%20criminalize%20sex%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20does%20North%20Korea%20criminalize%20sex%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20does%20North%20Korea%20criminalize%20sex%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-does-north-korea-criminalize-sex/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20does%20North%20Korea%20criminalize%20sex%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-does-north-korea-criminalize-sex/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20does%20North%20Korea%20criminalize%20sex%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [The delusion of home ownership](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-delusion-of-home-ownership/) **Published:** March 21, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Istock-1085462490.jpg "Kaesong apartment | nk insider")In North Korea, it is not possible to buy and sell land or property. We all have no doubt about that. All houses and buildings are [owned by the government](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/real_estate-04242023125446.html). There is a legal provision for people to buy a 50-year lease on a house. But this is part of the foreign investment law and for foreigners only. Not a single house belongs to a citizen of North Korea. But then, at the same time, we North Koreans have no doubt that the house we live in belongs to us. It is ours. We own it. What kind of paradox is this? The state has the authority to reclaim any house from its occupants at any time if it so chooses. However, it generally does not do this. Unless someone defects, like I did, that is. Or commits acts deemed to be anti-party and anti-revolutionary. Then they are expelled from their home. Otherwise, it is unlikely. So, for 99 percent of the people, their house is theirs. But then there are the 1 percenters. To tell their story, let me explain how houses are supplied and, in fact, bought and sold in North Korea. People who experienced the “Arduous March” famine of the 1990s know that food is much more important than housing. [Starving people back then did anything to survive](https://manmadecatastrophes.com/north-koreas-arduous-march/). Such is the instinctive struggle for survival. Some mixed clay with flour to eat. Others went into the mountains to peel tree bark for food. Some even ate rats. Given such circumstances, how could we expect houses to have been on their minds? At that time, a lot of people left their homes and went on a random search for food. There were abandoned houses everywhere. If those houses could have been exchanged for food, it would have been the happiest and most fortunate situation. However, the tragic reality was that everyone thought the same way. There was, in other words, huge supply but zero demand. That doesn’t mean there was not a trade of sorts. For example, if you were very lucky, you could swap your apartment on the 13th floor with someone on the third floor for 13 blocks of tofu. As this illustration shows, in apartment buildings where elevators don’t work, lower floors are worth more. But not too low. It’s best to avoid the first and second floors because they can be targeted by thieves. In case you didn’t know, thieves can walk in unheard and unlock any door. So, if you live on a lower floor, you can never sleep peacefully and if you live on a higher floor, [you have to struggle up and down](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/penthouses-north-korea-are-mainly-unfortunate-few-2022-04-15/). This latter situation is especially tough on the elderly. Now, let’s talk about real estate development in general. For this, government approval is always required. The problem, though, is that getting approval, no matter how reasonable the request, is nigh on impossible. But there is a trickster who can make it happen. If you meet this person, he will write the proposal for you for around $300 and your approval is guaranteed. His perfect writing skills make it impossible for the government to reject. Thus, with a good eye for spotting prime real estate and connections to such a proposal writer, even an ordinary person can become wealthy. A middleman can become the richest person in the country in this way. In scenic areas of Pyongyang, there were prime plots of land that real estate agents had their eyes on. But these areas were restricted and could not be turned into regular housing. Then the middleman came up with a very convincing proposal. He would build apartments on the land to solve the housing needs of workers from the Central Party and the National Defense Commission. With this noble purpose and justification, approval was granted. As you can appreciate, in North Korea, approval documents are far more important than investors. Once you have the approval, finding investors is easy. With the money from investors, our middleman built the first floor, sold the units, and then built the second floor and so on. In this way, he was able to build a 30-story apartment and become rich. What an ingenious method! A single letter of approval proved to be so lucrative. Perhaps this is why people say that power takes precedence over money in North Korea. Relying on money alone is like building on sand. One of our neighbors built a house without approval, only to have it confiscated by the government. “Why didn’t you say anything when I was doing the foundation work?” he asked the government official after having spent his money and gone through the effort of building his house. People are 99 percent sure that the house they live in belongs to them. What they don’t expect is the 1 percent chance that something unexpected will happen. That 1 percent could come in an unforeseen way, as it did during Kim Jong-un’s visit to Chongjin in the fall of 2016. At the time, [the streets and houses of Chongjin](https://travelingtheunknown.com/chongjin-city/) were dilapidated and dirty, much like the lives of its residents. After his visit, Kim reportedly commented, “It would be suitable to film a movie here from the Japanese colonial era.” North Hamgyong Province officials were immediately alarmed. Kim’s whim directly determined their future prospects. They had to make it happen. Residents were ordered to modernize their homes. They were told to hang flowers on their doors, rebuild fences, and repaint the exteriors to create beautiful scenery. The homeowners who had to do this were people who were worrying about where their next meal was coming from. So, the orders to prettify their houses was an incredibly troublesome and worrying matter for them. If they were asked to provide labor, they would have done it without hesitation, as they were used to unreasonable demands of that sort. However, how could they pay to make the district look nicer when they had no money? The most absurd part of this story was the punishment for those who failed to follow orders. People who couldn’t afford to improve their homes were kicked out. People who questioned such unreasonable orders found themselves losing their homes on the grounds that they had refused to follow the supreme leader’s orders. This was the moment when the unpredictable 1 percent of bad luck came to them. They had ignored and denied the possibility, but it came in the end. Perhaps the 99 percent certainty of ownership was just an illusion, and the truth lay in that 1 percent? Residents unable to afford the improvements could have been allowed to sell their homes. Wouldn’t that have been better than expelling them? How to describe the feelings of people who had to give up their homes to create a landscape to please Kim’s eyes? Among them was a 70-year-old woman who had to leave her home of 45 years. She was my grandmother. That house was a major part of her life. It was a source of joy, of memories. Grandmother had hoped to die in that house. But she tearfully left and moved to a place with fewer rooms and less sunlight. The Kim family houses are naturally in the most scenic and beautiful areas of North Korea. We call them “special resorts.” They are so grand that they can be seen from far away. They are always guarded by sentries to prevent access by ordinary people. Near my grandmother’s house, there is a place called the Gomal Mountain Special Resort. When we were children, we were very curious about it, and we would peek inside through the tall fences and the nails and glass shards placed on top. We gazed at an endless expanse of grass, scattered low pine trees, occasionally visible sentries and guard dog kennels, and colorful, patterned sidewalks. To our young eyes, it was enchanting, the likes of which we had never seen before. For us, covered in filth as we were, it felt like a sacred, forbidden area. An interesting fact is that despite our fascination, the Kim family has never visited that place. Even so, 40 caretakers still reside there, waiting for the day when the supreme leader might visit. It could happen at any time. This is the fate of the two houses separated by just a fence. One will arrive, and the other will depart. The fate of those who own and those who do not own. Animals have their homes, and birds have their nests, but why is it that we have no dwelling? Are the people of North Korea destined to leave? They leave for 13 blocks of tofu, they leave because they have no approval, and they leave because they can’t afford to decorate their homes. Everyone in time leaves their beloved homes. They leave their hometowns. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20delusion%20of%20home%20ownership&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20delusion%20of%20home%20ownership https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20delusion%20of%20home%20ownership "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-delusion-of-home-ownership/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20delusion%20of%20home%20ownership&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-delusion-of-home-ownership/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20delusion%20of%20home%20ownership "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea's impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) **Published:** March 20, 2025 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Opposition-party-.jpg "Opposition party | nk insider")North Koreans in China and Russia are showing varied reactions about the uncertainty in South Korea following the [martial law declaration](https://www.csis.org/analysis/yoon-declares-martial-law-south-korea) by President Yoon Suk-yeol on December 3 and his subsequent impeachment trial. Unlike their fellow citizens within North Korea, these overseas workers have been exposed to the news to varying degrees and have been freely sharing their opinions. From March 1 to 5, we conducted phone interviews with three North Korean workers in China and one in Vladivostok, Russia to see what they and their fellow workers thought. Two of the respondents were critical of the South Korean president for being weak. “If you’re the president, you should be solidly in control, laying a proper foundation and holding onto power,” one said. “How could the president be facing impeachment charges and be labeled a traitor?” It seemed to the workers that the fact of the impeachment reflected the president’s personal incompetence. “He can’t even recognize people properly and has no good friends. This was what led to his impeachment,” the other one said. These reactions appear to stem from a misunderstanding of the relatively weak authority of South Korea’s president when compared to North Korea’s strong centralized leadership under Kim Jong-un. All four expressed surprise at the [authority of the National Assembly](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1170653.html) in Seoul. “I realized that the Assembly has more power than the president,” one said. “Our Supreme People’s Assembly is invisible, but it seems like South Korea’s Assembly has the power to shake the country. It’s incredible.” The Supreme People’s Assembly in the North is largely symbolic, with all power effectively concentrated in Kim’s hands. Some respondents expressed envy toward South Korea’s democracy. “It’s absurd and yet enviable to see the South Korean president being scrutinized by the National Assembly and even treated as a criminal after ordering the military to move a little,” he said. “Our supreme commander, Kim Jong-un, can send tens of thousands of troops to Russia without anyone daring to object. That’s the reality.” This reaction reflects admiration for the democratic control of military power in South Korea and an implicit criticism of North Korea’s system, where the supreme leader has absolute control over the military without checks or balances. Although a very small sampling, experts figured that the reaction expressed was probably typical. The experts noted that North Koreans were evaluating South Korea’s system based on their experience of an authoritarian regime where absolute power is vested in a single leader. The interviews highlight how exposure to outside information as a consequence of their overseas postings rapidly changes the perception of South Korea’s democracy from the propaganda view that they have grown up with. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20do%20North%20Korean%20workers%20in%20China%20and%20Russia%20see%20South%20Korea%27s%20impeachment%20crisis%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=How%20do%20North%20Korean%20workers%20in%20China%20and%20Russia%20see%20South%20Korea%27s%20impeachment%20crisis%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=How%20do%20North%20Korean%20workers%20in%20China%20and%20Russia%20see%20South%20Korea%27s%20impeachment%20crisis%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=How%20do%20North%20Korean%20workers%20in%20China%20and%20Russia%20see%20South%20Korea%27s%20impeachment%20crisis%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=How%20do%20North%20Korean%20workers%20in%20China%20and%20Russia%20see%20South%20Korea%27s%20impeachment%20crisis%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Manpower shortage delays planting of this year’s spring wheat and barley](https://www.nkinsider.org/manpower-shortage-delays-planting-of-this-years-spring-wheat-and-barley/) **Published:** March 17, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Istock-847775536.jpg "Farmers in north korea | nk insider")Following a directive on February 27 to agricultural institutions nationwide to complete planting by mid-March, the sowing of spring wheat and barley would appear to be in full swing across the country. But if our information from North Hwanghae Province is anything to go by, there are problems which do not bode well for this year’s harvest. Before sowing seed, fields must be ploughed and proper drainage and irrigation systems put in place. But in the province’s Koksan and Yontan counties chronic food shortages and a lack of manpower is holding up this preparatory work. “Central authorities issued instructions to quickly complete the spring sowing, but there are not enough workers on the farms,” our source told us. “Most of the farmers cannot go to work because they do not have enough to eat. Or, if they do go to work, they lack strength and just pass the time.” This is significantly slowing down the whole process, he said. “Even more significantly, there is a shortage of young workers,” he said. “It seems all the young people who are able to work are either in the military or in the shock brigades. In the countryside, only elderly people and women are left.” The source said that farm managers are going door to door, urging people to “come out for at least an hour of sowing work each day unless your mouth is covered with cobwebs.” For a good spring wheat and barley crop, it is essential the soil be properly analyzed and a suitable environment prepared through plowing and fertilization. Seeds need to be sanitized and weeds removed to prevent pests and disease. Additionally, the appropriate variety for the local soil needs to be planted at the right time, and irrigation and drainage managed. However, these principles are not properly followed due to a lack of agricultural materials and technology, as well as poor conditions. The end result is low productivity and poor crop quality. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Manpower%20shortage%20delays%20planting%20of%20this%20year%E2%80%99s%20spring%20wheat%20and%20barley&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Manpower%20shortage%20delays%20planting%20of%20this%20year%E2%80%99s%20spring%20wheat%20and%20barley https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Manpower%20shortage%20delays%20planting%20of%20this%20year%E2%80%99s%20spring%20wheat%20and%20barley "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/manpower-shortage-delays-planting-of-this-years-spring-wheat-and-barley/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Manpower%20shortage%20delays%20planting%20of%20this%20year%E2%80%99s%20spring%20wheat%20and%20barley&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/manpower-shortage-delays-planting-of-this-years-spring-wheat-and-barley/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Manpower%20shortage%20delays%20planting%20of%20this%20year%E2%80%99s%20spring%20wheat%20and%20barley "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) **Published:** March 15, 2025 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Nk-recruits.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")With authorities intensively conducting its spring draft through the first ten days of March, it emerges that the most preferred units for young people this year are the [Korean People’s Army](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-military-is-one-worlds-largest-how-powerful-is-it-2024-10-25/)**[ ](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-military-is-one-worlds-largest-how-powerful-is-it-2024-10-25/)**Strategic Force (missile units), electronic warfare units, mechanized infantry, and the naval submarine fleet. The preference this year contrasts with the popularity of border guard and coastal defense units, and the Ministry of Armed Forces’ rear command before the COVID-19 pandemic. These units have recently fallen out of favor. It is evident in this selection that youngsters continue to prioritize working conditions over any sense of mission to defend the motherland, sources say. Military service in North Korea is defined as a “[supreme duty and honor for citizens](https://wri-irg.org/en/programmes/world_survey/country_report/fr/Korea%2C%20North).” In practice, it is not exactly mandatory. Rather, it operates under a rigorous selection system. According to defectors, the first step is to be eligible. This eligibility is determined by a thorough investigation into the applicant’s family and relatives, political reliability, physical condition, and several other strict criteria. Children of defectors, political prisoners, or those with family members involved in major crimes are excluded. If a soldier’s family becomes involved in a serious crime during his military service, he is forced to retire. Graduates from high schools face a choice of entering university, joining the military, or entering society. Even after university graduation, many still join the military in order to get on in life. Notably, there is a steady increase in those who were excluded due to physical conditions but who voluntarily attempt to enlist. The explanation is that military service is a vital step, along with Workers’ Party membership and a university degree, for ambitious people to rise to the top. The shift in military unit preferences has been greatly influenced by Kim Jong-un’s policy direction. Border guard units and coastal defense units were once popular due to the potential for additional income through smuggling and defection. However, these benefits sharply declined with the border closure during the pandemic and the total ban on smuggling, as well as a steep decline in welfare benefits. In contrast, the Strategic Force Command, with its key role in handling[ nuclear weapons](https://www.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/9/10/north-korea-s-kim-vows-to-increase-nuclear-weapons-arsenal-1205) and missiles, has received Kim Jong-un’s special attention and substantial investment, drastically improving working conditions. Advanced technological units, such as the electronic warfare units and naval submarine fleet, have also emerged as popular choices. Families of new recruits are reportedly mobilizing all their connections—family, relatives, and networks—to ensure their children are assigned to these prestigious units. These units offer better working conditions, welfare benefits, prospects for social advancement, and the stability provided by technical expertise. This indicates that, despite the continued emphasis on military service as an expression of unending loyalty to the Party, Supreme Leader, the country and the people, shows how the mindset of the younger generation has dramatically changed. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Changing%20preferences%20for%20military%20service%2C%20Strategic%20Force%20Command%20is%20the%20most%20popular&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Changing%20preferences%20for%20military%20service%2C%20Strategic%20Force%20Command%20is%20the%20most%20popular https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Changing%20preferences%20for%20military%20service%2C%20Strategic%20Force%20Command%20is%20the%20most%20popular "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Changing%20preferences%20for%20military%20service%2C%20Strategic%20Force%20Command%20is%20the%20most%20popular&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Changing%20preferences%20for%20military%20service%2C%20Strategic%20Force%20Command%20is%20the%20most%20popular "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Dozens sent to gulag, border region crackdown dampens illegal trade with China](https://www.nkinsider.org/dozens-sent-to-gulag-border-region-crackdown-dampens-illegal-trade-with-china/) **Published:** March 12, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Market-in-hoeryong.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")A six-week crackdown of illegal activity in the northern border area this winter netted over 30 people and has cast a pall over the region where people escape North Korea and where residents have long benefitted from informal trade with China. The campaign by the Ministry of State Security and Defense Security Bureau was launched in December and ended in the middle of last month, according to sources in North Hamgyong Province. The main focus of security forces attention were rumors, illegal videos, smuggling and distribution, and users of Chinese cell phones. Authorities were especially harsh with those suspected of trying to escape the country and those aiding such activities. The sources said that remittance brokers who were once involved in large-scale money transfers are now refusing to work, despite the fact that commissions are now as high as 60-70%. Remittance brokers are a conduit of cash into the country but [suffer from periodic crackdowns](https://www.crossingbordersnk.org/blog/how-brokers-take-advantage-of-desperate-defectors/2023/8/23). In all, 17 people from Hyesan, 11 from Musan, and six from Onseong were arrested. The sources say that ten were sent directly to political prison camps without trials, after only ten days in detention. Those sent to political prison camps for alleged anti-state and anti-government activities are in effect permanently isolated from society, making the camps a symbol of terror in the country. “The crackdown is over, but the tension has not been relieved,” one source said. “People who were investigated but not detained are still suffering from the aftermath. They swear they will never repeat the actions that made them fall under suspicion.” In connection with this, defectors outside of North Korea report that it has recently become much harder to get money to their family members in the country. “Sending money is harder now than it was during COVID,” said Kang. “Since January, I haven’t been able to reach people I’m usually in contact with in North Korea. At this point, it seems that sending money might become as hard as reaching for the stars.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Dozens%20sent%20to%20gulag%2C%20border%20region%20crackdown%20dampens%20illegal%20trade%20with%20China&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Dozens%20sent%20to%20gulag%2C%20border%20region%20crackdown%20dampens%20illegal%20trade%20with%20China https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Dozens%20sent%20to%20gulag%2C%20border%20region%20crackdown%20dampens%20illegal%20trade%20with%20China "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/dozens-sent-to-gulag-border-region-crackdown-dampens-illegal-trade-with-china/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Dozens%20sent%20to%20gulag%2C%20border%20region%20crackdown%20dampens%20illegal%20trade%20with%20China&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/dozens-sent-to-gulag-border-region-crackdown-dampens-illegal-trade-with-china/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Dozens%20sent%20to%20gulag%2C%20border%20region%20crackdown%20dampens%20illegal%20trade%20with%20China "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [The capricious dictator](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-capricious-dictator/) **Published:** March 11, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Kju.jpeg "Kju | nk insider")What kind of person is Kim Jong-un? As a former subject, I am genuinely curious about who he really is. But ordinary people like me don’t have the opportunity to meet him directly, so we are left with no choice but to focus on his political style. I believe this can give a glimpse into who he truly is. Is he someone who inherited the throne as a prince, regardless of his competence or lack of it? Or is he truly capable? Was he truly chosen to rescue the people from their hardship? At the beginning, Kim Jong-un was like someone under examination. There were doubts about him from all directions. “How can such a young person lead us?” people asked. I, too, was anxious that a person only a few years older than me was to lead the whole country. I wondered, did he have the vision and experience to understand society? Did he have the power to resuscitate our poor country? Above all, I wondered, did he know about the lives of those at the bottom? I hoped that the poverty he knew about was not so different from the poverty I had experienced. We were all astonished by his first appearance. A scene was broadcast on TV showing him smiling brightly, surrounded by the people, wearing a straw hat. This was probably the first time the people saw his face. How he was like his grandfather, the Great Leader Kim Il-sung. He had the same hairstyle, the same hat, the same gait. Those who had revered Kim Il-sung were excited. It was like [seeing his reincarnation](https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2014/aug/27/north-korea-leaders-kim-jong-un-pictures), people said. The concern about his youth and lack of experience were quickly forgotten. Leaning like this on his predecessors’ legacy, Kim Jong-un secured his position as leader. His political style at first was “benevolent politics.” He visited people in their homes. He sat on the floor with housewives. He chatted with them. He visited orphanages and held children and posed for pictures. He seemed to have a natural affection for children. People were deeply moved by his warm heart and humanity. In the media, Kim always appeared to be within arm’s reach of the people, and it was not unusual to see people reaching out to touch him. There is an anecdote about this benevolent politics. When a high-ranking official was found to have embezzled military supplies, the workers insisted on severe punishment. Kim heard about it and is said to have told the workers, “Yes, this man did wrong. But let’s give him another chance so that he might be rehabilitated.” Such stories often appeared later in propaganda lectures. Every story promoting him contained elements of love and grace. His political approach then moved on to include something new and different. Perhaps he needed something more than just his grandfather’s likeness. He found it in fan culture. The [Moranbong Band ](https://abcnews.go.com/International/moranbong-band-kim-jong-uns-answer-pop-garnering/story?id=52542455)and the [Unhasu Orchestra](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-17379127) were organized, and young, beautiful women began to sing the praises of Kim Jong-un. This became very popular, not because the songs praised him, but because the singers were so pretty. Pamphlets with information about the performers were distributed. Young men and women would express their opinions about which were the most beautiful, and a kind of fandom began to form. Kim continued to create a fandom centered on himself. It emphasized his greatness. But this time, it was a bit different from the one-sided propaganda of greatness. It was a story about how much foreigners liked him. For example, the most searched name on the Internet was Kim Jong-un, and the living sage chosen by people around the world was Kim Jong-un. Among his admirers, it was impossible to leave out Donald Trump. The stories about Trump circulating among the North Korean people were told via the media without filters. For example, we learned, Trump liked to show his power. He has a habit of pulling his opponent’s hand toward him when shaking hands, to show that he is in the superior position. But, [shaking hands with Kim Jong-un](https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2018/06/politics/trump-kim-summit-cnnphotos/), he didn’t do that. This was because Trump was fascinated by Kim’s humanity and greatness and respected him. Doesn’t this prove that Trump respects our people? North Koreans had endured hardship under U.S. sanctions, but spent a few happy days simply because Trump did not pull Kim’s hand toward himself during a handshake. In such an atmosphere, Kim’s fandom was formed and strengthened. At some point, people began to experience a conflict between their absolute trust in Kim and the worsening economic conditions. As the saying goes, “Seeing Mount Geumgang is best after a meal.” Popularity and illusions can’t quell hunger. In response to the confused public sentiment, another political approach emerged. This time it was the politics of fear. Gunshots rang out from all directions, and people started dying. Among the dead were artists, Kim’s own uncle, and even plastic surgeons. No one knew the exact reasons for their deaths, but everyone accepted the situation. They were afraid now of Kim’s ruthlessness, which even led him to kill his own uncle. Someone once said, “Love has an expiration date, but fear does not.” Perhaps this is why kings of the past ruled through fear rather than love. Once depicted as a ruler of love, Kim’s story gradually changed to one of fear. It was so bad that even an 80-year-old former hot springs manager trembled and collapsed when Kim visited his nursing home. “I won’t eat you, so stop trembling,” Kim said to reassure him. This story became famous as a testament to Kim’s authority. Why did his politics change from love politics to fandom politics and then to fear politics? Kim’s politics seems to change so frequently that it gives the sense that he is capricious. Could it be that he has no clear political vision or goal? Or is it that his nature is so fickle and unstable that this was inevitable? Recently, a [military parade](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2XWgrkFrA8) was held in North Korea where new riot suppression units appeared. The sight of riot shields and the dogs they brought out shocked me. It seems Kim has moved beyond removal of his political enemies and executing officials and has now started to directly suppress the people. The image of him once emphasizing love politics and embracing the people has completely disappeared. Now, only his bodyguards, their hands on their pistols, are visible. No one can touch him anymore. Without his bodyguards’ to protect him, Kim can no longer naturally approach the people. So, who is afraid, the people or Kim himself? *The grass lies down. The grass bends in the east wind that brings rain and finally cries. The grass lies down. It lies down faster than the wind. It cries faster than the wind and rises before the wind. The day is cloudy, and the grass lies down. It lies down at the ankles, under the soles of the feet. Even if it lies down after the wind, it rises before the wind, and even if it cries later than the wind, it smiles before the wind*. (Kim Soo-young) - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20capricious%20dictator&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20capricious%20dictator https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20capricious%20dictator "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-capricious-dictator/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20capricious%20dictator&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-capricious-dictator/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20capricious%20dictator "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Students and women mobilized for large-scale military exercises](https://www.nkinsider.org/students-and-women-mobilized-for-large-scale-military-exercises/) **Published:** March 10, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Militarism.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")North Korea last week began nationwide military drills involving various army units, along with civil defense forces, Worker-Peasant Red Guards, and the Red Youth Guards. The exercises, ordered on March 4 by the Central Military Commission, are expected to continue until the end of this month. Sources report that besides soldiers, middle and high school students, as well as members of the Women’s League, are required to participate. The drills appear to be in response to joint US-ROK military exercises in South Korea, which North Korea [routinely declares to be a prelude to an actual invasion](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/03/103_393762.html) from the South. As indication of the level of tension, Kim Yo-jong, the Deputy Department Director of the Publicity and Information Department of the ruling Workers’ Party, said Washington had “openly shown its intent to be the most hostile and confrontational” and added that North Korea is “seriously considering measures to intensify strategic-level threats.” Kim, the powerful sister of dictator Kim Jong-un, was commenting on the entry of the aircraft carrier [USS Carl Vinso](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/1185484.html)n into the South Korean port of Busan. On the evening of March 4, civil defense forces in Yanggang Province declared a state of emergency, mobilizing students and Women’s League members, who were seen gathering in designated locations dressed in combat uniforms. The following day, various groups began conducting weapons drills and grenade throwing exercises. Sources in North Korea say these are being described as much more intense than any previous training sessions. The sources indicate that the emergency mobilizations and shooting exercises have primarily been led by the Red Youth Guards and the Worker-Peasant Red Guards. The obligatory participation by middle and high school students, as well as by Women’s League members, is unusual. There has been significant discontent among the public regarding the scale and intensity of the training, the sources say. “While military drills, including civil defense training, have been conducted before, it is highly unusual to carry out such drills just before the busy farming season,” one source said. “Many people are criticizing the involvement of students, deeming it inappropriate. Some people even think this might indicate an impending war.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Students%20and%20women%20mobilized%20for%20large-scale%20military%20exercises&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Students%20and%20women%20mobilized%20for%20large-scale%20military%20exercises https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Students%20and%20women%20mobilized%20for%20large-scale%20military%20exercises "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/students-and-women-mobilized-for-large-scale-military-exercises/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Students%20and%20women%20mobilized%20for%20large-scale%20military%20exercises&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/students-and-women-mobilized-for-large-scale-military-exercises/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Students%20and%20women%20mobilized%20for%20large-scale%20military%20exercises "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) **Published:** March 10, 2025 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Istock-1037322910.jpg "National flag | nk insider")Despite the considerable international attention on the deployment of North Korean military personnel to Russia, there has been no news at all about it within North Korea itself. The authorities are so concerned about information about the war with Ukraine leaking that any mention is strictly prohibited both within the military and in society at large. This [total silence](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/02/103_384650.html) is in stark contrast to past practice, where war talk by North Korea is normal. Any reference to the United States and South Korea, for example, describes them as “invading forces” in the context of the Korean War which ended in a truce over 70 years ago. What is the reason behind the tight lips over its involvement in this current war? For a long time, [Pyongyang has cultivated hostility](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/kims-sister-threatens-response-us-carriers-deployment-south-korea-rcna194642) within the military and society in general towards certain countries through ideological education materials. It designates the U.S., South Korea and Japan as the primary enemies. In line with this, news of soldiers and civilians sacrificed in past conflicts is typically dragged up and broadcast to stoke present-day animosity. The main reason this same style is not in evidence with the Russia deployment is that the regime fears that it is involved in an unjust war, or at least that this is how it will be seen. If the official enemies are the U.S., South Korea, and Japan, what are we doing fighting for Russia against Ukraine? Such an obvious question could cause significant internal turmoil. It is particularly likely to be asked by the younger generation and specifically the MZ generation, which tends to place more importance on individual life than on national ideology, compared to previous generations. The soldiers sent to Russia have had no training against Ukraine and are not likely to consider it an enemy country, said Jung, a North Korean who served at the DMZ before defecting in 2022. Another defector with the same surname, who was a political officer in a border unit in North Hamgyong Province, said the regime’s fear is very real. “The military is monitored through a layered surveillance system, and while there seems to be no externally observable expression of it, we may be certain that internal unrest is at a serious level.” Young people in the military are showing signs of a shift in alignment that the regime considers dangerous. “Soldiers deployed to Russia are not fighting with a sense of duty,” he said. “Rather, they are being subjected to multiple layers of surveillance and control by both North Korean internal monitoring systems and Russian military authorities. This situation is a kind of act of mass murder by Kim Jong-un.” Defectors with a military background argue that the families of soldiers who have died in the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as those who survived the battlefield, will never forgive Kim’s “murder orders.” Inside North Korea, the established practice of notifying families of fallen soldiers within ten days is not being followed. Despite several months passing since [the news of North Korean casualties](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/6/north-koreans-disappear-amid-heavy-russian-casualties-in-ukraine-war) in Russia, authorities are blocking acknowledgment of them, saying the claims are psychological warfare aimed at slandering the regime. Military authorities have not only failed to inform the families of the deaths, but they have also kept this information as classified internal material. This is seen as a strategy to curb the rapid spread of internal dissatisfaction. If news of large-scale casualties in Russia spreads, it could lead to unrest within the military and society, potentially destabilizing North Korea’s cooperation with Russia. Recent reports from defectors linked to families inside North Korea suggest that discontent is growing. In response, the regime’s measures to control this situation have intensified. In this context, it is likely that the North Korean leadership will continue to block any information regarding the Russian deployment and simultaneously devise a new propaganda strategy to justify the situation internally. Ultimately, how North Korea handles this situation will determine its internal stability and international standing. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20is%20still%20hiding%20deployment%20of%20troops%20to%20Russia%20from%20the%20people&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20is%20still%20hiding%20deployment%20of%20troops%20to%20Russia%20from%20the%20people https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20is%20still%20hiding%20deployment%20of%20troops%20to%20Russia%20from%20the%20people "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20is%20still%20hiding%20deployment%20of%20troops%20to%20Russia%20from%20the%20people&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20is%20still%20hiding%20deployment%20of%20troops%20to%20Russia%20from%20the%20people "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Weapons factory workers receive significant pay rise](https://www.nkinsider.org/weapons-factory-workers-receive-significant-pay-rise/) **Published:** March 9, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Kim-at-a-munition-factory-1.jpg "Kim at a munition factory | nk insider")North Korea has significantly increased the salaries of workers in munitions factories in an apparent attempt to boost morale and raise production in its lucrative illegal arms trade with Russia. The rise impacted employees in major weapons plants, such as those in Manpo and Kangye cities in Jagang Province, last September, according to a knowledgeable source who spoke on condition of anonymity. The claim could not be independently verified. But analysts say that it fits the regime’s focus on the arms trade with Russia. Although it has only recently fielded troops supporting Russia in the war with Ukraine, North Korean weaponry is said to have [appeared on the battlefield](https://www.38north.org/2024/06/north-korean-munitions-factories-the-other-side-of-arms-transfers-to-russia/) shortly after the invasion in 2022. Monthly salaries for general workers in the plants vary between 300,000 and 600,000 won, the source said. This range is equivalent to US$333 to US$666 by the official exchange rate. It may seem low by international standards, but considering that regular factory workers are paid around 50,000 won (US$50), the difference is significant. Workers in auxiliary units such as factory security earn from 300,000 to 400,000 won, while onsite munitions workers and technicians get 400,000 to 600,000 won. More highly skilled workers, meanwhile, receive between 800,000 and 900,000 won. General office workers reportedly receive between 800,000 and 1.3 million won, while technical office workers earn between 1.5 million and 1.8 million won. The source revealed that this is the highest level of wages since munitions factories were established in Jagang Province. “Since the salary increase last year, wages have not been delayed once,” the source said, referring to the common experience of factory workers and office staff going unpaid for months on end. “Party organizations and labor unions are encouraging workers by saying, ‘We must repay the Great Leader with our diligent efforts and results.'” “With the wage increases, concerns in the areas around the factories about feeding and supporting families have greatly decreased,” the source said. “Some residents are purchasing electronic devices like flat-screen televisions and computers, which they had wanted for a long time, thus improving their standard of living.” The source said that while there has been no public information about the end user, it is assumed by workers that weapons, ammunition, and shells produced in the munitions factories are being sent to Russia, and the salaries are being paid with the money received in exchange. The transfer of weapons by North Korea to Russia is considered illegal by the international community. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Weapons%20factory%20workers%20receive%20significant%20pay%20rise&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Weapons%20factory%20workers%20receive%20significant%20pay%20rise https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Weapons%20factory%20workers%20receive%20significant%20pay%20rise "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/weapons-factory-workers-receive-significant-pay-rise/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Weapons%20factory%20workers%20receive%20significant%20pay%20rise&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/weapons-factory-workers-receive-significant-pay-rise/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Weapons%20factory%20workers%20receive%20significant%20pay%20rise "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Trump: "Without America, you're nothing"... Was North Korea's choice justified?](https://www.nkinsider.org/trump-without-america-youre-nothing-was-north-koreas-choice-justified/) **Published:** March 7, 2025 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Trump-and-zelensky.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")“You should be more grateful. You have no cards to play. If you’re with us, you have cards, but without us, you have no options. I made you strong. Without America, you cannot be strong.” These were the words U.S. President Donald Trump said to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting on February 28 in Washington. Watching this, I was reminded of a conversation I had with my father when I was younger. I once told him, “We’re said to live in a strong and powerful country, but when I watch South Korean dramas or American movies, I feel like we are so poor.” “The reason our country’s economy is struggling is because we are developing the only weapon that can protect us,” my father said. His point was that the only way we could protect ourselves from external forces was by having nuclear weapons and that this meant we had to sacrifice. I’m not here to advocate for North Korea’s nuclear weapons or to justify them. However, Trump’s comment to Zelenskyy during the summit—that without America, Ukraine could not do anything—seemed to indirectly support the idea that a state should have its own weapons. In other words, it seemed to suggest that North Korea’s claim that it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself holds some weight. The public disagreement in the White House on February 28 over how to end the war with Russia ended without a conclusion. But it led to a decision to [halt US military aid to](https://www.chosun.com/international/international_general/2025/03/04/LR6MNPJMHZFJ3OX2QLYZYX24AI/) Ukraine. The public exchanges between the two leaders, broadcast live globally, have sparked strong reactions, particularly among Trump’s supporters. Elon Musk [criticized](https://www.newsweek.com/maga-cheers-trump-vance-blasting-zelensky-2038023) Zelenskyy on his X account, stating, “Zelenskyy destroyed himself in the eyes of the American people,” while U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah [expressed](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-zelenskyy-clash-marks-defining-turn-away-us-defense-democracies-rcna193975) his support for Trump and Vice President Vance, thanking them for “standing up for OUR COUNTRY and putting America first!” On the other hand, many on social media, including accounts from The New York Times and BBC, [expressed](https://www.newsweek.com/maga-cheers-trump-vance-blasting-zelensky-2038023) support for Zelenskyy. They criticized Trump and the vice president, stating things like “We support Ukraine,” “Zelenskyy will be remembered as a true hero who fought for democracy and freedom, and didn’t sell out his country,” and “It’s disgraceful to see President Trump and Vice President Vance isolate Zelensky on live television.” In a poll conducted by The Economist YouGov, among 1,600 American adults, both Trump and Zelenskyy garnered 47% approval among Americans. However, Trump’s disapproval rate was 49%, while Zelenskyy’s was considerably lower at 28%. Zelenskyy’s approval was highest among Americans over 65 years old at [60%](https://www.newsweek.com/zelensky-gets-boost-ukraine-after-clash-donald-trump-2038461), while Trump’s approval was highest among white Americans, at 54%. Moreover, after the summit’s failure, Zelenskyy’s approval rating in Ukraine reportedly [rose](https://www.g-enews.com/article/Global-Biz/2025/03/202503031500006021fbbec65dfb_1) by 28%, according to Gradders Research. Another Ukrainian polling agency, [Rating](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250302041700009), also showed that Zelenskyy’s support rose to 65% after the failed summit, reversing a previous decline caused by the prolonged war. Experts [believe](https://www.chosun.com/international/international_general/2025/03/03/7DBTFNUSJNG77KX5UOATDY43WE/) that this spike in Zelenskyy’s approval may be linked to Trump’s rejection of his demand for “security guarantees” from the U.S., a point Zelenskyy had emphasized consistently before the summit. During the summit, Zelenskyy had hoped that an agreement on minerals would be the first document to ensure Ukraine’s safety. He requested that the U.S. guarantee Ukraine’s security, but Trump quickly rejected this demand, stating, “Without us, you have no cards to end the war. Negotiate, or we’re out.” This rejection led to growing Ukrainian sentiment that [without security guarantees](https://www.imaeil.com/page/view/2025030222031777575), a ceasefire would be impossible, and they shouldn’t agree to an [unfair deal](https://www.chosun.com/international/international_general/2025/03/03/7DBTFNUSJNG77KX5UOATDY43WE/) that only benefits resource extraction, with no security backing. This shift in opinion helped boost Zelenskyy’s support. In the wake of the failed summit, the U.S. began to discuss the possibility of Zelenskyy stepping down, suggesting that Ukraine might need a new leader capable of negotiating with Russia to end the war. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz [stated](https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/02/politics/video/sotu-waltz-discusses-zelensky-trump-meeting-ukraine) in a CNN interview on March 3, “We need a leader who can negotiate with the U.S. and ultimately make peace with Russia.” The failure of the U.S.-Ukraine summit has sparked divided opinions worldwide, with North Korean defectors also expressing differing views. **Political negotiations can only happen when you’re willing to talk—even with the devil** Pusan National University Professor Kim Seong-ryeol, the first defector to become tenured, shared his views during a special lecture for young people on March 1. “Diplomacy must exclude emotions and focus solely on the interests of the nation,” he said, “President Trump is a businessman. He will only consider the national interest. From Trump’s perspective, Ukraine is not an equal ally but a country receiving aid from the United States.” “Summits typically proceed with some prior agreements. It’s regrettable that the summit failed due to a heightened argument,” he said. “Politics is about dialogue. Political negotiation is possible only when one is willing to talk even to the devil.” Kim Geum-hwa, a defector studying international relations at Ewha Womans University, commented, “If people in North Korea were watching this broadcast, it might have prompted them to think that having nuclear weapons is justifiable. For a moment, I thought that North Korea’s stance of self-reliance through nuclear weapons might be correct.” “President Zelenskyy frequently mentioned before the summit that the U.S. had not promised to provide security guarantees,” she said. “In fact, the involvement of American companies in rare earth mining is essentially a guarantee. However, I couldn’t understand why the U.S. continued to refuse security guarantees. I’m curious about Trump’s intentions. Whether the failure of the summit will benefit Russia and North Korea is something we will have to wait and see.” Dr. Choi Ye-seo, a North Korea expert, explained, “Trump’s refusal to mention military intervention or firm security guarantees like US troop deployments seems to reflect his desire to avoid unnecessary costs related to relations with Putin and military deployment for security purposes.” “Trump’s goal is to recover the costs spent on Ukraine, which amounts to 174.5 trillion wo,” she said. “His supporters expect this to be returned through rare earth mining. When Trump forced Zelenskyy to express gratitude and change his attire at the mineral agreement table, I wondered what exactly the U.S. wanted.” “The failure of the summit is likely to be an event that will raise the spirits of Pyongyang and Moscow. I’m curious to see Russia’s next move,” she said. In fact, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, commented along these lines in a March 2 interview with a Russian broadcaster. “The new U.S. administration is rapidly changing its foreign policy,” he said. “This largely aligns with our vision.” He evaluated the steps after the U.S.-Ukraine summit positively. Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the Russian Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee, also expressed optimism in a Telegram post, saying, “If Ukraine has something to expect, it is progress in Russia-U.S. relations.” Supporters of Trump have argued that Zelenskyy was insufficiently grateful to the U.S. In response, a media outlet published an article noting that Zelenskyy had formally thanked the U.S. 33 times. The controversial attire was the same one President Zelenskyy had worn at official meetings since the Russian invasion. Even Winston Churchill, the former British Prime Minister, wore a khaki suit instead of a formal suit when he visited President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House during wartime, to signify the ongoing war. What, then, did Trump truly want? CNN analyzed the collapse of the summit, stating, “President Trump’s harsh criticism of Zelenskyy in the Oval Office during the last meeting was a planned political ‘strong-arm tactic,'” and “The Trump administration set a trap to discredit the Ukrainian leader and eventually exclude him from all matters.” It’s hard to understand why President Trump, who prioritizes the interests of his own country, would allow a trivial issue like attire to derail the summit. However, if this was a carefully orchestrated trap, then he staged it flawlessly. By portraying Zelenskyy as rude, he won the favor of MAGA supporters while simultaneously managing his relationship with Putin. Under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum signed by the U.S., Russia, and the UK, Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for U.S. security assurances. That promise has now become an empty echo over time. The U.S. must honor that promise, but the current U.S. is no longer the same as the U.S. of the past. The failure of the Ukraine-U.S. summit may leave us with the message: “He who relies on someone else’s sword often dies by it.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Trump%3A%20%22Without%20America%2C%20you%27re%20nothing%22...%20Was%20North%20Korea%27s%20choice%20justified%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Trump%3A%20%22Without%20America%2C%20you%27re%20nothing%22...%20Was%20North%20Korea%27s%20choice%20justified%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Trump%3A%20%22Without%20America%2C%20you%27re%20nothing%22...%20Was%20North%20Korea%27s%20choice%20justified%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/trump-without-america-youre-nothing-was-north-koreas-choice-justified/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Trump%3A%20%22Without%20America%2C%20you%27re%20nothing%22...%20Was%20North%20Korea%27s%20choice%20justified%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/trump-without-america-youre-nothing-was-north-koreas-choice-justified/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Trump%3A%20%22Without%20America%2C%20you%27re%20nothing%22...%20Was%20North%20Korea%27s%20choice%20justified%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Are we masters or slaves?](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-we-masters-or-slaves/) **Published:** March 4, 2025 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Istock-1165052023.jpg "The grand monument in pyongyang north korea | nk insider")If you were born in North Korea, there’s something you’ve heard since childhood: we are the masters of society. That is the core principle of the governing Juche ideology created by Kim Il-sung. However, I truly want to ask: are we really masters? Or are we not slaves? What kind of master escapes from their homeland under the cover of darkness? What kind of master is dragged into an unwanted battle and loses their life? I wonder how we can truly call anyone a master if they cannot do anything according to their own will. I absolutely hate hypocrisy. Everyone probably does, but it’s especially unbearable when that hypocrisy robs me of my freedom. Growing up, I genuinely believed that I was the master of society. The hypocrisy made me see and feel lies. One memory that still lingers was when I was young and read *Uncle Tom’s Cabin*. Even as a child, I felt deeply saddened by Uncle Tom’s fate. It saddened me that Uncle Tom could not be free, and I hated the hypocrisy of his master, who promised him freedom. Despite his dedication and loyalty to his master until the day he died, Uncle Tom never achieved freedom and died in vain. How sad is that fate? I pitied Uncle Tom for a long time. Then, I thought about myself. How fortunate am I? I wasn’t born a slave like someone else. But now, looking back, I can’t help but laugh at my foolishness. Can I really say that my life, unaware that I am a slave, is better than Uncle Tom’s? Perhaps that’s true for the lives of all North Koreans. The people of North Korea live with the illusion and hypocrisy that they are the masters. The products we struggle to produce often leave our hands before we even see them. Each time, the government blames the enemy and natural disasters, soothing our hearts with empty words. Over decades, people have slowly started to realize the truth. They’ve realized that they don’t even have the right to dispose of the products they create. Recently, a broadcast on *Korean Central Television* showed an elderly man in his 80s kneeling before a young girl, Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of the dictator. This scene is clearly far from one of equality. It’s more like the relationship between a master and a slave. We are slaves. And worse, we are slaves to a cruel master. Do you know how many people in North Korea are dragged onto construction sites and exploited for their labor? Under the banner of socialist great construction, how many people are suffering in poverty? I can’t help but wonder, for whom is all this being done? It’s like a rich heir who inherited a huge fortune, spending money on redecorating. Of course, that inheritance was taken unjustly by his father. After taking office, Kim Jong-un initiated many flashy construction projects, like Masikryong Ski Resort, Rungna People’s Park, and horseback riding clubs. But in a country where basic food security is unresolved, who can ride a horse or ski? My uncle once said, “How can the people, who are eating corn noodle soup and shaking from hunger, ever ski?” Kim Jong-un is exploiting the entire population of North Korea for his own satisfaction and showmanship. There’s a saying that a politician’s skills come from feeding the people. Despite his incompetent politics, the media endlessly praises him. The media claims that all of this is because of his boundless grace. But all he has done is push the country and its people into deeper hardship. Forced conscription, famine, hunger… In the 21st century, these are things that would never happen in other countries. North Korea can’t even solve basic food issues. Yet, Kim Jong-un doesn’t seem to care about taking care of his people. Instead, he is squeezing out even more blood and oil. At this point, let’s talk about the workers sent abroad. These workers only get 10% of the income they earn. Even that is taken by the government under various pretenses, like loyalty contributions. The government, not satisfied with that, has taken even bolder steps. They’ve mobilized people to war zones where death is a certainty. What’s worse is that the North Korean government was aware that these soldiers would likely die. Why wouldn’t they know? Modern warfare is drone warfare, and North Korean soldiers have not been trained for this kind of combat. Kim Jong-un has no interest in the lives of soldiers. Our lives are nothing more than tools to make money for him. How much is a life worth for him to send young people to war? Human rights are secondary; our lives are no longer even our own. Like slaves in the old slave markets, our lives are no longer in our hands. How tragic is this? For one person’s benefit, 20 million people are being sacrificed. How did we end up in this situation? We claim to be masters of society, yet we own nothing, not even ourselves. Explanations rush through my head. Did we give too much power to the Kim family? Or was the person elected president incompetent? Did three generations of dictatorship turn us into slaves? It could be any one of these reasons or all of them. South Koreans, with the same DNA and historical roots, have taken a completely different path. Some have become masters of their fate, while others have become slaves. Sometimes, I wonder. If North Koreans’ first president had been someone like George Washington, would their future have been different? I don’t think they would have been sent to war, like cannon fodder in wars with other nations. George Washington, who refused a third term in office, truly deserves respect. I pay my respects to his courage. Freedom and prosperity for all are the result of someone’s hard work and sacrifice. Likewise, the misfortune and suffering of all are the result of someone’s corruption and greed. I send my condolences to those still struggling under dictatorship and oppression, hoping that spring will come to thaw their frozen hearts. Excerpts from Paul Éluard’s poem “*Liberté*“: On my school notebooks On my desk and the trees On the sand, on the snow I write your name. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Are%20we%20masters%20or%20slaves%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Are%20we%20masters%20or%20slaves%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Are%20we%20masters%20or%20slaves%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-we-masters-or-slaves/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Are%20we%20masters%20or%20slaves%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-we-masters-or-slaves/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Are%20we%20masters%20or%20slaves%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Purge of local officials is a regime maintenance strategy](https://www.nkinsider.org/purge-of-local-officials-is-a-regime-maintenance-strategy/) **Published:** February 25, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Kim-jungun.jpg "Kim jungun | nk insider")Kim Jong-un recently condemned over 40 local officials for “unforgivable, large-scale criminal offenses,” according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Using strong language, Kim said the misconduct included “drinking and entertaining” and “property violations,” KCNA reported. Kim made the accusations at a meeting of the Expanded Secretariat of the 30th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee on January 27th. Predictably, a purge of the officials quickly followed. The incident highlights the function of purges in North Korean politics. A purge may have multiple layers relating to economic policies and the need to maintain power. But the ultimate goal is to strengthen internal unity through fear-based politics. The victims this time, who include officials from Nampo City and Usi County in Chagang Province, are said to have encountered difficulties while implementing Kim “20 x 10 Local Development Policy.” This initiative, unveiled in January last year, focuses on revitalizing regional economies by fostering local industry. However, a lack of national support meant local officials had to drive the construction of factories with local resources. In Usi County, when essential materials and equipment were not supplied on time, officials under pressure to meet construction deadlines tried to secure the necessary resources through illegal means, including state smuggling. During this process, there was frequent drinking and entertaining, which eventually became known to the central government and led to the purge. “Ultimately, Kim Jong-un’s anger was directed at the illegal actions of local officials, but they were trying to implement his policies,” one confidential source complained. “Officials are human too. Can’t they sit down, pour a drink, and discuss work? What could they do with no resources? How could they survive without taking bribes?” **Extension of fear-based politics** Authorities have labeled the incident a “violation of Party discipline and anti-people actions,” and as a result, disbanded the local Party committee and severely punished the officials involved. This method of controlling the population through executions and punishments of officials is not new. Kim has purged or punished numerous officials, including high profile figures such as his own uncle, Jang Song-thaek, who was executed, and State Security head Kim Won-hong. The purge of local officials seems to have exaggerated the issue of local corruption and deployed it to create fear and control the populace. “The authorities are using local and central officials as sacrifices to suppress public dissatisfaction,” one source said. “Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become common to hear about residents and officials being dragged to the State Security or Ministry of Public Security.” “In the past, the regime used the corruption of officials to calm public dissatisfaction over economic hardships and food shortages, but that approach doesn’t seem to work anymore,” he said. “By using the Ministry of Public Security and the State Security Agency, they are creating a climate of fear in society.” **Sign of regime strength or trigger for collapse?** “Kim Jong-un showed his true colors early on when he executed his uncle to secure his own power base,” one expert said. “This recent purge shows that fear-based politics is still a vital tool for him. But at the same time, it reveals the limits of his strategy for maintaining the regime.” “It may work in the short term, it is likely to deepen public dissatisfaction and trigger internal turmoil in the long run,” he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Purge%20of%20local%20officials%20is%20a%20regime%20maintenance%20strategy&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Purge%20of%20local%20officials%20is%20a%20regime%20maintenance%20strategy https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Purge%20of%20local%20officials%20is%20a%20regime%20maintenance%20strategy "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/purge-of-local-officials-is-a-regime-maintenance-strategy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Purge%20of%20local%20officials%20is%20a%20regime%20maintenance%20strategy&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/purge-of-local-officials-is-a-regime-maintenance-strategy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Purge%20of%20local%20officials%20is%20a%20regime%20maintenance%20strategy "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Notifications of soldiers killed in action down amid negative public sentiment](https://www.nkinsider.org/notifications-of-soldiers-killed-in-action-down-amid-negative-public-sentiment/) **Published:** February 18, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/974-commendation-certificate.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")Following a surge in notifications of soldiers killed in action in Russia at the end of last year, such notifications appear to have decreased in February, according to sources in North Korea. “From November to the end of January, many families in Hoeryong and Chongjin were told their sons had died after being drafted. But so far this month, we haven’t been hearing about such cases,” the source told NK Times. “In Hoeryong, the last case I am directly aware of was on January 6 when I saw a family in Nammun-dong mourning their son’s death. Since then, I’ve not seen or heard of any,” the source said. The source said he was not sure if this meant there have been no deaths, or whether the military had stopped informing families due to concern over public opinion. In January, after suffering heavy casualties, North Korean troops were reportedly [withdrawn from the front line for a brief period](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cednp7q41l2o). Analysts say it is possible that the troops are still suffering casualties but that the regime is simply withholding the information. “It is possible to interpret this silence as an effort by authorities to suppress internal discontent,” one expert said. “Recently, many families received death notifications and public opinion is not good,” the person said. “Some parents are contacting local hospitals and military mobilization officials to try and prevent their children being sent to the military.” We have been continuously investigating the deaths of soldiers dispatched to Russia since October. It has been found that at least ten families in Hyesan, Hoeryong, and Chongjin have lost their sons from last fall to early this year. The authorities do not confirm the specific cause of death. The families are told their sons died in accidents during training or work as the country does not admit that it has dispatched combat soldiers to Russia. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Notifications%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20action%20down%20amid%20negative%20public%20sentiment&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Notifications%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20action%20down%20amid%20negative%20public%20sentiment https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Notifications%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20action%20down%20amid%20negative%20public%20sentiment "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/notifications-of-soldiers-killed-in-action-down-amid-negative-public-sentiment/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Notifications%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20action%20down%20amid%20negative%20public%20sentiment&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/notifications-of-soldiers-killed-in-action-down-amid-negative-public-sentiment/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Notifications%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20action%20down%20amid%20negative%20public%20sentiment "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Remember the innocents who dreamed of freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/remember-the-innocents-who-dreamed-of-freedom/) **Published:** February 16, 2025 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Istock-1133862799.jpg "Hands of the prisoner | nk insider")Countless numbers of North Koreans have disappeared into the gulag where they are never heard from again. This article delves into the shocking reality of North Korea as revealed through the testimony of one survivor, Lee Seon-ok ### **Punished for crimes they did not commit** In April 2012, at a trial at the North Hamgyong provincial security service’s pretrial detention center, Kim Young-ho and his family of nine were sentenced to prison under Article 63, “Treason Against the Fatherland.” Their crime was that they tried to leave North Korea. Kim lived in Yeonsa County in the province. The sequence of events that led to his decision began with a tragic incident. While she was tending to a farm animal, Kim’s mother-in-law was struck by a cow, rupturing her internal organs. When she died before they could reach a military hospital, Kim became enraged and killed the cow. For this crime, he was sentenced to two years in prison. Kim was even unable to attend his mother-in-law’s funeral. The imprisonment left his family in unbearable poverty and suffering. His wife and children endured just two years of extreme hardship. By the time of his release, Kim had become disillusioned and decided to defect. His sister-in-law, Kim Eun-ha, 20, having lost her mother, conspired with him, hoping for a life where she could “live like a human being.” They were caught by the security service during their attempt to escape and ended up in a situation from which they could never return. ### **A family destroyed by a dream of escape** Seventeen-year-old Kim Soon-mi was tried in December 2011 with her mother and aunt under Article 63 and sent to a camp of no return. They were not even apprehended trying to escape. Their crime was to have dreamed of freedom. Their plan was nothing more than a verbal promise that had not been acted upon. Yet this was enough for them to be branded traitors. Soon-mi was an ordinary girl who had lived in Onseong County in North Hamgyong Province all her young life. Seeing Soon-mi’s potential as a violinist, her mother decided to defect. She got the idea from the escape of Soon-mi’s male cousin who had already reached South Korea. The plan was for the family, including the cousin’s wife, to leave together. But it was tragically shattered when the cousin’s wife reported them to the security service. Soon-mi, her mother and aunt were arrested before they took a single step. They were subjected to six months of grueling interrogation and then transferred to the provincial pretrial detention center, where they were tried and sentenced. **The hell of pretrial detention** The North Hamgyong provincial pretrial detention center where these victims found themselves is the last stop before hell. Countless innocents have been held here, charged with treason, and sent to political camps to spend the rest of their lives in forced labor. From 2010 to 2012, between eighty and one hundred people were detained and investigated each year at the center. Most were charged with attempting to defect or with espionage for maintaining contact with defectors. The process from detention to camp takes one to two years, during which time prisoners receive treatment that is far from human. They are already branded as criminals and deprived of legal protection. No one is held accountable if they die. Each day is filled with pain and fear. Prisoners hear the screams of people in nearby cells. Those denying their charges or protesting during the pretrial period are subjected to extreme violence. Under the orders of the head of the center, some are tortured continuously for 24 hours and given meals consisting of little more than a spoonful of rice and broth. Some die within a month. The head taunted prisoners, saying, “Do you think you can go home and avoid the labor camp? Let’s see how long you can endure this.” Guards, motivated by personal rage, devise cruel methods of torture, forcing prisoners into painful positions such as standing upside down or kneeling with their hands above their heads. Over time, the prisoners reach a state where they no longer feel pain, their souls broken by the relentless suffering. Almost nobody who enters the pretrial detention center is likely to survive and return to the world. One rare survivor who did, Lee Seon-ok, is determined to give voice to them. She says the world cannot ignore the tragic fates of innocents like Kim Young-ho and his family, and 17-year-old Soon-mi and her family. Almost all of those who have died in pretrial centers and prison camps are nameless, forgotten, and buried without markers. “The international community must bring Kim Jong-un and other perpetrators to justice,” she says. Despite the horrific reality, she expresses gratitude for the experience that has given her the opportunity to testify. “I am thankful that I survived and can share the story of those who perished,” she says. “I hope that their voices will be heard and that no one will endure such a fate again.” “The only way to expose such abuses and prevent such tragedies from recurring is to remember and testify to the lives and deaths of those who suffered,” she says. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Remember%20the%20innocents%20who%20dreamed%20of%20freedom&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Remember%20the%20innocents%20who%20dreamed%20of%20freedom https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Remember%20the%20innocents%20who%20dreamed%20of%20freedom "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/remember-the-innocents-who-dreamed-of-freedom/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Remember%20the%20innocents%20who%20dreamed%20of%20freedom&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/remember-the-innocents-who-dreamed-of-freedom/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Remember%20the%20innocents%20who%20dreamed%20of%20freedom "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [New fence blocks well-trodden escape route into China](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-fence-blocks-well-trodden-escape-route-into-china/) **Published:** February 15, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Nk-border-fence.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")China is installing a formidable barbed wire fence with the latest surveillance cameras along a section of its border with North Korea that is used by escapees. The fence is almost certainly aimed at[ preventing illegal crossings by North Koreans](https://stratnewsglobal.com/world-news/china-strengthens-security-on-north-korean-border/) seeking to escape their country for a better life in China or elsewhere. Work began last summer on the fence in the area by a border village called Ershiyidaogou (21st) in Changbai County, Jilin Province, according to an eyewitness quoted in NK Times earlier this month. “The barbed wire being used is stronger than that used on previous barriers. It can also be electrified,” said the source, who was reached in China and who requested anonymity. “The cameras installed are the latest models with AI technology that is able to quickly identify defectors.” Once the construction is completed, it is expected that defections will be completely blocked from this part of the Yalu River, the source said. The location is on the north bank of the river opposite Pochon County in North Korea’s Ryanggang Province. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Surveilance-camera-1024x554.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")Security cameras make the newly constructed fence a formidable barrier. \[Image / NK Times\]Both countries have been tightening controls since the COVID-19 pandemic, installing barbed wire and surveillance cameras, the source said. “Even if would-be defectors muster the courage to cross the Yalu River and negotiate the barbed wire, it will be nearly impossible for them to evade the cameras.” Changbai County has been a key defection route for North Koreans. From the time of the “Arduous March” famine of the 1990s, starving citizens would cross at night to steal food and livestock. Incidents of robbery, murder, and other violent crimes were frequent. In response, Chinese authorities introduced various measures[ such as rewards ](https://www.dailynk.com/english/cash-reward-incentivizes-reporting/)for people who report illegal crossings, along with severe punishment for those helping hide defectors. While such measures steadily strengthened security, they were insufficient to completely deter escapees. In the 2000s, more powerful physical barriers were established, leading to a gradual decrease in the number of defections. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=New%20fence%20blocks%20well-trodden%20escape%20route%20into%20China&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=New%20fence%20blocks%20well-trodden%20escape%20route%20into%20China https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=New%20fence%20blocks%20well-trodden%20escape%20route%20into%20China "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-fence-blocks-well-trodden-escape-route-into-china/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=New%20fence%20blocks%20well-trodden%20escape%20route%20into%20China&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-fence-blocks-well-trodden-escape-route-into-china/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=New%20fence%20blocks%20well-trodden%20escape%20route%20into%20China "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [New version of Pyongyang smartphone resembles the iPhone](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-version-of-pyongyang-smartphone-resembles-the-iphone/) **Published:** February 14, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Nk-phone-2.jpg "Nk phone | nk insider")North Korea has launched a new smartphone with an iPhone lookalike design. According to internal materials recently obtained by this publication, the Pyongyang 2438 phone was unveiled in November. Its exterior features a design remarkably similar to the Apple iPhone, with smooth curves and a refined finish, adding to its luxurious appearance. The most notable feature is the triple lens, which is configured the same as the iPhone. The design is like that of the triple lens introduced with the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max models in September 2019. With its attractive and familiar look, North Korea appears to be [targeting its wealthy traveling class](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/02/103_339869.html) with a view to attracting foreign currency. It remains unclear whether the photo and video quality and functions, including ultra-wide, wide, and telephoto lenses, will be the same as those in the iPhone. The phone includes new features such as photo translation, voice translation, and simultaneous interpretation in English, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese, which were not available in previous models. “Mobile phones are a symbol of wealth and power in North Korea,” a defector and IT expert said. “Judging from the design, my guess is that this one is part of a strategy to gain foreign currency.” He added, however, that local consumers will almost certainly be unable to access the Internet with this phone. “The actual services they get from it will be very limited,” he said.There are several smartphone brands in the North. They include Blue Sky, Cheongsong, and Pyongyang. Among them, the Pyongyang series is regarded as the flagship model. An updated version of the [Pyongyang series](https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-korea-launches-new-smartphone-the-pyongyang-2428/), incorporating the latest technology, is released each year and receives considerable attention among the wealthy class. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=New%20version%20of%20Pyongyang%20smartphone%20resembles%20the%20iPhone&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=New%20version%20of%20Pyongyang%20smartphone%20resembles%20the%20iPhone https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=New%20version%20of%20Pyongyang%20smartphone%20resembles%20the%20iPhone "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-version-of-pyongyang-smartphone-resembles-the-iphone/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=New%20version%20of%20Pyongyang%20smartphone%20resembles%20the%20iPhone&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-version-of-pyongyang-smartphone-resembles-the-iphone/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=New%20version%20of%20Pyongyang%20smartphone%20resembles%20the%20iPhone "Reddit") **Categories:** Science & Tech --- ### [Captured soldiers whose faces were shown are “mice trapped in a jar”](https://www.nkinsider.org/captured-soldiers-whose-faces-were-shown-are-mice-trapped-in-a-jar/) **Published:** February 11, 2025 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Captured-nk-soldier-1.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")The face of a captured North Korean soldier, being interrogated, his face wrapped in bandages, reminded me of the South Korean National Intelligence Service officer who grilled me like a criminal ten years ago. Back then, I felt uncomfortable to say the least. But at least, as I was innocent, I was to be released in a free country. Can we say the same about the soldier caught by the Ukrainians? It was painful to see his face and the face of a fellow prisoner on the TV screen. Did they know they were appearing on TV worldwide? Did they give their consent or, as prisoners, did they have no choice? Such questions rushed through my mind, all driven by an underlying question. With their faces thus exposed, will their families in North Korea be safe? Their plight evokes the wandering of the hero in Homer’s *Odyssey*. After the Trojan War, Odysseus tries to return to Ithaca, but is cursed by the gods and wanders the seas for ten years. On Calypso’s island, he is offered eternal life, but he wants to return home. In the straits of Scylla and Charybdis, no matter what he chooses, sacrifice is inevitable. Eventually, he falls into a dilemma where he cannot make a choice. He can’t be fully accepted anywhere. Odysseus eventually overcame all his trials and returned home. But these captured soldiers may not be so lucky. They face punishment if they return home. The regime will see them as traitors for having allowed themselves to be taken alive. They also may never be able to come to South Korea without endangering their families. “Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong-un’s soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky [posted](https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1878502443077509588) on X on January 13. It’s not clear whether this is a real option as Pyongyang and Moscow deny the deployment of North Korean troops. Another possibility is defection to South Korea. “One of them (soldiers) expressed a desire to stay in Ukraine, the other to return to Korea,” Zelenskiy said in a televised statement. He said that for those who did not wish to return home, there may be other options available. “Those who express a desire to bring peace closer by spreading the truth about this war in the Korean (language) will be given that opportunity,” he said. Some defectors in South Korea have criticized the Ukrainian authorities for exposing the faces of the soldiers. “In this situation where their faces are fully exposed, the only way they can protect their families is by returning to North Korea,” said Lee, 30. “If they come to South Korea, it’s clear their families will be punished. “Ukraine may have had a specific purpose for showing their faces,” said another defector, Choi, 60. “They might have wanted to confirm the North’s involvement in the war.” Lee said, “When I saw those photos, I thought, ‘They are mice trapped in a jar.’ I felt so sorry for them. How will their families in North Korea be safe?” North Korean rights organizations have [sent](https://www.news1.kr/nk/politics-diplomacy/5670473) an open letter to Zelensky, requesting he refrain from revealing the identities of captured soldiers and not send them anywhere against their will. These organizations cited the Geneva Conventions, which states, “If the repatriation of prisoners of war clearly violates the general principles of international law concerning the protection of humans, the detaining country can allow asylum.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Captured%20soldiers%20whose%20faces%20were%20shown%20are%20%E2%80%9Cmice%20trapped%20in%20a%20jar%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Captured%20soldiers%20whose%20faces%20were%20shown%20are%20%E2%80%9Cmice%20trapped%20in%20a%20jar%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Captured%20soldiers%20whose%20faces%20were%20shown%20are%20%E2%80%9Cmice%20trapped%20in%20a%20jar%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/captured-soldiers-whose-faces-were-shown-are-mice-trapped-in-a-jar/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Captured%20soldiers%20whose%20faces%20were%20shown%20are%20%E2%80%9Cmice%20trapped%20in%20a%20jar%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/captured-soldiers-whose-faces-were-shown-are-mice-trapped-in-a-jar/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Captured%20soldiers%20whose%20faces%20were%20shown%20are%20%E2%80%9Cmice%20trapped%20in%20a%20jar%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [North Korean soldiers arrested after watching foreign videos](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-soldiers-arrested-after-watching-foreign-videos/) **Published:** February 10, 2025 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Outside-info-in-nk.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")In North Korea, a person coming into contact with content deemed undesirable by the authorities, including books, images, movies, music, and other media, is considered guilty of anti-state conspiracy. Watching South Korean or foreign films or [possessing movie and drama files](https://theconversation.com/north-korea-steps-up-efforts-to-stamp-out-consumption-of-illegal-foreign-media-but-entertainment-hungry-citizens-continue-to-flout-the-ban-223129) can result in punishment, including forced labor. In some cases, the penalty is death. This approach to unapproved media is a critical measure for maintaining the state. Hence the defining of such activities as anti-socialist, non-socialist, and anti-state. The recent internal education video obtained by NK Insider indicates that some members of the Korean People’s Army watch external content, such as South Korean movies and songs, and reveals the regime’s struggles to suppress it.Despite the restrictions, however, people are drawn to works that, regardless of their purpose, reveal human experience. This is especially true for soldiers. Most young men who graduate from school at age 17 endure over a decade of cold, hunger, and the monotony of military service, and in this time, they often turn to foreign content for some form of distraction. Watching South Korean movies, for instance, allows them to temporarily endure hunger and dream of a better future. To prevent this, the authorities are making every effort to block access. According to recently acquired internal documents, the authorities have been issuing warnings to soldiers, urging them not to watch South Korean movies, songs, and other foreign media deemed subversive. The soldiers featured in a recent video are believed to have received severe punishment, with some speculating that they may have been executed or sentenced to forced labor, as the fact that they appeared in the regime’s propaganda videos suggests they are no longer alive. In the video, a female army surgeon deeply regrets and repents for having watched subversive media. She confesses her crime, acknowledging that it was not just a personal mistake but a reflection of a broader trend of reactionary behavior among many soldiers. The surgeon, whose arrest warrant was recorded, sobbed as she said, “I committed a crime out of unnecessary curiosity by listening to the enemy’s subversive propaganda and distributing it.” “I have committed an unforgivable sin against my parents who raised me,” she said. In response, the officer in charge said, “The new generation growing up now, in other words, those from a class-based background, are not inherently bad. When you watch one or two enemy films, it’s easy to convince yourself that it won’t change your ideology. It starts out with innocent curiosity or the desire for a fleeting bit of fun, but when it becomes repetitive and over time, without realizing it, you start to change. This is a law of nature.” The reason for such extreme repression and the blocking of any right to information, freedom of expression, or freedom of movement is clear: it is all in the interest of preserving the regime. If people were allowed to exercise rights enjoyed in most countries and speak and move freely, the regime would crumble. But, as the saying goes, no matter how hard you try to block the sun with the palm of your hand, it will not disappear. The basic freedoms that the North Korean people long for cannot be suppressed. These freedoms are part of the inevitable flow of history and will one day surface. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korean%20soldiers%20arrested%20after%20watching%20foreign%20videos&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korean%20soldiers%20arrested%20after%20watching%20foreign%20videos https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korean%20soldiers%20arrested%20after%20watching%20foreign%20videos "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-soldiers-arrested-after-watching-foreign-videos/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korean%20soldiers%20arrested%20after%20watching%20foreign%20videos&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-soldiers-arrested-after-watching-foreign-videos/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korean%20soldiers%20arrested%20after%20watching%20foreign%20videos "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Education goals and curriculum in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/education-goals-and-curriculum-in-north-korea/) **Published:** February 7, 2025 **Author:** Morning of Han River **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20190601.jpg "20190601 | nk insider")In line with other countries, North Korea has defined the 21st century as the era of the knowledge economy. To raise the educational level of the populace to meet the needs of the era, one of the first things Kim Jong-un did when he came to power in 2012 was to raise compulsory education from 11 to 12 years. Since then, there have been some adjustments to what children are taught, notably that the country is no longer interested in reunifying with South Korea. But the basic objectives and curriculum remain. The basic policy is contained in this 2013 document, first obtained and printed by Freedom Chosun in 2023, and some key excerpts are reprinted here. --- [“First General Compulsory 12-Year Education Curriculum”](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/First-General-Compulsory-12-Year-Education-Curriculum.pdf) **Table of Contents** Foreword I. Role and Mission of General Compulsory 12-Year Education, General Objectives 1. Role and Mission of General Compulsory 12-Year Education - Role of General Compulsory 12-Year Education - Mission of General Compulsory 12-Year Education 2. General Objectives of General Compulsory 12-Year Education II. Primary and Secondary Curricula 1. Purpose and Achievements of Primary and Secondary Education - Purpose - Target Achievements 2. Primary and Secondary Course Outlines - System - Semester Division - Subject Configuration - Academic Progress Plan - Teaching Progress Plan - Academic Performance Evaluation - Requirements for Implementation of the Curriculum 3. Subject-Specific Teaching Guidelines - The Revolutionary Activities of the Great Leader Kim Il-sung - The Revolutionary Activities of the Great Leader Kim Jong-il - The Revolutionary Activities of the Anti-Japanese Heroine Kim Jong-suk - Socialist Morality - Korean Language - English - Korean History - Korean Geography - Mathematics - Natural Science - Information Technology **Foreword** The great leader Kim Jong-il emphasized the following: “Education is one of the fundamental issues that determines the fate of the country and the future of the nation.” (*Kim Jong-il’s Collected Works*, Volume 8, p. 102) Thanks to the noble education-oriented philosophy of the great Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, and their outstanding leadership, our country was the first in the world to implement the general 11-year compulsory education system starting in Juche 61 (1972), marking the golden age of Juche-based education. The immortal achievements and education philosophy of the great leaders, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, are being brilliantly carried forward and developed today by our respected leader Kim Jong-un. With extraordinary insight and scientific leadership, respected Kim Jong-un has clearly outlined the direction and methods for advancing secondary education to a higher level, in line with the laws of socialist educational development, the reality of our country’s education system, and global educational trends. A revolutionary step was taken under his guidance to implement the general 12-year compulsory education system. In advancing our country as an educational powerhouse based on Juche and a socialist civilization, the implementation of the general 12-year compulsory education curriculum is of profound significance. The general 12-year compulsory education curriculum is a comprehensive educational plan that outlines the objectives, content, methods, procedures, and sequencing of primary and secondary education, detailing the general goals and guidelines for each subject. The curriculum serves as the directive of the Party to the schools and is a legal mandate of the state. The curriculum provides specific subject-by-subject teaching plans and outlines, forming the legal basis for writing textbooks and conducting educational activities. All educational personnel and teachers must fully implement this curriculum to decisively improve the quality of education and cultivate a generation of capable revolutionary leaders who will serve as the pillars in building a strong socialist nation. **I. Role and Mission of General Compulsory 12-Year Education, General Objectives** The great leader Kim Jong-il emphasized the following: “Primary and secondary education is the foundational educational stage for cultivating talent, so it is essential to organize political, ideological education and scientific-technical education content in accordance with the position and mission of primary and secondary education.” **1) Role of General Compulsory 12-Year Education** The comprehensive 12-year compulsory education is the foundational stage of education in our country’s socialist education system. Just as solid roots are necessary for bearing abundant fruit, strengthening general secondary education at this foundational stage allows us to cultivate outstanding talents. Comprehensive 12-year compulsory education is the most thorough and free mandatory education that provides complete general primary and secondary education to all children and adolescents in the country, ranging from ages 5 to 17. It consists of one year of pre-school education, five years of primary school education, three years of lower secondary school education, and three years of upper secondary school education. **2) Mission of General Compulsory 12-Year Education** The mission of the 12-year compulsory education is to raise a new generation that is both morally and physically capable, in line with the fundamental principles of socialist pedagogy. Specifically, the goal is to provide students with a firm revolutionary worldview, develop their knowledge and skills in line with the demands of the military-first era and the knowledge economy, and prepare them for successful academic, military, and societal participation. In doing so, they will be able to contribute to carrying out revolutionary tasks throughout their lives, laying a solid foundation for lifelong learning. For this education system to achieve its mission, it will enhance the quality of higher education and overall societal standards in thought, technology, and culture. This will enable the people to live meaningful lives, advancing the legacy of the Kim Il-sung nation and Kim Jong-il Korea into a shining socialist civilization. **2. General Objectives of Compulsory 12-Year Education** The great leader Kim Jong-il emphasized the following: “Socialist education is a cause that aims to cultivate the revolutionary consciousness and creative abilities of young people. Therefore, the content of primary and secondary education must foster an independent ideological consciousness and creative capabilities, to cultivate well-rounded socialist citizens who are fully developed in both intellect and physical capacity.” (*Kim Jong-il’s Collected Works*, Volume 8, p. 108) The overall goal of the compulsory 12-year education is to foster the rising new generation with an independent ideological consciousness and creative abilities, cultivating them into fully developed, well-rounded revolutionary talent equipped with both intellect and physical strength. 1\) The goal is to establish a firm revolutionary worldview that guides students to possess a clear revolutionary sense of purpose and develop truthful, cultured, and noble moral character in both their studies and daily life. - Based on a principled understanding of the greatness of the thought and theory of the great leaders of Baekdu Mountain, and their leadership and personal dignity, students will cultivate a firm revolutionary loyalty to the leader, viewing unwavering loyalty to the Party and the leader as the highest priority, and ensure that the spirit of resolute defense of the leadership, symbolized by the total commitment and bodyguard mentality, becomes part of their very character. - Students will clearly recognize the essence and principles of the immortal Juche ideology and the Songun ideology, understanding that fulfilling the people’s revolutionary cause of independence is the true path of human life, thus filling them with a determination to live a meaningful and valuable life. - Students will embrace the teachings of the great leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, as well as the words of the respected Kim Jong-un, as their core belief, cultivating an unshakable commitment to carrying out the leader’s directives in all circumstances. They will firmly adhere to thinking and acting according to the principles of Juche and Songun, making them a core principle in every situation. Students will arm themselves with the revolutionary traditions of our Party and carry them forward, rigorously applying these principles in both their studies and their life. They will be imbued with the spirit of revolution and a sense of responsibility, continuously strengthening the superiority of our unique socialist system centered on the people. - Having a strong class consciousness, students will understand the importance of our military, viewing it as the foundation for peace and socialism. In the event that imperialist forces such as the US and Japan recklessly provoke conflict, students will possess the courage and resolve to decisively defend our country’s interests under the banner of Juche and Songun, and to achieve the historic mission of reunifying the country. - “One for all, and all for one” is the slogan and spirit that shapes the character of individuals who love the collective, society, and the people, and are willing to sacrifice themselves for the Party, the leader, and the homeland. - With the patriotic spirit of Kim Jong-il, students will learn to cherish even the smallest things in life, from their family and parents to the fields, trees, and villages, to the very environment around them. They will develop an awareness of the world they live in, foster civic consciousness, and be determined to fulfill their duties as citizens. - They will be trained to uphold the highest standards of truthfulness, culture, and noble moral character in their speech, behavior, learning, and everyday life. - They will thoroughly understand the principles and norms of socialist morality, national laws, and regulations, and apply them consistently in life. They will actively fight against any illegal behaviors. 2\) On the basis of providing students with sufficient general knowledge in primary and secondary education, creative abilities will be developed through a combination of information technology education and fundamental knowledge. - (1) General basic knowledge in the field of social sciences will be strengthened, so students can acquire general knowledge of society and the ability to apply it effectively. - They will develop a solid foundation in the national language and literature, enabling them to accurately listen, read, write, understand, and express themselves. - They will acquire basic skills in writing and speaking in various formats according to the principles of logic and reasoning. - Basic grammatical knowledge and its application will be cultivated to ensure proficiency in language use. - Students will be encouraged to appreciate, analyze, evaluate, and create literary works, building foundational skills in literature. - They will be made aware of the long history and brilliant cultural traditions of our nation, fostering a sense of national pride and identity, and enabling them to draw lessons and experiences from historical events. - Students will develop psychological and logical abilities to facilitate their academic and social lives. - One foreign language will be taught to ensure students can engage in everyday conversations and effectively communicate according to the situation. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Morning of Han River](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-8.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/8981576d8d602a122452a0b0c70c3d02c8560eb6/ "Morning of Han River") [Morning of Han River](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/8981576d8d602a122452a0b0c70c3d02c8560eb6/) Morning of Han River (pen name) is a reporter at Freedom Chosun. Born in North Korea, he defected to South Korea in 2007. [![Morning of Han River](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-8.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/8981576d8d602a122452a0b0c70c3d02c8560eb6/ "Morning of Han River") Latest posts by Morning of Han River ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/8981576d8d602a122452a0b0c70c3d02c8560eb6/)) - [Education goals and curriculum in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/education-goals-and-curriculum-in-north-korea/) - February 7, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Education%20goals%20and%20curriculum%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Education%20goals%20and%20curriculum%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Education%20goals%20and%20curriculum%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/education-goals-and-curriculum-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Education%20goals%20and%20curriculum%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/education-goals-and-curriculum-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Education%20goals%20and%20curriculum%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Education --- ### [Why did they shout “Glory to Kim Jong-un” in the face of death?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-did-they-shout-glory-to-kim-jong-un-in-the-face-of-death/) **Published:** February 6, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Nk-soldiers.jpg "Nk soldiers | nk insider")According to recent reports from the U.S., South Korea, and Ukraine, the number of casualties among North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia is somewhere between 1,000 and 3,000. In one stark image within this statistic, the *Kyiv Independent* last month cited testimony from a Ukrainian special forces soldier who had participated in a mission to capture North Korean soldiers. North Korean soldiers [shouted “Glory to Kim Jong Un”](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2025/01/17/NCKHJGAWYREXBAF427ACID72CY/) before attempting to detonate grenades and being shot and killed by Ukrainian forces, he said. This incident reinforces the inhumane nature of the Kim regime. Instead of thinking about personal beliefs or family at the moment of death, his soldiers glorify their dictator. North Korean citizens are indoctrinated from the age of three to be loyal to the regime. Starting from daycare and kindergarten, through to graduation from high school, they are systematically taught obedience to collective values, loyalty to the Party and the leader, and the importance of discipline. Even after entering society, loyalty education continues through various social organizations like the Youth League and the Workers’ League. This structure is designed to meticulously control individuals’ thoughts and actions. This relentless education turns citizens into “human weapons” who glorify the dictator even in death. In such a repressive system, you would expect citizens to voice discontent, but most North Koreans opt for obedience. This is because even a single word of complaint can lead to severe punishment. Government oppression and coercion is accepted as their fate. Soldiers are no exception. The ideological and mental training they undergo is of course more rigorous than that of ordinary citizens or cadres. From the moment 18-year-olds start their compulsory service, they are relentlessly indoctrinated with the idea that they must sacrifice their lives for the Party, the leader, the country, and the people. Thus, the cry of “Glory to Kim Jong Un” is not just a slogan. It is a consequence of unending indoctrination. They come to value the political life granted by the regime over their biological life given by their parents, internalizing the distorted belief that “whether you live or die for Kim Jong-un, it is an honor.” In normal countries, efforts are made to protect the lives of soldiers in wartime. They develop advanced personal combat equipment and even use robots to minimize casualties. However, the North Koreans deployed in the Russia-Ukraine war have been used as bait to lure drone attacks, and in some cases, to prevent desertion, soldiers have been forced to shoot each other or commit suicide if they are captured. This inhumane practice was [revealed](https://www.khan.co.kr/article/202501131304001) by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. According to the American outlet *Global Defense Corporation*, the North Koreans [reportedly](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20241127114900504) sustained over 500 casualties after a missile strike on November 20. The government in Pyongyang, meanwhile, has remained silent about the dispatch of its soldiers to the war and their deaths. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20did%20they%20shout%20%E2%80%9CGlory%20to%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%9D%20in%20the%20face%20of%20death%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20did%20they%20shout%20%E2%80%9CGlory%20to%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%9D%20in%20the%20face%20of%20death%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20did%20they%20shout%20%E2%80%9CGlory%20to%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%9D%20in%20the%20face%20of%20death%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-did-they-shout-glory-to-kim-jong-un-in-the-face-of-death/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20did%20they%20shout%20%E2%80%9CGlory%20to%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%9D%20in%20the%20face%20of%20death%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-did-they-shout-glory-to-kim-jong-un-in-the-face-of-death/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20did%20they%20shout%20%E2%80%9CGlory%20to%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%9D%20in%20the%20face%20of%20death%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Lessons from North Korean casualties in Kursk](https://www.nkinsider.org/lessons-from-north-korean-casualties-in-kursk/) **Published:** February 4, 2025 **Author:** Julian McBride **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Pic0084285.jpg "Pic0084285 | nk insider")After its deployment to Russia to the front line fighting Ukrainians, the Korean People’s Army suffered [a high attrition rate ](https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/01/15/north-korea-deployed-12000-troops-to-kursk-in-october-three-months-later-a-third-are-dead-or-wounded/)in the first few weeks and has been withdrawn and is reportedly regrouping. The high casualty rate reveals a general lack of preparedness and a particular lack of training in drone warfare. North Korea backed Russia in the war from the outset. In late 2022, it supplied artillery shells to the Wagner Group. Then in 2023, Pyongyang ramped up support, allocating one million artillery shells and 7,000 tons of military equipment to its ally. Then, on June 18, 2024, Pyongyang and Moscow solidified a [mutual defense pact](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/12/north-korea-ratifies-landmark-mutual-defence-treaty-with-russia) after a summit in Vladivostok. The Strategic Comprehensive Partnership allows further defense cooperation, which includes the sharing of missiles and chips to enhance the DPRK’s missile program. The KPA is believed to have sent 12,000 troops to Kursk Oblast as an expeditionary force to supplement Russia’s overstretched forces. **Direct military intervention in Kursk** The KPA amassed units alongside Russian forces in November and joined large-scale maneuvers in December. In recent weeks, casualties have been high during assaults against the Ukrainian army. According to the White House and US [Department of Defense](https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4018068/dod-announces-additional-aid-for-ukraine-assesses-1000-north-korean-casualties/#:~:text=%22The%20White%20House%20recently%20announced,as%20well%2C%22%20Singh%20said.), North Korea has suffered over 1,000 casualties since the start of its offensive operations. The Ukrainian government claims that up to 3,000 KPA soldiers have been killed or wounded. According to South Korean reports, more KPA units are ready to be transferred if the Kremlin requests additional assistance. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and the intelligence directorate also expressed concern about new KPA reinforcements. **What is behind the high casualties? Several factors contribute to the high casualty rate. One basic factor is the [language barrier](https://www.newsweek.com/north-korea-troops-soldiers-killed-russia-language-barrier-2001452). Without clear communication and coordination, KPA troops are harder to command during assaults and, therefore, risk unnecessary casualties. Compare this with the Ukrainian military which has requested that foreign volunteers learn the local languages. Secondly, the senior Korean officers have failed to conduct thorough battlefield site surveys and prepare the troops for [first-person view (FPV) drones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5lKupps8CM) and electronic warfare countermeasures. Adaptations in drone warfare, particularly in Kursk, contributed to high casualties and equipment losses due to the new fiber optic drones, which can bypass electronic countermeasures. The failure of North Korean commanders to effectively prepare shows more than a simple lack of care for their troops. It highlights the minimal authority that field and senior commanders have in a hereditary totalitarian government. Tragically, Pyongyang and Moscow have shown that they are willing to sacrifice as many as their troops as necessary to achieve mission objectives, whereas Kyiv is struggling with unit staffing and recruitment. It currently remains to be seen if the current Russian and North Korean frontal assaults into fields of fire will play out positively for them. **Lessons for NATO and allied nations The North Korean intervention in the Ukraine war shows why unit cohesion, proficient communications, leader-in-field commanders, and command and control must be emphasized for any deployable unit. As noted, language barriers have only heightened casualties. Emphasizing basic language phrases related to combat can save lives and mitigate mission failures. Secondly, the lack of awareness of drone warfare by KPA leadership left the inexperienced North Korean conscripts blind as to what they may have expected in Kursk. The introduction of fiber optic drones alone is a major concern for the future of modern warfare. A potential Taiwan Straits crisis could see Beijing implement a mass drone swarm (including fiber optics) against Taipei to besiege the island, and Washington and its East Asian allies must prepare for such contingencies via anti-drone countermeasures. Third, motivating inexperienced troops for the worst-case scenarios can help lower-ranking personnel to avoid complacency under fire. Due to the high losses in Kursk, several North Korean units will inevitably have to reconstitute with war-weary conscripts and perhaps merge into Russian units. Whereas Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un can get away with a high casualty rate due to strong control of media and authoritarian rule, western militaries will inevitably face scrutiny, even with moderate losses, as seen with the United States during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/ "Julian McBride") [Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/) Julian McBride, a former U.S. Marine, is a forensic anthropologist and independent journalist born in New York. He reports and documents the plight of people around the world who are affected by conflicts, rogue geopolitics, and war, and also tells the stories of war victims whose voices are never heard. His bylines can be found in the National Security Journal, Byline Times, 19FortyFive, Heritage Daily, The Defense Post, Journal of Forensic Psychology, Modern Warfare Institute, and UK Defence Journal. [![Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/ "Julian McBride") Latest posts by Julian McBride ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/)) - [Dismantled communications network makes life worse for North Korean dissidents](https://www.nkinsider.org/dismantled-communications-network-makes-life-worse-for-north-korean-dissidents/) - September 9, 2025 - [The Indo-Pacific 80 years on from the nuclear bombs on Japan](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-indo-pacific-80-years-on-from-the-nuclear-bombs-on-japan/) - August 6, 2025 - [The race for long-range missiles between Japan and North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-race-for-long-range-missiles-between-japan-and-north-korea/) - June 27, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Lessons%20from%20North%20Korean%20casualties%20in%20Kursk&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Lessons%20from%20North%20Korean%20casualties%20in%20Kursk https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Lessons%20from%20North%20Korean%20casualties%20in%20Kursk "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/lessons-from-north-korean-casualties-in-kursk/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Lessons%20from%20North%20Korean%20casualties%20in%20Kursk&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/lessons-from-north-korean-casualties-in-kursk/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Lessons%20from%20North%20Korean%20casualties%20in%20Kursk "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [“Wearing unusual clothing is an act of submission to the enemy”](https://www.nkinsider.org/wearing-unusual-clothing-is-an-act-of-submission-to-the-enemy/) **Published:** February 3, 2025 **Author:** Kim Se-won **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Hyesan-people.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")One of the hard-to-imagine aspects of life for young people in North Korea is the inherent danger in any attempt to follow fashions that are normal in other countries. Mistakes regarding youthful self-expression carry such harsh penalties that the country resembles the most fundamental of religious states, except that the religion in question is political. Worship of the leader is the only faith permitted in the officially atheist nation. In recent years, the subversive effect of South Korean and Chinese culture has led authorities to intensify the already draconian restrictions. Youth League Committees since 2023 have been educating youngsters in the old “truth” that how you wear your clothes and do your hair can constitute an “act of submission to the ideological and cultural infiltration of the enemy.” One such educational video is called, “Let’s intensify the struggle against unconventional clothing and grooming.” In it, the narrator says, “The enemy’s ideological and cultural infiltration targeting our youth continues without end.” “All labor organizations must intensify their struggle against unconventional clothing and grooming so that only national sentiment, and a beautiful and refined lifestyle, overflow throughout society,” he says. The educational video decries the fact that, despite the ruling Workers’ Party’s “long-standing emphasis on youth and workers aligning their clothing and grooming with our style and traditions,” a lot of young people “have yet to wake up and are still dressing and grooming in a way that is embarrassing, strutting around the streets and villages.” The message is not a new one. Authorities have campaigned since the late 1980s to enforce fashion standards that “align with socialist lifestyles.” Analysts say that enforcement under Kim Jong-un, who inherited power in 2011, is far stricter than it was in the days of his father, Kim Jong-il. For example, in the past educational sessions on permitted fashions were held three to five times a year, while now they are held two or three times each spring, summer, and fall. Surveillance and punishment has also intensified. The increased zeal may be a result of a change in 2015, when the Central Propaganda and Agitation Department delegated the production and distribution of the education material to provincial party committees. The propaganda divisions of local committees have established “Unconventional Clothing and Grooming Surveillance and Filming Teams,” which have been producing videos focusing on local offenders. The shots here from the video we obtained shows young people in their 20s being harassed and filmed by inspection squads. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Youth-subject-to-investigation-1024x540.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")A young man is shamed for wearing tight pants. Image / NK Times“Kim \[name withheld\], from block 00, is wearing pants so tight around the hips and thighs that it’s embarrassing for anyone who sees him,” the narrator says. The video publicly reveals the names, ages, and residential addresses of the young people being forcibly inspected. The narrator goes on to say, “Instead of reflecting on his behavior when inspectors pointed out his unconventional attire, \[name withheld\] instead tried to justify his flaws.” It characterized him as “acting irrationally.” “Young people who wear unusual clothes and get body modifications are not in their right minds,” the narrator says. “They are aligning with and submitting to the ideological and cultural infiltration of the enemy.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") [Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/) Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based Korean-language online news outlet focused on North Korean affairs. Drawing on his personal experience living in the country, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform the public about the realities of North Korea. [![Kim Se-won](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/ "Kim Se-won") Latest posts by Kim Se-won ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/68320ac2432079a950a9a5b3a82bb90a2a45884b/)) - [‘Even 12 bodies wouldn’t be enough’: North Koreans struggle under farm mobilization crackdown](https://www.nkinsider.org/even-12-bodies-wouldnt-be-enough-north-koreans-struggle-under-farm-mobilization-crackdown/) - June 1, 2026 - [As North Koreans face economic hardship, Kim opts for further repression](https://www.nkinsider.org/as-north-koreans-face-economic-hardship-kim-opts-for-further-repression/) - November 22, 2025 - [Farmers struggle to collect payment for livestock](https://www.nkinsider.org/farmers-struggle-to-collect-payment-for-livestock/) - November 20, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CWearing%20unusual%20clothing%20is%20an%20act%20of%20submission%20to%20the%20enemy%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%E2%80%9CWearing%20unusual%20clothing%20is%20an%20act%20of%20submission%20to%20the%20enemy%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%E2%80%9CWearing%20unusual%20clothing%20is%20an%20act%20of%20submission%20to%20the%20enemy%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/wearing-unusual-clothing-is-an-act-of-submission-to-the-enemy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%E2%80%9CWearing%20unusual%20clothing%20is%20an%20act%20of%20submission%20to%20the%20enemy%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/wearing-unusual-clothing-is-an-act-of-submission-to-the-enemy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%E2%80%9CWearing%20unusual%20clothing%20is%20an%20act%20of%20submission%20to%20the%20enemy%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Ministry of Social Security investigating people over inflation and Russian war complaints](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministry-of-social-security-investigating-people-over-inflation-and-russian-war-complaints/) **Published:** February 3, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Young-people-in-nk.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")North Korea’s Ministry of Social Security has instructed agencies nationwide to monitor the movements of citizens for expressions of dissatisfaction over the dispatch of troops to Russia and soaring inflation. According to a source from North Hamgyong province, the law enforcement agency recently issued a directive to local branches, saying that security personnel should “have a spirit of selfless service to the people, understand internal trends within their jurisdiction, and take thorough measures to address any arising issues.” The directive said, “All security personnel should re-investigate the family backgrounds and socio-political lives of all residents and employees within their jurisdiction and thoroughly understand their socio-political lives.” Additionally, it stressed the importance of “grasping and taking thorough measures against trends that could harm the unity of our Party and pose a threat to the political security of the Party and the state, such as impure remarks undermining the authority and prestige of the Party, baseless rumors, and attitudes towards changes in the Party’s and state’s policies and the situation.” Since January 11, authorities have been monitoring individuals who express dissatisfaction with the authorities or have a criminal history, particularly families of defectors and others categorized as “anti-regime elements.” The comprehensive checks include the background of parents and grandparents, past interests, and occupations. “Although the Ministry of Social Security emphasized a spirit of selfless service to the people in this directive, in reality, it has defined the expression of public dissatisfaction as rumor-mongering.” “They’re especially scrutinizing families where a member has defected,” he said. “As a result, some people are complaining to the security people, [saying](https://nktimes.kr/%eb%b6%81%ed%95%9c-%ec%95%88%ec%a0%84%ec%84%b1-%eb%aa%a8%eb%93%a0-%ec%95%88%ec%a0%84%ec%9b%90%eb%93%a4-%ea%b4%80%eb%82%b4-%ec%a3%bc%eb%af%bc-%eb%8f%99%ed%96%a5-%ec%b2%a0%ec%a0%80-%ec%9e%a5%ec%95%85/ "saying"), ‘Why are you harassing only the remaining people when others have already escaped?'” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20investigating%20people%20over%20inflation%20and%20Russian%20war%20complaints&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20investigating%20people%20over%20inflation%20and%20Russian%20war%20complaints https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20investigating%20people%20over%20inflation%20and%20Russian%20war%20complaints "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministry-of-social-security-investigating-people-over-inflation-and-russian-war-complaints/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20investigating%20people%20over%20inflation%20and%20Russian%20war%20complaints&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministry-of-social-security-investigating-people-over-inflation-and-russian-war-complaints/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Ministry%20of%20Social%20Security%20investigating%20people%20over%20inflation%20and%20Russian%20war%20complaints "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Likeminded Countries Should Pursue Unified Strategies to Deal with North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/likeminded-countries-should-pursue-unified-strategies-to-deal-with-north-korea/) **Published:** January 15, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** Former South Korean National Security Office Director Kim Sung-han emphasized the need for South Korea and the U.S. to exert pressure on North Korea by forming unified strategies with like-minded countries and avoiding dependence on China. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/KIM-Sung-han-scaled.jpg "Kim sunghan | nk insider")SEOUL – Former South Korean National Security Office Director Kim Sung-han emphasized the need for South Korea and the U.S. to exert pressure on North Korea by forming unified strategies with like-minded countries and avoiding dependence on China. On November 17, 2023, he gave a [keynote speech](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwnhCJNBJE8) at the “Seoul Diplomacy Forum 2023[,](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231117005500315)” held under the theme of “The 70th Anniversary of the ROK-U.S. Alliance: Vision and Challenges.” Kim stressed the importance of exploring ways for South Korea and the U.S. to persuade China to “delink the North Korean nuclear issue from the U.S.-China strategic competition.” Regarding the U.S.-China summit held in San Francisco in November 2023, Kim noted that the restoration of communication channels, including military channels, is a positive sign, but he didn’t expect to see a dramatic turnaround in U.S.-China relations in the short term. Kim went on to remark that strategic competition between the U.S. and China could continue until 2050, citing analyses suggesting that determining winners and losers in key areas of the Fourth Industrial Revolution would require at least one generation. Considering the diminished possibility of U.S.-China cooperation related to the Korean Peninsula, Kim suggested that the optimal environment for reunification would be for the U.S. and China to maintain a competitive and cooperative relationship while the U.S. maintains a dominant position. Reflecting on the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. alliance, Kim quoted Confucius: “At the age of 70, I followed my heart’s desires without overstepping the bounds of propriety.” In Kim’s view, the alliance has reached a stage where both countries can reveal their intentions and pursue their objectives without issues. During the first session of the forum on “Alliance and Cooperation Networks in the Indo-Pacific Region,” a roundtable of ambassadors discussed various issues. U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg praised South Korea, saying it has evolved from being a “shrimp caught between whales” to becoming a “big fish.” Goldberg highlighted the recent strengthening of cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, which has improved the detection and tracking of North Korean missiles and has enhanced the ability to respond to any crisis in the region through trilateral military exercises. The defense ministers of the three countries also agreed to expand trilateral military exercises in 2024 in various areas, underscoring the increasing cooperation among the three nations to pressure North Korea. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Likeminded%20Countries%20Should%20Pursue%20Unified%20Strategies%20to%20Deal%20with%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Likeminded%20Countries%20Should%20Pursue%20Unified%20Strategies%20to%20Deal%20with%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Likeminded%20Countries%20Should%20Pursue%20Unified%20Strategies%20to%20Deal%20with%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/likeminded-countries-should-pursue-unified-strategies-to-deal-with-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Likeminded%20Countries%20Should%20Pursue%20Unified%20Strategies%20to%20Deal%20with%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/likeminded-countries-should-pursue-unified-strategies-to-deal-with-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Likeminded%20Countries%20Should%20Pursue%20Unified%20Strategies%20to%20Deal%20with%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [North Korean Military Will Deteriorate into a Louder but Empty Vessel](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-military-will-deteriorate-into-a-louder-but-empty-vessel/) **Published:** January 15, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** On November 20, 2023, the Korean Central News Agency reported that North Korea declared its intention to “further accelerate the establishment of war deterrence capabilities” while condemning the United States. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/KJU-inspecing-weapons.png "Kju inspecing weapons | nk insider")SEOUL **—** On November 20, 2023, the Korean Central News Agency reported that North Korea declared its intention to “further accelerate the establishment of war deterrence capabilities” while condemning the United States. According to the report, an unnamed deputy director of the General Bureau of Equipment of the Ministry of Defense responded to questions from a Korean Central News Agency journalist regarding America’s increased sales of advanced weapons to South Korea and Japan. The deputy director emphasized the need to address the unstable situation on the Korean Peninsula caused by “conspiratorial acts of military collusion and arms deals by the United States and its followers.” He criticized the arms sales as a “reckless act that heightens military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, bringing about the risk of a new arms race.” He further warned that the unilateral military buildup by one party beyond defensive needs would only provoke responsive military strengthening measures from others, stating, “The more profits the United States gains from indiscriminate weapon sales, the higher the cost they may have to pay for the security crisis.” The U.S. government recently made a provisional decision to sell F-35 stealth fighters, SM-6 ship-to-air missiles, and AIM-9X “Sidewinder” air-to-air missiles to South Korea, and Tomahawk cruise missiles to Japan through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process. In response to the North Korean Ministry of Defense’s earlier statement on November 16, which opposed the South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), the focus on U.S. arms sales is interpreted as an attempt to build a pretext for provocations such as military reconnaissance satellites and missile launches. **Perspective of a former North Korean soldier** Regarding the remarks of the Deputy Director of the General Bureau of Equipment of the Ministry of Defense of North Korea, this writer interviewed former North Korean soldier Kang Sung-kook, who defected and eventually entered South Korea at the end of 2023. Kang spoke about his military service in North Korea, speculating that as Kim Jong-un becomes more tense about the escalating arms race, the North Korean military would feel increasingly cornered. He also mentioned widespread corrupt practices within the North Korean military, where selling military supplies for personal gain and promotion is a “tradition” that still prevails. He recalled an instance during his military service when he secretly siphoned oil from the fuel tank of an aircraft and sold it for money he could use as bribes. He hoped to gain favor with those in authority so he could ultimately become a member of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Kang predicted that as Kim Jong-un deploys new military equipment, associated corrupt practices will increase, and the North Korean military will deteriorate into a louder but empty vessel. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korean%20Military%20Will%20Deteriorate%20into%20a%20Louder%20but%20Empty%20Vessel&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korean%20Military%20Will%20Deteriorate%20into%20a%20Louder%20but%20Empty%20Vessel https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korean%20Military%20Will%20Deteriorate%20into%20a%20Louder%20but%20Empty%20Vessel "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-military-will-deteriorate-into-a-louder-but-empty-vessel/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korean%20Military%20Will%20Deteriorate%20into%20a%20Louder%20but%20Empty%20Vessel&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-military-will-deteriorate-into-a-louder-but-empty-vessel/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korean%20Military%20Will%20Deteriorate%20into%20a%20Louder%20but%20Empty%20Vessel "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Passcode to the Third Floor: An Insider's Account of Life Among North Korea's Political Elite](https://www.nkinsider.org/passcode-to-the-third-floor-an-insiders-account-of-life-among-north-koreas-political-elite/) **Published:** April 25, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** Thae Yong-ho was a leading North Korean diplomat to the United Kingdom and Northern Europe―until his dramatic defection to South Korea in 2016. In this gripping tell-all, he reveals the inner workings of the North Korean regime and shares the story of his decision to leave. Thae spent nearly three decades working under three generations of the ruling Kim dynasty after entering the foreign service as an idealistic twenty-seven-year-old “red warrior” eager to strive for the “socialist motherland.” During this time, he witnessed the arbitrary and tyrannical rule of the Kim family and the enigmatic “Third Floor,” a powerful group of high-ranking officials. Thae provides up-close portraits of the excesses of the North Korean elite and the depths of the cult of personality around the Kims, describing experiences such as concocting reports of Europeans celebrating the birthdays of Kim Il-sung or Kim Jong-il and escorting Kim Jong-un’s older brother to Eric Clapton concerts in London. He also details the economic and political consequences of North Korea’s pursuit of the bomb and the immiseration of the vast majority of the population. Today a politician in South Korea who advocates unification, Thae offers a powerful plea for the families torn apart by the conflict―including his own, as his brother and sister likely now languish in prison camps. A best-seller in South Korea, *Passcode to the Third Floor* is an unparalleled look at North Korean politics and diplomacy, giving readers intimate access to the regime’s innermost secrets. – Thae Yong-ho (Author), Robert Lauler (Translator) - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Passcode%20to%20the%20Third%20Floor%3A%20An%20Insider%27s%20Account%20of%20Life%20Among%20North%20Korea%27s%20Political%20Elite&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Passcode%20to%20the%20Third%20Floor%3A%20An%20Insider%27s%20Account%20of%20Life%20Among%20North%20Korea%27s%20Political%20Elite https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Passcode%20to%20the%20Third%20Floor%3A%20An%20Insider%27s%20Account%20of%20Life%20Among%20North%20Korea%27s%20Political%20Elite "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/passcode-to-the-third-floor-an-insiders-account-of-life-among-north-koreas-political-elite/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Passcode%20to%20the%20Third%20Floor%3A%20An%20Insider%27s%20Account%20of%20Life%20Among%20North%20Korea%27s%20Political%20Elite&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/passcode-to-the-third-floor-an-insiders-account-of-life-among-north-koreas-political-elite/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Passcode%20to%20the%20Third%20Floor%3A%20An%20Insider%27s%20Account%20of%20Life%20Among%20North%20Korea%27s%20Political%20Elite "Reddit") **Categories:** Books --- ### [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) **Published:** January 9, 2025 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Doc2.jpg "Doc2 | nk insider")HRF’s Korea Desk has been in regular communication with members of the Ukrainian special forces operating in the Kursk Oblast region since December 20. We have been assisting with the analysis of military documents recovered from North Korean soldiers engaged in combat, as well as providing advice in analyzing North Korean PSYOPs. On January 8, we obtained two notable documents found on the body of a North Korean army officer killed in Kursk Oblast: 1) Day Mission Performance Order (일별 임무 수행 질서), and 2) Procedure for Task Implementation (진행할 사업 순차). Like the documents we’ve recently obtained, which detail [North Korean soldiers’ experiences fighting Ukrainian troops for Russia and the lessons learned on the battlefield](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/), these documents also appear to have been prepared by North Korean troops and issued for their use. The Day Mission Performance Order outlines specific military actions in summary notes that resemble a daily schedule, such as when to move artillery to the front line, when to deploy reconnaissance and assault groups, and the timing of full-scale attacks for the morning and afternoon of each day from Day 2 through Day 8. The other document, Procedure for Task Implementation, is more comprehensive and articulated, providing instructions on how soldiers should conduct themselves under various combat conditions. For example, one line advises, “Strictly abide by the strike timing and assigned path,” and warns, “Do not interfere with other groups’ actions, and prohibit wireless communication,” likely intended to prevent potential wiretapping and location detection by Ukrainian forces. Another notable line instructs that the assault should continue even if there are injured soldiers: “During the battle, the wounded shall be handled independently, concealed as much as possible without aid, and the primary unit shall continue to complete its mission.” The Procedure for Task Implementation document also mentions the effective use of artillery fire support and instructs soldiers to request it only under certain conditions: “During the course of the battle, if the area where the enemy in large numbers is observed, report correctly and receive artillery fire support. Do not ask for artillery fire if the enemy appears to be in small numbers.” One line instructs soldiers on the importance of gathering intelligence and destroying Ukrainian military assets in the rear before initiating the attack: “Before the commencement of the attack, conduct reconnaissance and destroy the enemy drones, artillery, and tanks deep in their rear.” The word “infiltration” is reminiscent of North Korean special forces, known as the Storm Corps. Before deploying to Russia, these troops are known to have been trained particularly in urban warfare, infiltration, and assassinations behind enemy lines to destabilize and destroy them from within. The original documents and full translations are provided below. 1. Day Mission Performance Order 2. Procedure for Task Implementation ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Signal-2025-01-08-162452_002-768x1024.jpeg "Signal20250108162452002 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Signal-2025-01-08-162452_003-768x1024.jpeg "Signal20250108162452003 | nk insider") 1\. **Day Mission Performance Order** **Day 2** ***Morning:*** • *7th Baguicha Mobile Organization (Director of Training)*. • *Russia Command (Koronev) Cooperation*. ***Afternoon*******:**** • *Battalion commander, political commissar planning deliberations*. **Day 3** ***Morning:*** •*Two artillery units of each battalion go to the front.* • *Each battalion trains the anti-armor and defense unit (Heavy weapon ammunition training at the Defense Command Shooting Range)*. • *Seven Baguicha advances.* ***Afternoon:*** • *Each battalion raid unit, two platoons move to the front (Battalion commander, Operations unit)*. • *The reconnaissance company deployment.* • *Deployment of the rear department of each battalion*. **Day 4** ***Morning:*** • *Two artillery units from each battalion move to the front (Including the battalion command unit). •* *The brigade command unit moves.* ***Afternoon:*** • *Each battalion raid unit, two platoons advance.* • *60mm artillery fire. Strike progress (evening)*. • *Reconnaissance and strike operations units of each battalion infiltrate deep into the rear of the enemy.* **Day 5** ******Morning***:*** • *Each battalion raid unit, two platoons move to the front. •* *60mm artillery fire strike progress (dawn).* ***Afternoon:*** *•* *Each battalion attack unit, two platoons move.* *•* *60mm artillery fire strike progress (evening).* *•* *Each battalion reconnaissance and raid unit strikes the enemy targets.* *•* *Each battalion raid unit, two platoons, No.1 unit move to the front (evening).* **Day 6** *******Morning***:**** *•* *Launch of a full-scale offensive operation (dawn). *•** *Raid units of each battalion, two platoons. *•** *Full-scale attack operation, strike targets (dawn). **•*** *Each battalion, 1 supporting platoon, *No.1 unit** *taking the trench.* ***Afternoon:*** **•** *Raid unit of each battalion, two platoons, *No.1 unit* takes the trenches.* **•** *Each battalion’s raid unit, two platoons, until 14:00. **•*** *Completion of the day mission.* **•** *Each battalion raid unit, two platoons, starts the 2nd day mission.* **•** *Anti-armor defense of each battalion advances and arranges the configuration of anti-armor defense.* **•** *Each battalion artillery fire strike unit moves, is deployed, and strikes (evening).* **Day 7** *******Morning***:*** **•*** *Two supporting platoons of each battalion advance. **•*** *60mm artillery fire strike progress (dawn). **•*** *The raid unit of each battalion, two platoons enter the 2nd day mission (Dawn between 4:00-6:00 am). **•*** *Each battalion’s anti-armor defense unit takes defense positions.* ***Afternoon:*** ***•*** *14:00: Completion of the 2nd day mission and commencement of the 3rd day mission.* ***•*** *Each battalion’s anti-armor defense unit takes defense positions.* **Day 8** ********Morning***:***** ***•*** *Each battalion artillery fire. ***•**** *Strike progress (dawn). ***•**** *Complete the 3rd day mission. ***•**** *Each battalion, supporting platoon, battlefield search, and a radio report.* ***Afternoon:*** ****•**** *Each battalion raid unit withdraws.* ****•**** *Each battalion’s anti-armor defense unit withdraws.* ****•**** *Each battalion artillery strike unit withdraws.* ****•**** *Each battalion supporting and reserve platoon conducts battlefield search and supports units’ withdrawal.* --- ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Signal-2025-01-08-162452_004-768x1024.jpeg "Signal20250108162452004 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Signal-2025-01-08-162452_005-768x1024.jpeg "Signal20250108162452005 | nk insider") 2\. **Procedure for Task Implementation** *****•***** *Meticulously plan the movement and support preparations. ****•***** *Prepare the artillery well during the movement. *****•***** Ensure maximum covertness to eliminate personnel losses. *****•***** Ensure maximum concealment and creativity when taking attack trenches. *****•***** Strictly abide by the strike timing and assigned path (Do not interfere with other groups’ actions, and prohibit wireless communication). Deal with the partial circumstances on your own. *****•***** Set the procedures of the strike groups entering the battle and follow them unconditionally.* *****•***** *Ensure that no one shoots an enemy (reconnaissance) drone if it appears at the point of entering combat. *****•***** Ensure real-time command communications for strike timing. *****•***** Get the circumstantial report on time and report it to the higher level immediately. Deal with the situations on your own. *****•***** Effectively utilize artillery during the strike progress timing. During the course of the battle, if the area where the enemy in large numbers is observed, report correctly and receive artillery fire support. Do not ask for artillery fire if the enemy appears to be in small numbers. *****•****** *The day mission should be completed by 14:00-15:00. *****•***** When completing the day mission, prepare a report on the status of personnel gathering, defense positions, and battlefield achievements. *****•***** Before the commencement of the attack, conduct reconnaissance and destroy the enemy drones, artillery, and tanks deep in their rear. *****•***** For combat, define the identification marks of friendly forces and enemy, and the direction of the strike. *****•***** Thoroughly prepare the strike group (raid unit, units providing cover and search, and supporting unit). *****•***** Ensure the arrival and deployment of the anti-armor defense group at the 2nd day mission line, as the 1st day mission is completed. *****•***** Get the combat and supporting units close to the raid unit. *****•***** During the battle, the wounded shall be handled independently, concealed as much as possible without aid, and the primary unit shall continue to complete its mission. *****•***** If the enemy’s firepower is strong and it is impossible to advance, destroy it by maneuvering around the enemy using heavy weapons, including RPGs, grenades, and through the fire of snipers. *****•***** During the period of urban battle, the control of the building shall be carried out sequentially or simultaneously by means of a simultaneous strike. *****•***** If the overall missions are completed, withdrawal shall be carried out sequentially within 12 hours according to subsequent instructions.* --- [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/ "Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)") - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") [Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/) Seongmin is the director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation. [![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") Latest posts by Seongmin Lee ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/)) - [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) - March 10, 2026 - [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) - January 10, 2025 - [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - January 9, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Exclusive%3A%20Documents%20found%20on%20the%20body%20of%20a%20North%20Korean%20soldier%20in%20Kursk%20Oblast%20region%20%282%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Exclusive%3A%20Documents%20found%20on%20the%20body%20of%20a%20North%20Korean%20soldier%20in%20Kursk%20Oblast%20region%20%282%29 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Exclusive%3A%20Documents%20found%20on%20the%20body%20of%20a%20North%20Korean%20soldier%20in%20Kursk%20Oblast%20region%20%282%29 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Exclusive%3A%20Documents%20found%20on%20the%20body%20of%20a%20North%20Korean%20soldier%20in%20Kursk%20Oblast%20region%20%282%29&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Exclusive%3A%20Documents%20found%20on%20the%20body%20of%20a%20North%20Korean%20soldier%20in%20Kursk%20Oblast%20region%20%282%29 "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Ministry of State Security and Defense Security Bureau crackdown leads to rise in remittance fees, up to 50%](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-and-state-security-crackdown-leads-to-rise-in-remittance-fees-up-to-50/) **Published:** January 24, 2025 **Author:** Han Eun-su **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20250124-1.png "20250124 | nk insider")The fees paid by people sending money to their families in North Korea have gone up 10 percent in the last month and now stand at as much as half of the amount being sent. The change is a consequence of increased inspections by the Ministry of State Security and the Defense Security Bureau. “Recently in Hyesan City, remittance fees have risen to as much as 50%, a level comparable to the period during the COVID-19 lockdown,” said a source from North Hamgyong Province, quoted in [a report](https://nktimes.kr/%eb%b3%b4%ec%9c%84%ec%84%b1%c2%b7%eb%b3%b4%ec%9c%84%ea%b5%ad-%ea%b2%80%ec%97%b4%ec%97%90-%ec%86%a1%ea%b8%88-%ec%88%98%ec%88%98%eb%a3%8c-%ec%b5%9c%eb%8c%80-50%eb%a1%9c-%eb%8b%a4%ec%8b%9c-%ec%83%81/ "a report") in NK Times. “The increase in remittance fees began in late December, when inspections by the Ministry of State Security and the Defense Security Bureau were initiated,” he said. Within a month, in Hyesan 14 residents and 3 soldiers from the 27th Division were arrested. They are currently undergoing intense interrogations. “Because of this situation, phone brokers are unwilling to send money to risky individuals, and this has led to the rise in remittance fees,” he said, referring to remittance brokers. “Even finding a broker willing to send money has become difficult.” At the start of the pandemic, North Korea enacted what are known as the ‘Three Major Bad Laws,’ the Anti-Reactionary Thought Law, the Youth Education Protection Law, and the Pyongyang Culture Protection Law, which have strengthened the regime’s crackdown on anti-socialist and non-socialist behavior. The State Security Ministry conducts quarterly inspections of border regions every year, during which numerous residents are arrested and sent to political prison camps or labor correctional facilities. Some are reportedly executed. Despite this, illegal activities such as the use of Chinese mobile phones, remittances, smuggling, leaking internal information, and viewing external content have continued unabated. To address this, in late December, the Ministry of State Security was reinforced with additional agents from the Defense Security Bureau to intensify control over the population in the border areas. These agents have the right to execute individuals without trial, a power that has heightened fear and anxiety among the residents. “If you get caught by the Ministry of State Security or the Defense Security Bureau, you should give up on returning home alive.,” the source said. “This explains why brokers are seeking to profit by handling more stable, verified cases that do not involve defectors.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") [Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/) Han was born in 1989 in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, North Korea. She graduated from Hyesan Teacher's College in 2012, after which she worked as an elementary school teacher. She defected to South Korea in 2016 and works as a reporter at NK Times in Seoul. [![Han Eun-su](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-3.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/ "Han Eun-su") Latest posts by Han Eun-su ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/c84372208fcabb91cb224606df52610dd750f92b/)) - [Teenager sent home from military service after becoming pregnant](https://www.nkinsider.org/teenager-sent-home-from-military-service-after-becoming-pregnant/) - May 11, 2026 - [Exchange rates surge, then drop slightly… Yuan reaches 7,700 won](https://www.nkinsider.org/exchange-rates-surge-then-drop-slightly-yuan-reaches-7700-won/) - March 7, 2026 - [Pressure on all citizens to supply fertilizer creates a clandestine trade](https://www.nkinsider.org/pressure-on-all-citizens-to-supply-fertilizer-creates-a-clandestine-trade/) - January 9, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ministry%20of%20State%20Security%20and%20Defense%20Security%20Bureau%20crackdown%20leads%20to%20rise%20in%20remittance%20fees%2C%20up%20to%2050%25&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Ministry%20of%20State%20Security%20and%20Defense%20Security%20Bureau%20crackdown%20leads%20to%20rise%20in%20remittance%20fees%2C%20up%20to%2050%25 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Ministry%20of%20State%20Security%20and%20Defense%20Security%20Bureau%20crackdown%20leads%20to%20rise%20in%20remittance%20fees%2C%20up%20to%2050%25 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-and-state-security-crackdown-leads-to-rise-in-remittance-fees-up-to-50/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Ministry%20of%20State%20Security%20and%20Defense%20Security%20Bureau%20crackdown%20leads%20to%20rise%20in%20remittance%20fees%2C%20up%20to%2050%25&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-and-state-security-crackdown-leads-to-rise-in-remittance-fees-up-to-50/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Ministry%20of%20State%20Security%20and%20Defense%20Security%20Bureau%20crackdown%20leads%20to%20rise%20in%20remittance%20fees%2C%20up%20to%2050%25 "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Two North Korean women arrested at Dalian Airport, activists call for urgent response from international community](https://www.nkinsider.org/two-north-korean-women-arrested-at-dalian-airport-activists-call-for-urgent-response-from-international-community/) **Published:** January 24, 2025 **Author:** Lee Ae-ran **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Istock-541563882.jpg "Barbed wire fence of a restricted area under dark sky | nk insider")- A mother and daughter who defected from North Korea have been arrested by Chinese authorities - Gyeoreol Unification Federation calls for diplomatic action and international intervention It was confirmed on January 22 that two North Korean defectors have been arrested by Chinese authorities at Dalian International Airport in China. The incident was first reported by the North Korean human rights group, *Gyeoreol Tongil Yundae* (the National Association of North Korean Defectors). The arrested individuals were identified as a mother and daughter. The daughter, Ms. Choi, had previously lived in China before entering South Korea in December. According to Ms. Choi’s friend, she traveled to China, saying she was visiting her previous residence. The arrest took place at the security checkpoint at Dalian Airport, where the two women were forcibly detained. They urgently alerted South Korean authorities about their arrest as they were being taken away. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Activists-calling-for-stop-repatriation-1024x577.jpg "Activists calling for stop repatriation | nk insider")Activists calling for an immediate stop of the forced repatriation of North Korean refugees in Seoul, Korea, on Sept 19, 2023. Image | Kim Tae-hoon’s Facebook post capture“We have submitted their personal information and the details of the arrest to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the office of South Korea’s ruling party lawmaker, Park Chung-gwon,” representative from *Gyeoreol Tongil Yundae* [said](http://fcs.news/View.aspx?No=3520269 "said"). This kind of arrest and forced repatriation of North Koreans keeps happening in China.” He called for immediate intervention by the international community. The South Korean government is making diplomatic efforts to ensure the safety and protection of the two women. “International unity and cooperation are essential if we are to protect the human rights and safety of North Korean defectors,” the *Gyeoreol Tongil Yundae* representative said. He said the Chinese government should stop forced repatriations and respect the human rights of North Koreans. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Ae-ran](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9a53f16f1544eba2f5242e0008d878aa6bd5297d/ "Lee Ae-ran") [Lee Ae-ran](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9a53f16f1544eba2f5242e0008d878aa6bd5297d/) Lee is the publisher of Freedom Chosun and a regular columnist for Radio Free Asia. She was born in Pyongyang, North Korea, and defected in 1997. In March 2010, she was awarded the International Women of Courage Award by the U.S. Department of State. She earned a PhD from Ewha Womans University in South Korea in 2009. [![Lee Ae-ran](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9a53f16f1544eba2f5242e0008d878aa6bd5297d/ "Lee Ae-ran") Latest posts by Lee Ae-ran ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/9a53f16f1544eba2f5242e0008d878aa6bd5297d/)) - [Two North Korean women arrested at Dalian Airport, activists call for urgent response from international community](https://www.nkinsider.org/two-north-korean-women-arrested-at-dalian-airport-activists-call-for-urgent-response-from-international-community/) - January 24, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Two%20North%20Korean%20women%20arrested%20at%20Dalian%20Airport%2C%20activists%20call%20for%20urgent%20response%20from%20international%20community&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Two%20North%20Korean%20women%20arrested%20at%20Dalian%20Airport%2C%20activists%20call%20for%20urgent%20response%20from%20international%20community https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Two%20North%20Korean%20women%20arrested%20at%20Dalian%20Airport%2C%20activists%20call%20for%20urgent%20response%20from%20international%20community "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/two-north-korean-women-arrested-at-dalian-airport-activists-call-for-urgent-response-from-international-community/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Two%20North%20Korean%20women%20arrested%20at%20Dalian%20Airport%2C%20activists%20call%20for%20urgent%20response%20from%20international%20community&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/two-north-korean-women-arrested-at-dalian-airport-activists-call-for-urgent-response-from-international-community/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Two%20North%20Korean%20women%20arrested%20at%20Dalian%20Airport%2C%20activists%20call%20for%20urgent%20response%20from%20international%20community "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) **Published:** December 23, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Excerpt:** Seoul, Korea — On Dec. 19, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) hosted the inaugural NK Insider Forum, a unique conference addressing critical issues related to North Korean human rights. The theme of this year’s forum, “Cracks in the Regime: The Exodus of North Korea’s Elite and Global Responses,” highlighted the defection of North Korea’s elite and the international community’s role in responding to the ongoing crisis. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-mhp03457-1024x511.jpg "20241219mhp03457 | nk insider")MC Kim Jin, and panelists Oh Hye-sun, Lee Il-gyu, and Jang Hyeok *(left to right)* at the NK Insider Forum**Seoul, Korea** — On Dec. 19, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) hosted the inaugural NK Insider Forum, a unique conference addressing critical issues related to North Korean human rights. The theme of this year’s forum, “Cracks in the Regime: The Exodus of North Korea’s Elite and Global Responses,” highlighted the defection of North Korea’s elite and the international community’s role in responding to the ongoing crisis. The event featured three defectors from prominent North Korean backgrounds who shared their firsthand experience of life under the oppressive regime of Kim Jong-un. Their unique perspectives shed light on the suffering, fears, and challenges endured by those even within the regime’s privileged classes. The NK Insider Forum also served as a platform for the international community to discuss how to support North Korean defectors and activists while gaining insight into the inner workings of the Kim regime. At the forum, HRF reaffirmed its commitment to North Korean human rights, especially amid uncertainty about South Korea’s policy direction under potential leadership changes. The half-day event included three keynote talks, a panel discussion, and congratulatory remarks by European Union Ambassador to Korea, Maria Castillo-Fernandez, and Secretary General of the National Unification Advisory Council, Thae Yong-ho. Virtual remarks by US Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues Julie Turner and HRF CEO Thor Halvorssen emphasized the international community’s commitment to advancing human rights in North Korea. - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-mhp01332-1-scaled-900x500.jpg "20241219-mhp01332") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-mhp01761-scaled-900x500.jpg "20241219-mhp01761") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-pmh00717-scaled-900x500.jpg "20241219-pmh00717") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-mhp03050-scaled-900x500.jpg "20241219-mhp03050") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-pmh00584-scaled-900x500.jpg "20241219-pmh00584") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-pmh00461-scaled-900x500.jpg "_20241219-pmh00461") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-mhp01484-scaled-900x500.jpg "20241219-mhp01484") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-mhp01624-scaled-900x500.jpg "20241219-mhp01624") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-mhp03655-scaled-900x500.jpg "20241219-mhp03655") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/20241219-pmh00345-scaled-900x500.jpg "20241219-pmh00345") “As we gather for the NK Insider Forum, I urge us to center North Koreans and their fundamental rights in all discussions and efforts. It is our responsibility to ensure that the North Korean people are not forgotten amidst the ever-shifting geopolitical landscape,” HRF CEO Thor Halvorssen said. “The road ahead is undoubtedly long, but with your leadership and collaboration, we can move closer to a future where human rights are no longer a distant dream for the North Korean people.” Jang Hyeok, a former researcher and data scientist, described the relentless surveillance and sporadic violence experienced by North Korea’s academic elite, even among top-performing students. He highlighted how North Korea relies on American software while simultaneously punishing programmers for using the English language, branding them “pro-American.” Oh Hye-sun, an author and member of a prominent North Korean family, spoke of the constant fear of making a mistake that could lead to her family’s expulsion from Pyongyang. She recounted her struggles as the wife of a high-ranking diplomat, particularly when seeking medical care for her gravely ill son while stationed abroad. Lee Il-kyu, a former political counselor at the North Korean Embassy in Cuba and the highest-ranking diplomat to defect since 2016, detailed the rigid hierarchies within the foreign ministry, the arbitrary executions of colleagues at the whim of Kim Jong-un, and the shame he felt being referred to as the diplomat from the “bad Korea” by his Cuban counterparts. The program also featured a musical performance by Remember, a band composed of musicians from North and South Korea. Their modern renditions of folk songs celebrated the shared cultural heritage across the peninsula. The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring all three speakers and was moderated by renowned MC Kim Jin. The conversation explored the realities of life after defection, the challenges and opportunities of living in South Korea, and the struggles of leaving family behind to pursue freedom. --- *The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies.* *For interview requests or media inquiries, please email* [*media@hrf.org*](mailto:media@hrf.org)*.* - [X](https://x.com/HRF?mc_cid=029ef31b73&mc_eid=fb90e2936f) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/hrf/?mc_cid=029ef31b73&mc_eid=fb90e2936f) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/hrf/?mc_cid=029ef31b73) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/humanrightsfoundation?mc_cid=029ef31b73) - [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@hrf?mc_cid=029ef31b73) - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/HumanRightsFdn?mc_cid=029ef31b73&mc_eid=fb90e2936f) - [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/17o3lyyVysITS59pUYIQXJ?si=18964a391836498a&mc_cid=029ef31b73&nd=1&dlsi=57e72dda056a4785) - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=HRF%20hosts%20inaugural%20NK%20Insider%20Forum%20in%20Seoul%2C%20South%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=HRF%20hosts%20inaugural%20NK%20Insider%20Forum%20in%20Seoul%2C%20South%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=HRF%20hosts%20inaugural%20NK%20Insider%20Forum%20in%20Seoul%2C%20South%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=HRF%20hosts%20inaugural%20NK%20Insider%20Forum%20in%20Seoul%2C%20South%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=HRF%20hosts%20inaugural%20NK%20Insider%20Forum%20in%20Seoul%2C%20South%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Press Release --- ### [North Hamgyong parents receive death notices of sons killed in the military... From 8th Corps and 91st Defense Command](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-hamgyong-parents-receive-death-notices-of-sons-killed-in-the-military-from-8th-corps-and-91st-defense-command/) **Published:** January 23, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Chungjin-train-station-1.jpg "Chungjin train station | nk insider")Parents in North Korea’s North Hamgyong Province are being notified of the deaths of their sons in the military, according to reports. A [report](https://nktimes.kr/%ed%95%a8%eb%b6%81%ec%84%9c-%ec%95%84%eb%93%a4-%ec%82%ac%eb%a7%9d-%ed%86%b5%ec%a7%80-%eb%b0%9b%eb%8a%94-%ec%a3%bc%eb%af%bc-%ec%9e%87%eb%94%b0%eb%9d%bc-%ec%86%8c%ec%86%8d%ec%9d%80-8%ea%b5%b0/ "report") in NK Times, quoting a knowledgeable source in the province, says an increasing number of residents have been receiving killed-in-action notifications in Chongjin and other cities and counties across the northeastern province. The notifications are individually delivered through local Party committees, the report says. From December to early this month, five families have received them. Two are from Chongjin, one from Hoeryong, and one each from Orang and Kyongsong counties. Four of the dead are from the 8th Army Corps and the 91st Capital Defense Command, and one from the Storm (11) Corps, the source said. It is known that residents in other areas, particularly in Yanggang Province, have been receiving such notifications since October. Although not confirmed, the assumption is that the deaths are of soldiers deployed to Russia. “Recently, more and more families are receiving death notifications for their sons who went to the military,” the source said. “Some fainted on hearing the news.” “More broadly, people are feeling anxious after hearing seeing others grieving. There is no way to find out where their sons are, what they are doing, or whether they are alive or dead,” the source said. Rumors are circulating that soldiers sent to the war have been dying in large numbers, he said. The development comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced last month that more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded, and the White House reported in a briefing on December 27 that North Korea had sustained over 1,000 casualties in the previous week. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Hamgyong%20parents%20receive%20death%20notices%20of%20sons%20killed%20in%20the%20military...%20From%208th%20Corps%20and%2091st%20Defense%20Command&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Hamgyong%20parents%20receive%20death%20notices%20of%20sons%20killed%20in%20the%20military...%20From%208th%20Corps%20and%2091st%20Defense%20Command https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Hamgyong%20parents%20receive%20death%20notices%20of%20sons%20killed%20in%20the%20military...%20From%208th%20Corps%20and%2091st%20Defense%20Command "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-hamgyong-parents-receive-death-notices-of-sons-killed-in-the-military-from-8th-corps-and-91st-defense-command/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Hamgyong%20parents%20receive%20death%20notices%20of%20sons%20killed%20in%20the%20military...%20From%208th%20Corps%20and%2091st%20Defense%20Command&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-hamgyong-parents-receive-death-notices-of-sons-killed-in-the-military-from-8th-corps-and-91st-defense-command/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Hamgyong%20parents%20receive%20death%20notices%20of%20sons%20killed%20in%20the%20military...%20From%208th%20Corps%20and%2091st%20Defense%20Command "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [North Koreans argue as to whether dying for the fatherland is the “duty of the military" amid news of soldiers killed in Ukraine war](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreans-argue-as-to-whether-dying-for-the-fatherland-is-the-duty-of-the-military-amid-news-of-soldiers-killed-in-ukraine-war/) **Published:** January 23, 2025 **Author:** Kang Jae-jun **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nk-soldier.jpeg "Nk soldier | nk insider")North Korean residents justify the sacrifice of soldiers deployed to Russia, saying dying for the fatherland is their duty. In some areas of North Korea’s Yanggang Province, there has been controversy surrounding statements made by residents justifying the sacrifice of soldiers killed in Europe with some claiming that it’s their “duty to die for the fatherland.” According to sources in the province on January 16, rumors have been rapidly spreading in Hyesan, the city on the Chinese border, that troops dispatched to Russia are being killed in battles against Ukrainian forces. Some residents have expressed negative views, [saying](https://nktimes.kr/%eb%9f%ac%ec%8b%9c%ec%95%84-%ed%8c%8c%eb%b3%91-%ea%b5%b0%ec%9d%b8-%ec%82%ac%eb%a7%9d-%ec%86%8c%ec%8b%9d%ec%97%90-%eb%b6%81-%ec%a3%bc%eb%af%bc-%ec%a1%b0%ea%b5%ad-%ec%9c%84%ed%95%b4-%ec%a3%bd%eb%8a%94/ "saying"), “Young men who haven’t even gotten married are dying in a foreign country without leaving a name.” However, in contrast to this implicit criticism of the regime, other residents have voiced differing opinions, asserting, “Soldiers must be prepared to sacrifice their lives for the fatherland.” A resident from Hyesan on January 12 shared his concern about the deployment with acquaintances. “Special forces soldiers sent to the Russian war are dying. How must their parents feel?” In contrast, another person taking part in the same discussion stated, “The orders of the Party and the Supreme Leader must be carried out with our lives, no matter what. There must be a reason the Party has sent our military to Russia, and in carrying out the orders of the fatherland, it is an honor to die or live. Dying for the fatherland is the duty of the military.” This apparently led to a heated debate, a source said. North Korea has always emphasized loyalty to the Party, the Supreme Leader, and the country, particularly urging soldiers to consider sacrificing their lives for the nation as a noble virtue. Such indoctrination conditions citizens to remain loyal. Given this context, some residents view the sacrifice of the soldiers as a demonstration of loyalty, the source said. Others, on the other hand, criticize the decision, saying, “Sending our military to another country to lose their lives is wrong.” “More people view the Russian deployment negatively than positively,” the source said. “Most do not see the deaths of young soldiers in a foreign country as something they can justify as serving the fatherland.” Meanwhile, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service revealed on the 13th that around 3,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to support Russia in the war against Ukraine have been killed or wounded. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") [Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/) Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting. [![Kang Jae-jun](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-5.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/ "Kang Jae-jun") Latest posts by Kang Jae-jun ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b5296c58d730ef5a951a28bc5518031354cce653/)) - [Party members told they must become standard-bearers and shock troops](https://www.nkinsider.org/party-members-told-they-must-become-standard-bearers-and-shock-troops/) - May 18, 2026 - [North Korea links rising delinquency to foreign culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-links-rising-delinquency-to-foreign-culture/) - April 25, 2026 - [Border security units ordered to ensure no “breaches” by defectors and smugglers](https://www.nkinsider.org/border-security-units-ordered-to-ensure-no-breaches-by-defectors-and-smugglers/) - April 6, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Koreans%20argue%20as%20to%20whether%20dying%20for%20the%20fatherland%20is%20the%20%E2%80%9Cduty%20of%20the%20military%22%20amid%20news%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20Ukraine%20war&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Koreans%20argue%20as%20to%20whether%20dying%20for%20the%20fatherland%20is%20the%20%E2%80%9Cduty%20of%20the%20military%22%20amid%20news%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20Ukraine%20war https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Koreans%20argue%20as%20to%20whether%20dying%20for%20the%20fatherland%20is%20the%20%E2%80%9Cduty%20of%20the%20military%22%20amid%20news%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20Ukraine%20war "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreans-argue-as-to-whether-dying-for-the-fatherland-is-the-duty-of-the-military-amid-news-of-soldiers-killed-in-ukraine-war/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Koreans%20argue%20as%20to%20whether%20dying%20for%20the%20fatherland%20is%20the%20%E2%80%9Cduty%20of%20the%20military%22%20amid%20news%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20Ukraine%20war&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreans-argue-as-to-whether-dying-for-the-fatherland-is-the-duty-of-the-military-amid-news-of-soldiers-killed-in-ukraine-war/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Koreans%20argue%20as%20to%20whether%20dying%20for%20the%20fatherland%20is%20the%20%E2%80%9Cduty%20of%20the%20military%22%20amid%20news%20of%20soldiers%20killed%20in%20Ukraine%20war "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) **Published:** January 10, 2025 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Photo-2025-01-09-22-42-34.jpg "Photo20250109224234 | nk insider")HRF’s Korea Desk has been in regular communication with members of the Ukrainian special forces operating in the Kursk Oblast region since December 20. We have been assisting with the analysis of military documents recovered from North Korean soldiers engaged in combat, as well as providing advice in analyzing North Korean PSYOPs. On January 9, we received several documents found on the body of a North Korean army officer killed in combat by Ukrainian forces. Unlike other journals and notes recently [circulated](https://www.threads.net/@kyivpost.official/post/DECmUGeoH9W) online, these documents are comprehensive and well-organized. They provide a rare insight into the battlefield experience of the soldiers. They also reveal how the troops interpret what they find and integrate the lessons into their ongoing tactics. One key document, titled *“*Combat Experience and Lessons of the 94th Brigade,*”* appears to have been prepared by North Korean soldiers. The 94th Brigade and the 92nd Brigade are [special forces](https://en.defence-ua.com/news/north_korean_troops_in_russia_are_starving_in_kursk_region-12747.html) from North Korea operating under the command of Russian units in the Kursk region. While media reports have suggested that North Korean soldiers may [gain valuable combat experience](https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-ukraine-war-russia-0f34fb82cfdd267652f8df8bc3c574ec) from their involvement in the conflict, this document is the first known instance detailing how this might be happening. It especially details mistakes and lessons learned. This indicates that they are actively refining their combat tactics, while being subject to intense propaganda demanding sacrifices for their Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un. One of the documents begins with the following statement: *“*If all front-line soldiers are prepared with strong ideology, conviction, and high combat morale, even enemies equipped with modern weaponry can be defeated through political and ideological superiority, as well as tactical advantage. During the two-day operation, combatants, despite facing enemy artillery bombardment and suicide drones attacking like swarms of bees, maintained a high level of mental and combat spirit, determined to execute the battle orders of the respected Supreme Commander at the cost of our lives. Displaying self-sacrifice, we advanced like tigers, forcing the enemy equipped with modern weapons to retreat and liberating the Plekhov region.”** In explaining the lessons learned, the document also candidly acknowledges the significant losses. It emphasizes the importance of breaking teams into smaller 2-3 member units to “minimize combat losses” from drone attacks and artillery fire. “**Anti-artillery operations to suppress enemy infantry forces and the neutralization of drone launch points should be carried out in cooperation with Russian forces to minimize combat losses. The failure to preemptively strike the enemy’s artillery and drone launch points in the Guyevo region led to personnel losses. In modern warfare, where real-time reconnaissance and drone strikes are conducted, failing to disperse combat teams into smaller units of 2-3 members could lead to significant casualties from enemy drones and artillery. Although it was said that smaller units of 2-3 members were trained in dispersal tactics, during actual combat, many soldiers gathered and moved together, resulting in heavy casualties from enemy drones and artillery fire. **Due to a lack of knowledge of enemy tactics, when soldiers couldn’t locate the enemy, some units and companies ran along roads in large numbers, and as a result, enemy forces hidden in buildings and basements launched attacks on the exposed flanks and rear, causing significant casualties**.**“ The same document also notes the failure to timely evacuate wounded soldiers from the battlefield, seemingly placing blame on the Russian soldiers: “Although the Russian side was in charge of transferring them, it took over 10 hours for evacuation vehicles to arrive. The failure to evacuate the wounded promptly resulted in additional deaths during the evacuation process.” Towards the end of the document, it notes: “While maintaining the principle of 2-3 member units during combat actions, never break away from the command of the unit or company.” This indicates that commanders may be attempting to prevent potential defections. We do not know the name of the officer from whom these documents were found. One noteworthy detail is that, unlike [other identification cards](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/23/europe/north-korean-soldiers-fake-id-russia-intl-hnk/index.html) issued by the Russians to the North Korean soldiers—intended to conceal their origin but often revealing it through soldiers’ Korean signatures—this official’s ID does not show any Korean signature. Instead, it bears a random name assigned: *Saruglar Bicheool Maaderoglu.* ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Nk-soldier-1024x694.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")This ID found on the body of a North Korean officer lists his name as *Saruglar Bicheool Maaderoglu.* ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Signal-2025-01-10-004756_002-768x1024.jpeg "Signal20250110004756002 | nk insider")Among other items found on this soldier was what appears to be a family portrait taken just before his departure. The message on it reads, “This will be a beautiful memory! 2024.8.15.” The photo bottom right is labeled, “With my sister. 2023.3.16.”Another document found on the same soldier is titled *“*Video Meeting with the Commander of the Russian Airborne Troops Headquarters Command.*”* Written in Korean, it details the contents of the meeting with the Russian general, providing an overview of how Russia interprets the evolution of the Ukrainian forces’ combat tactics since Russia’s February 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine, as well as recent tactics, types of weapons, and electronic jamming systems employed by the Ukrainian forces on the battlefield. The meeting likely took place some time after August 2024, as the first part of the document notes that: “…during the past 2 years and 6 months of special military operations, the enemy’s behavior has clearly focused on attempts to break through weakly defended areas.” One line states that “The enemy is using advanced equipment, such as NATO-provided precision-guided missiles (e.g., the “ADAMS” missile) and various aircraft systems. Moreover, they have been employing tactical firepower to strike rear areas up to 90-110 km from the front, resulting in losses for our forces.” It also notes that, “Recently, the enemy has been facing significant shortages of ammunition and combat equipment,” with an apparent indication of uncertainty regarding support of the incoming U.S. administration and its possible impact on the battlefield. The last part of the documents provides tactical instructions issued for the use of North Korean forces on how combat should be carried out. One line urges that unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) teams be established and portable jammers be used for electronic warfare. “*Each company must organize at least one UAV team, and the company commander must organize 24-hour surveillance from the command post. No combat action should proceed without reconnaissance. Our primary mission is concealment. Each battalion should organize at least 2-3 UAV teams, and establish both day and night reconnaissance teams. Additionally, portable jammers should be used for electronic warfare, and anti-drone ammunition should be equipped (6-8 rounds).*” Another line of this document emphasizes using electronic devices, disconnected from the internet for security, to identify geolocations during operations planning and combat, instead of only relying on paper maps, which it describes as a “disadvantage.” “*Electronic maps should be effectively utilized. Relying solely on paper maps for operational planning and execution is a disadvantage in modern warfare. Electronic maps should be used for location identification, but electronic systems must be disconnected from the internet. Open communication itself is a suicidal action, as it exposes one’s position.*“ The original documents and full translations are provided below. 1. “Combat Experience and Lessons of the 94th Brigade” 2. “Video meeting with the Commander of the Russian Airborne Troops Headquarters Command” 3. Tactical instructions regarding how combat should be conducted ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Photo-2025-01-09-22-25-58-736x1024.jpg "Photo20250109222558 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Signal-2025-01-10-002700_002-768x1024.jpeg "Signal20250110002700002 | nk insider")Document: Combat Experience and Lessons of the 94th Brigade. Source | Ukraine Special Forces1. **Combat Experience and Lessons of the 94th Brigade** *Experiences:* - *If all front-line soldiers are prepared with strong ideology, conviction, and high combat morale, even enemies equipped with modern weaponry can be defeated through political and ideological superiority, as well as tactical advantage.* - *During the two-day operation, combatants, despite facing enemy artillery bombardment and suicide drones attacking like swarms of bees, maintained a high level of mental and combat spirit, determined to execute the battle orders of the respected Supreme Commander at the cost of our lives. Displaying self-sacrifice, we advanced like tigers, forcing the enemy equipped with modern weapons to retreat and liberating the Plekhov region.* - *The brigade commander, battalion commander, company commanders, and team leaders guided the troops with heightened alertness in our combat positions. We made accurate decisions and judgments in response to rapidly changing circumstances during the battle, adapting our command as needed to ensure the successful conclusion of the battle.* - *During the battle, when company commanders and team leaders in charge of combat command were killed or injured, they quickly passed the combat responsibilities to the political officers, deputy commanders, and other staff officers, ensuring that the fight continued without interruption.* - *Although it was said that we received intelligence from the Russian side about the enemy’s affiliations and capabilities, we were not familiar with crucial details such as enemy strongholds, drone launch sites, or artillery positions, and thus entered the battlefield unprepared.* - *As a result, the enemy established strong defensive positions at key infiltration points of the battalions, and this resistance prevented the expansion of initial successes during the battle.* - *To overcome this, some units engaged the enemy to hold them back while others flanked the enemy and struck them from the rear.* - *Additionally, when the enemy used drones to track our movements and called in artillery strikes, we coordinated a decoy strategy and concentrated fire on the enemy drones, shooting down many of them. By taking cover in the basements of already secured buildings, we minimized personnel losses.* - *In operations and combat, achieving stealth and surprise creates favorable conditions for mission success, disorients the enemy, and strengthens our hold on the initiative.* - *From the departure waiting area to the attack starting point, the 1st Battalion advanced stealthily for 50 km, the 7th Battalion for 41 km, and the 10th Battalion for 43 km. We attacked the enemy from unexpected directions—north and east-west of the residential and forest areas—and swiftly concluded the battle 31 hours later.* - *In particular, the 1st battalion made use of forests and cover to stealthily advance 9 km away from a drop-off point, and crossed the Psel River with three small boats, carrying only 2-3 people at a time.* - *During the battle, the enemy put up a strong defense by relying on supporting positions, but we succeeded by attacking from both the front and the flank, creating favorable conditions for a decisive conclusion.* - *Only when one recognizes the importance of ensuring communications in combat command and quickly implements the necessary measures can victory in the battle be ensured.* - *To ensure effective command, four relay stations were set up close to the combat area. Plans were made for continuous power supply and recharging of handheld radios after each day’s combat, ensuring that communication was well maintained over the two-day operation.* - *During operations (combat), the influence of seasonal weather, daylight, and terrain on combat actions must be carefully considered. Only with proper organization and execution of the battle can victory be achieved.* *Lessons:* - *Anti-artillery operations to suppress enemy infantry forces and the neutralization of drone launch points should be carried out in cooperation with Russian forces to minimize combat losses.* - *The failure to preemptively strike the enemy’s artillery and drone launch points in the Guyevo region led to personnel losses.* - *In modern warfare, where real-time reconnaissance and drone strikes are conducted, failing to disperse combat teams into smaller units of 2-3 members could lead to significant casualties from enemy drones and artillery.* - *Although it was said that smaller units of 2-3 members were trained in dispersal tactics, during actual combat, many soldiers gathered and moved together, resulting in heavy casualties from enemy drones and artillery fires.* - *Due to a lack of knowledge of enemy tactics, when soldiers couldn’t locate the enemy, some units and companies ran along roads in large numbers, and as a result, enemy forces hidden in buildings and basements launched attacks on the exposed flanks and rear, causing significant casualties.* - *The failure to respond proactively to changing combat conditions led to poor decision-making.* - *Although we hoped that some enemy soldiers, terrified by our troops’ superior shooting skills and speed, would demand to surrender and be captured alive, our combatants, who saw our other comrades fall, ruthlessly killed those attempting to surrender. This only made the enemy resist more fiercely and prolonged the battle.* - *In some instances, when soldiers were injured during combat, some rushed to rescue them without considering the enemy’s gunfire, artillery, or drone strikes, resulting in additional casualties. Over 10 such incidents were reported.* - *The organization of casualty evacuation should be handled more responsibly and meticulously, especially in rapidly changing combat environments.* - *Through cooperation with Russian forces, casualties were evacuated to the forward line of departure. However, due to constant changes in combat conditions, evacuation points were altered. Although the Russian side was in charge of transferring them, it took over 10 hours for evacuation vehicles to arrive. The failure to evacuate the wounded promptly resulted in additional deaths during the evacuation process. Additionally, there was an issue raised being not familiar with the procedures and order of transferring wounded to hospitals.* *Key Considerations for Combat:* - *Maintain composure during combat: In some instances, urgent communication between combat teams using radios led to repeated transmissions, causing unnecessary delays.* - *Form units effectively based on the combat situation: In forested areas, where visibility is limited, a staggered unit formation was optimal. In populated areas, it was best to organize the attacking unit, the covering unit, and the heavy weapons unit to provide cover for and support the actions of the main attacking unit.* - *Neutralize enemy drones effectively: Drone surveillance and strike units should be organized into combat teams and companies. Once enemy drones are spotted, concentrated fire is needed to eliminate them.* - *Minimize artillery damage: When enemy reconnaissance drones appear, artillery strikes inevitably follow. Soldiers must quickly take cover in basements or other concealed areas to minimize casualties from artillery fire.* - *Rescue of wounded soldiers: When rescuing wounded soldiers, maintain composure and suppress nearby enemy fire before attempting rescue. Rushing without considering the situation can lead to further casualties from enemy snipers or concentrated fire.* - *Adapt tactics to combat conditions correctly:* – *One shouldn’t use tracer ammunition to lest exposing one’s positions*. – *Ensure the fuses of grenades are kept dry to prevent misfires*. – *While maintaining the principle of 2-3 member units during combat actions, never break away from the command of the unit or company.* – *Always be cautious of enemy drones and snipers targeting unit leaders and command staff with radios, and soldiers carrying heavy weapons.* --- ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Signal-2025-01-10-002700_003-768x1024.jpeg "Signal20250110002700003 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Signal-2025-01-10-002700_004-768x1024.jpeg "Signal20250110002700004 | nk insider")Document: Video Meeting with the Commander of the Russian Airborne Troops Headquarters Command Source: Ukraine Special Forces2\. **Video meeting with the Commander of the Russian Airborne Troops Headquarters Command** ( Army Group Command Center) *Characteristics of the Enemy’s Recent Operational Conduct:* *Firstly, during the past 2 years and 6 months of special military operations, the enemy’s behavior has clearly focused on attempts to break through weakly defended areas. For these break-ins, 6-8 formations, consisting of 8-16 armored vehicles, maneuver together. The characteristic of these break-ins is that they penetrate the fire control zones of our forces and advance deep into the rear.* *Secondly, after encountering our strong defense, the enemy quickly forces their way through narrow areas of our defense with armored vehicles, advancing deep into our rear. They then organize fire support to allow assault units to form defensive positions.* *Thirdly, after suffering losses in the aforementioned operational approach, the enemy attempts to break through our defense zones by secretly infiltrating. Despite our strong firepower, the enemy has been executing operational plans to advance roughly 200 meters daily into our defense zones.* *Fourthly, the method most actively employed by the enemy is fire suppression against fire support points and defense lines. They have been using artillery strikes of various calibers, targeting defense zones over 300-500 meters. They also place surveillance and support points in what is called the “gray zone,” aiming to block our offensive activities and hinder our advance. Additionally, they have been increasing the use of aerial mine dispersal, landmine deployment, and fire coordination.* *Analysis of the Enemy’s Military Behavior from Another Aspect:* *Firstly, the enemy is intensifying the use of artillery fire, UAV strikes, and mine dispersal against all moving objects. One of the most effective tactics the enemy is using is isolating the operational area. They are utilizing reconnaissance assets, electronic warfare units, and fire suppression methods to encircle our forces, repel reinforcements’ counterattacks, and block any communication between our units.* *The enemy is using advanced equipment, such as NATO-provided precision-guided missiles (e.g., the “ADAMS” missile) and various aircraft systems. Moreover, they have been employing tactical firepower to strike rear areas up to 90-110 km from the front, resulting in losses for our forces.* *Secondly, the enemy has recently been actively incorporating various unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into their operations, including 4-axis, 6-axis reconnaissance UAVs, attack and surveillance UAVs, suicide drones, and anti-infantry UAVs.* *Thirdly, the enemy is actively conducting long-range artillery strikes. From beyond our artillery range, they are using 155mm howitzers, self-propelled artillery, and cluster munitions with a blast radius of 150 meters. Cluster munitions have been very effective in targeting manpower. They are also conducting area fire strikes on weak defended zones and using advanced weapons like the Javelin 5th-generation anti-tank missiles against armored vehicles. To eliminate manpower, they have been using various Western-made grenades and anti-tank launchers, along with 5.45mm and 7.62mm medium and light machine guns and 40mm grenade launchers. Additionally, they are integrating foreign-made combat technologies, including Soviet-era assault rifles and armored vehicles.* *Characteristics of the Enemy’s 36th Independent Amphibious Assault Brigade: This brigade is composed of neo-Nazi elements and foreign mercenaries, including soldiers speaking Spanish and mercenaries from Latin American countries.* *Expected Enemy Military Actions in the Kursk Direction: To control major roads, the enemy is actively conducting long-range artillery fire, planting both regular and magnetic mines, using 155mm rocket launchers, howitzers, and UAV strikes. They are also conducting 24-hour reconnaissance and surveillance with satellite systems, unaffected by weather conditions.* *Recently, the enemy has been facing significant shortages of ammunition and combat equipment. They are focusing on using 3-4 mines to form small minefields and promoting long-range artillery fire with an 8km range. They are also actively employing hand grenades, smoke grenades, and various types of assault grenades, especially against light infantry.* *Important Considerations After 10-12 Days: After 10-12 days, the leaves on non-coniferous trees and shrubs in windbreaks, woodland, and underbrush areas will fall, negatively impacting our camouflage. This will expose our positions to enemy reconnaissance and surveillance systems. The enemy, using infrared sensors, aiming devices, thermal imaging surveillance, and high-magnification cameras, could track our positions and movements. Additionally, the enemy is effectively using high-output radio jamming systems, achieving electronic warfare superiority over our forces.* *Characteristics and Organization of the Enemy’s General Staff: The enemy’s joint forces, regular units, and independent units are generally organized into independent brigades. Each brigade consists of 3-8 independent battalions. Mechanized forces are organized into 3-4 mechanized infantry battalions, with a personnel strength of 420. One tank battalion and 2-3 infantry battalions are attached to the independent brigades. These brigades are capable of conducting operations both within their own units and as part of larger joint operations.* --- ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Signal-2025-01-10-002700_005-768x1024.jpeg "Signal20250110002700005 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Signal-2025-01-10-002700_006-768x1024.jpeg "Signal20250110002700006 | nk insider")These two pages were also found from the same soldier. Source: Ukraine Special Forces 3\. **Tactical instructions regarding how combat should be conducted** *Also, a battalion-level assault team should be organized into approximately 9 assault units, each consisting of 18 personnel, and the support unit should be established to guarantee the evacuation of the wounded. Generally, Russia maintains 4 companies as reserve or rotating forces.* *While battalion-level units are supported by Russia for logistical supply, units below the battalion level must organize their own supply systems.* *Issues to Consider in Operational Preparation and Execution:* *– Losses are inevitable in unprepared operations. For example, one month after organizing an assault division in the Russian military, the soliders in that division were ordered to engage in battle. It took over a month for them to gain actual combat experience, during which they reportedly incurred significant losses.* *– When organizing raids and attacks, defense positions should be well-organized. For example, after the first company attacks an enemy defensive position and takes up the defensive posture, the second company should use the first company’s position to advance toward the next enemy defense. It is crucial to consider that there may be no enemy defensive positions within a 1 km range, and without defense positions, the enemy’s counterattack becomes easier.* *– Each company must organize at least one UAV team, and the company commander must organize 24-hour surveillance from the command post. No combat action should proceed without reconnaissance. Our primary mission is concealment. Each battalion should organize at least 2-3 UAV teams, and establish both day and night reconnaissance teams. Additionally, portable jammers should be used for electronic warfare, and anti-drone ammunition should be equipped (6-8 rounds).* *Note: With the current combat equipment we have, we can easily eliminate the enemy. For example, destroying light armored vehicles can be achieved with an anti-tank launcher, and when eliminating tanks, the launcher can be used in a four-way firing mode.* *– Communication means should be organized rationally. There are two types of communication equipment: Azart (a Russian military radio communication device with secure encryption) and Kirsan (a Chinese communication device with open communication). The issue of setting up repeaters should also be considered. Additionally, it should be taken into account that enemy jamming equipment could affect all communication means. Furthermore, when ensuring communication reliability, factors such as the daily battery consumption, available battery reserves, and the ability to recharge communication devices should be considered. It is also possible to ensure battery replenishment through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).* *– Defensive Measures for Command Posts must be established. Frontline command posts should take into account the possibility of facing 1-4 artillery strikes per day. It must be remembered that all command posts are within the range of enemy long-range artillery and missile strikes.* *– Management of troops, combat equipment, and replenishment must be well-organized. Statistical systems should be implemented to track casualty data, evacuation figures, ammunition consumption, and remaining supplies.* *– Electronic maps should be effectively utilized. Relying solely on paper maps for operational planning and execution is a disadvantage in modern warfare. Electronic maps should be used for location identification, but electronic systems must be disconnected from the internet. Open communication itself is a suicidal action, as it exposes one’s position.* *– The characteristics and drawbacks of aiming devices should be considered. When using night vision devices, thermal imaging surveillance equipment, and sights, the usage of the sight’s battery should be adjusted.* *– Measures to counter the enemy’s electronic warfare tactics must be carefully considered.* *– The timing for advancing combat actions must be carefully chosen. Raids are usually conducted by taking advantage of darkness, with the key times being from 6:00–9:00 in the morning and 5:30–9:00 in the evening, during twilight. It is important to carry out raids during these times. Also, in residential areas, the surveillance by enemy drones is disadvantageous.* *There are also issues not mentioned here, but these should be addressed by strengthening cooperation with relevant Russian units.* *Artillery fire support issues … marked with a red cloth.* *Note: During 5-6 days of combat operations, fatigue is inevitable, so it is necessary to organize rest for the troops every 2-3 days to recover combat capability.* --- [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") [Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/) Seongmin is the director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation. [![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") Latest posts by Seongmin Lee ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/)) - [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) - March 10, 2026 - [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) - January 10, 2025 - [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - January 9, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Exclusive%3A%20Documents%20and%20personal%20items%20found%20on%20the%20body%20of%20a%20North%20Korean%20soldier%20in%20Kursk%20Oblast%20region%20%281%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Exclusive%3A%20Documents%20and%20personal%20items%20found%20on%20the%20body%20of%20a%20North%20Korean%20soldier%20in%20Kursk%20Oblast%20region%20%281%29 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Exclusive%3A%20Documents%20and%20personal%20items%20found%20on%20the%20body%20of%20a%20North%20Korean%20soldier%20in%20Kursk%20Oblast%20region%20%281%29 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Exclusive%3A%20Documents%20and%20personal%20items%20found%20on%20the%20body%20of%20a%20North%20Korean%20soldier%20in%20Kursk%20Oblast%20region%20%281%29&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Exclusive%3A%20Documents%20and%20personal%20items%20found%20on%20the%20body%20of%20a%20North%20Korean%20soldier%20in%20Kursk%20Oblast%20region%20%281%29 "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [North Korean defectors rally in support of Venezuelan pro-democracy protesters](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-defectors-rally-in-support-of-venezuelan-pro-democracy-protesters/) **Published:** August 20, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/P1012967-1024x728.jpg "P1012967 | nk insider") Representatives of leading South Korean civil society organizations and North Korean defectors gathered in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on August 17 to condemn Maduro’s attempts to manipulate election outcomes and his ongoing repression. Image | The coalitionNorth Korean defectors demonstrated in downtown Seoul the weekend of August 17 to express their support for pro-democracy protesters in Venezuela. Hundreds of protesters waved placards and shouted slogans condemning the violent repression by the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro against oppositionists following his victory in an allegedly rigged presidential election. “We believe in democracy and human rights and urge everyone in Korea to pay attention,” a spokesperson said. “Even though we are 14,500 kilometers away, we want everyone in Venezuela to know we are not forgetting you.” The protesters were from a coalition that included several defector-related organizations as well as South Korean civil society organizations across the political spectrum. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/P1012820-1024x576.jpg "P1012820 | nk insider")Participants holding Venezuelan and South Korean flags to show Korea’s solidarity with Venezuelan pro-democracy protesters. Image | The coalition ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/P1012827-1024x576.jpg "P1012827 | nk insider")A North Korean defector explaining how Maduro’s attempts to control communications between citizens in Venezuela are similar to the totalitarianism of Kim Jong-un’s regime that she experienced in North Korea. Image | The coalitionIt is the first time that North Korean defectors in South Korea have spoken up in such a significant way on an issue that is not specifically related to North Korea or their own circumstances as escapees. The crisis that erupted in Venezuela after the election on July 28 reminded South Koreans of the fate of their own first president, Syngman Rhee, who resigned in 1960 in the face of massive protests over rigged elections. The government-controlled National Electoral Council in Caracas declared Maduro the victor, ignoring vote tallies at the precinct level issued by an opposition coalition indicating that another candidate, Edmundo González, had won by a clear margin. Maduro’s security forces have subsequently cracked down on what he has characterized as an attempted coup, [killing 25 protestors and arresting over 2,000](https://uk.news.yahoo.com/venezuela-elections-opposition-figure-maria-030100109.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANmoU3HEhSITZQqikxqOB-O4EKaj514X2qaX0ZNuLnlUdh4xL6gTcWCRR4PK_7u99fgmGRB2_K0xH49sx-UZx8790jPAvZOjcczH4w9ec9N4qxM64tMbM70qqD7yuwQW77NpWAYMf0mIJIGnQfg0wh1Hw_0hCWeZGhSxQQ0llgBY "killing 25 protestors and arresting over 2,000"). ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Shutterstock_2452677991-1024x683.jpg "Caracasvenezuelaapril132024venezuelaspresidentnicolasmadurospeaks | nk insider") The government-controlled National Electoral Council in Caracas declared Maduro the victor, disregarding opposition-reported precinct tallies indicating that another candidate, Edmundo González, had won by a clear margin (Image | StringerAL, courtesy of Shutterstock)“We strongly condemn this fraudulent attempt to steal the election and the ongoing repression,” the Korean spokesperson said. In a [statement](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Coalition-of-South-Korean-NGOs-and-North-Korean-Defectors-Strongly-Condemn-Venezuelas-Nicolas-Maduro-his-Fraudulent-Attempt-to-Steal-the-Election-and-His-Ongoing-Repression-3.pdf "statement") provided to NK Insider, the Korean protesters drew a parallel with North Korea. “Venezuela is a cruel dictatorship responsible for crime, corruption and famine so horrible that 8 million people have escaped the country,” it said. “Even though the government cheated, the Venezuelan opposition was able to intelligently use technology, google apps, Starlink, and the internet to be able to record and analyze legitimate election results.” “The dictatorship was not expecting the opposition’s bravery, their logistical skills, and their technical know-how. What they accomplished is the first time in democratic history that, using the electoral rules of a dictatorship, they were able to show not just that the regime was lying and had cheated but also prove that the opposition candidate had actually won the election.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/P1013149-1024x576.jpg "P1013149 | nk insider") The Korean participants in Seoul protested against the crackdown in Venezuela on August 17. Image | The coalitionThe protesters in Seoul criticized other countries for encouraging Maduro’s crackdown. “To their shame, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia are coming to the rescue of the dictator and proposing a new election,” it said, adding that oil interests are making the United States hesitate to “delay the obvious” and impose sanctions. “Venezuela’s diplomatic machinery needs to listen to we Koreans and know that we are watching,” it said. The statement was signed by several organizations, including Citizens Assembly for Ethical North Korean Human Rights Law and Unification, Committee for the Democratization of North Korea, Korea Elderly Human Rights Association, Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea, North Korea Strategy Center, North Korean Human Rights Corporation, People for Successful Corean Reunification, SNK Global Center and the World Union for North Korean Women Defectors. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") [Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/) Seongmin is the director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation. [![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") Latest posts by Seongmin Lee ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/)) - [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) - March 10, 2026 - [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) - January 10, 2025 - [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - January 9, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korean%20defectors%20rally%20in%20support%20of%20Venezuelan%20pro-democracy%20protesters&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korean%20defectors%20rally%20in%20support%20of%20Venezuelan%20pro-democracy%20protesters https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korean%20defectors%20rally%20in%20support%20of%20Venezuelan%20pro-democracy%20protesters "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-defectors-rally-in-support-of-venezuelan-pro-democracy-protesters/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korean%20defectors%20rally%20in%20support%20of%20Venezuelan%20pro-democracy%20protesters&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-defectors-rally-in-support-of-venezuelan-pro-democracy-protesters/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korean%20defectors%20rally%20in%20support%20of%20Venezuelan%20pro-democracy%20protesters "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [North Korea adopts the concept of “human rights abuse” for law enforcement training](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-adopts-the-concept-of-human-rights-abuse-for-law-enforcement-training/) **Published:** March 12, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/shutterstock_780205468-1.jpg "Insidethedmzthereisthejointsecurityareajsa | nk insider")The Ministry of Social Security, North Korea’s main law enforcement agency, is stepping up education for its own officials and police to train them not to commit human rights abuses. A ministry document, dated May last year and recently obtained by NK Insider, says that ill treatment of citizens by police and officials is a primary “target of struggle.” What is interesting about this is not that law enforcement is training officials to go easy on people. Despite the assumption that Kim Jong-un’s police are more likely to be trained to be harsh, such education is not, in fact, new. But what is new is the use of the expressions “human rights” (*in-gweon* in Korean) and “human rights abuse” (*in-gweon yoorin*) in this context of education. These words have been hated by the regime, for they are immediately associated with the enemy. South Korea and the United States and their allies constantly attack the Kim regime, using these words, for the absence of basic rights and the appalling treatment of its own citizens. However, the document completely turns this association around and redefines “human rights abuses” as “dangerous counter-revolutionary and anti-Party acts” that undermine the foundation of the society, which is characterized by unity among the Party, Leader, and people under “Socialism of Our Style.” The document follows the format of monthly operational reports sent by the ministry’s provincial offices to its national headquarters regarding education for law enforcement at lower administrative levels (county, town, and district). ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/정치사업정형보고1-3-1-768x1024.jpg "정치사업정형보고131 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/정치사업정형보고2-2-1-768x1024.jpg "정치사업정형보고221 | nk insider")The Ministry of Social Security has designated human rights abuse by law enforcement agencies as a “target for struggle,” according to this recently obtained May 2023 documentIt says that 13 education sessions have been held on four main topics: revolutionary tradition, Kim Jong-il patriotism (known before 2013 as socialist patriotism), class education, and human rights education. The human rights part appears the most comprehensive, with six sub-topics. Those sub-topics are: 1. What is human rights abuse, what is authority, what is bureaucracy, and what is corruption? 2. What are the criteria for distinguishing between legitimate authority and human rights abuse? 3. Where are human rights abuses, abuse of authority and corrupt behavior found, and what kind of activity must be undertaken to uproot them? 4. Why have human rights abuses, misuse of authority, and corrupt behavior become our primary targets of struggle? 5. What is the cause of persistent human rights abuse, misuse of authority and corrupt behavior? and 6. What is the decisive task to uproot human rights abuses, misuse of authority and corrupt behavior? Two defectors who were employed in the ministry 15 years ago said they were unfamiliar with education on human rights and found its use of the expression for training quite surprising. One, named Kwak, was in the ministry’s Economic Inspection Division in Hwanghae Province in 2007. The other, named Kim, worked in the Investigation Division in North Hamgyong Province in 2008. They said the words themselves were used but not as a theme for education. In their day, they said, the authorities had the right to abuse people. Most defectors surveyed in 2019 by South Korea’s National Human Rights Commission were similarly ignorant about this. They had only heard the expression “human rights abuses” in the context of anti-North Korean propaganda. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20adopts%20the%20concept%20of%20%E2%80%9Chuman%20rights%20abuse%E2%80%9D%20for%20law%20enforcement%20training&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20adopts%20the%20concept%20of%20%E2%80%9Chuman%20rights%20abuse%E2%80%9D%20for%20law%20enforcement%20training https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20adopts%20the%20concept%20of%20%E2%80%9Chuman%20rights%20abuse%E2%80%9D%20for%20law%20enforcement%20training "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-adopts-the-concept-of-human-rights-abuse-for-law-enforcement-training/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20adopts%20the%20concept%20of%20%E2%80%9Chuman%20rights%20abuse%E2%80%9D%20for%20law%20enforcement%20training&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-adopts-the-concept-of-human-rights-abuse-for-law-enforcement-training/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20adopts%20the%20concept%20of%20%E2%80%9Chuman%20rights%20abuse%E2%80%9D%20for%20law%20enforcement%20training "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Why North Koreans would vote for Trump if they could](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-koreans-would-vote-for-trump-if-they-could/) **Published:** February 27, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Donald-trump.png "Donaldtrump | nk insider")With the US presidential election campaign picking up steam and, despite the controversy and legal issues swirling around him, Donald Trump [might win](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/06/biden-trump-super-tuesday-prediction) in November. If North Koreans were to have a say in it, he definitely would. They’re hoping to see him come back. That counter-intuitive claim needs some explaining. Ordinary North Koreans first became aware of the existence of Trump in September 2017, when he spoke at the UN General Assembly. “We will wipe North Korea off the face of the Earth,” the state-run Korea Central News Agency quoted him saying. There will be “flames and fury, the destruction of 25 million North Korean citizens, erasing North Korean territory from the face of the Earth.” Actually, Trump didn’t quite say that. But that was the version we North Koreans read and heard on TV. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-02-26-022423-1024x703.jpg "Screenshot 20240226 022423 | nk insider") Lee Chun-hee, a broadcaster for the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)For the record, his actual words were, “The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” [The point of the belligerent language](https://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/19/trump-un-speech-2017-full-text-transcript-242879) was to emphasize the need for UN sanctions against the North. Russia and China were cooperating in this and Trump thanked them in his speech. Despite our media distortion, Trump accomplished two things as far as we North Koreans were concerned. First, he got the message across that the United States was confident and prepared to actually overthrow the regime. Although it is standard North Korean propaganda that the US is always poised to attack, we never actually heard a US president say it. It was always our leaders telling us about US intentions. Secondly, by getting China and Russia on board with sanctions, Trump made us feel the impact. This, too, was something no previous US president had done. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2017년-9월-19일-유엔-총회-트럼프-연설-사진-타스-1024x581.jpg "2017년 9월 19일 유엔 총회 트럼프 연설 사진 타스 | nk insider") Donald Trump speaking at the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly on Sept 19, 2017. Photo / TASSUN Resolutions 2375 and 2397 in September and December 2017, respectively, prohibited the dispatch of North Korean overseas workers, which led to a sudden drop in remittances being sent home. People used to spend this money in the markets. When this circulation of cash dried up, everyone felt it. These weren’t the first sanctions against North Korea, but in the past they involved freezing of overseas assets and restrictions on specific items, which impacted traders rather than the general public. This time it was different. People knew what was happening and why. The country’s isolation became apparent and people felt it was due to the incompetence of the regime. Thus, the kind of resentment among the citizenry towards the regime and the Kim family reached a new peak. “There was high expectation of Trump during his presidency,” said Jung Do-yeon, a defector who entered South Korea in December 2022. “It seemed to us that he had some kind of secret to end the dictatorship, whether by military or peaceful means.” Far from fearing such a possibility, Jung said, many citizens welcomed it. “The [new currency in 2009](https://www.piie.com/commentary/op-eds/north-koreas-failed-currency-reform) left each household with just USD 10. We all saw people dying of hunger. Then we found ourselves isolated internationally and receiving harsh UN sanctions. People lost faith. It’s no wonder.” “If Trump is reelected and North Koreans hear the news, they will have extraordinary expectations about what he might do this time to get rid of the dictatorship,” Jung said. Trump’s most admired skill as far as North Koreans are concerned is his ability to outsmart Kim Jong-un. After threatening Kim with destruction in that 2017 speech, Trump intensified pressure to the point that people expected war. Then, he suddenly switched tactics and turned to peace talks. Trump acted like he supported Kim, but he knew Kim would not give up nuclear weapons and made no concessions to him. At their summit in February 2019, talks broke up and there was no agreement about the North’s nuclear weapons and the lifting of sanctions. Trump’s international critics saw this a huge policy failure. They saw his claim at the [press conference](https://www.voanews.com/a/key-points-from-trump-press-conference-in-hanoi/4807366.html) afterwards that he and Kim had had “a very productive two days” as evidence of a loose grip on reality. But we see this differently. Why would Trump characterize the apparent failure in such a positive light? It seems to me that it was because, from his point of view, the goal hadn’t been the agreement everyone was focused on. It was something else. It was Trump who had threatened war and then succeeded in getting the UN to apply tough sanctions and who then deliberately led Kim by the nose, giving him hope that sanctions would be lifted. He knew Kim wouldn’t abandon his nuclear weapons. His objective all along was to prevent military provocations against the United States by Kim. In this, he succeeded while Kim gained nothing. This is one US president who knows how to deal with the North Korean dictator. That’s why the people who suffer under Kim reckon he is their man in the White House, the one who might just get rid of him. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20North%20Koreans%20would%20vote%20for%20Trump%20if%20they%20could&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20North%20Koreans%20would%20vote%20for%20Trump%20if%20they%20could https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20North%20Koreans%20would%20vote%20for%20Trump%20if%20they%20could "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-koreans-would-vote-for-trump-if-they-could/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20North%20Koreans%20would%20vote%20for%20Trump%20if%20they%20could&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-koreans-would-vote-for-trump-if-they-could/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20North%20Koreans%20would%20vote%20for%20Trump%20if%20they%20could "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Captured soldiers are considered traitors by North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/captured-soldiers-are-considered-traitors-by-north-korea/) **Published:** January 22, 2025 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/24-10-2024-18-19-26-628.jpg "24102024181926628 | nk insider")In North Korea today, the youngsters of what is known as the MZ generation hold values that differ from those of older generations. The main point of difference is their tendency to prioritize family and personal wellbeing over loyalty to the state. Consider, then, the challenge to the young fighting men being sent to Ukraine. Article 7 of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) Soldier’s Duties clearly states, “A soldier must never become a prisoner of war.” This phrase carries a significance far beyond its literal meaning. The cases of two soldiers captured during the Ukraine conflict vividly illustrate the grim consequences of this rule. **The fate of captured soldiers** The state deems soldiers captured by the enemy to be traitors. If they are unlucky enough to be returned to their own side through a prisoner exchange, they face severe punishment. This is not just an issue for each individual soldier. Elite special forces, such as the Storm Corps, are acutely aware of this rule. In fact, before being sent into battle, it is common for soldiers to ask their comrades to kill them if they are injured or in danger of being captured. “Leave the last bullet for yourself,” commanders might say, pressuring their men to choose death over capture. This practice was evidenced in 1996 when North Korean commanders, who had infiltrated South Korea by submarine. When they were spotted by South Korean troops and found themselves in danger of being captured, they killed ten of their subordinates and then took their own lives. At that time, this Spartan code had been maintained relatively well due to indoctrinated loyalty. However, the MZ generation thinks differently. The shift away from loyalty to the state is thought to be influenced by their upbringing in the “jangmadang” market system, as opposed to the rigid state-controlled distribution system their parents grew up in. These changing values in turn are impacting both the loyalty and combat readiness of the military. **Challenge of managing PoWs** A new issue has emerged with the recent identification of North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine. When personal information about prisoners of war is made public, it increases the likelihood that the soldiers will give up any idea they might have had of defecting to South Korea and choose to return to North Korea. They would rather risk personal stigma and punishment than risk subjecting their families to retaliation. What this means is that the government in Seoul needs to set up a rigorous prisoner management system. For example, it is crucial to keep the identities of prisoners confidential and provide them with at least the minimal conditions needed to make informed decisions about their future. This would allow for the protection and management of prisoners in accordance with international law and human rights principles. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Captured%20soldiers%20are%20considered%20traitors%20by%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Captured%20soldiers%20are%20considered%20traitors%20by%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Captured%20soldiers%20are%20considered%20traitors%20by%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/captured-soldiers-are-considered-traitors-by-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Captured%20soldiers%20are%20considered%20traitors%20by%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/captured-soldiers-are-considered-traitors-by-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Captured%20soldiers%20are%20considered%20traitors%20by%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### ["Singing while eating at a restaurant is an expression of puppet culture"](https://www.nkinsider.org/singing-while-eating-at-a-restaurant-is-an-expression-of-puppet-culture/) **Published:** January 20, 2025 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Era-seo.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")A recent government video from North Korea gives an idea of how something that would be seen as enjoyable and harmless in any other country becomes criminal there. Entitled “Singing while eating at a restaurant is an expression of puppet culture,” the educational video makes it clear that installing a sound system in a restaurant can be considered a criminal act. That is because such systems can be used to spread South Korean culture. Being caught singing or distributing South Korean songs, or any foreign songs, can result in 10 years of reeducation, a life sentence, or even in extreme cases the death penalty. Understandably, no one sings South Korean songs in restaurants. The narrator of this North Korean video, obtained by NK Insider this month, says that singing while eating at a restaurant is an expression of the puppet culture.The sound systems only play North Korean songs. But even this is strictly controlled. That is because the authorities treat the act of listening to or singing songs while eating as a South Korean sort of thing to do. The video that warns people about this is one in a regular weekly educational series that covers recent social and cultural trends emerging within North Korea and which the authorities have deemed criminal and anti-state acts, subject to harsh punishment. “Singing while eating in a restaurant is an expression of puppet culture,” the narrator says. “Despite this, some service units still secretly install music systems in dimly lit rooms in restaurants, persistently engaging in illegal music services while avoiding the eyes of the authorities. People, influenced by puppet culture, sneak in like cats stealing food, unaware of the passing of time, and engage in drunken brawls and debauched parties.” A security officer reports, “Among the youth, there has been a concerning rise in the viewing and distribution of illegal recordings. Recently, we detained 19 students, and among them, 14 were as young as 14 years old.” The narrator says that the “illusion of puppet culture is clouding the minds of young people, corrupting their spirits.” To make this picture even more complicated, citizens even avoid praising the regime using a restaurant’s sound system because the set-up itself indicates an embrace of “puppet” culture. Even approved local songs can only be sung at designated times and places approved by the authorities. The notable exceptions to these rules are the restaurants operated overseas by the state. They get to pipe music for customers because they fall under the control of the ruling Workers Party’s Room 39, which handles the Kim family’s funds. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%22Singing%20while%20eating%20at%20a%20restaurant%20is%20an%20expression%20of%20puppet%20culture%22&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%22Singing%20while%20eating%20at%20a%20restaurant%20is%20an%20expression%20of%20puppet%20culture%22 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%22Singing%20while%20eating%20at%20a%20restaurant%20is%20an%20expression%20of%20puppet%20culture%22 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/singing-while-eating-at-a-restaurant-is-an-expression-of-puppet-culture/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%22Singing%20while%20eating%20at%20a%20restaurant%20is%20an%20expression%20of%20puppet%20culture%22&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/singing-while-eating-at-a-restaurant-is-an-expression-of-puppet-culture/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%22Singing%20while%20eating%20at%20a%20restaurant%20is%20an%20expression%20of%20puppet%20culture%22 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [[INTERNSHIP] Social Media/Content Manager - 2025](https://www.nkinsider.org/application-for-social-media-and-content-publication-internship/) **Published:** December 2, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** Join Human Rights Foundation’s exciting new in-house publication NK Insider (NKIN) as a Social Media/Content Manager Intern. We are seeking a qualified, creative individual to assist in managing NKIN’s social media platforms and article publication on the site. You will have rewarding experiences working with our small but growing professional team, as well as with our writers, on incredible stories. If you’re interested in developing your knowledge of and addressing the Korean peninsula and regional issues, this is a great opportunity that we highly encourage you to apply for. For further information, please see details below. **Position Details:** - Start Date: January 20, 2025 (flexible) - Number of Positions: 1 - Location of Intern: South Korea - Duration: 3 months (may be extended) - Working hours: up to 3 hours/day - Type: 100% remote - Daily meal voucher provided **Key responsibilities**: - Manage social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), including content selection and curation - Manage article publication on the site (relevant training provided) - Administrative coordination between the editor and translator - Writing a news article on a biweekly-basis (2 articles per month) - Report activities and findings to the director **Requirements:** - Native English speaking or high level of fluency - Ability to commit to working 15 hours per week - Demonstrated experience in managing social media platforms - Ability to produce 2 news articles with excellent quality per month **Preference given to those with:** - Excellent attention to detail - Strong research and writing skills - A demonstrated interest in the Korean peninsula and Asia - Ability to manage competing priorities under tight deadlines - Ability to work independently, as well as closely with a team **Application Procedure:** 1. Complete and submit the application package by the end of **January 15, 2025 (EST)**: - Application - Cover letter - Resumé or CV - One letter of recommendation - One sample of a news article on a recent issue 2. Participate in an interview 3. Be notified if selected Note: Due to the volume of applications, we regret that we cannot respond to each one or provide individual feedback. Only selected candidates will be contacted. If you believe you are the right fit for this position, apply today by filling out the form below. *NKIN offers equal opportunities for internship positions and bases its selection process on merit. Our decisions regarding internship selection are made without discrimination based on gender, race, age, disability, religion, nationality, color, or any other protected characteristic.* \*\*\* **Application Form** PrefixMr.Mrs.Ms.Mx.MissDr.Prof. First Name \* Middle Name Last Name \* Email Address \* Phone City \* State/Province \* Country \*AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua & BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAscension IslandAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCaribbean NetherlandsCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongo, Democratic Republic of theCongo, Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechiaCôte d'IvoireDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench South TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island And Mcdonald IslandHondurasHong Kong SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacao SAR ChinaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth KoreaNorth MacedoniaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairn IslandsPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaRéunionSaint HelenaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and South SandwichSouth KoreaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSt. BarthélemySt. MartinSt. Pierre & MiquelonSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaSão Tomé & PríncipeTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad & TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks & Caicos IslandsTuvaluU.S. Virgin IslandsUS Minor Outlying IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited States of America (USA)UruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamWallis And Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabwe How did you hear about this position? \* Do you have experience managing social media accounts? Please indicate below how long you managed. \*Please select an optionNot selected0 – 6 months< 1 year1 – 2 years3 – 4 years4 – 5 years6 – 7 years8 – 9 years9 – 10 years> 10 years Available Start Date \* Upload your documents. (PDF, JPEG, JPG, JPE, and PNG files are accepted, with a max size of 10 MB per file. You can upload up to 5 files.)Drag and Drop (or) [Choose Files](#) If there is anything else you want us to know, please use this form.0 / 500 Agree \*The information provided in this application is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Agree \*I agree with the [privacy policy](https://www.nkinsider.org/privacy-policy-for-nk-insider/) and [terms and conditions](https://www.nkinsider.org/terms-and-conditions-for-nk-insider/). Submit[Save as Draft](# "Fill in form fields before saving it as a draft") - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 **Categories:** ️ --- ### [HRF's Flash Drives for Freedom May Be Reaching Deep Inside North Korea via Balloon-Borne Packages: Kim Yo-Jong Confirms](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrfs-flash-drives-for-freedom-may-be-reaching-deep-inside-north-korea-via-balloon-borne-packages-kim-yo-jong-confirms/) **Published:** January 8, 2025 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Kyj.jpg "kyj | nk insider")Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, inadvertently revealed some crucial details about the balloons carrying information packages sent to North Korea by [Human Rights Foundation](https://hrf.org/) (HRF) partners, along with insights into how far these balloon payloads can travel within the country. In November of last year, HRF’s partners in South Korea launched three major operations, sending 150 information packages—50 each time—from near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) using large balloons. Typically, one balloon carries one package. These packages contained leaflets exposing the ruling Kim family’s corrupt history, essential items such as packaged foods, fever and pain relievers, along with content-loaded USB sticks and SD cards supplied by HRF’s [Flash Drives for Freedom](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/). The drives were this time loaded with defectors’ memoirs, Harry Potter books, social science studies, world history, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and materials designed to inspire critical thinking and entrepreneurship among young North Koreans. However, what our partners didn’t expect was receiving helpful insights into the balloons they sent from the least likely source. On November 17 and 26, North Korea’s state-run news outlet, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), published a statement by Kim Yo-jong on each date—a member of the Kim family, known for its iron-fisted totalitarian rule. Kim is the deputy director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea and wields [significant influence](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36210695) within the North Korean government due to her familial ties with her brother, Kim Jong-un. Her statements in question came out amid rising tensions between the two Koreas over the dissemination of information critical of the regime in Pyongyang late last year. Since May 28, the North Korean regime has responded harshly to balloon campaigns by human rights activists in South Korea who seek to deliver informational leaflets and flash drives loaded with world information to North Koreans trapped in [an information black hole](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korean-news-media-dont-report-news/). The regime in Pyongyang exerts absolute control over all media in the country, relentlessly glorifying the Kim family and fabricating an illusion of prosperity. Meanwhile, it depicts life beyond its borders as nothing but misery. In a bizarre countermeasure, from late May until the end of last year, the North Korean government launched more than [6,220 balloons](https://www.khan.co.kr/article/202411141525001) filled with trash — cigarette butts, shredded clothing, and even some possible human waste — into South Korean territory, claiming the activists’ leaflets were a provocation. After one of three balloon launches by HRF’s partners in mid-November, KCNA published Kim Yo-jong’s statement on the 17th, condemning the scattering of leaflets across various areas of North Korea and threatening the activists. What stood out in her statement, however, was her provision of clues about where these balloon payloads landed. She also shared images showing our partners’ balloons and packages, offering the activists valuable and surprising insights into just how far their payloads could travel across North Korea. “On November 16, various political incitement leaflets and items sent by South Korean scums entered many areas near the southern border and even deep inside the country,” read Kim’s [statement](https://www.segye.com/newsView/20241117504093). “Reports continued to come in from various locations throughout the day yesterday. Security agencies in the affected regions are blocking off these areas, conducting searches, and collecting and handling the items.” Kim ended with her usual colorful threat: “Our people’s anger at the most repulsive hybrid dogs sons of bitches has now reached the sky. The scums will pay a heavy price.” North Korea’s insults, calling activists “scums” or “hybrid dogs sons of bitches,” should not come as a surprise. Pyongyang has a history of resorting to racist and gruesome language to express its dislikes. In the past, it called President Barack Obama “[a black monkey](https://news.sky.com/story/north-korea-calls-obama-a-black-monkey-10406246),” South Korea’s president Park Geun-hye a “[crafty prostitute](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/27/north-korea-attacks-south-president-park-geun-hye-obama),” and another South Korean president, Lee Myung-Pak, “[the dirty, hairy body of a rat](https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-25357021)” and “despicable human scum,” among others. KCNA also released several images with Kim’s statement, purportedly showing leaflet packages from South Korea. We can confirm that these images indeed depict packages sent by activists, specifically HRF’s partners, as shown below. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Final-2-1024x577.jpg "Final | nk insider") *The top-left image was released by North Korea alongside Kim Yo-jong’s statement on Nov. 17. The images to the right and at the bottom were provided by HRF partners. The items shown in the top-left image—such as instant coffee sticks, a timer, cookies, and other products—match those identifiable in the packages prepared and sent by HRF partners.* - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085236.jpg "Pic0085236 | nk insider") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085233.jpg "Pic0085233 | nk insider") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085228.jpg "Pic0085228 | nk insider") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085237.jpg "Pic0085237 | nk insider") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085234.jpg "Pic0085234 | nk insider") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085235.jpg "Pic0085235 | nk insider") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085231-1.jpg "Pic0085231 | nk insider") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-01-05-20 13 15-900x550.jpg "2025-01-05 20 13 15") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Image-2025-01-05-201501-900x550.jpg "Image 2025-01-05 201501") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Photo_2025-01-08-12 24 38-900x550.jpeg "Photo_2025-01-08 12 24 38") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Image-2025-01-05-201450-900x550.jpg "Image 2025-01-05 201450") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Image-2025-01-05-201521-900x550.jpg "Image 2025-01-05 201521") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Image-2025-01-05-201502-900x550.jpg "Image 2025-01-05 201502") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Image-2025-01-05-201459-900x550.jpg "Image 2025-01-05 201459") *The left slide shows additional images released by North Korea in Kim’s Nov. 17 statement. The right slide displays images provided by HRF partners, who confirmed that the items shown in the North Korean images are their packages.* Encouraged by Kim’s confirmation that their balloons reached many areas, including deep inside the country, our partners sent another batch of 50 informational packages—along with a large number of content-loaded USB drives supplied by HRF—following her November 17 statement. On November 26, Kim in Pyongyang released another [statement](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2024/11/26/T5HELA5EAREDPKZN64NH2DFN7Y/) through KCNA, once again calling activists “South Korean scums” for sending the balloons. Like her earlier statement, Kim’s message on this date also included several images showing some of the balloons and packages our partners sent to North Korea the previous day. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085476.jpg "Pic0085476 | nk insider") **A balloon landed next to the house of a North Korean resident. The image was released by North Korea through Kim Yo-jong’s Nov. 26 statement. We can confirm that the balloon was one of those sent by our partners to North Korea the previous day.** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Photo_2025-01-05-23 36 23.jpeg "Photo20250105 23 36 23 | nk insider")**Activists are preparing balloons identical to the one shown in the image above, released by North Korea.** - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085480-1-900x700.jpg "Pic0085480") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085474-900x700.jpg "Pic0085474") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pic0085475-900x700.jpg "Pic0085475") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/북한-조선중앙통신에-공개된-것과-같은-대북풍선-작업-900x670.jpg "북한 조선중앙통신에 공개된 것과 같은 대북풍선 작업") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/북한이-공개한-것과-같은-풍선-820x610.jpg "북한이 공개한 것과 같은 풍선") - ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/12월-대북풍선-준비작업-814x606.jpg "12월 대북풍선 준비작업") *The slide on the left shows additional images released in Kim’s Nov. 26 statement, while the slide on the right displays images from HRF partners. Unlike Kim’s Nov. 17 statement, North Korea blurred the images this time, but the identifiable shapes and content in these images clearly match the packages sent to North Korea by our partners, as shown on the right slide.* A few days ago, I asked Ms. Kim, whose full name is withheld for security reasons and who is directly involved in these balloon operations, how it feels to receive feedback from the high-ups in Pyongyang about the whereabouts of their leaflet packages each time. “We’re absolutely thrilled, as if we’ve been given wings. Kim’s feedback is incredibly precise — it’s worth every bit of the fight,” she said. “Our team gets a real buzz every time we see North Korea sending us pictures of balloons, over and over again!” Of course, there’s no guarantee that the North Korean regime will continue to drop these tantalizing hints about how far and wide the balloons are scattered across the country, or reveal related images. Another emerging concern among Korean activists is how the [ongoing political uncertainty](https://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2024/12/south-korea-martial-law-foreign-policy-us-alliance?lang=en) in South Korea, following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law and subsequent impeachment, might impact their balloon campaigns in the new year. Nonetheless, Kim Yo-jong’s statements confirmed our previous assessment: the information packages sent to North Korea via large balloons are reaching many regions, including deep inside the country—when done properly. Over the last two years, from 2023 to the end of 2024, activists in South Korea, supported by HRF’s Flash Drives for Freedom, sent about 1,000 balloons carrying information packages to North Korea. --- *Flash Drives for Freedom (FDFF), launched by the Human Rights Foundation in 2016, aims to counter the North Korean regime’s propaganda and uphold North Koreans’ right to know. The initiative collects USB drives and SD cards to help activists share vital information with North Koreans.* *Want to learn more or donate? Visit the* [*program website*](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/) *to get involved!* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") [Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/) Seongmin is the director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation. [![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") Latest posts by Seongmin Lee ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/)) - [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) - March 10, 2026 - [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) - January 10, 2025 - [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - January 9, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=HRF%27s%20Flash%20Drives%20for%20Freedom%20May%20Be%20Reaching%20Deep%20Inside%20North%20Korea%20via%20Balloon-Borne%20Packages%3A%20Kim%20Yo-Jong%20Confirms&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=HRF%27s%20Flash%20Drives%20for%20Freedom%20May%20Be%20Reaching%20Deep%20Inside%20North%20Korea%20via%20Balloon-Borne%20Packages%3A%20Kim%20Yo-Jong%20Confirms https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=HRF%27s%20Flash%20Drives%20for%20Freedom%20May%20Be%20Reaching%20Deep%20Inside%20North%20Korea%20via%20Balloon-Borne%20Packages%3A%20Kim%20Yo-Jong%20Confirms "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrfs-flash-drives-for-freedom-may-be-reaching-deep-inside-north-korea-via-balloon-borne-packages-kim-yo-jong-confirms/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=HRF%27s%20Flash%20Drives%20for%20Freedom%20May%20Be%20Reaching%20Deep%20Inside%20North%20Korea%20via%20Balloon-Borne%20Packages%3A%20Kim%20Yo-Jong%20Confirms&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrfs-flash-drives-for-freedom-may-be-reaching-deep-inside-north-korea-via-balloon-borne-packages-kim-yo-jong-confirms/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=HRF%27s%20Flash%20Drives%20for%20Freedom%20May%20Be%20Reaching%20Deep%20Inside%20North%20Korea%20via%20Balloon-Borne%20Packages%3A%20Kim%20Yo-Jong%20Confirms "Reddit") **Categories:** Flash Drives for Freedom --- ### [[INTERNSHIP] Social Media/Content Manager - 2024](https://www.nkinsider.org/internship-opportunity-2025/) **Published:** May 11, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** Join Human Rights Foundation’s exciting new in-house publication NK Insider (NKIN) as a Social Media/Content Manager Intern. We are seeking a qualified, creative individual to assist in managing NKIN’s social media platforms and article publication on the site. You will have rewarding experiences working with our small but growing professional team, as well as with our writers, on incredible stories. If you’re interested in developing your knowledge of and addressing the Korean peninsula and regional issues, this is a great opportunity that we highly encourage you to apply for. For further information, please see details below. **Position Details:** - Start Date: May 15, 2024 (flexible) - Number of Positions: 1 - Location of Intern: South Korea - Duration: 3 months (may be extended) - Working Hours: 3 hours/day - Type: 100% remote - Daily meal voucher provided **Key responsibilities**: - Manage social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), including content selection and curation - Manage article publication on the site (relevant training provided) - Administrative coordination between the editor and translator - Writing a news article on a biweekly-basis (2 articles per month) - Report activities and findings to the director **Requirements:** - Native English speaking or high level of fluency - Ability to commit to working 15 hours per week - Demonstrated experience in managing social media platforms - Ability to produce 2 news articles with excellent quality per month **Preference given to those with:** - Excellent attention to detail - Strong research and writing skills - A demonstrated interest in the Korean peninsula and Asia - Ability to manage competing priorities under tight deadlines - Ability to work independently, as well as closely with a team **Application Procedure:** 1. Complete and submit the application package: - Application - Cover letter - Resumé or CV - One letter of recommendation - One sample of a news article on a recent issue 2. Participate in an interview 3. Be notified if selected Note: Due to the volume of applications, we regret that we cannot respond to each one or provide individual feedback. Only selected candidates will be contacted. If you believe you are the right fit for this position, apply today by filling out the form below. *NKIN offers equal opportunities for internship positions and bases its selection process on merit. Our decisions regarding internship selection are made without discrimination based on gender, race, age, disability, religion, nationality, color, or any other protected characteristic.* \*\*\* **Application Form** PrefixMr.Mrs.Ms.Mx.MissDr.Prof. First Name \* Middle Name Last Name \* Email Address \* Phone City \* State/Province \* Country \*AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua & BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAscension IslandAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCaribbean NetherlandsCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongo, Democratic Republic of theCongo, Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechiaCôte d'IvoireDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench South TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island And Mcdonald IslandHondurasHong Kong SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacao SAR ChinaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth KoreaNorth MacedoniaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairn IslandsPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaRéunionSaint HelenaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and South SandwichSouth KoreaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSt. BarthélemySt. MartinSt. Pierre & MiquelonSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaSão Tomé & PríncipeTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad & TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks & Caicos IslandsTuvaluU.S. Virgin IslandsUS Minor Outlying IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited States of America (USA)UruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamWallis And Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabwe How did you hear about this position? \* Do you have experience managing social media accounts? Please indicate below how long you managed. \*Please select an optionNot selected0 – 6 months< 1 year1 – 2 years3 – 4 years4 – 5 years6 – 7 years8 – 9 years9 – 10 years> 10 years Available Start Date \* Upload your documents. (PDF, JPEG, JPG, JPE, and PNG files are accepted, with a max size of 10 MB per file. You can upload up to 5 files.)Drag and Drop (or) [Choose Files](#) If there is anything else you want us to know, please use this form.0 / 500 Agree \*The information provided in this application is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Agree \*I agree with the [privacy policy](https://www.nkinsider.org/privacy-policy-for-nk-insider/) and [terms and conditions](https://www.nkinsider.org/terms-and-conditions-for-nk-insider/). Submit[Save as Draft](# "Fill in form fields before saving it as a draft") - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%5BINTERNSHIP%5D%20Social%20Media%2FContent%20Manager%20-%202024&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%5BINTERNSHIP%5D%20Social%20Media%2FContent%20Manager%20-%202024 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%5BINTERNSHIP%5D%20Social%20Media%2FContent%20Manager%20-%202024 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/internship-opportunity-2025/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%5BINTERNSHIP%5D%20Social%20Media%2FContent%20Manager%20-%202024&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/internship-opportunity-2025/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%5BINTERNSHIP%5D%20Social%20Media%2FContent%20Manager%20-%202024 "Reddit") **Categories:** ️ --- ### [Civil defense youth submit petitions for deployment to Russia](https://www.nkinsider.org/civil-defense-youth-submit-petitions-for-deployment-to-russia/) **Published:** November 26, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Voluntary-2.jpg "Voluntary 2 | nk insider")The news that soldiers are being deployed to Russia has spread across North Korea, prompting a wave of petitions from military-age people in the civil defense forces requesting to be [sent there as well](https://v.daum.net/v/20241023193758270). Sources in North Hamgyong, Ryanggang, and North Pyongan provinces tell us that, despite strict secrecy around the deployments, information has leaked nationwide via soldiers’ families. As puzzling as it may be, there is logic behind civilian interest in being sent to Russia. “The civil defense force people aren’t volunteering out of patriotism,” said Heo, who served in the 51st Sniper Brigade of the 11th Storm Corps before his defection to South Korea. “Most of them have already gained everything they could from military service, such as party membership and university diplomas.” The primary motives are money and the possibility of escape, Heo emphasized. “Overseas deployment is a means of survival,” he said. Jo, a defector who fled last November while on assignment in Russia, separately offered the same explanation. “The reason discharged soldiers want to return to the military is either to earn money or because they see it as an opportunity to escape.” The petitions have sparked widespread debate and concern among North Koreans, with the primary worry being safety. Families of the deployed troops have repeatedly appealed to the military for guarantees of their loved ones’ safety, but the authorities have avoided providing clear answers. Many residents fear that deployed soldiers will be sent to the frontlines. At the same time, economic benefits associated with deployment have become a major point of interest. Although there have been no official announcements, there are rumors that soldiers who go to Russia will be eligible for expedited Party membership (a benefit granted to revolutionaries for exceptional contributions), university diplomas and lifelong recognition as societal contributors. Furthermore, their families are reportedly being promised economic support, including dollar-denominated cards for accessing foreign currency stores and foreign currency deposits. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that, with North Korea’s borders tightly sealed since the onset of COVID-19, deployment to Russia is being viewed as a rare opportunity for escape. Many of those considering volunteering for deployment appear to be seeking a chance to cross the border. Two discharged artillerymen visited the provincial Party office in Yomju County, North Pyongan province, on November 11 to request deployment to Russia. The authorities neither approved nor rejected their request, instructing them instead to await further orders. Sources in North Hamgyong and Ryanggang provinces have reported similar cases, highlighting the regime’s ambiguous stance—it neither fully conceals nor officially acknowledges the deployment. The caution is due to concern as to how the Russia deployment might impact regime stability. Large-scale casualties or rising discontent among deployed soldiers could lead to internal unrest. In particular, if escape attempts increase among the people of the civil defense forces, or if these events weaken internal cohesion, the regime’s grip on power could be seriously jeopardized. It will be interesting to see how the Russian deployment plays out in terms of political trends and social change in North Korea. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Civil%20defense%20youth%20submit%20petitions%20for%20deployment%20to%20Russia&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Civil%20defense%20youth%20submit%20petitions%20for%20deployment%20to%20Russia https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Civil%20defense%20youth%20submit%20petitions%20for%20deployment%20to%20Russia "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/civil-defense-youth-submit-petitions-for-deployment-to-russia/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Civil%20defense%20youth%20submit%20petitions%20for%20deployment%20to%20Russia&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/civil-defense-youth-submit-petitions-for-deployment-to-russia/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Civil%20defense%20youth%20submit%20petitions%20for%20deployment%20to%20Russia "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Japan-South Korea relations: the long road ahead](https://www.nkinsider.org/japan-south-korea-relations-the-long-road-ahead/) **Published:** November 23, 2024 **Author:** Julian McBride **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Istock-1146913584.jpg "Japan and south korea handshake | nk insider")South Korea and Japan are two regional powerhouse countries in global affairs today. Located nearly 1,000 kilometers away from each other, the two democracies face existential threats from North Korea and potential aggression from China and Russia. Despite these common threats, Seoul and Tokyo have not had the best relations. Recently, they have made steps towards rapprochement, which could not only benefit them in the defense and economic spheres but also continue to bolster a safer and more secure East Asia region that can come together in the event of future threats. **Scars of colonial rule Turbulent relations between Seoul and Tokyo date back to the Imperial Japanese era. Originally an independent Korean Empire after being freed from its [tributary status under the Qing Dynasty](https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/02/japan-south-korea-must-address-mounting-debt-historical-atrocities), the Koreans were [annexed](https://ijkh.khistory.org/upload/pdf/03._IJKH_16-2_Kim_JI-hyung.pdf) by Japan on August 29th, 1910. Imperial[ rule](https://museum.seoul.go.kr/eng/exhibition/permanent/permExhibit/permExhibit3.jsp) was brutal. Not only was the [Korean language prohibited](https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20100102/264126/1), but over [5.4 million Koreans were forcibly conscripted](https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/korea-under-the-rising-sun/) into mines and factories and later into the military during WWII. The infamous tactic of “[comfort women](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/seeking-the-true-story-of-the-comfort-women-j-mark-ramseyer)” was used by the Japanese army in which hundreds of thousands of women ranging from as young as 12 to elderly were forced to provide sexual service to soldiers. This rule is a major reason why [Koreans saw the atomic bombings in a positive light](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20518158/#:~:text=Two%20atomic%20bombs%20dropped%20on,nuclear%20energy%20from%20the%20beginning.) and why both Koreas have nuclear ambitions—with the North already achieving their sovereign yet belligerent program. **Common threats but no mutual defense** The South Korean government received compensation for Japanese rule upon normalization of relations in 1965. But many Koreans, both at home and in the diaspora, have also pushed for individual [compensation](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/06/south-korea-japan-forced-labor-compensation/). Historically, Tokyo has either declined to face the horrors of their rule or openly denied them. For example, when the late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to a memorandum with Seoul over comfort women, he fell under pressure from his own party and issued this [clarification to parliament:](https://thediplomat.com/2021/11/why-did-the-2015-japan-korea-comfort-women-agreement-fall-apart/) “*There was no document found that the comfort women were forcibly taken away.*” The United States government has maintained delicate relations between both countries but indirectly played a role in the historical differences. In the aftermath of WWII, America [pardoned](https://cis.mit.edu/news-media/news-releases/hidden-atrocities) many Japanese officials and military officers in the interest of combating communist influence. This gave Japanese historians and politicians leeway to deny violent events in South Korea and other countries in Asia. Currently, with South Korea and Japan facing common threats from North Korean missiles, China’s maritime ambitions, and Russia’s renewed imperial irredentism, they are looking to overcome the past. **Mending relations** In a development that reflects growing diplomatic ties for the first time in four years, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol have met twice in the last two years. Both nations cooperate in [trade](https://apnews.com/article/japan-south-korea-trade-dispute-export-control-china-f43cf2a0cb43605f6f4626e5985abf7b) and [security](https://www.csis.org/analysis/new-horizons-korea-us-japan-trilateral-cooperation). South Korea [sends Japan regular intelligence and data on potential North Korean missile launches ](https://www.airandspaceforces.com/us-japan-south-korea-annual-exercises-missile-warning/)and troop movements. In July, General Yoshihide Yoshida, the top Japanese General, [praised growing military relations with South Korea](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/18/asia/japan-south-korea-military-ties-china-north-korea-intl-hnk-ml/index.html). Yoshida wishes to see Japan, South Korea, and America together to demonstrate strength and unity for regional peace and stability. General Yoshida’s meeting with South Korean Admiral Kim Myung-Soo was monumental. The two top East Asian defense chiefs came together for[ the first time in six years](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/18/asia/japan-south-korea-military-ties-china-north-korea-intl-hnk-ml/index.html) after the diplomatic incidents. Both nations[ pledged to avoid naval mishaps](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/06/dbdf5dfddcab-japan-s-korea-defense-chiefs-meet-to-build-mutual-trust.html) as the growing regional military powers looked to avoid diplomatic incidents between one another. This cementing of security ties between its allies is crucial for the United States, given its own political uncertainties. [Potential isolationism](https://sofrep.com/news/how-should-the-world-react-to-a-new-wave-of-american-isolationism/) and a lack of strong foreign policies negatively affect both Democrats and Republicans on the global stage. [Political gridlock](https://sofrep.com/news/turbulence-in-us-politics-shows-why-europe-must-prepare-for-its-own-defense/) and the [slow pace](https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/how-delays-western-aid-gave-russia-initiative-ukrainian-counteroffensive-kharkiv) of the coalition of the willing in the West helped embolden Russia, which is also a threat to South Korea and Japan after the former[ solidified a major defense pact with North Korea ](https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2024-07/news/north-korea-russia-strengthen-military-ties)and [withdrew from the WWII-era treaty with Japan over the Kuril Islands](https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-japan-drop-territorial-claim-if-you-want-peace-treaty-2024-01-30/). Despite Western indecision and slow-trickling aid, Japan and South Korea both stepped up to counter Russia’s threats. Against the backdrop of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, [Japan has pledged $12 billion](https://www.csis.org/analysis/japans-leadership-role-ukraine), making Tokyo one of the top economic donors during the war thus far. Likewise, [South Korea is also a major donor to Ukraine](https://www.19fortyfive.com/2024/03/the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-is-quietly-becoming-a-korean-proxy-conflict/), as [Seoul donated the second most artillery shells to Kyiv in 2023](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/1119320). The West lagged in 2023 and has plans to send more aid as Moscow and Pyongyang become more belligerent. **Understanding in the economic, political, and defense spheres A major obstacle to growing relations between Tokyo and Seoul is the question of how to navigate threats from Beijing, as [China is the top trade partner of both](https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/china-courts-u-s-s-top-asian-allies-on-trade-but-will-it-succeed-ac287b85). The two countries are also increasingly skeptical of the heightened irredentism rhetoric by Xi Jinping. [South Korea’s former positive perception of China has declined](https://en.asaninst.org/contents/how-should-south-korea-respond-to-youths-worsening-perception-of-china/) with Beijing’s [crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong,](https://hongkongfp.com/2020/05/03/south-koreans-support-hong-kong-as-they-recall-their-own-struggle-for-freedom/) and a[ string of attacks against Japanese and other nationals in China ](https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/international/2024/09/18/japanese-student-stabbed-in-china-adding-to-spate-of-attacks/)could be traced back to [Chinese diplomatic rhetoric.](https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Japanese-in-China-seek-safety-reinforcements-as-Beijing-downplays-attack) Their growing defense industries, combined with diplomatic soft power and close-knit relations with the US, make Seoul and Tokyo a counterbalance to Beijing. In the entertainment industry, [South Korea and Japan have near-similar comic](https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/culture/manga-anime/20230518-110267/)s. Korean Manhwa shares a sense of resemblance with Japanese manga, which are both popular in East Asia and the West. Shared television, such as “[Eye Love You](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2024/09/398_370078.html),” can draw citizens from both countries closer to the historical differences. Though mutual perception between Japanese and South Koreans has not yet reached majority-favorable,[ increased tourism, work visas, and foreign exchange students c](https://www.fpri.org/article/2024/05/mending-historical-memory-improving-people-to-people-ties-between-japan-and-south-korea/)ould create more positive perceptions. The younger generation in both societies views growing ties[ more positively](https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Japan-South-Korea-ties/41.7-of-South-Koreans-have-favorable-view-of-Japan-most-ever-in-poll). Still, the youth in South Korea also have not forgotten the war crimes. There is still potential for conflict if historical ties aren’t mended. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/ "Julian McBride") [Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/) Julian McBride, a former U.S. Marine, is a forensic anthropologist and independent journalist born in New York. He reports and documents the plight of people around the world who are affected by conflicts, rogue geopolitics, and war, and also tells the stories of war victims whose voices are never heard. His bylines can be found in the National Security Journal, Byline Times, 19FortyFive, Heritage Daily, The Defense Post, Journal of Forensic Psychology, Modern Warfare Institute, and UK Defence Journal. [![Julian McBride](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/ "Julian McBride") Latest posts by Julian McBride ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b808e724f899e431e73691974935af15fd017e98/)) - [Dismantled communications network makes life worse for North Korean dissidents](https://www.nkinsider.org/dismantled-communications-network-makes-life-worse-for-north-korean-dissidents/) - September 9, 2025 - [The Indo-Pacific 80 years on from the nuclear bombs on Japan](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-indo-pacific-80-years-on-from-the-nuclear-bombs-on-japan/) - August 6, 2025 - [The race for long-range missiles between Japan and North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-race-for-long-range-missiles-between-japan-and-north-korea/) - June 27, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Japan-South%20Korea%20relations%3A%20the%20long%20road%20ahead&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Japan-South%20Korea%20relations%3A%20the%20long%20road%20ahead https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Japan-South%20Korea%20relations%3A%20the%20long%20road%20ahead "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/japan-south-korea-relations-the-long-road-ahead/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Japan-South%20Korea%20relations%3A%20the%20long%20road%20ahead&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/japan-south-korea-relations-the-long-road-ahead/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Japan-South%20Korea%20relations%3A%20the%20long%20road%20ahead "Reddit") **Categories:** Guest Contributor --- ### [Who are the leader’s “good people”?](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-are-the-leaders-good-people/) **Published:** November 15, 2024 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Istock-457425417.jpg "Young workers and juche tower on banknote | nk insider")Throughout history, rulers have often complained about their subjects. That’s hardly surprising. Rulers fear the masses. They seem to them like a ticking time bomb, packed with discontent and ready to explode at any moment. Their fear is not unreasonable. How many rulers have met their end at the hands of an enraged populace? Think of the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, and the English Civil War and more modern examples. With this in mind, I would like to ask whether, from the ruler’s perspective, there are any good crowds? And if so, what kind of people would they be? The story begins a little after 2000. The North Korean government made an unprecedented announcement: it would issue state bonds. For the people, the concept was entirely new. They were well-versed in revolutionary terminology but knew little to nothing about capitalist concepts. Curious citizens gathered in small groups to discuss the news. “How desperate is the government if it has to borrow money from the people?” I remember one person asking. To which another quickly responded, “Seeing them ask for loans from someone like me, it’s clear the country is really in trouble.” People rushed to purchase the bonds, eager to support the government in its time of need. The only thing they understood about the bonds was that they were essentially IOUs from the state. This bond-buying turned into a movement, taking place individually, at people’s units, and through enterprises. Regardless of the rhetoric, the end result was the same: money was taken from the people’s own pockets. Everyone was already struggling to get by—that much goes without saying. Yet, my parents, along with many others, willingly and even joyfully bought the bonds, so eager were they to help. Time passed and soon it came time, according to the terms of the bonds, to apply for repayment. People had two very different reactions regarding this. One woman worried whether it was ethical to ask for the money back, given that she had bought the bonds to help the country in difficult times. Meanwhile, one man was excited, thinking that because they had supported the country in its time of need, the government might reward them with high praise. With these mixed feelings, they went to claim repayment, only to be met with the following words: “You shameless people! Are you really demanding money from our Leader?” The official in charge scolded them harshly, calling them traitors who were trying to take money from the leader’s own pocket. Everyone went home empty-handed. This was the fate of those who had given everything they had to the country in its time of need. Over time, it became clear that those who followed the government’s demands had made a mistake and those who did not follow the government’s demands had been right all along. Then, in 2009, there was a currency reform. Unlike a normal currency exchange, this one was effectively a declaration that the government would no longer recognize the money people held. Overnight, the entire population became poor. Expressions of outrage erupted across the nation. Some people set fire to their now-worthless money and laughed, while others used the notes they had set aside to buy a home as flooring material. The government issued a nationwide directive, warning of severe punishment for such acts. The currency reform destroyed people’s hopes. It pushed those who had barely survived the hardships of the “Arduous March” famine of the 1990s back into extreme hardship. The markets descended into chaos, and those hit hardest were the people struggling to make it through each day. Among them was a coal hauler working hard in the market. I first saw him about a month after the currency exchange. I was in the market, looking for someone to haul the coal I had just bought. He had a face as black as the coal, clothes that looked like rags, a gaunt face with a determined expression, and an old towel draped around his neck like a rag. He embodied the struggles of the North Korean people. Carefully, he shared his thoughts with me about the currency reform. “It seems the government thinks we have enough money to afford tofu soup,” he said. I felt a pang of sorrow at his words. What a modest man, I thought. His only desire was for a simple meal of rice and tofu soup, yet even that had become difficult to achieve. “Would the government have carried out the currency reform if they knew our situation?” he asked me, walked away, his back soaked with sweat. Did he know that the day before the reform, the government secretly bought up rice and gold with the old currency? Did he know that it was all part of a grand scheme to seize the people’s money? The truth is, even if people had been surviving on grass roots, the government would have gone through with the currency reform. After the first wave of the reform, a second wave hit. This time, the government announced a ban on the use of US dollars. Those who had lost all their domestic currency were now at risk of losing their foreign currency. People lost their mind, desperate to spend their dollars before they became worthless. Lines formed early in the morning for flour sold in dollars. In the end, people lost all their savings—or rather, they were taken. Yet even in this situation, there was a small group that didn’t follow the government’s directives. They quietly bought up the dollars circulating in the market and amassed their wealth. Once again, time proved that those who did not follow the government’s words were right. The dollar crisis made a few people incredibly wealthy, widening the gap between the rich and the poor. Among those who benefited was the government itself, which ended up making the largest profit. Even after exploiting, plundering, and working them to the bone, where else would you find such obedient people just like cows? Kim Jong-il once remarked, “Our people are truly good people.” To him, they must have seemed good because they were easy to deceive and exploit. For a ruler, the term “good crowd” is simply another way of describing people who are foolish and easily manipulated. However, the crucial point is that people eventually become aware. As in Aesop’s “The Boy Who Cries Wolf” fable, those who are repeatedly lied to learn their lesson. North Koreans, through many experiences, have come to understand that following the government’s words only leads to harm. One significant change in the last few years is that even old ladies selling bean sprouts now save their money in foreign currency. Niccolò Machiavelli once said, “A person may forgive the killer of their parents, but they will never forgive the one who stole their money.” The “truly good people” of the past are no more. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Who%20are%20the%20leader%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%9Cgood%20people%E2%80%9D%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Who%20are%20the%20leader%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%9Cgood%20people%E2%80%9D%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Who%20are%20the%20leader%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%9Cgood%20people%E2%80%9D%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-are-the-leaders-good-people/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Who%20are%20the%20leader%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%9Cgood%20people%E2%80%9D%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-are-the-leaders-good-people/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Who%20are%20the%20leader%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%9Cgood%20people%E2%80%9D%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [How should we interpret China’s occasional release of detained North Korean refugees?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-should-we-interpret-chinas-occasional-release-of-detained-north-korean-refugees/) **Published:** October 30, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Istock-1471369154.jpg "The chinese flag hangs in the cloudy sky outside the prisons barbed wire waving in the sky | nk insider")While China formally stands by its obligation to North Korea to repatriate escapees, many defectors arrive in South Korea after having been detained by Chinese public security. According to Hanawon, the Ministry of Unification’s Settlement Support Center, of the 196 North Koreans who defected to South Korea in 2023, many had experienced detention in China. Most defectors last year were women who escaped into China and eventually made it to South Korea. Many were victims of human trafficking forced into marriages in China. Some were caught and held as illegal immigrants. But many were then released and able to obtain temporary residence permits from Chinese authorities. Kim, 31, who fled from North Korea’s Ryanggang Province in February 2017, was caught by public security in Dunhua, Jilin Province, but was released and managed to find her way to South Korea. Similarly, Jo, 29, left Hoeryong in North Hamgyong Province in August 2016 and stayed in Heilongjiang Province, where she was captured by public security. ## **No relaxation in overall policy** Defectors say the release of some detainees is down to the judgment of specific regional public security departments. Financial and social interests often influence such decisions. “The police are more lenient with a defector who has Chinese relatives with a stable financial background or who has children from her Chinese husband,” a defector explained. Despite the appearance of relaxation of the rules, defectors say that this does not signal a formal change in China’s repatriation policy. The relationship between the two states is bound by strategic interests, and the defector issue falls victim to complex calculations. North Korea demands repatriation of its citizens to prevent the implicit challenge to the regime’s claim to have created paradise when people want to leave. China, meanwhile, repatriates defectors to preserve border stability. Chinese public security officials argue that helping refugees would encourage North Korean border guards to desert their posts, which would in turn lead to mass defections and possible regime collapse. However, these fears are misplaced. It is unlikely that Kim Jong-un’s regime would collapse solely due to defections. It maintains strong internal controls and, just as it withstood a devastating famine in the 1990s, would weather a surge in defections. That said, the defector issue could serve as a variable and heighten discontent and fuel a spirit of defiance. ## **The risk of instability** In such a case, North Korea would further tighten border controls and enhance internal surveillance. It might also consider redefining its relationship with China. China is unlikely to stop the repatriations because it still needs North Korea as a buffer zone, and North Korea heavily relies on China’s economic support. For their cooperation over defectors to change would require a third force. That is most likely to come, if at all, in the form of international pressure and diplomatic efforts. The international community should persistently pressure and persuade China to protect defectors on humanitarian grounds. The defector issue is not merely a bilateral matter between North Korea and China but a shared responsibility of the international community. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20should%20we%20interpret%20China%E2%80%99s%20occasional%20release%20of%20detained%20North%20Korean%20refugees%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=How%20should%20we%20interpret%20China%E2%80%99s%20occasional%20release%20of%20detained%20North%20Korean%20refugees%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=How%20should%20we%20interpret%20China%E2%80%99s%20occasional%20release%20of%20detained%20North%20Korean%20refugees%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-should-we-interpret-chinas-occasional-release-of-detained-north-korean-refugees/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=How%20should%20we%20interpret%20China%E2%80%99s%20occasional%20release%20of%20detained%20North%20Korean%20refugees%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-should-we-interpret-chinas-occasional-release-of-detained-north-korean-refugees/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=How%20should%20we%20interpret%20China%E2%80%99s%20occasional%20release%20of%20detained%20North%20Korean%20refugees%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Defectors step up to support soldiers deployed to Russia to escape](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-step-up-to-support-soldiers-deployed-to-russia-to-escape/) **Published:** October 28, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Kcna-15.jpg "Kcna 15 | nk insider")While news reports confirming that North Korea has dispatched special forces to fight for the Russians in their war against Ukraine have raised international concern, defectors in South Korea are taking a more positive view. They see the deployment as an opportunity to help North Korean soldiers to defect. Some NGOs in Seoul have set up a task force consisting of defectors with experience in the North Korean military and psychological warfare experts. They are developing a recommendation to the South Korean government to work with the Ukrainians to provide escape assistance to North Korean troops. They believe that, while escaping from North Korea is difficult and dangerous, once in Russia, soldiers might find favorable conditions to flee. **North Korean troops not committed to fight** Young North Korean soldiers belong to the “Jangmadang (market) Generation.” In contrast to their elders, they think more individualistically. This generation is also known for its strong desire for freedom. This is the view of three recent defectors who agreed to talk about their generation. Oh, who defected via Panmunjom in 2017, Lee, who escaped through Goseong in 2020, and Kim Lee-hyeok, who arrived via fishing boat in 2023, say that younger North Korean soldiers these days prioritize personal survival and freedom over loyalty to the regime. They suggest that psychological tactics, plus some direct assistance, could encourage North Korean soldiers in Russia to defect. “A soldier inside North Korea who wants to escape the country is really putting himself at risk,” one of the defectors said. “He would have to first get out of the barracks, then make his way to the border and cross, and then avoid arrest in China and figure out how to get to a third country.” A defector who wanted to come the other way, across the North-South Korean border, would find it even more difficult, avoiding surveillance and dealing with guard posts, minefields, and high-tension barbed wire. “Soldiers in Russia, however, won’t face these problems. Their main issue will be the unfamiliar geography,” another said. Not only will they be out of the regime’s direct line of sight, but also the fluid wartime environment can have the effect of weakening their unit’s monitoring systems. In addition, these soldiers will themselves be fully armed, which gives them the ability to break through the security and surveillance networks head-on. Human rights organizations for North Korean defectors stress the importance of understanding that deployed North Korean soldiers as individuals who yearn for personal freedom. They need to be separated in the international perception from their function serving the regime’s strategic goals of earning foreign currency, acquiring military technology, gaining combat experience, and strengthening military alliances. As these soldiers do not have a positive outlook on the war in Russia and have no hostility toward Ukraine, it is likely they may attempt collective defections under the life-threatening pressures of the battlefield. If intensive psychological operations are conducted in the areas where North Korean soldiers are deployed, along with well-organized support, including clear escape routes, assurances of safety, and sufficient rewards, it could make large-scale defections feasible. Human rights groups formed by defectors argue that historical instances of group defections in wartime show that this scenario is entirely possible. The groups, which include Korean Solidarity for Unification, are currently drafting a proposal to the South Korean Presidential Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to recommend the creation of a psychological operations team composed of previous defectors. This team would work in collaboration with the Ukrainian government to rescue North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia. To work out the details of the proposal, these organizations have set up a task force with defectors who previously served in the North Korean military and psychological warfare experts. They will suggest new strategies to encourage mass defections. Human rights groups are convinced that a successful psychological operation resulting in the mass defection of these soldiers could lead to internal unrest within the North Korean military and potentially deter further provocative deployments by North Korea. They plan to strongly advocate for international support to aid these deployed North Korean soldiers in finding freedom and challenging the regime. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Defectors%20step%20up%20to%20support%20soldiers%20deployed%20to%20Russia%20to%20escape&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Defectors%20step%20up%20to%20support%20soldiers%20deployed%20to%20Russia%20to%20escape https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Defectors%20step%20up%20to%20support%20soldiers%20deployed%20to%20Russia%20to%20escape "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-step-up-to-support-soldiers-deployed-to-russia-to-escape/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Defectors%20step%20up%20to%20support%20soldiers%20deployed%20to%20Russia%20to%20escape&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-step-up-to-support-soldiers-deployed-to-russia-to-escape/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Defectors%20step%20up%20to%20support%20soldiers%20deployed%20to%20Russia%20to%20escape "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Why fight for Russia? Deaths of North Korean officers in Ukraine raises questions about morale](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-fight-for-russia-deaths-of-north-korean-officers-in-ukraine-raises-questions-about-morale/) **Published:** October 22, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Kcna-16.jpg "Kcna 16 | nk insider")The deaths of six North Korean military officers in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine, in a [Ukrainian missile strike](https://www.kyivpost.com/post/40169) that wounded 20 other soldiers, highlighted a dilemma for North Korea in its relationship with Russia. That is that, while military cooperation between the two countries is growing, nothing has been done within North Korea to explain it, let alone generate positive attitudes. With some 1,500 North Korean troops believed to be in Russia and another 8,500 about to be sent, according to Ukrainian and South Korean intelligence, the morale question is of immediate significance. Although the lid may be kept on as the country is a dictatorship, pressure will mount if the regime fails to address it. The atmosphere inside North Korea is complicated and chaotic, especially among the younger generation of soldiers and citizens. None can understand why they should fight for Russia. This is not such an easy matter to address because the regime itself has not had a positive attitude toward Russia since [the collapse over 30 years ago of the Soviet Union](https://www.nknews.org/2018/08/goodbye-gorby-how-north-korea-saw-the-final-days-of-the-soviet-union/). Ever since that “betrayal” of the communist cause and, with it, the end of “friendship prices” (ie, cheap) oil and grain, Pyongyang has been aloof toward Moscow. Negativity intensified when both the Soviet Union and China opposed North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, even siding with its enemies. To North Koreans, this was a hindrance of their little country by “great powers” only further justified why they had to rely on their “great leader.” North Korea has strongly criticized Soviet and Chinese interference in the process of “military-first politics” and emphasized its self-defense and military power. Given this context, the sudden establishment of a strategic alliance, and military cooperation to the point of actually deploying troops to support Russia in the war in Europe, caused a lot of confusion. How do young soldiers understand why they should risk their lives for Russia in a conflict they know nothing about? - [Are the upgraded Russia-North Korea ties just skin-deep?](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-the-upgraded-russia-north-korea-ties-just-skin-deep/) While awareness of China is greater, the view of Russia remains tied up in the collapse of the Soviet Union. No new positive image of Russia has been presented within North Korean society to alter that. According to Lee, who defected in 2016, soldiers have no particular hostility toward Ukraine. The war has nothing to do with their country. It’s hard for soldiers to feel proud when they are deployed to serve Russian interests. Park, an artillery officer who defected in 2018, believes that, while soldiers are taught to defend their country and people with their lives, it is highly unlikely that any soldiers will view the deaths of their soldiers in Ukraine as honorable in any way. If anything, the incident is likely to cause a backlash within the North Korean military, he said. Defectors generally concur with this. Ham, who was sent to work in Russia in 2022 and escaped, and Kim, who defected in 2023, said that North Koreans feel no particular admiration or hostility towards Russia or Ukraine. As two countries that were once part of the Soviet Union, neither has ever been involved in direct hostilities with North Korea. The incident is more likely to be seen as an accident, and, as such, may well lead to a drop in soldier morale and amplify skepticism about the military alliance with Russia. In the long run, this could stir up dissatisfaction within the military and lead to refusal to deploy, or defections. It will be interesting to see how the North Korean authorities manage this situation. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20fight%20for%20Russia%3F%20Deaths%20of%20North%20Korean%20officers%20in%20Ukraine%20raises%20questions%20about%20morale&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20fight%20for%20Russia%3F%20Deaths%20of%20North%20Korean%20officers%20in%20Ukraine%20raises%20questions%20about%20morale https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20fight%20for%20Russia%3F%20Deaths%20of%20North%20Korean%20officers%20in%20Ukraine%20raises%20questions%20about%20morale "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-fight-for-russia-deaths-of-north-korean-officers-in-ukraine-raises-questions-about-morale/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20fight%20for%20Russia%3F%20Deaths%20of%20North%20Korean%20officers%20in%20Ukraine%20raises%20questions%20about%20morale&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-fight-for-russia-deaths-of-north-korean-officers-in-ukraine-raises-questions-about-morale/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20fight%20for%20Russia%3F%20Deaths%20of%20North%20Korean%20officers%20in%20Ukraine%20raises%20questions%20about%20morale "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) **Published:** October 17, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/켈톤-대학241007-e1729242755872.jpg "켈톤 대학241007 | nk insider")Defectors from North Korea and activists who help them settle in South Korea and other countries have asked the Canadian government to more actively support asylum-seekers from North Koreans. In a meeting with Canadian government officials, Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of Free Speakers International (FSI), asked Ottawa to commit to supporting defectors instead of sending aid to the North Korean government. “Canada needs to prioritize asylum claims from North Korean refugees,” Lartigue said. He noted that before COVID-19, Canada had been one of the countries that deported North Koreans on the grounds that they had already applied for asylum in South Korea. As a result, the number of North Korean refugees in the country fell from 980 in 2016 to 775 in 2021. “Canada could take the lead on this by offering a six-month visa exemption to the refugees before they decide where to settle,” he said. Lartigue was leading an FSI tour earlier this month with a number of defectors who related their harrowing stories of suffering and escape to Canadian audiences. Defectors Lee Na-young, Kim Myeong-hee, and Kim Dong-jae shared their stories at universities, met with the general public, and presented before government officials in Ottawa and Manitoba. Meeting on October 7 with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development, known as Global Affairs Canada, they raised awareness about the severe human rights abuses, the exploitation of overseas workers, the plight of North Korean women in China, and China’s forced repatriation of defectors. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/241007캐나다-대학-사진-e1729242691211-1024x570.jpg "241007캐나다 대학 사진 | nk insider")North Korean defectors visited Carleton University in Ottawa and gave testimony about their lives before fleeing from the country (Image: Carleton University)Kim Dong-jae, 41, testified about forced labor in Russia. “When I arrived there, Russians called us the mafia”, he said. “At first, I didn’t grasp what they meant. A Russian explained to me, ‘You have to do whatever Kim Jong-un orders, whether it’s illegal or involves death. That’s what people call the mafia.’ Hearing this made me realize that our situation was no different from slavery.” Kim said that North Korean construction workers in St. Petersburg had to work 18 hours a day under harsh conditions, often eating pig skins, which are considered dog food in Russia. “When Russian workers saw us bringing pig skins onto the site, they asked if we raised dogs,” he said. Kim testified that the workers were paid the equivalent of just one month’s wages after working for five years. Although the official monthly pay was almost $3,000, the regime confiscated it entirely and finally paid each person around $3,000 on their return to North Korea. - [Evidence of slavery: North Korean workers evaluation](https://www.nkinsider.org/evidence-of-slavery-north-korean-workers-evaluation/) Lee Na-young, 38, and Kim Myeong-hee, 41, testified about their experience in North Korea and China after their escape and before entering South Korea. “When I was 17, I was sold to an elderly Chinese man,” Kim said. “I became pregnant several times and was forced against my will to have abortions.” CBC, Canada’s national broadcaster, featured the meeting with students in Manitoba. In an interview, Lee Na-young [testified about her life in North Korea](https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6534667). “I had no idea what I wanted or what my life was for,” she said. “The only purpose I had was to avoid hunger. After eating breakfast, I worried about lunch. After lunch, I had to worry about dinner. I was constantly tormented by hunger. I was living like an animal.” Lee condemned China’s forced repatriation of defectors. “The Chinese government knowingly participates in murder this way. They are fully aware the women sent back will face forced abortions, torture, and death from malnutrition.” An estimated 2,000 North Korean women are currently in Chinese prisons and risk being repatriated at any moment. - [600 escapees repatriated from China are sentenced to life in the gulag ](https://www.nkinsider.org/600-escapees-repatriated-from-china-are-sentenced-to-life-in-the-gulag/) - [Hundreds of North Korean Defectors Repatriated by China Face Miserable Fate](https://www.nkinsider.org/hundreds-of-north-korean-defectors-repatriated-by-china-face-miserable-fate/) “A permanent member of the United Nations Security Council should never engage in such conduct,” Lee said. The delegation also held meetings and tours in Winnipeg’s markets and streets to promote awareness of North Korean human rights and the plight of defectors. FSI’s trip was sponsored by South Korea’s Ministry of Unification. Michael Campbell, a Canadian citizen and PhD student in London, played a leading volunteer role in arranging the trip. The nonprofit organization, co-founded in 2013 by Lartigue and South Korean Lee Eunkoo, empowers North Korean refugees to engage in public speaking in English. “FSI was founded to assist defectors settling in South Korea,” Lee said. “Over the past 12 years, we have worked with more than 600 defectors, published four books by defectors, held 20 English speech contests, and organized about 90 other speaking events.” One well-known defector associated with FSI’s programs is Park Yeonmi, who is now a human rights advocate in the United States. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Defectors%20and%20activists%20urge%20Canada%20to%20do%20more%20for%20North%20Korean%20asylum-seekers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Defectors%20and%20activists%20urge%20Canada%20to%20do%20more%20for%20North%20Korean%20asylum-seekers https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Defectors%20and%20activists%20urge%20Canada%20to%20do%20more%20for%20North%20Korean%20asylum-seekers "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Defectors%20and%20activists%20urge%20Canada%20to%20do%20more%20for%20North%20Korean%20asylum-seekers&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Defectors%20and%20activists%20urge%20Canada%20to%20do%20more%20for%20North%20Korean%20asylum-seekers "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Copyright in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/copyright-in-north-korea/) **Published:** October 16, 2024 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Nk-doublefaced.jpg "제목 없는 디자인 1 | nk insider")For North Koreans, copyright is an unfamiliar concept. That said, if you were to ask whether copyright exists there, my answer would be yes. It’s just that it is applied differently. I am writing this piece using Microsoft Word. Of course, I paid the appropriate fee to use the program. But if I were writing in North Korea, I wouldn’t have. This makes me think, I’m ashamed to say, that not everything about life in North Korea is a loss. But, seriously, software companies must have suffered losses because of North Korea. Every program used on computers is copied and distributed for free. If someone were to tell people that software had to be paid for, they’d be treated as insane. Demanding payment for something that can be obtained for free is hard to accept, no matter how right it may be. Given this, copyright protection needs to be more than words. It must be accepted and enforced by law. As their government is very lenient about copyright infringement, North Koreans have no qualms about illegally copying and distributing software to their acquaintances. One day when I lived there, a program called ‘Singi’ appeared. It was an antivirus program. But what set it apart was that it was made in North Korea, and we had to pay to use it. This was bewildering when we encountered it for the first time. Pay for a program? What does that even mean? Moreover, it was a lot. Singi cost 1,000 won a month. Considering the monthly wage at the time was 1,500 won, this was not an insignificant expense. People were reluctant to use Singi. But, their resistance was quickly crushed as viruses began appearing everywhere, causing computers to stop working. Even without the Internet, computers in North Korea were infected with over 10,000 types of virus. The strange thing was that every time Singi was updated, the viruses also upgraded, as if Singi was the one creating them. It soon became impossible to use a computer without purchasing Singi. I wasn’t the only one annoyed by this situation. Someone eventually figured out the Singi key. He became a hero to us all. We were so happy we could use Singi for free. But this joy didn’t last long. The government sentenced our hero to three years in prison for copyright infringement. This came as a shock. Previously, the government had never taken action against people for using foreign software illegally. They acted as if it wasn’t a big deal. But when the copyright infringement affected the government itself, authorities suddenly came down harshly. This was very contradictory. Copyright infringement of foreign intellectual property wasn’t just an individual issue. It happened at the national level too. Some of you might remember the performance by the [Moranbong Band](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-18765088), where characters dressed as Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh danced on stage. Did the government ask Disney for permission then? And when the government sold the North Korean version of [*Frozen*](https://www.nknews.org/2023/05/a-north-korean-school-asks-students-do-you-wanna-build-a-snowman/) to its citizens for profit, did they pay royalties to Disney? When I came to South Korea, I was shocked to realize that, even while living in such an isolated country, I had watched most Disney animations. I had purchased them legally from the government, but had no idea they were Disney films. How could I have known that the government was making money off content from a country they label as an enemy? Given the person who stole the Singi key got three years, what sort of sentence should the officials give themselves for stealing like this from other countries? The North Korean government’s copyright infringement became more pronounced around 2016. The film and IT sectors took the initiative. Until then, the film industry had achieved little, failing to produce any new films. The best they could do was selling compilation CDs of old black-and-white movies at [Mokran video stores](https://world.kbs.co.kr/service/contents_view.htm?lang=e&board_seq=445614). But honestly, who would still want to watch black-and-white films in 2016? Things changed when they started copying and selling foreign films. People rushed to the video stores. The government made a fortune from nothing more than a simple translation effort. And since this was done with unpaid labor, there were no costs involved. One notable example is the Chinese drama [*Obstetrician*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11151614/), which swept across North Korea. It sold for 800 won per episode. To watch the entire series, you needed 24,000 won. This was the amount of money a citizen would earn after working for the government for 18 months. The government was buying labor from its people at dirt-cheap rates while selling stolen products at high prices. Does it make sense that people would have to work 18 months just to watch one TV series? An interesting fact is that the government’s sales tactics became more sophisticated. Instead of selling CDs, they began offering mobile-only versions of content. The problem with this was that the video quality was so poor that it was difficult for a family to watch together. The content also came with protection features, making it impossible to share it, even among family members. As a result, nearly everyone was forced to purchase their own copy of *Obstetrician*. It was clear the government had found ways to squeeze as much money as possible from its people. Another money-making venture was through the sale of IT products. If you wanted to download an app, you had to go through the IT Exchange Center. It sold various mobile games to people. Those who owned mobile phones needed entertainment to go along with them. Back then, the primary function of mobile phones in North Korea wasn’t for making calls. They functioned as a status symbol, a way to show off. The emergence of mobile games perfectly met the needs of the times. *Angry Birds*, *Three Kingdoms*, *Maze Runner*, *Mario* etc*.* People eagerly opened their wallets for these fun and high-quality games. But after coming to South Korea, I saw these exact same games. I wondered, could South Korea have copied from North Korea? You probably have a good guess. Even now, the business of selling foreign content and programs is thriving in North Korea. Since there are no upfront costs, it’s a perfect business for the government. At this point, one has to wonder: Who is the government’s push for IT development really benefiting? Can we really say it’s not just a way to steal foreign programs more effectively? So, what does copyright mean in North Korea? It’s certainly not for individuals, nor is it for corporations. Even now, North Koreans use foreign software without paying any fees. Only when the government’s interests are at stake does it start to raise its voice on copyright protection. The money paid in such cases goes not to the foreign companies that own the software, but straight into the pockets of the government. Copyright exists to prevent its citizens from stealing what the government itself has stolen from abroad. If the government intended to engage in theft, it should have kept the pretense of dignity and nobility to a minimum. Intellectual property rights must be protected. Especially when dealing with a dictatorship. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Copyright%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Copyright%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Copyright%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/copyright-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Copyright%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/copyright-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Copyright%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [North Korea does it “our way”](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-does-it-our-way/) **Published:** September 29, 2024 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Istock-494061635.jpg "North korea dprk mansudae grand monument | nk insider")Every country has its own traditions, history, and way of doing things. In North Korea, they call this “our way.” The emotions people feel about “our way” vary. Some may feel pride and honor, while others feel shame. Today I would like to write about my own feelings and thoughts regarding “our way.” I truly like the meaning behind the words “our way.” When I lose my individuality and am swayed by others, I think of them. Readers may somewhat agree that, in this rapidly changing modern society, having one’s own way is necessary. I, of course, heard “our way” countless times during my 30 years in North Korea. “Let’s live our way!” “Thoughts, technology, and culture – everything in our way!” These slogans show just how North Koreans insist on sticking to “our way.” In the fall of 2009, I boarded a train to Pyongyang with my brother. Whenever it was time to return to university after the holidays, I felt a sense of dread. This was because, due to frequent power outages, the 500-kilometer journey took three or four days. One of the few consolations was that people in the train car would engage in conversations to pass the time. Once we were lucky enough to encounter the actor Kim Won-il. He is really famous. We heard behind-the-scenes stories about the film industry from him. It seems that the making of a single movie places a huge burden on the production team and the actors. The films don’t carry advertisements or sell for commercial purposes. It is therefore impossible to recoup production costs. As a result, the crew has to rely on the small budget allocated by the state. This is so tight that only two or three films are made each year. Even then, the actors have to pay for everything from costumes to expenses. That’s how, after countless hardships, a single film is born. The most recent Kim Won-il film was *Emergency Doctor*. However, it was banned and sent to the archives. In one scene, a man and a woman ride a Ferris wheel at an amusement park late at night. That was the scene that set the critics off. “How could they keep the lights on so late at night in a country suffering from power shortages?” they complained. “How could they get romantic in an empty amusement park?” The critics decided that *Emergency Doctor* was not in line with “our way” and prevented it from being screened. When the [Kaeson Youth Park](https://www.youngpioneertours.com/kaeson-youth-park-dprk/) was renovated in 2011, it stayed open at night. This was the first time this had ever happened, and young people cheered. Thanks to the Youth Park, a new nightlife culture was born. Kim Jong-un himself expressed his satisfaction. “At last, our people can enjoy themselves under bright lights without worrying about time,” he said. This one sentence sent the message that “our way” had changed. I have a friend who loves writing. From childhood, she wanted to be a writer. She studied at the department of Korean Language and Literature at Kim Il Sung University. Filled with great anticipation, she actively participated in writing competitions. However, she frequently tasted the bitterness of rejection. Her writing was excellent, better than anyone else’s, but the problem was that its content and form were not “our way.” What exactly is “our way?” She couldn’t accept the rejection and wanted to know. One day she went to confront the judges and what they said made her give up her dream. The judges said, “If the Party tells you to do one thing, even if you want to do ten, just do the one.” That day she realized she would never be able to write the kind of stories she wanted to. She could only write the stories the Party wanted. Trying to be different or pursuing something new often makes things worse. As the saying goes, “The nail that sticks out gets hammered.” So, to preserve one’s position and life, doing nothing is better than doing something. Avoiding responsibility and passing the blame has become the norm. While innovation and reform are generally considered the way forward, it’s the opposite in North Korea. That’s why we have these sayings: “A nosy person is the enemy of the revolution” and “A soldier’s creativity is a commander’s headache.” By now you can probably guess the kinds of action taken by the officials preaching about “our way.” It’s the action of taking no action at all. One day in 2012, there was a performance by the Pyongyang-based Unhasu Orchestra to celebrate the scientists who had worked hard to launch a satellite. The scientists entered the concert hall wearing old-fashioned clothing and with shy expressions on their faces. The singers bared their shoulders and sang “Gonna Fly Now,” the theme song from the American movie *Rocky*. Perhaps Kim Jong-un’s desire to soar was reflected in the selection of this song. The shocking moment was when the singers turned around and shook their hips. In North Korea, it is generally forbidden for singers to turn their backs on the audience like this. Wiggling your hips is considered seductive. The embarrassed scientists didn’t know how to react. It must have confused them more than figuring out satellite orbits. Their eyes wandered. They looked about them. The style of the performance was clearly foreign, the kind that the North Korean government had criticized heavily in the past. What they didn’t know was that the long-standing rejection of foreign influence had changed. Why? Because of Kim Jong-un. What would have been deemed anti-socialist if it came out of someone else’s head, became creative and “our way” out of his head. That’s right—every idea must come from him alone. He is seen as knowing more about physics than Einstein and more about music than Beethoven. I don’t say this with sarcasm. In North Korea, it’s reported that Kim Jong-un personally guided the launch of the satellite. So, what exactly does it mean – “our way”? Why have we North Koreans chosen avoidance and denial? I say this because, if there truly is such a thing as “our way,” we could work together to develop and improve it. But in actuality it doesn’t exist. Given this – or given that no one seems to really know what it is – people have chosen to avoid it. “Our way” means rejecting anything foreign and any foreign advancements. By dismissing anything advanced as “their way,” all that remains is “our way,” which is by definition backward. This approach is highly effective in controlling North Koreans, as it makes them forget the reality of their backwardness. Even poverty can be packaged as “our way.” If living alone, self-pitying and poor in a closed society is “our way,” what possible reason is there to hold onto it? If that’s what “our way” is, then I’m sorry, but I’ll pass. “Our way” is nothing more than a political tool to control the masses. Take that image of Kim Jong-un at the ICBM launch site. > North Korea Hwasong-17 launch gets Hollywood-style effects > > — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) [March 25, 2022](https://twitter.com/BBCWorld/status/1507444739544600584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Surely, I am not the only one who saw Tom Cruise in Kim Jong-un’s black sunglasses and black leather jacket? Of course, once again, Kim Jong-un will claim that this posturing is “our way,” but I wonder why the embarrassment always seems to fall on me. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20does%20it%20%E2%80%9Cour%20way%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20does%20it%20%E2%80%9Cour%20way%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20does%20it%20%E2%80%9Cour%20way%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-does-it-our-way/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20does%20it%20%E2%80%9Cour%20way%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-does-it-our-way/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20does%20it%20%E2%80%9Cour%20way%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [HRF announces new grants for North Korean human rights](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-announces-new-grants-for-north-korean-human-rights-2/) **Published:** October 3, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Unnamed.jpg "Unnamed | nk insider")**NEW YORK** (Oct. 3, 2024) — The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce a new set of grants to help strengthen the work of civil society organizations in South Korea focused on improving North Korean human rights, education, and resettlement. This year’s grantees include: The **NGO Council for North Korean Human Rights** will host a seminar on promoting human rights in North Korea and the unification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, a workshop will be held to prepare for the 2025 Seoul World Convention on North Korean Human Rights. **NK Human Rights Corporation (NKHRC)** will organize seminars every Tuesday to discuss how to strengthen the North Korean Human Rights Act, which aims to protect the rights of North Korean citizens according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The seminars feature guest speakers that include lawyers, scholars, and defectors. **Korea Young Leaders Forum** will be hosting a conference and networking sessions to assist young professionals in expanding their understanding of North Korean human rights issues and exploring practical solutions and new strategies for human rights activism, training the next generation of human rights activists and young professionals. **International Democracy Hub (IDH)** will organize a series of concerts by North Korean defectors and South Korean college students to inform various members of South Korean society of the severity of North Korean human rights through music. The **North Korea Baseball Association** will shoot a documentary capturing the experiences of defector youths in America. These organizations cover a wide range of important areas, reflective of the multifaceted nature of North Korean human rights issues today. In addition to the five groups mentioned above, HRF has awarded grants to five more organizations. These projects include validating and evaluating the pre-developed generative AI tool that allows young North Koreans to access global information without an Internet connection, facilitating the flow of information to and from North Korea, the organization of a talk show and concert featuring both South Korean and North Korean musicians to build public support for a free and unified Korea, and supporting students who have defected and who are currently pursuing advanced degrees in the United States. Over the past 15 years, HRF has led pro-democracy and human rights initiatives to empower North Koreans and defectors, providing activists with the necessary resources, skills, contacts, and platforms to make a difference. “These grants go to a diverse array of Korea-based civil society organizations,” HRF Korea Desk Director Seongmin Lee said, “and we expect this support to make a meaningful impact in amplifying the voices of defectors and paving the way for a future where all North Koreans can finally enjoy the dignity and respect they deserve.” Read more about HRF’s North Korea Initiatives [here](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/?mc_cid=afb647e077&mc_eid=fb90e2936f). *The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies.* *For further information about our Korea programs, please email* [*seongmin.lee@hrf.org*](mailto:seongmin.lee@hrf.org)*. For interview requests or further comment, please email* [*media@hrf.org*](mailto:media@hrf.org)*.* --- The post was originally [published](https://hrf.org/hrf-announces-new-grants-for-north-korean-human-rights#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(Oct.,rights%2C%20education%2C%20and%20resettlement. "published") on HRF’s website. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=HRF%20announces%20new%20grants%20for%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=HRF%20announces%20new%20grants%20for%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=HRF%20announces%20new%20grants%20for%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-announces-new-grants-for-north-korean-human-rights-2/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=HRF%20announces%20new%20grants%20for%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-announces-new-grants-for-north-korean-human-rights-2/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=HRF%20announces%20new%20grants%20for%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights "Reddit") **Categories:** HRF Grants --- ### [Role reversal: why most criminals in North Korea are now women](https://www.nkinsider.org/role-reversal-why-most-criminals-in-north-korea-are-now-women/) **Published:** October 5, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Istock-1500329761.jpg "Silhouette of desperate people are in a dark cell human trafficking stop abusing violence | nk insider")A recent video used in public lectures and compulsory study sessions provides a glimpse into the types of crimes prevalent these days in North Korea. Until now, the regime has educated and verbally warned citizens about illegal activities in compulsory lectures arranged by local party authorities. However, recently, they have started to produce videos that present criminal incidents and even feature criminals giving warnings to others as a way of driving the message home. One such video, obtained by NK Insider, concerns crimes committed by women. In it, the narrator, Kang Geum-joo, a senior judge at the Pyongyang City Court, starts by blaming lax work unit supervision and education. “Until these crimes were detected, we (in each factory, enterprise, and unit) were unaware of them,” she says. “How ineffective and blind were the officials who should have structured ideological education and control based on the characteristics of their organization and unit, ensuring that even minor abnormal elements did not appear?” She then goes on to list up the types of crime in question. Crimes “related to the desire for personal property” are the most common, she says, followed by [drug offenses](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/north-korea-drugs-meth-methamphetamine-opium-poppies-smuggling-medicine-09112024163136.html) and production and distribution of foreign cultural content. Most notably, the narrator observes that women account for more crimes. “Women have even participated in actions that violate the dignity of others. When we look at the criminal activities of female offenders, they have reached levels that men can’t even imagine,” he says. The video goes on to detail some cases. Some people charged with distributing drugs appear on camera and warn viewers that the punishment for drug offenses is severe. Given that even minor drug offenses are punishable by life imprisonment, sources tell us that those involved in the incidents shown in the video would likely have been facing the death penalty. The same applies to [recordings of foreign content](https://monitor.civicus.org/explore/north-korea-laws-used-to-crack-down-on-access-to-foreign-media-and-mobile-phones-with-harsh-punishments/), which are euphemistically referred to as “impurities.” North Korea views all films, literature, and music from other countries with hostility. It sees all countries, in other words, as enemies. Anyone possessing such content without approval risks being branded an anti-socialist, non-socialist, or regime-threatening criminal. North Koreans are as human as anyone else and even with the surveillance network woven around them like a spider’s web, they experience life with others, and enjoy close personal relationships. They yearn for and share news of the outside world. The greatest fear of the authorities is that people will awaken to the reality of their dictatorship and become aware of democracy. Kim Jong-il, the late father of Kim Jong-un, is once alleged to have said, “People must be starving to listen well.” In other words, when they are struggling with hunger, they will obey the leader and the party. This explains why, in 80 years of hereditary rule, they have never once been permitted the freedom to eat, wear, use, watch, speak, or move as they please. If anything, in the current Kim Jong-un era, control has been tightened. Life in contemporary North Korea is one of extreme hardship. In this context, the fact that female crime rates surpass male crime rates is a stark indicator of how bad things really are. Typically, men commit more crimes than women. In North Korea, however, we are seeing a role reversal. North Korea is a highly organized society. After graduating from high school at 17, men go into the military or are assigned to [Youth Storm Brigades](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240807002300315) working at construction sites, in coal mines and on farms. Even after being discharged, their life is strictly managed by the authorities, with relocations and reassignments carried out according to instructions and without time off in between. Women are similarly assigned in groups to the military, Youth Storm Brigade, coal mines, mines, munitions factories, and farms after high school. But their situation changes once they get married. They then retire from factory work and, as mothers taking care of children and the home, depend on their husband’s support. They are nevertheless still affiliated with the Socialist Women’s Union of Korea or party organizations in their residential area and continue to receive directives. Men, meanwhile, are sent away from their homes to carry out tasks assigned by the party or are subject to “forced mobilization” which refers to labor that is accompanied by little or no compensation. If they ignore the party’s orders, they risk being sentenced to labor training centers or labor reform. Praised as one of the “wheels of the revolution,” women are burdened with all kinds of social and agricultural tasks, and other obligations. Dependent housewives, in particular, face even more daily duties of this sort than men who report to work in factories. They are, for example, mobilized to support construction projects for rural homes, ensure supplies of materials, support farms with planting and harvesting, and repair railroads and roads. As such projects are party assignments, which makes it a crime to openly express dissatisfaction. On top of all this, they are required to fully participate in educational events, public lectures, and Life Review Sessions organized by the party. In recent years, there is a new trend of women running private businesses hiring other people for the cost of lunch or a small payment to do these obligatory tasks for them while they continue to focus on moneymaking. Thus, poor women find themselves almost daily engaging in organized tasks without the time to develop more lucrative commercial activities themselves. To escape this cycle, women are jumping into any money-making opportunity that presents itself, no matter the risk. Whether the regime will ever be able to contain this remains to be seen. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Role%20reversal%3A%20why%20most%20criminals%20in%20North%20Korea%20are%20now%20women&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Role%20reversal%3A%20why%20most%20criminals%20in%20North%20Korea%20are%20now%20women https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Role%20reversal%3A%20why%20most%20criminals%20in%20North%20Korea%20are%20now%20women "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/role-reversal-why-most-criminals-in-north-korea-are-now-women/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Role%20reversal%3A%20why%20most%20criminals%20in%20North%20Korea%20are%20now%20women&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/role-reversal-why-most-criminals-in-north-korea-are-now-women/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Role%20reversal%3A%20why%20most%20criminals%20in%20North%20Korea%20are%20now%20women "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [When true self-reliance turns on the lights](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-true-self-reliance-turns-on-the-lights/) **Published:** June 11, 2024 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Istock-1155291207-2-1.jpg "North korea apartment house | nk insider")What image best captures the core difference between the two Koreas? Perhaps it is that famous photograph of the peninsula at night with the stark contrast between the blazing light of South Korea and the near darkness of North Korea. This single image speaks volumes. No more need be said. North Korea is a country shrouded in darkness. Therein lies a story. When I tell people about the well-known movies and Disney cartoons I watched when I was growing up in North Korea, they’re usually surprised. “How could you watch TV in a country without electricity?” they ask. I find this reaction strange to the point of being bizarre. It has been 145 years since electricity was invented and 99 years since TV was invented. The real surprise should be that North Koreans still lack access to electricity and TV. Instead, this seems to be accepted and people are surprised when they hear a North Korean has had access. The truth is that, despite the absence of streetlights for the satellites to pick up, people still manage to use electricity. How that happens is a bit different from what we might think. When a country is developed with good infrastructure, everything seems great. Elevators, electricity, water supply, and gas all work. Our lives constantly benefit from these amenities. But what happens when disaster strikes and there’s a power outage? Recently, my mother and I experienced a 30-minute blackout caused by maintenance. She sat idly, unable to enjoy her TV shows, and I had to forgo my usual trip to the café, unwilling to choose a brief joy over my knee joints. I would have had to take the steps all the way down to the bottom of our apartment block. The situation was resolved in 30 minutes, but what if it had lasted a whole day? Or longer? What if a disaster shut down all infrastructure? Black swans happen. In such a scenario, North Korea might not seem so bad. People there are accustomed to chronic emergencies and, though their methods are outdated and manual, they have disaster-resistant electricity and living facilities. To explain, we all know the country has trouble generating electricity. While you may have watched Cinderella under a light bulb, I listened to my grandmother’s stories in a house lit by pine resin lamps. When it got dark, I played hide-and-seek with neighborhood kids until a rare moment when electricity arrived and we scampered home excitedly to eat dinner under electric lights, which always seemed tastier. The downside was when the lights went out during dinner. I once hit my chin with my spoon, eating in the dark as my mother rummaged for a candle. Electricity has been a central topic in the leaders’ New Year addresses, yet there’s been little progress. Over the years, the available hours of electricity dwindled from five to three, to one, until it vanished completely. The government tried to solve this by supplying to specific groups and institutions, meaning those privileged few enjoyed 24-hour electricity, while others had none for months. This led people to seek solutions on their own. They would bribe officials in charge of designated groups to siphon off electricity. To get this “stolen electricity,” as it became known, you needed two conditions: proximity to a designated institution and money to bribe the officials. Limited access to electricity became a form of power in North Korean society. Residents flattered institutions, and institutions flattered departments or people in charge of distributing electricity. Of course, all this was done through money or bribes, which could be quite expensive. If you were unable to meet these conditions, you had no choice but to wait indefinitely. In 2005, my home was one of those without electricity due to our inability to meet the first condition. We had no designated institution nearby. This was the situation until I left for college. I rarely watched TV or videos. At school, friends excitedly discussed new movies and cartoons, and I, who loved stories and imagination, felt envious of the boys mimicking movie scenes. I became a child who waited for rain, as that was the only time we had electricity, sometimes lasting for weeks. I grew to love the rain. Electricity seemed like an unsolvable problem, but things changed in 2012 with the introduction of solar panels. Initially, these only provided lighting, not enough to power TVs or appliances, but sufficient for evening meals and study. No longer did we have to stop eating due to sudden blackouts or worry about kids burning their hair on candles while studying. The biggest advantage of solar panels was the freedom to use them without fear of surveillance. Solar panels, batteries, 12-volt TVs, and other devices flooded into North Korea, largely from China, contributing significantly to change. Now, North Koreans have more freedom with electricity and TV, relying on solar power. Each household has a self-sufficient system and is no longer dependent on the government, and is less affected by disasters, though still subject to weather conditions such as sunlight, of course. What I am saying is that for a long time, electricity was a problem North Koreans waited for the government to solve, but which they eventually obtained when they found their own solutions. This applies to more than electricity for homes. It represents a form of independence achieved under harsh conditions without government support. This makes it highly valuable. Having experienced this success through their own effort, North Koreans continue seeking independence in other aspects of life. Therefore, outsiders should consider not only the environment North Koreans find themselves in, but also their mindset in adapting to it. I can sum this up with a popular North Korean anecdote that goes like this: Since 2012, the government promised that the door to a prosperous and powerful nation would open. Despite its efforts, though, the door didn’t budge. People started doubting if they could ever enter that room on the other side. Curiosity about what lay behind the door grew unbearable. One inquisitive young man peeked through the keyhole and then shouted in surprise, “There’s already an old man inside! His name is Self-Reliance!'” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=When%20true%20self-reliance%20turns%20on%20the%20lights&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=When%20true%20self-reliance%20turns%20on%20the%20lights https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=When%20true%20self-reliance%20turns%20on%20the%20lights "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-true-self-reliance-turns-on-the-lights/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=When%20true%20self-reliance%20turns%20on%20the%20lights&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-true-self-reliance-turns-on-the-lights/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=When%20true%20self-reliance%20turns%20on%20the%20lights "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [미국 인권재단 2024 북한인권향상 프로젝트 제안서 모집 (마감일 8월 19일, 월요일)](https://www.nkinsider.org/notice-of-funding-opportunities-2024-human-rights-foundation-call-for-projects-to-improve-north-korean-human-rights/) **Published:** August 11, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Excerpt:** 미국 인권재단 (HRF)은 작년에 이어 올해에도 시민단체에 북한 인권 향상을 위한 기금을 지원하게 되어 기쁘게 생각합니다. 본 기금은 북한 인권 향상을 위해 노력하는 한국 기반 시민단체들과의 파트너십을 통해, 폐쇄 사회에서 인권과 민주주의를 보호하고 증진하는 HRF의 사명에 부합하는 소규모이면서도 효과적인 프로젝트를 지원하는 것을 목표로 합니다. **Content:** 미국 인권재단 (HRF)은 [작년에 이어](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-announces-new-grants-for-north-korean-human-rights/) 올해에도 시민단체에 북한 인권 향상을 위한 기금을 지원하게 되어 기쁘게 생각합니다. 본 기금은 북한 인권 향상을 위해 노력하는 한국 기반 시민단체들과의 파트너십을 통해, 폐쇄 사회에서 인권과 민주주의를 보호하고 증진하는 HRF의 사명에 부합하는 소규모이면서도 효과적인 프로젝트를 지원하는 것을 목표로 합니다. **프로젝트별 최대 지원 금액은 10,000,000원입니다** 이번 기금은 아래와 같은 영역의 프로젝트에 우선순위가 부여됩니다. - 한국 내 탈북민 역량 강화 - 북한 인권 유린 의식 향상과 문제 해결에 초점을 맞춘 창의적인 이벤트 또는 콘퍼런스 - 북한으로의 외부 정보 유입 또는 유출을 목표로 하는 창의적이면서도 안전하게 실행 가능한 프로젝트 - 인권 유린 사례 수집 및 증거 기록을 위한 연구/조사, 이를 통한 책임성 강화 또는 대중 및 국제 인식 제고 **제안서 첨부 내용** - 간략한 단체 소개 (목표, 임무, 단체 규모) 및 지난 2년 간의 활동 내역 - 3 페이지 범위에서 프로젝트 개념 설명, 제안 배경, 이유, 목표, 프로젝트 형식 및 내용, 타겟 대상, 기대 효과 - 예상 프로젝트 실행 기간, 프로 그램 내용, 홍보 계획 - 구체적인 예산 - 제안서 제출: **seongmin.lee@hrf.org** - 제안서 제출 시 이메일 제목: **미국인권재단 2024 북한인권향상 프로젝트 제안서** - 제안서 마감일: **2024 년 8 월 19일 (월) 23:59 KST 까지** **기타 항목** - 마감일 이후로 제출된 제안서는 검토 되지 않습니다. - 제안서는 영문으로 제출 합니다. - 프로젝트 예상 지출안은 알기쉽게 설명되야 합니다. - 프로젝트 관련 운영 및 간접비용은 전체 예산의 15%를 초과할수 없습니다. - 본 프로젝트와 관련하여 받은 다른 자금 출처를 입증하는 경우 평가에 긍정적으로 반영될것입니다. - 현재 프로젝트의 능력을 넘어 지속가능한 이니셔티브에 우선순위가 부여될것입니다. - 옵션 사항으로 프로젝트관련 타기관 추천서 2개 첨부시 긍적적으로 반영됩니다. - 프로젝트 완료후 결과 (영문, 3페이지 이내) 및 예산 보고 (영문, 2페이지 이내)를 제출 합니다. - 제출된 제안서들은 프로젝트 창의성, 단체의 실행 능력, 기대효과 등, 종합적인 검토를 거쳐 선정됩니다. - 심사를 통과한 단체들은 2024년 11월 30일 [**NK Insider** ](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider ")를 통해 발표됩니다. **질문 및 답변** - 임의단체도 지원가능하나요? 네, 가능합니다. - 지원 마감일이 19일(월)로 나와 있는데 이날 마감하는가요? 네, 19일 23:59분까지 지원서를 받습니다. - 인건비 같은 경우 전체 예산의 15% 내에서만 책정 가능한가요? 네, 맞습니다. 본 공지와 관련된 추가 질문은 ‘[문의](https://www.nkinsider.org/contact/ "문의")‘를 통해 받습니다. *(영문 버전을 보시려면 [여기를](https://www.nkinsider.org/notice-of-funding-opportunities-2024-human-rights-foundation-call-for-projects-to-improve-north-korean-human-rights-2/ "여기를") 클릭하세요.)* --- **미국 인권재단** **| Human Rights Foundation (HRF)** HRF는 인권을 보호하고 자유 민주주의 촉진을 사명으로 하는 인권재단입니다. 특히 폐쇄적인 나라의 인권문제를 전 세계에 알리고, 대중의 관심을 모으는 일에 앞장서고 있습니다. HRF는 미국 뉴욕에 본부를 두고 있으며, 2005년 창립 이후 1) 대중 교육, 2) 법률 애드보커시 및 법률 서비스 제공, 3) 폐쇄 사회에서 투쟁하는 활동가들에 대한 직접적인 지원을 지속·확대하고 있습니다. 재단은 아시아 여러 나라들에서도 민주주의와 인권 운동을 적극 지원해 왔습니다. 북한인권 향상과 관련하여, 재단은 글로벌 네트워크와 자원을 동원하여 다양한 지원을 해오고 있습니다. 최근 사례로는 2023년에 한국의 여러 북한인권단체들에 10만 달러를 지원했고, 올해도 10개의 북한인권 시민단체가 다양한 영역에 대한 지원을 받게됩니다. 또한 재단은 북한의 정보 장벽을 약화시키기 위해 세계 최초로 실리콘밸리에서 100여명의 컴퓨터 프로그래머와 활동가들이 참가하는 ‘해커탄’을 조직하였고, 2016년에는 여러 상을 수상한 “[Flash Drives for Freedom](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/ "Flash Drives for Freedom")“프로그램을 창립하여 현지 그룹과 협력해 북한 주민들에게 대량의 외부정보를 제공함으로써 북한 정권의 선전 프로파간다에 대항하는 데 중요한 기여를 하였습니다. 현재 까지 북한 유입용으로 13만 7천개 이상의 USB 기억장치와 SD카드를 여러 지역 활동 단체들에 지원했습니다. HRF가 공동 제작한 영화 “[비욘드 유토피아”](https://youtu.be/sVmKew4YYSY "비욘드 유토피아"")는 [오슬로 프리덤 포럼](https://oslofreedomforum.com/ "오슬로 프리덤 포럼")에 연사로 참여한 인권 운동가이자 한국에 기반을 둔 ‘갈렙선교회’ 김성은 목사의 탈북민 가족 구출 이야기를 다룬 다큐멘터리입니다. 이 영화는 2023년 미국 선댄스 영화제에서 관객상을 포함해 여러 부분에서 수상 밑 후보에 올라 북한의 인권 문제에 대한 국제적 인식 제고에 기여했습니다. 마지막으로 재단은 2024년 1월, 탈북민들이 북한에 대한 뉴스, 이슈 분석, 의견을 게재하여 국제사회와 직접 소통할 수 있는 최초의 독자적인 영어 뉴스 웹사이트 “[NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/)” 를 선보였으며 현재 100여 개 나라의 많은 독자들이 이 사이트를 매일 방문하고 있습니다. 재단 활동의 전체 아카이브는 [hrf.org](https://hrf.org/)에서 확인하실 수 있습니다. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%EB%AF%B8%EA%B5%AD%20%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%9E%AC%EB%8B%A8%202024%20%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%ED%96%A5%EC%83%81%20%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%EC%A0%9D%ED%8A%B8%20%EC%A0%9C%EC%95%88%EC%84%9C%20%EB%AA%A8%EC%A7%91%20%28%EB%A7%88%EA%B0%90%EC%9D%BC%208%EC%9B%94%2019%EC%9D%BC%2C%20%EC%9B%94%EC%9A%94%EC%9D%BC%29&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%EB%AF%B8%EA%B5%AD%20%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%9E%AC%EB%8B%A8%202024%20%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%ED%96%A5%EC%83%81%20%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%EC%A0%9D%ED%8A%B8%20%EC%A0%9C%EC%95%88%EC%84%9C%20%EB%AA%A8%EC%A7%91%20%28%EB%A7%88%EA%B0%90%EC%9D%BC%208%EC%9B%94%2019%EC%9D%BC%2C%20%EC%9B%94%EC%9A%94%EC%9D%BC%29 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%EB%AF%B8%EA%B5%AD%20%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%9E%AC%EB%8B%A8%202024%20%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%ED%96%A5%EC%83%81%20%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%EC%A0%9D%ED%8A%B8%20%EC%A0%9C%EC%95%88%EC%84%9C%20%EB%AA%A8%EC%A7%91%20%28%EB%A7%88%EA%B0%90%EC%9D%BC%208%EC%9B%94%2019%EC%9D%BC%2C%20%EC%9B%94%EC%9A%94%EC%9D%BC%29 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/notice-of-funding-opportunities-2024-human-rights-foundation-call-for-projects-to-improve-north-korean-human-rights/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%EB%AF%B8%EA%B5%AD%20%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%9E%AC%EB%8B%A8%202024%20%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%ED%96%A5%EC%83%81%20%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%EC%A0%9D%ED%8A%B8%20%EC%A0%9C%EC%95%88%EC%84%9C%20%EB%AA%A8%EC%A7%91%20%28%EB%A7%88%EA%B0%90%EC%9D%BC%208%EC%9B%94%2019%EC%9D%BC%2C%20%EC%9B%94%EC%9A%94%EC%9D%BC%29&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/notice-of-funding-opportunities-2024-human-rights-foundation-call-for-projects-to-improve-north-korean-human-rights/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%EB%AF%B8%EA%B5%AD%20%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%EC%9E%AC%EB%8B%A8%202024%20%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B8%EA%B6%8C%ED%96%A5%EC%83%81%20%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%EC%A0%9D%ED%8A%B8%20%EC%A0%9C%EC%95%88%EC%84%9C%20%EB%AA%A8%EC%A7%91%20%28%EB%A7%88%EA%B0%90%EC%9D%BC%208%EC%9B%94%2019%EC%9D%BC%2C%20%EC%9B%94%EC%9A%94%EC%9D%BC%29 "Reddit") **Categories:** HRF Grants --- ### [Do recent changes presage an imminent wave of mass defections?](https://www.nkinsider.org/do-recent-changes-presage-an-imminent-wave-of-mass-defections/) **Published:** July 22, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Istock-1125858187.jpg "Public transport in north korea | nk insider")The arrival in South Korea of a senior North Korean diplomat based in Cuba, which was confirmed earlier this month by Seoul’s intelligence agency, highlights the increasing pressures that are likely to prompt more defections, both among the elite and ordinary citizens. Ri Il-kyu was tasked with preventing Havana from signing diplomatic relations with Seoul. The two countries announced ties in February, by which time [Ri had already fled](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/1149520.html) with his wife and child. But his real motive, he said, lay deeper than avoiding punishment for his failure. “The exploitation of labor in North Korean society and the unfair evaluation system were the most fundamental reasons,” he told [KBS-TV](https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=8016700). “I was disillusioned with the North Korean regime, thinking that the society had no future, that it was bleak, and that it would only become worse. Despite having achieved a lot and expecting to live without much hardship until old age, I wondered about my child’s future. I could no longer see a future together with this society,” he said. Several factors conspire to encourage defection. Besides the rapid tightening of North Korea-Russia relations and other foreign policy changes, the increasing status of defectors in South Korea, the military confrontation over the DMZ, as well as internal political and economic instability are all likely to stimulate North Koreans at all levels to want to escape. While each story has its own unique qualities, the pattern of defection from the socialist North to the capitalist South has become an inseparable feature of modern history. There have been some cases of southerners fleeing to the North, but the overwhelming majority have been the other way with North Koreans choosing South Korea as their destination because they consider it their homeland. This history began just four days after the July 27, 1953, ceasefire that ended the Korean War when Lieutenant Colonel Ahn Chang-sik of the North Korean 15th Division crossed the DMZ. [Since then about 34,000 defectors have settled in South Korea.](https://www.unikorea.go.kr/eng_unikorea/whatwedo/support/%3B#:~:text=As%20of%20December%202023.12%2C%20a,Korean%20defectors%20entered%20South%20Korea.) He was followed by a trickle of escapees, mostly soldiers running across the DMZ. But in the 1990s, it became a flood as ordinary people escaped the famine. The numbers have sharply decreased over the past five years due to the North’s tight border controls and its cooperation with China in repatriating people who enter illegally. Another factor deterring northerners was the forced repatriation of some defectors by the previous administration in Seoul. Under the current government of Yoon Suk-yeol that policy has changed. Yoon’s establishment of July 14 as an official North Korean Defectors’ Day holiday has reignited the flame. “We will never return any North Korean compatriot who seeks refuge in South Korea,” Yoon said in a speech marking the occasion. A defector named Kim who attended the event on that day said the pledge reminded him of the image of defectors being dragged back through the Joint Security Area. “I shed tears thinking that there would no longer be unfair treatment of defectors in South Korea,” he said. “The establishment of North Korean Defectors’ Day gave us new hope,” said Jung, who is from Onsong, North Hamgyong Province. A defector named Jo predicted that, as news of Yoon’s position regarding defectors spreads in the North, the steady flow of defections will increase. “When overseas workers decide to defect, their two main concerns are leaving their families behind and how the South will treat them,” he said. “The regime warns them against defection, saying the South would use them for biological experiments or try to send them back as spies. North Korean Defectors’ Day has removed that second concern.” According to a source in North Korea, residents near the border in Yanggang and North Hamgyong provinces are hearing more people expressing their intention to go to the South. “People here often listen to South Korean broadcasts through radios and satellite TVs to avoid the eyes of the regime,” the source said. “Someone in Hyesan City told me that the South had designated a North Korean Defectors’ Day and was waiting for us. She said she has no hope left and that if there is even a slight opportunity, she will go to South Korea.” **Broadcasts across the DMZ** Another factor that will encourage a different type of defector is the psychological warfare broadcasts across the DMZ which South Korea has just resumed in response to the barrage of balloons containing excrement and garbage, which the North has sent in the last two months. “The broadcasts have an undeniable psychological impact on North Korean soldiers,” said Kang, 43, who escaped across the DMZ in 2010. “I developed a desire to go south because of similar broadcasts. If you hear them a lot, South Korea loses its unfamiliarity, and you gain the desire to live there, and the confidence that you can live there.” “The broadcasts taught me that I was a slave,” said Lee, 31, a former officer who entered South Korea in 2022. “At first, I didn’t believe it, but gradually the logic got to me and I eventually understood and believed it. Once I realized that I was living a slave’s life, I didn’t want to bury my precious youth anymore.” Even if soldiers hearing the broadcasts don’t defect immediately, after completing military service, they become people the regime can no longer trust, he said. “I think the restarting of the broadcasts is a fatal blow for the regime,” he said. **Weakening China relations, strengthening Russia relations** China is the most reliable enabler of the Kim regime through its policy of forcibly returning defectors. The government in Beijing was hit by international public opinion this year by forcibly repatriating hundreds of North Korean escapees. However, North Korea’s recent coziness with Russia comes at China’s expense. Since the end of June, for example, North Korea has been using Russian satellites instead of ChinaSat 12 to broadcast signals, the unification ministry in Seoul said. Reuters also quoted South Korean satellite broadcast providers saying that signals from North Korea’s Chosun Central TV are now being newly transmitted through Russia’s Express 103 satellite. China expressed its displeasure by demanding the repatriation of all North Korean workers in China whose visas have expired. Beijing also sent a diplomatic delegation to South Korea to discuss diplomatic and military issues. Instead of getting the message, North Korea is further showcasing its special friendship with Russia. Kim Jong-un met with a military delegation led by Deputy Defense Minister Aleksey Krivoruchko on July 18. A delegation headed by Kim Geum-cheol, Director of the Kim Il-sung Military Academy, headed to Moscow for talks. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Kcna-russian-minister.jpg "Kcna russian minister | nk insider")Kim Jong-un meets with Russian Deputy Defense Minister Aleksey Krivoruchko in Pyongyang on July 18 (Image: KCNA)**Deteriorating internal situation in the North** After Kim Jong-un set a high exchange rate of 8,900 North Korean Won to the dollar at state-run exchange offices in October 2023 (when the market rate was 8,500), the rate skyrocketed. Within a month, it almost doubled. Prices soared. Living conditions have gone from bad to worse. Already back in November, a recent defector from Onjin County, South Hwanghae Province, told an interviewer that people had starved to death after the end of the pandemic. “We cannot afford to eat in the markets. Beggars snatch food from passersby. There are continuous rumors in Byeok Song and Yongyeon that cannibalism persists,” he said, referring to two of the poorest counties. “It feels like something big could happen anytime.” The defection of Ri Il-kyu’s family from Cuba feeds this expectation. Ri told South Korea’s TV Chosun that Kim Jong-un’s recent dropping of unification as a goal removed any hope of a better life. “Every North Korean parent’s wish is to give their children a better life,” he said. “This can only be achieved through reunification. Kim Jong-un’s statement that there will be no reunification has taken away our last hope.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Do%20recent%20changes%20presage%20an%20imminent%20wave%20of%20mass%20defections%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Do%20recent%20changes%20presage%20an%20imminent%20wave%20of%20mass%20defections%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Do%20recent%20changes%20presage%20an%20imminent%20wave%20of%20mass%20defections%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/do-recent-changes-presage-an-imminent-wave-of-mass-defections/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Do%20recent%20changes%20presage%20an%20imminent%20wave%20of%20mass%20defections%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/do-recent-changes-presage-an-imminent-wave-of-mass-defections/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Do%20recent%20changes%20presage%20an%20imminent%20wave%20of%20mass%20defections%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [The dictator’s women](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-dictators-women/) **Published:** September 30, 2024 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Istock-1096489006.jpg "Kim ilsung pins | nk insider")One day in July 2012, North Korea’s state media made a grand announcement. The First Lady, Ri Sol-ju, wife of the new leader Kim Jong-un, had attended an official event. This was hugely significant, as it was a first. Until then, no First Lady had ever appeared in this way. The people were fascinated. Ri wore a short skirt, a sparkling blouse, and high heels, the type of fashion that had long been deemed unacceptable and controlled. What shocked viewers the most was what was hanging on the left side of her chest. North Koreans are required to pin a Kim family badge over their heart. But Ri sported just a large ribbon. People were flustered by this exception she created, not knowing how to react. Two types of responses emerged. Young women cheered and scoured the markets to find clothes in the same style. In short, Ri became a trendsetter, an icon among the young. The elderly, meanwhile, shook their heads in disapproval. They believed a First Lady should set a good example, and thought she was setting a bad one. “I don’t think a skirt that short is appropriate,” my uncle said. “How can a performer become the First Lady?” said another person I know, referring to Ri’s previous job as a singer. “In the old days, she would have been no different than a courtesan.” What is clear is that, whether for better or worse, her appearance was intense and glamorous. People whispered every time she appeared. Behind the scenes, certain assumptions became widely accepted as facts. Ri Sol-ju’s appearance was a consequence of Kim Jong-un’s suffering. It was said that he harbored deep pain over his mother, [Ko Yong-hui](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/09/103_247323.html), who was never permitted to appear in public as the leader’s wife. Even her funeral was held in secret. But regardless of Kim Jong-un’s feelings and wishes, wasn’t that how it was supposed to be? Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, had too many wives. Which one could he have possibly brought out in public? I am reminded as I write of a distant relative who became one of Kim Jong-il’s personal secretaries. Her family was very ordinary. One day, she disappeared. The family searched for her, not knowing what had happened. Later, her brother was summoned by someone for a secret reunion with her. When they met, she couldn’t stop crying. He asked many questions. How are you? Where do you live? She said nothing, but in response took off her watch and handed it to him as a parting gift. Despite being the dictator’s woman, she had no power. Later, family members hoped they might benefit, but they received no special treatment. Her brother, who had graduated from a military medical school, was shocked when he was assigned to a post in the countryside. From that moment on, he drowned his feelings in alcohol. Then one day, after ten years of drinking and lamenting his fate, he received an order. He was to be promoted from his position as a low-ranking military doctor to head of the army’s medical department, the highest rank for a military surgeon. He was thrilled. But his heart, worn out by years of drinking, couldn’t contain the excitement. He died that same night Even though she was close to the highest authority, it took years for her to be able to help him and it turned out to be too late. The truth was that she was not that significant. I should mention now another woman who was similarly ordinary but rose to the highest level. Her name is [Hyon Song-wol](https://www.chosun.com/english/north-korea-en/2024/04/09/WBKHXWYENBDFLM7OIJU226INXY/). Once a singer in the Unhasu Orchestra, people began assigning significance to her relationship with Ri Sol-ju when she became the head of the Moranbong Band. In a society like North Korea, where power is absolute, coincidences are impossible. Those who knew her said she was fickle. It was no secret to anyone at the [Kumsong Academy of Music](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/853496.html) that the members of the Moranbong Band had to work hard to keep up with her ever-changing moods. Most band members had trained at the school, so they were all familiar with this. Despite her poor reputation, her rise in power never slowed. In October 2017, she became a candidate member of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party, and two years later she was promoted to the Central Committee. This shocked me. It wasn’t because Hyon Song-wol was a woman—after all, I oppose patriarchal thinking and support women’s rights. What surprised me was that, no matter how hard I looked, I could find no reason for her promotion. It made no sense. Without any proper resume or career, she became the Deputy Director of the Central Committee. Isn’t this a modern version of a hiring corruption scandal? At this point, Hyon was exercising more power than Ri. People began to have reasonable suspicions about who was backing her. We didn’t want to admit it, but eventually, we accepted that there was some kind of relationship between her and Kim Jong-un. One thing is certain and that is that, unlike his father’s women, the ladies around Kim Jong-un are way more prominent. Around October 2013, something shocking happened. The members of the [Unhasu Orchestra ](https://adamcathcart.com/2015/06/06/unhasu-orchestra-executions-purge/)were accused of filming pornographic videos to make money and executed. This was the official charge announced by the Party. Around ten people were sentenced to death. The entire orchestra was summoned to the execution site to witness the gruesome event. Some fainted. The scene was so horrific that one witness later confessed they could never shake the nightmare of that day, even after time had passed. The public couldn’t believe the official explanation for the Unhasu incident. The charges simply didn’t make sense. Even if they had filmed such acts, who would sell those recordings? Who would buy them? Moreover, the orchestra members weren’t in such a desperate or impoverished situation that they needed to film and sell such videos. So, what truly led them to their deaths? People were curious. We began to whisper. It was widely known that First Lady Ri Sol-ju had been a singer in the orchestra. The members lived together in a dormitory and knew one another well. It is to be expected that under such circumstances, there would have been tension and gossip. Anyone could be the subject of rumor. But who could have known that a colleague who had once been a topic of casual gossip would become the wife of the god-like leader? They couldn’t adapt to this sudden change and hold their tongue, and that was what led to their deaths. Rumors about this circulated at the time. A friend of mine who had a cousin in the orchestra said that they all knew about the First Lady’s ex-boyfriend. “Only after these executions did the surviving orchestra members learn to fear the First Lady,” she said. Truly, such power is terrifying. The more I confront the truth about the dictator and those around him, the more disgusted and repulsed I feel. As someone once said, “If you are too far from the sun, you freeze to death, but if you get too close, you burn.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20dictator%E2%80%99s%20women&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20dictator%E2%80%99s%20women https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20dictator%E2%80%99s%20women "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-dictators-women/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20dictator%E2%80%99s%20women&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-dictators-women/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20dictator%E2%80%99s%20women "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) **Published:** September 30, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Bildschirmfoto-2024-09-30-um-3 51 27 pm.jpg "Bildschirmfoto 20240930 um 3 51 27 pm | nk insider")An increasing number of couples in North Korea live separately without divorcing and, at the same time, younger couples are increasingly living together without marrying. The explanation for these social trends is that, while divorce is legal, marriage policy throws up such obstacles as to make it nearly impossible. “With the younger generation especially, it is now common for couples to live together without officially registering their marriage,” one source in the country familiar with its social patterns said in a recent phone interview. In the past, unhappy couples generally stayed together due both to the government’s anti-divorce policy as well as the stigma surrounding divorce. This changed in the 2000s when the “jangmadang generation” emerged as the driving force of society and found new solutions. One was to live together without registering. Another was for married couples to separate and find new partners without ever doing the paperwork. The source cited the example in Hamhung City of a man named Jeong, 35, living with Lee, 30. After five years together, they still have not registered. As they have no children yet, they see no point in doing so. “This is not an isolated case,” he said. “You see this everywhere now.” The source described the case of Jeon, 45, who lives in the Seongyo district of Pyongyang and has been separated from his wife for ten years. His wife had filed for divorce back in 2010, after Jeon returned from a five-year work assignment in Angola and brought back only $500. In court, the judge said they could divorce, but that Jeon would have to move out of the capital to the countryside. The judge also warned that their son would face serious restrictions in the future, such as difficulty joining the Workers’ Party or advancing socially and being permitted to work internationally. As a result, the couple dropped their divorce plans and decided to live apart. Both now live with new partners while maintaining their legal marriage. Such “double marriage” or “overlapping relationships” are reportedly becoming more common among the elite in Pyongyang, as well as poorer people in the provinces. Jo, 45, a miner in Kyongwon County, North Hamgyong Province, separated from his wife seven years ago. They dropped plans to divorce after finding that they would have to bribe officials. Jo lives with his second “wife” without any recognition by the state of their partnership. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Obstacles%20to%20divorce%20force%20couples%20to%20live%20double%20lives&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Obstacles%20to%20divorce%20force%20couples%20to%20live%20double%20lives https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Obstacles%20to%20divorce%20force%20couples%20to%20live%20double%20lives "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Obstacles%20to%20divorce%20force%20couples%20to%20live%20double%20lives&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Obstacles%20to%20divorce%20force%20couples%20to%20live%20double%20lives "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) **Published:** September 26, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Bildschirmfoto-2024-09-26-um-4 31 42 pm.jpg "Bildschirmfoto 20240926 um 4 31 42 pm | nk insider")Like a surgeon who recommends a heart transplant, when a politician says South Korea should change its core national objective, people need to trust him before his radical therapy can even be considered. A quack doesn’t have a chance. Thus it was that after Im Jong-seok, who served as Chief of Staff in the Moon Jae-In administration, proposed that South Korea should give up on reunification with North Korea and just “be happy,” he was condemned from all sides. Figures in his own party criticized him, the presidential office said his proposal contradicted the constitution (which commits the country to reunify), and conservatives and defectors said he’s a spy. Im’s suggested new approach was a response to North Korea’s rejection of reunification and characterization of the South as its “main enemy.” In fact, it was the first speech by a prominent politician directly responding to the change that Kim Jong-un announced at the end of last year. Speaking at the 6th-anniversary ceremony of the September 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration between Moon and Kim Jong-un, he said: “The North Korean regime has declared the relationship between the North and South as hostile nations rather than a single ethnic group, and the hard-line policies of the current government have made unification impossible.” “Unification without a commitment to trust and peace would only lead to mutual destruction, so let’s stop fighting and accept the current reality as it is,” he said. “Let’s not unify. Isn’t it better to live separately while respecting and helping each other to be happy together?” For North Korean defectors, this idea is hippy nonsense. Given that the 26 million residents of North Korea have been reduced to a state of slavery, they cannot receive respect, nor can they ever be truly happy. Im made no mention of the human rights of actual North Koreans. He only used the collective terms “North Korea” and “North Korean regime,” while claiming that the two Koreas are “peaceful states” rather than “hostile states.” He also brought up the question of abolishing the Ministry of Unification and doing away with the National Security Law. That these are North Korean talking points brings the spotlight on Im. Were he a noted pro-freedom activist or a conservative, that would be one thing. But Im’s background raises eyebrows. When he was a student in the 1980s, Im Jong-seok was the chairman of the National Council of Student Representatives, an anti-government group. He was jailed for his part in arranging for student Im Su-kyung to go to North Korea on an unauthorized visit to celebrate the 13th World Youth and Student Festival, an international event for communist countries. His five-year sentence was for aiding and abetting special public duty obstruction, violations of the National Security Law (among others), as well as violations related to violent acts, usage of incendiary devices, and violations of laws concerning gatherings and protests. Im was released after three and a half years and was pardoned in 1999. Im’s controversial proposal brought this past record back into focus. One individual, Kim, 54, who was previously involved in pro-North Korean activities as part of the radical student “jucheist” group with Im, but who later changed his views after witnessing the famine in North Korea in the 1990s and listening to testimonies from defectors, and now is working at a North Korean human rights organization, pointed out in an interview with our agency: “It was clear to me that Im Jong-seok has not changed at all,” he said. “In my view, he still subscribes to the juche ideology and follows North Korea. Given that Kim Jong-un has declared South Korea an enemy and introduced a two-state policy on the Korean Peninsula, I cannot help but question the identity of Im Jong-seok when he says, ‘Let’s not unify.'” Meanwhile, Joo, 56, who was also dedicated to the student movement when she was young, and now studies unification at Soongsil University, directly labeled Im Jong-seok as “a really bad guy.” “I can somewhat understand the anti-government activities he engaged in during the military regime to fight for democracy in the past,” she said. “However, to echo Kim Jong-un’s fallacies today by saying, ‘Let’s not unify,’ is a statement that negates all of his past activities and raises doubts about his identity.” North Korean defector groups held a press conference on September 23 at the National Assembly to condemn Im. During the press conference, Assemblyman Park Choong-kwon, himself a defector, made the following remarks: “Im Jong-Seok, the former Chief of Staff at the Blue House during the Moon Jae-In administration, made the unconstitutional and pro-North statements, ‘Let’s not unify. The North and South should recognize each other’s systems and coexist.’ He denied the constitutional values of South Korea and drove a nail into the hearts of the 34,000 North Korean defectors and 10 million separated families who have relatives in the North. He also ignored the human rights of the 26 million residents of North Korea.” Kim, 43, a defector who fled North Korea in 2010 and currently works with a human rights organization, stated, “Not only did he promote juche ideology in the past and commit criminal offenses, but seeing him now repeating Kim Jong-un’s words verbatim makes me question Im Jong-seok’s identity. How could he act this way if he’s not a spy?” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Defectors%20accuse%20South%20Korean%20politician%20opposing%20unification%20of%20being%20a%20spy&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Defectors%20accuse%20South%20Korean%20politician%20opposing%20unification%20of%20being%20a%20spy https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Defectors%20accuse%20South%20Korean%20politician%20opposing%20unification%20of%20being%20a%20spy "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Defectors%20accuse%20South%20Korean%20politician%20opposing%20unification%20of%20being%20a%20spy&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Defectors%20accuse%20South%20Korean%20politician%20opposing%20unification%20of%20being%20a%20spy "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Notice of Funding Opportunities: HRF Seeks Projects for Improving Human Rights in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/notice-of-funding-opportunities-2024-human-rights-foundation-call-for-projects-to-improve-north-korean-human-rights-2/) **Published:** August 12, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) has announced the second round of its funding opportunity aimed at improving human rights in North Korea. HRF provided [grants to five Korea-based civil society organizations](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-announces-new-grants-for-north-korean-human-rights/ "grants to five Korea-based civil society organizations") last year. The funding this year will support small-scale, high-impact projects (up to KRW 10,000,000 per project) that align with HRF’s mission of protecting and promoting human rights and democracy worldwide, with a focus on closed societies. These projects should aim to improve human rights in North Korea and enhance capacities of North Korean defectors. **Projects aimed at addressing the following areas will receive priority** - Strengthening the capacity of North Korean defectors in South Korea - Events or conferences aimed at raising awareness of and finding solutions regarding North Korean human rights abuses - Creative and feasible projects aimed at safely bringing external information into or out of North Korea. - Research/investigation to document cases and evidence of human rights violations with an aim to increase accountability or international awareness **The proposal components**: - Brief introduction of the organization (goals, mission, membership, etc) and activities over the past two years. - Project concepts, proposal background, rationale, goals, project format and content, target audience, expected impact, and publicity plan, explained in no more than 3 pages. - Project implementation period. - Specific budget. - **Submit the completed proposal to**: seongmin.lee@hrf.org. - **Email subject line for proposal submission:** HRF 2024 NK Human Rights Improvement Project. - **Proposal deadline:** August 19, 2024 (Monday) 23:59 KST. **Other items** - Proposals submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed. - Project management fees and indirect costs should not exceed 15% of the total budget. - Proposals should be submitted in English. - The estimated project expenditure should be clearly explained. - Proof of other funding sources related to the project will be positively reflected during the evaluation. - Priority will be given to sustainable initiatives that extend beyond the current project’s scope. - Optionally, two recommendations from related organizations will be positively considered during the evaluation. - Upon completion of the project, submit a final report (3 pages) and a budget report (2 pages). - Proposals will be selected based on a comprehensive review of the project’s creativity, the organization’s implementation capacity, the expected impact, and other supplemental materials. - Organizations passed the evaluation will be announced on [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) on November 30, 2024. If you have any inquiries, please send them to us through the [Contact Form](https://www.nkinsider.org/contact/). *To see the Korean version of this announcement, please click [here](https://www.nkinsider.org/notice-of-funding-opportunities-2024-human-rights-foundation-call-for-projects-to-improve-north-korean-human-rights/).* --- ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Hrf-logo_horizontal_main-3-1024x107.png "Hrf logohorizontalmain | nk insider") HRF is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. HRF unites people in the common cause of defending human rights and promoting liberal democracy. Our mission is to ensure that freedom is both preserved and promoted around the world. Since our inception in 2005, HRF has expanded along three major lines: public education, legal advocacy, and direct support for activists and dissidents living in closed societies. To view a complete archive of our activities, kindly visit [hrf.org](http://hrf.org). Throughout its history, HRF has focused extensively on pro-democracy and human rights work in Asia, including North Korea. Initiated in 2016, HRF’s multi-award winning program *[Flash Drives for Freedom](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/)* has made significant progress in countering the totalitarian Kim Jong-un regime’s self-serving propaganda by making more unfiltered information available for North Koreans in partnership with field-local groups, and the program continues to have a reverberating impact in increasing international awareness of the plight of North Koreans. HRF’s executive-produced film, *[Beyond Utopia](https://youtu.be/sVmKew4YYSY "Beyond Utopia")*, which follows [Oslo Freedom Forum](https://oslofreedomforum.com/) speaker, Korean human rights activist and head of the South Korea-based Caleb Mission, Pastor Seungeun Kim, won multiple film nominations and awards including the U.S. Documentary Compeition: Audience Award at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, enhancing awareness of North Korean human rights globally. In January 2024, HRF launched *[NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider"),* the first English-language news platform featuring unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. HRF’s investment in these causes by mobilizing its resources and extensive networks of the global community continues today. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Notice%20of%20Funding%20Opportunities%3A%20HRF%20Seeks%20Projects%20for%20Improving%20Human%20Rights%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Notice%20of%20Funding%20Opportunities%3A%20HRF%20Seeks%20Projects%20for%20Improving%20Human%20Rights%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Notice%20of%20Funding%20Opportunities%3A%20HRF%20Seeks%20Projects%20for%20Improving%20Human%20Rights%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/notice-of-funding-opportunities-2024-human-rights-foundation-call-for-projects-to-improve-north-korean-human-rights-2/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Notice%20of%20Funding%20Opportunities%3A%20HRF%20Seeks%20Projects%20for%20Improving%20Human%20Rights%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/notice-of-funding-opportunities-2024-human-rights-foundation-call-for-projects-to-improve-north-korean-human-rights-2/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Notice%20of%20Funding%20Opportunities%3A%20HRF%20Seeks%20Projects%20for%20Improving%20Human%20Rights%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** HRF Grants --- ### [Crackdown on smoking doesn’t stop Kim Jong-un from lighting up](https://www.nkinsider.org/crackdown-on-smoking-doesnt-stop-kim-jong-un-from-lighting-up/) **Published:** September 23, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Rodong-sinmun.jpg "Rodong sinmun | nk insider")North Korea has launched an educational campaign telling people to get with the times and stop smoking, but the chain-smoking leader Kim Jong-un doesn’t appear to have got the message. Making its point with the usual dose of abuse for citizens, a new government video calls smokers “21st-century laggards” who refuse to “break free from outdated habits.” In a showing last month in Onsong County, Chongjin City, secretly recorded and made available, residents were harangued about the global trend against smoking. The video showed people, primarily from Pyongyang, lighting up in public places. “What’s even more concerning is that these smokers, who light up without regard for time or place, are young people,” the narrator said. This phenomenon, the video said, contradicts a flourishing new “youth hero culture” that emphasizes noble virtues and customs that is allegedly spreading across the country, particularly in places where young people live and work. “If individuals behave immorally and are uncultured like this, what will happen to the beautiful and noble socialist traditions that previous generations have created and passed down?” the narrator said. “How can we be confident in our future when faced with such behavior?” Following the lecture, the party official leading the meeting sharply criticized smokers. “Smoking on the streets, causing discomfort to others, is a social problem that can no longer be ignored.” Those present, our source tells us, were somewhat confused by these remarks. It made them immediately think of Kim Jong-un, a man who always smokes in public and at events. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Bildschirmfoto-2024-09-23-um-6 30 17 pm-1024x847.jpg "Bildschirmfoto 20240923 um 6 30 17 pm | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Kcna-cigarette.jpg "Kcna cigarette | nk insider")Kim Jong-un visited a classroom of children evacuated after floods using the ashtray next to him (Image: KCTV, KCNA)On August 16, the day before the lecture, Kim visited the 4.25 House on the outskirts of Pyongyang, where children affected by recent floods are staying in temporary facilities and continuing their studies. State TV showed him beside an ashtray at the back of a classroom. “The government lectures people about how smoking in public is uncultured and immoral, calling them inconsiderate. So how are we supposed to respond when the leader smokes in front of kids in school?” the source told us. The children in question were from Uiju County in North Pyongan Province, who were evacuated on Kim’s orders following floods. When he went to check up on them, footage showed a cigarette and an ashtray on a table beside the chair in a classroom where Kim Jong-un was sitting. It was also revealed that Kim had entered the classroom with several officials in tow while a lesson was in progress. Clearly, whether an act is “inconsiderate, immoral, and uncultured” in North Korea, as the educational video said, depends on who is doing it. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Crackdown%20on%20smoking%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20stop%20Kim%20Jong-un%20from%20lighting%20up&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Crackdown%20on%20smoking%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20stop%20Kim%20Jong-un%20from%20lighting%20up https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Crackdown%20on%20smoking%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20stop%20Kim%20Jong-un%20from%20lighting%20up "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/crackdown-on-smoking-doesnt-stop-kim-jong-un-from-lighting-up/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Crackdown%20on%20smoking%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20stop%20Kim%20Jong-un%20from%20lighting%20up&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/crackdown-on-smoking-doesnt-stop-kim-jong-un-from-lighting-up/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Crackdown%20on%20smoking%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20stop%20Kim%20Jong-un%20from%20lighting%20up "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Four years later “The Mole” is still raising questions](https://www.nkinsider.org/four-years-later-the-mole-is-still-raising-questions/) **Published:** September 13, 2024 **Author:** Andrew Holzman **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mole-still__21.jpg "Molestill21 | nk insider")When it came out, the 2020 documentary miniseries “The Mole: Undercover in North Korea” was a revelation, the clearest ever view through the window into arms dealing and sanctions busting of the world’s most brutal dictatorship. Yet four years later and after the indictment of one of the main characters, it seems that the impact of the film lies more in the questions it raises – about the subjects it depicts as well as its own origins – than in those it attempts to answer. This debate may have important implications for other attempts at the “civilian intelligence” operations aimed at North Korean targets which have become prized among some journalists. Billed as a real-life undercover thriller, the film uses overt and sometimes hidden recording devices, to chronicle the ten-year ascent of a Danish chef, Ulrich Larsen, through the ranks of the Korean Friendship Association, a pro-North Korean organization run by a Spanish Kim Jong-un advocate, Alejandro Cao de Benós. Larsen and writer-director Mads Brügger successfully use the KFA’s contacts to bait officials in Pyongyang into a convoluted project to sell arms to an invented oil billionaire, also a plant from the production team. Among North Korea experts, the film’s premise raised immediate questions. University of Vienna academics Ruediger Frank and Peter Ward,[ writing in the Stimson Center’s 38 North](https://www.38north.org/2020/10/rfrankpward102020/), raised the most obvious one: Is this real? Frank and Ward point out that at least parts of the film are authentic. It really does feature Cao de Benós, for example. He is a well-known figure among international North Korea watchers. Also, at least one of the North Korean officials involved in meetings in the film has been identified as a diplomat. But other details raise eyebrows. For example, in one key scene, the main characters meet purportedly in a concealed basement conference room in Pyongyang. There, the North Koreans offer the film’s moles a catalog of arms for sale, complete with prices in USD. The officials allow the discussion, as well as the catalog and parts of a contract apparently signed with the oil billionaire committing to the establishment of a third-country munitions factory to be filmed. Why would they do this? And so begins the first set of questions the film raises. These are questions about those it depicts. Cao de Benós is often the subject of skepticism regarding the extent of his actual connections in DPRK. Some believe he lacks high-level access. But if the scene in the film is genuine, it suggests his claims of closeness to leadership are warranted. One detail missed by other commentators concerns the brief glimpse of the contract itself. It appears to be an agreement with a UK-incorporated entity called Taga Investment Ltd. There is no record of such an entity ever having existed, a finding consistent with the film’s story of it being a name invented on the spot, but strange given the ready availability of the same records to North Korean operatives doing even the most basic due diligence on their counterpart over the course of several years. North Korea’s state-sanctioned criminal rings have proven themselves experts in money laundering, using[ advanced schemes](https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-57520169) to successfully evade even some of the efforts of the New York Federal Reserve to trace funds. The outright deployment of a UK-incorporated company, with its auditing and public reporting requirements, to engage in an internationally illicit arms deal would surely have raised red flags with criminals having even a passing familiarity with the principles of money laundering. The question about Cao de Benós, then, seems to sharpen. Undoubtedly, the North Korean regime has officials capable of brokering a complex international weapons sale. Perhaps those individuals were not the ones Cao de Benós could access. At the film’s conclusion, de Benós claimed he had been planning his own counter-sting throughout the decade of filming. While this is unlikely, it seems possible his North Korean contacts intended to scam him and his prospective buyer, taking a down payment and never delivering. The DPRK is no stranger to reneging on contracts (just ask[ Volvo](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2023-11-14/national/northKorea/North-Koreas-neverpaidfor-Volvos-still-going-strong-after-nearly-50-years/1912697)). This could explain why a lower caliber of operatives were involved with the operation. The film’s “mole” character Ulrich Larsen, however, suggests his access to North Korean officials really was at the highest level. In a phone interview, he claimed that off camera he came “within eight feet” of Head of State Kim Jong-un. The explanation espoused by the film’s editorial approach, and defended by its director in an[ interview](https://www.nknews.org/category/north-korea-news-podcast/latest/interview-with-the-mole-director-mads-brugger-nknews-podcast-ep-151/894349/), is that the North Koreans involved were just “desperate.” This may well be the case. In an academic analysis written for *The Nonproliferation Review,* Daniel Salisbury of King’s College London compared the elements seen in the film to known North Korean arms deals. Though unusual, Salisbury found that direct arms trade through private individuals is not unprecedented for the DPRK, who are known to have brokered a deal with Azerbaijan through British arms mogul Michael Ranger. Those trades were made directly with a subsidiary of a North Korean weapons manufacturer, matching the detail seen in the signature line of the contract shown in the film. Salisbury’s analysis of the prices and technical details of the weapons in the catalog shown in the film suggests these are also reasonable. For his part, Larsen believes the closeness of the relationship he built with North Korean officials explains their conduct. “Finally, I came with some people that didn’t care about any sanctions and we had the money,” he said. The decoy used as the potential buyer in fact had a real-life record as a high-flying drug dealer, he added. If desperation and the film crew’s maneuvering are the best explanations for the behavior of the North Korean subjects, what about the Americans? Frank and Ward wondered how the filmmakers managed to escape US intelligence while ostensibly seeking to arrange an arms deal with North Korean agents and even visiting the United States for advice from a former intelligence operative there during the course of the film. One answer is that perhaps they did not escape. In 2022, the United States Department of Justice unsealed an[ indictment](https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/press-release/file/1496596/dl) of Cao de Benós aimed at potential sanctions violations during a cryptocurrency “conference” junket he arranged for Western experts in Pyongyang. The indictment alleges the conduct began “at least in or about 2018.” Larsen said Cao de Benós approached him about the ill-fated conference, now the subject of multiple US criminal investigations, during his work. He says he declined to assist. Still, this means US federal agencies would have been watching Cao de Benós carefully at precisely the time the mole was working with him. Were US agencies aware of the film that was being produced? “I’ve been asking myself this several times over the years,” Larsen said. “Maybe they knew what I was doing and actually were sitting on the sideline somehow watching over me for my security.” But he believes the FBI and CIA were not aware of his work until the release of the film. Some level of US intelligence cooperation, though – whether known to individuals on the film’s team or not – could explain how they passed off their ex-drug dealer as a billionaire venturing into weapons manufacturing. Public response to the film in the international community might be described as muted. Foreign ministers for Sweden and Denmark called on the UN Sanctions Committee to investigate, and its Panel of Experts[ recorded](https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/N2225209.pdf) answers from Cambodia, Uganda, and other states featured in various aspects of the film. This is about as far as consequences seem to have extended. Asked whether he was approached by intelligence agencies for private debriefing once the film was released, Larsen said he had “no comment.” He did say, however, that he let authorities in Europe know of a scheme he uncovered during filming to move North Korean officials using Chinese passports. The limited international response to the film may mean that while fascinating to a general viewer, it did not expose conduct that sanctions experts weren’t already aware of. This would point to an important implication for “civilian intelligence” operations. Many journalists approaching North Korea have tried to dig beneath the surface of curated encounters with the state. Some have had surprising success. In 2011, VICE journalists[ chased](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awQDLoOnkdI) a DPRK logging group around the Russian countryside for unapproved minutes-long interviews with ordinary North Koreans. In 2019, YouTube travel vlogger Anton Lyadov smuggled a genuinely unusual film out after a Pyongyang tour where he analyzed the movements of handlers and others to uncover insights into their lives behind the scenes. While this type of work has undeniable intrigue for a population desperate to look behind the doors of state secrecy, it is uncertain whether it has added much to our understanding of the international players involved. At worst, these projects put lives at risk inside and outside of North Korea. Given the secrecy filmmakers maintain about their involvement with international authorities behind the scenes, we can’t say much more about the legacy of “The Mole” either. Four years later, the impact and meaning of the film remain uncertain. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Andrew Holzman](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/andrew-holzman.jpeg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/79/ "Andrew Holzman") [Andrew Holzman](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/79/) Andrew Holzman is a former corporate lawyer who practiced with leading global law firms in London, Sydney and Dubai. He has worked as an advocate on human rights issues internationally, and is currently studying medicine in the United States. [![Andrew Holzman](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/andrew-holzman.jpeg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/79/ "Andrew Holzman") Latest posts by Andrew Holzman ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/79/)) - [Four years later “The Mole” is still raising questions](https://www.nkinsider.org/four-years-later-the-mole-is-still-raising-questions/) - September 13, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Four%20years%20later%20%E2%80%9CThe%20Mole%E2%80%9D%20is%20still%20raising%20questions&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Four%20years%20later%20%E2%80%9CThe%20Mole%E2%80%9D%20is%20still%20raising%20questions https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Four%20years%20later%20%E2%80%9CThe%20Mole%E2%80%9D%20is%20still%20raising%20questions "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/four-years-later-the-mole-is-still-raising-questions/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Four%20years%20later%20%E2%80%9CThe%20Mole%E2%80%9D%20is%20still%20raising%20questions&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/four-years-later-the-mole-is-still-raising-questions/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Four%20years%20later%20%E2%80%9CThe%20Mole%E2%80%9D%20is%20still%20raising%20questions "Reddit") **Categories:** Guest Contributor --- ### [Busting of a smuggling ring in Guangxi Province blocks commonly used North Korean escape routes](https://www.nkinsider.org/busting-of-a-smuggling-ring-in-guangxi-province-blocks-commonly-used-north-korean-escape-routes/) **Published:** September 17, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Istock-139393066.jpg "Argument | nk insider")Police have busted an extensive smuggling ring in China’s southernmost port, near the border with Vietnam, which has made it more difficult for escaping North Koreans to reach Southeast Asian countries. Authorities in the port city of Fangchenggang in Guangxi Province arrested 139 people allegedly trying to cross the border, according to China Central TV on September 3, unearthing a large people smuggling operation. The city lies on one of the main routes taken by North Korean escapees desperate to flee China which treats them as illegal immigrants and sends them back. Those hoping to make it to South Korea have three choices of escape routes. Some head northwest for the autonomous region of Nei Mongol and cross into Mongolia, where they are received as refugees. The rest go southwest to Yunnan Province and try to cross into Myanmar, Laos, or Thailand, while others head for Guangxi Province and Vietnam. The exposure of the smuggling ring in Guangxi has compromised the route into Vietnam. It follows the arrest of [15 defecting North Koreans](http://fcs.news/View.aspx?No=3344702) last month in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, and the subsequent detention of brokers who were guiding them to Southeast Asia, according to an official at the mission center involved. So far, it has been confirmed that the 139 people detained in Fangchenggang were not North Koreans. According to local Chinese officials, most were Chinese and Vietnamese involved in voice-phishing groups and distributors of luxuries, rare metals, and fake luxury bags. A North Korean identified only by his surname Lee who has been working with Chinese brokers in China, said the incident had put on hold plans to bring defectors to South Korea via Thailand and Vietnam in early September. Most of the brokers working that route are currently unreachable, he said. Human rights groups and church missions that assist North Koreans worry that as Public Security in China tightens its vigilance in border areas, it will become more difficult for defectors to escape to Southeast Asian countries in the future. They emphasized that they’re considering this current situation with grave concern and that they expect significant disruptions to the rescue efforts. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Busting%20of%20a%20smuggling%20ring%20in%20Guangxi%20Province%20blocks%20commonly%20used%20North%20Korean%20escape%20routes&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Busting%20of%20a%20smuggling%20ring%20in%20Guangxi%20Province%20blocks%20commonly%20used%20North%20Korean%20escape%20routes https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Busting%20of%20a%20smuggling%20ring%20in%20Guangxi%20Province%20blocks%20commonly%20used%20North%20Korean%20escape%20routes "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/busting-of-a-smuggling-ring-in-guangxi-province-blocks-commonly-used-north-korean-escape-routes/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Busting%20of%20a%20smuggling%20ring%20in%20Guangxi%20Province%20blocks%20commonly%20used%20North%20Korean%20escape%20routes&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/busting-of-a-smuggling-ring-in-guangxi-province-blocks-commonly-used-north-korean-escape-routes/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Busting%20of%20a%20smuggling%20ring%20in%20Guangxi%20Province%20blocks%20commonly%20used%20North%20Korean%20escape%20routes "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Neighborhood watch units now expected to do police work](https://www.nkinsider.org/neighborhood-watch-units-now-expected-to-do-police-work/) **Published:** September 8, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Inminban_kctv.jpg "제목 없는 디자인 3 | nk insider")Police in North Korea are handing responsibility for local crime to neighborhood watch units. Untrained residents are even being held accountable for crimes in their communities, which is causing confusion. One source told us that, after a murder in Jungsin-dong, in the Sosong District of Pyongyang, the district People’s Committee and the Ministry of Security blamed the local government head, the security officer responsible for creating the neighborhood watch unit, and the resident who was on guard duty at the time. This has reportedly created a shock wave in the district. “Maintaining public order is the job of the Ministry of Security,” the informant said. “Nobody understands why the people living there have to bear collective responsibility.” In the wake of the crime, Maeng Dong-ho, the office manager for Jungsin-dong, was dismissed, and Kim Eun-chul, the officer in charge, was discharged from the Ministry of Security for failing to organize the neighborhood watch properly. The resident on guard duty, when the murder happened, was paraded on stage during an ideological struggle session organized by the local Party Committee. The murder happened in July when an unidentified man walked into an apartment building, past the guard post, and killed someone in a first-floor apartment. The man was middle-aged and knew the victim. The actual relationship and motive are not known. What is baffling residents is that, instead of investigating the case, the Pyongyang City Party Committee and the city’s Ministry of Security have focused on the apartment’s weak security, blaming the lax guard system for allowing the murderer to enter the building. Authorities quickly produced educational videos emphasizing the need to strengthen neighborhood watch units. People were required to watch them nationwide, which is how we heard about the murder and how we know the murderer apparently knew his victim. In North Korea’s administrative system, the inminban (literally, people’s hamlet) is the smallest unit. Several inminbans form a dong, and several dongs combine to create a city district or rural county. The inminban is typically composed of 20 to 30 households. The neighborhood watch guards used to be elderly people who stayed at home. They would occasionally check the neighborhood and, in the case of apartments, manned a small guard post on the first floor. From 2013, Kim Jong-un started to emphasize the inminban role and ordered the construction of guard posts in densely populated areas throughout the country. Residents were then required to take turns monitoring the neighborhood 24/7. They functioned like a “human CCTV” system and kept duty logs. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240907-zane-han_inminban-1024x698.jpg "20240907 zane haninminban | nk insider")Inminban guard duty log for the district in Pyongyang where there was a murder in July (Image: screenshot from education video provided from inside North Korea)“This doesn’t really help maintain social stability,” the source said. “It’s absurd to expect residents to catch thieves and murderers that even the police can’t apprehend.” The source expressed frustration, saying, “Performing the human CCTV duty means staying up all night and then going straight to work in the morning. People are utterly exhausted.” The main task of security officers now seems to be to go around and inspect these human CCTV posts. When a security officer turns up and finds nobody on duty or catches someone neglecting their duty, the neighborhood head is summoned to the local Party Committee and harshly criticized. This pressure is then passed back down to the lax resident. “Seeing security officers running around inspecting neighborhood guard posts like this instead of doing proper police work makes it feel like the world has gone completely mad,” the source said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Neighborhood%20watch%20units%20now%20expected%20to%20do%20police%20work&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Neighborhood%20watch%20units%20now%20expected%20to%20do%20police%20work https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Neighborhood%20watch%20units%20now%20expected%20to%20do%20police%20work "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/neighborhood-watch-units-now-expected-to-do-police-work/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Neighborhood%20watch%20units%20now%20expected%20to%20do%20police%20work&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/neighborhood-watch-units-now-expected-to-do-police-work/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Neighborhood%20watch%20units%20now%20expected%20to%20do%20police%20work "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Women forced into military service face increasing sexual abuse](https://www.nkinsider.org/women-forced-into-military-service-face-increasing-sexual-abuse/) **Published:** September 5, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Women-military-feature-image.jpg "Women military feature image | nk insider")After graduating from middle school in Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province in 2019, Kwon (not her real name) enlisted in the Korean People’s Army, determined to complete the mandatory five years of military service and qualify for membership in the Workers’ Party. But her dreams of progress were dashed when she was discharged one year early for “poor conduct.” Here is her story, as told to us last week in a phone interview with a neighbor. Kwon had been assigned to a mixed unit of men and women at a base on the coast in Gangwon Province in the southeast part of the country. From her first day, she caught the attention of her company commander, which made her life in the military easier in many ways. The senior officer assigned her to a less demanding position where she was responsible for communications. This meant she was often exempted from night guard duty. Kwon became increasingly dependent on the commander’s favors. However, his support came at a cost. Frequent interactions between the commander and the young soldier, including handling paperwork and personal errands at night, eventually led to a sexual relationship. Kwon apparently lacked the emotional and intellectual maturity to deal with her situation. With limited access to contraception or proper medical care, she became pregnant. When her condition was discovered at five months, the commander was transferred to another unit and Kwon was discharged. After returning home, Kwon had an abortion, but the procedure went poorly, the source told us, leaving her now unable to have children. Not only is Kwon unable to become a mother. But she was unable to achieve that most sought-after goal for female soldiers – party membership – and now bears the stigma of a bad conduct discharge. Her story raises two broader issues. One concerns the absence of regulations in the military covering sexual violence and other crimes on bases. There is no proper counseling for victims, punishment of perpetrators, or mechanism to introduce measures to prevent recurrence. There is also an unwritten rule, common to the military elsewhere, of not exposing incidents to the civilian authorities or the public. Military officers who commit sexual crimes can escape punishment through bribes and behind-the-scenes deals. The net effect is that sexual violence and corruption flourish. **Women forced to serve in the military** The second issue is that the conscription of women is increasing, which means the type of abuse Kwon experienced will certainly become more extensive. The context for female conscription is the declining population. North Korea has the world’s highest concentration of active duty soldiers, as well as of reserves, vis-a-vis its population, but instead of adjusting to the population change, the military is maintaining its numbers by requiring women to serve. Historically, only men had to do military service. Women were allowed to enlist voluntarily. In 2015, a new system was implemented, requiring women to serve seven years (until the age of 26), similar to men who are required to serve for 10 years (until the age of 30). This obligation for women was abolished the following year and later reinstated. Our sources tell us that this policy has flip-flopped so frequently that citizens are unsure of when exactly the system was abolished and reinstated. In the past, sources say, it was easier for women to obtain exemptions for reasons such as menstrual pain and bleeding. Families with means could bribe doctors to provide the necessary documentation. This year, however, the conscription of female middle school graduates is being carried out with unprecedented rigor. Those who fail the initial examination are given medical treatment. Patients who cannot be treated at military hospitals are sent to city or provincial hospitals for further tests and treatment. As a result, families have to grease the wheels at multiple levels, including city and provincial hospitals. For many, this is just not possible. **Parent fit their daughters with vaginal rings** Faced with the inevitability of their daughters’ conscription, parents have shifted their focus to ensuring that they are placed in units where they can avoid malnutrition and, more importantly, trying to minimize the risk of sexual assault. Many parents, it appears, are fitting their daughters with vaginal rings. With condoms illegal and birth control pills expensive and difficult to obtain, intrauterine devices are the cheapest option. IUDs cost between 3,000 and 6,000 won ($0.20 to $0.40). Those who can’t afford the procedure may pay doctors in corn (1 to 2 kilograms). Thus young women reporting for duty at army bases all over the country to learn how to fight and defend their country from hostile forces are turning up armed to resist the enemy within. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Women%20forced%20into%20military%20service%20face%20increasing%20sexual%20abuse&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Women%20forced%20into%20military%20service%20face%20increasing%20sexual%20abuse https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Women%20forced%20into%20military%20service%20face%20increasing%20sexual%20abuse "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/women-forced-into-military-service-face-increasing-sexual-abuse/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Women%20forced%20into%20military%20service%20face%20increasing%20sexual%20abuse&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/women-forced-into-military-service-face-increasing-sexual-abuse/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Women%20forced%20into%20military%20service%20face%20increasing%20sexual%20abuse "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [The logging company that functions like a labor camp](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-logging-company-that-functions-like-a-labor-camp/) **Published:** August 29, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Istock-1459090693.jpg "Lumberjack chopping wood | nk insider")When Choi, 57, failed to turn up for work at the Pihyon Logging Company at the end of May, the work unit sent someone over to his place to check on him. His absence was not unusual. Workers often skip their officially designated workplaces to make money elsewhere. It’s a habit that is officially frowned upon but often tolerated to a point because of low, or even unpaid, wages. Monthly pay was raised slightly last October to the equivalent of around five dollars, but distribution remains inadequate, which makes it hard for workers to afford even basic sustenance. Choi said he was sick. The work unit secretary visited him almost daily, but sometimes Choi wasn’t there. He’d been away seeing a doctor, Choi would say. However, after missing the entire month of June, Choi could not produce a medical certificate. This posed a problem. Eventually, it was revealed that Choi had been traveling to neighboring counties to trade so that he could buy rice. He was accused of being absent without permission and forced to stand on the company’s ideological struggle platform. In July, he was sentenced to the county labor camp. His term is believed to be relatively short, from two to six months, but considering the nature of the crime, it was nevertheless harsh. However, such treatment is common for workers at operations such as the Pihyon Logging Company. That is because it is not a normal workplace and its workers are not treated like normal employees. Rather it appears itself to be more like a labor camp, where rights are not respected. The company is in Pihyon County, deep in the mountains south of the city of Sinuiju. One of many logging companies in North Korea, this one is small, with around 30 to 50 loggers. According to our source, who told us of Choi’s case, 80% are the offspring of people with bad political backgrounds. **Dividing up the population** In North Korea’s [*songbun* system](https://libertyinnorthkorea.org/blog/songbun), the entire population is divided into three major categories determined by what their parents or grandparents and other relatives were doing at the time of the country’s founding in 1948. The lucky minority forms a trusted “core” caste. Everyone else is considered “wavering” or “hostile.” These broad castes are further subdivided into around 50 categories. The regime governs the populace with reference to songbun*(성분* ), starkly discriminating between those with good and bad backgrounds. The best of the good are those whose ancestors participated in the anti-Japanese armed struggles of the 1930s and ‘40s with the founding leader, Kim Il-sung. Their privileges include extra points for university entrance or even admission without exams, as well as early membership in the ruling Korean Workers’ Party. This is crucial because, without it, an ambitious young person cannot rise to positions of power, and personal development is severely restricted. The wavering group is by far the largest, accounting for an estimated 70% of the population. Their forebears may not have made any special contributions to the regime, but they are able to live ordinary lives, along with their children and relatives. The hostile group includes people whose relatives served Japan during the 1910-45 colonial period, along with other evildoers such as landlords, capitalists, and the wealthy. Lowest of all are those who assisted or are connected to anyone who assisted South Korean or US forces during the 1950-53 Korean War. People who have expressed dissatisfaction with the regime or the Kim family, those who have committed crimes against the state, and their descendants get shoved down into this caste. Within this minority, a significant number do not know they’re in the unlucky group until something happens. They often have no idea why they were categorized this way. Most loggers in Pihyon County are hostiles who were forcibly relocated there from Pyongyang or other regions at some time or another because of their grandfathers. For example, Kim, 53, was sent from his birthplace in the city of Kaesong, near the border with South Korea, because his grandfather had been a landlord. In another example, Jeon, 42, was forcibly relocated with her family in 2014 without even knowing why. They were loaded into a vehicle by security officials at night and brought there without even being able to gather their belongings. Since then, she has worked as a logger. Although the workers have committed no crimes themselves, they are constantly forced to pledge that they will “atone for their crimes against the motherland through sweat and hard work.” Most of the work is manual. Timber is felled with axes, and the logs are transported on rafts. Despite being called “workers,” they endure the grueling conditions of prisoners, and the regime takes no measures regarding job safety, according to the source. It is no wonder that they might want to do something else. But, the source emphasized, that while other workplaces or factories might handle absenteeism with ideological criticism or struggles, this place is different. Since it is filled with “prisoners without crimes,” those with bad songbun are sent to labor camps for any unauthorized absences. The source concluded that the Pihyon Logging Company, in essence, is not a logging company but a special labor camp designed to monitor and re-educate people with bad backgrounds. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20logging%20company%20that%20functions%20like%20a%20labor%20camp&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20logging%20company%20that%20functions%20like%20a%20labor%20camp https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20logging%20company%20that%20functions%20like%20a%20labor%20camp "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-logging-company-that-functions-like-a-labor-camp/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20logging%20company%20that%20functions%20like%20a%20labor%20camp&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-logging-company-that-functions-like-a-labor-camp/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20logging%20company%20that%20functions%20like%20a%20labor%20camp "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Residents complain about Pyongyang’s fancy new apartments ](https://www.nkinsider.org/residents-complain-about-pyongyangs-fancy-new-apartments/) **Published:** August 26, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Songhwa-street-2-kcna.jpg "Songhwa street 2 kcna | nk insider")It has been three years since people moved into their apartments in the futuristic 83-story Songhwa Street Main Tower in Pyongyang and they’re not happy. Dissatisfaction arising from poor construction and bad management of North Korea’s tallest residential building has apparently reached a peak of sorts. Sources in the city tell us that the theme appears to be, “Why did they even build such a high-rise if it’s going to be like this?” Completed in the spring of 2022 after 13 months of construction, the postmodern tower in the capital’s Sadong district is the centerpiece of an ambitious five-year plan to build 50,000 modern apartments for Pyongyang’s relatively privileged residents. Kim Jong-un himself was present at the groundbreaking. According to North Korean media, 10,000 homes have been completed on Songhwa Street so far, followed by another 20,000 on Hwasong Street in two phases in April last year and in April this year. At 282 meters (925 feet), the Songhwa Street Main Tower is [second only](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_North_Korea) to the iconic Ryugyong Hotel. The local source, who cannot be named for obvious reasons, quoted frustrated residents who previously lived in the district saying, “They demolished our homes to build Songhwa Street and gave us admission certificates we couldn’t refuse. But now as we’re high up in the building, we’re suffering even more due to electricity and water problems.” The poorer and less influential people who lived in the area before were assigned apartments above the 20th floor. As is typical with normal residential blocks in North Korea, the higher your apartment, the more unlucky you are. That is because of the chronic electricity shortage, which has worsened since the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. “Electricity has nearly disappeared this year,” the source told us. ”The elevators barely operate, and even then, only for three hours in the evening and for an hour in the morning.” **Lights on the outside** To add insult to their stress, residents have to accept that their tower functions for propaganda. Decorative lighting on the building’s exterior is illuminated every night, sending the message that there’s no shortage and all is well. The external lights come on every evening at 7 p.m. and stay lit until 11 p.m. Anger is not against the regime in general, but rather seems to be directed towards officials who “just build the structures and then neglect them.” Some speculate that the problems are due to “spies among the officials.” This peculiar conjuring of an imagined “spy” is a consequence of the system, where openly criticizing Kim Jong-un or specific officials is too dangerous. As the Sadong district is on the outskirts, electricity supply was limited even before the construction of the tower. Locals hoped it would improve the area’s status and result in better electricity and water services. As one defector who used to live in the Songhwa Street area and came to South Korea in 2022 explained, in Pyongyang, discrimination between central and peripheral districts is severe. “People from districts designated as central receive privileges,” said Jin. “Those in the peripheral districts are treated similarly to people in rural areas.” This division effectively splits Pyongyang’s citizens into two classes. Residents of what is designated the peripheral “410 region” are not permitted to live or work in the central districts of the city. They cannot marry someone from the central district, as residency restrictions would make it impossible for them to live together. If a central district person falls in love and marries someone from the 410 region, he or she must relocate to the surrounding district. Such relationships usually end. For this reason, people in the 410 region refer to the designation as an “invisible barbed wire.” State benefits for central district people are significantly better than for those in the surrounding areas, so no one voluntarily moves from the center to the outskirts. In 2020, Jin recalled, central Pyongyang received electricity every three days for 3-4 hours in the evening, while peripheral districts were almost completely cut off. Residents there were lucky to receive power once or twice a month, typically for just an hour at dawn. In winter, residents rely heavily on coal stoves. Most families in Pyongyang get through about two tons of coal each season. The unfortunate tower residents have to carry theirs up the stairs when the elevator isn’t functioning. Elevator operators refer to this coal-lugging time as their “harvest season,” as they receive bribes from residents in the form of money, cigarettes, liquor, or rice to prioritize their coal deliveries. Due to the lack of power, water can only reach the 15th floor. Residents higher than that have to rely on their neighbors on the lower floors, often having to pay them to help. Some residents collect water from public taps installed on the ground floor and carry it up to their homes. This daily struggle for water has forced many on higher floors to adapt to primitive living conditions. They use water sparingly. For instance, water used to wash rice or vegetables is saved for flushing toilets. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Residents%20complain%20about%20Pyongyang%E2%80%99s%20fancy%20new%20apartments%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Residents%20complain%20about%20Pyongyang%E2%80%99s%20fancy%20new%20apartments%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Residents%20complain%20about%20Pyongyang%E2%80%99s%20fancy%20new%20apartments%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/residents-complain-about-pyongyangs-fancy-new-apartments/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Residents%20complain%20about%20Pyongyang%E2%80%99s%20fancy%20new%20apartments%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/residents-complain-about-pyongyangs-fancy-new-apartments/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Residents%20complain%20about%20Pyongyang%E2%80%99s%20fancy%20new%20apartments%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [North Korea tries to attract foreign investment](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tries-to-attract-foreign-investment/) **Published:** August 23, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/제목-없는-디자인-1.jpg "제목 없는 디자인 1 | nk insider")The North Korean regime appears to be making an effort to induce foreign business but, given international sanctions over its rogue nuclear weapons program and the absence of any meaningful opening of the economy, is unlikely to succeed. In what may have been a move to entice Russian companies following the recent warming of ties, the country’s official English-language business quarterly, Foreign Trade, last month reprinted the Foreign Investment Law in full. The previous edition this year featured the Foreign Investment Bank Law. Experts say that featuring the investment-related laws in this way indicates an ambitious push to attract foreign investment. But they are highly doubtful that officials in North Korea understand what investors look for before making such decisions. “There is some sense in investing in North Korea if you are anticipating some opening of the border,” said Chou Ye-seo, a North Korea expert in Seoul. “But investing while it remains closed is like betting when you know you can’t win.” The North Koreans obviously want foreign investment, but the system remains unprepared to handle it, he said. This has, in fact, been the situation since the late 1980s and early ‘90s. The Foreign Investment Law dates back to May 1992 with amendments in 1999, 2004 and [later in 2012.](https://m.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20120130124500014) Similarly, the Foreign Investment Bank Law was established in 1993, and has undergone several revisions. [Its regulations](https://www.koti.re.kr/user/bbs/northAsiaTlView.do?bbs_no=49838) cover the establishment and operation of foreign investment banks in the country. They provide a legal framework for expanding financial cooperation with other countries. The law classifies joint venture banks as those that are jointly invested by North Korean and foreign investors, foreign banks as solely invested by foreign investors, and branches of foreign banks as those established and operated by the foreign bank headquarters. The law permits foreign investors to establish and operate foreign investment banks in North Korea, while joint venture banks can only be set up in specific areas approved by the government. “This legislative framework is incomplete and the legal provisions are vague, creating uncertainty for investors,” Choi said. “Secondly, the standards for protecting the property and rights of foreign-invested enterprises are insufficient, raising doubts about the effectiveness of such protections.” Choi added that the dispute resolution procedures are too vague. “The lack of systematic coherence in the legislation creates an unstable investment environment,” he said. He added that a significant omission, given that South Korean companies are those most likely to take on the risks associated with North Korean business, is the absence of specific regulations concerning South Korean companies and business people. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20tries%20to%20attract%20foreign%20investment&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20tries%20to%20attract%20foreign%20investment https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20tries%20to%20attract%20foreign%20investment "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tries-to-attract-foreign-investment/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20tries%20to%20attract%20foreign%20investment&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tries-to-attract-foreign-investment/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20tries%20to%20attract%20foreign%20investment "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [New policy to bombard North Koreans with information could spark new wave of defections](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-policy-to-bombard-north-koreans-with-information-could-spark-new-wave-of-defections/) **Published:** August 20, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Presidential-office.jpeg "Presidential office | nk insider")Could South Korea’s new unification policy unleash a flood of defections and undermine the regime of Kim Jong-un? While some defectors are critical of the new policy for indirectly closing the door to dialogue, there is also an expectation that it might subvert the regime and prompt many people, including elites, to escape. In a speech on August 15, marking the 79th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule at the end of World War Two, President Yoon Suk-Yeol diverged from the usual line that typically emphasizes colonization and calls for apologies and reparations from the Japanese government. Instead, he laid out a [vision for the future](https://www.korea.net/Government/Briefing-Room/Presidential-Speeches/view?articleId=256919). “Our people must firmly establish the values and capabilities to pursue unification based on freedom,” he said. “We must create a change that makes North Korean citizens long for free unification (and) we must work in solidarity with the international community.” Yoon’s approach is new and stands in stark contrast to that of his predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who focused on recognizing and cooperating with Pyongyang in a way that required Seoul to largely overlook human rights. This was ironic given Moon’s background as a human rights lawyer. The most notable incident reflecting this policy was the forced repatriation without any due process of [two North Korean fishermen](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50329588) suspected of murder. However, Yoon’s human rights-centric approach, which includes the usual carrot of economic cooperation if North Korea begins denuclearization, is unlikely to be effective with regard to dialogue. For the North Korean regime, the mention of human rights is a declaration of war. “Of course, human rights for North Korean citizens are important,” said Kang, 56, a missionary dealing with North Koreans in Russia. “However, the moment we put that issue front and center, the North Korean government will shut its doors even more tightly, cutting off all channels of dialogue. A warm sun may make a traveler remove their coat, but a strong wind never will.” The irony is, Jang said, that by emphasizing human rights, we actually lose all leverage to address the issue. “I believe (former President) Moon Jae-in refrained from mentioning human rights for this reason,” he noted. “Addressing North Korea directly on its human rights issues is a sign of diplomatic incompetence. What the peninsula needs is peace, not war and confrontation. The solution lies in addressing human rights gradually over the long term. Outright condemnation is something a child would do, not a president. I’m deeply disappointed.” Many South Koreans, on the other hand, are supportive, seeing the voicing of what they perceive to be true as a welcome change. “I can somewhat understand the logic that in order to open up North Korea, we need to placate them, even to the point of submission,” said Sim, 45, a former journalist now in real estate. “But that’s what we did. We appeased them, handed over defectors, catered to their sensitivities at the UN, and refrained from actions that might offend them. But what did we get in return? Did Kim Jong-un stop developing nuclear weapons? Did he halt missile development? Did he stop provoking the South? No. All that did was wound our national pride. There’s no need to repeat failed policies. It’s time to try something new.” The point in Yoon’s vision of making North Korean citizens “long for free unification” has become a hot topic both domestically and internationally, as it implies that the South Korean government will actively seek to influence North Korean citizens. It suggests a large-scale, state-sponsored barrage of external information. For defectors, this opens up an exciting possibility. “I found it truly moving,” said Kim, 35, who arrived in the South last year. “It feels like unification could happen any day now. The situation inside North Korea is very unstable. People are anxious about things like exchange rate adjustments, trade restrictions, and increasing market control. Under these circumstances, if South Korea could provide them with information and a way to survive, it could lead to unexpected outcomes.” Kim quoted North Korean sayings to the effect that smarter people defect quicker and only the weak never defect. “It’s exciting to hear the president’s message that South Korea welcomes defectors and that the South Korean government will implement a large-scale, state-sponsored information campaign targeting North Korea. It feels like we might soon be able to reunite with our families,” he said. Another defector, Jung, 51, in the South since 2022, said a state-sponsored information campaign targeting North Koreans would have a devastating impact on the regime. “I interacted extensively with high-ranking officials in North Korea, including central committee heads, and here’s the irony: the poorer and more oppressed the people are, the more they’ve been brainwashed to support Kim Jong-un,” he said. “But the elites, who carry out the regime’s policies and enjoy its privileges, tend to harbor the most discontent against the dictatorship. Isn’t that ironic?” These elites remain outwardly loyal because they fear for their safety and future. For nearly 80 years, the regime has been telling them that defectors are badly treated as “traitors and trash” whether they’re in the North or the South. “They believe this propaganda,” Jung said. “However, if South Korea could provide defectors with even a slight sense of security regarding their future, people in the North would waver. Yoon’s speech removed one of the barriers preventing elites from defecting. If this plan is implemented and North Koreans are widely exposed to external information, many of them will fixate on defecting.” “Honestly, before I defected, I was very uncertain about how the South Korean government would treat me,” he said. “If I had known in advance about the support and preferential policies I would receive as a defector, I wouldn’t have spent so much time agonizing over my decision.” Yoon’s August 15 statement that “We will create a change that makes North Korean citizens long for free unification,” is already in action. The radio station Voice of Freedom resumed broadcasts into North Korea in June, after being halted in 2017. Leaflet balloon campaigns by defector organizations, illegal during Moon’s presidency, have also resumed, further straining inter-Korean relations as North Korea retaliated with balloons filled with waste. How much further the South Korean government will expand its state-sponsored information campaign targeting North Koreans, and what impact this will have on the situation on the peninsula and the behavior of North Korean citizens, remains to be seen. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=New%20policy%20to%20bombard%20North%20Koreans%20with%20information%20could%20spark%20new%20wave%20of%20defections&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=New%20policy%20to%20bombard%20North%20Koreans%20with%20information%20could%20spark%20new%20wave%20of%20defections https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=New%20policy%20to%20bombard%20North%20Koreans%20with%20information%20could%20spark%20new%20wave%20of%20defections "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-policy-to-bombard-north-koreans-with-information-could-spark-new-wave-of-defections/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=New%20policy%20to%20bombard%20North%20Koreans%20with%20information%20could%20spark%20new%20wave%20of%20defections&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-policy-to-bombard-north-koreans-with-information-could-spark-new-wave-of-defections/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=New%20policy%20to%20bombard%20North%20Koreans%20with%20information%20could%20spark%20new%20wave%20of%20defections "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Ministries under pressure to meet research goals and improve conditions for scientists and engineers](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministries-under-pressure-to-meet-research-goals-and-improve-conditions-for-scientists-and-engineers/) **Published:** August 16, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Pic0082583.jpg "Pic0082583 | nk insider")The government in North Korea appears to be making a big push on science and technology to underpin its economic development plans. This has been the case since Kim Jong-un took power, but this year, there has been an increased emphasis on the importance of executing the [national science and technology development plan](http://www.kcna.co.jp/calendar/2023/10/10-06/2023-1006-020.html). Part of this involves improving the number of scientists and engineers, which is itself no easy task, given that the national government lacks a sufficient budget. On July 16, the Rodong Sinmun urged workers to meet November deadlines for key national projects, saying they are crucial elements of the country’s strategic goals. “Successfully researching and implementing these tasks can not only give a significant boost to the overall national economy but also bring about noticeable changes in the people’s lives,” the paper said. **Unconditional execution** The projects this year so far are going well, the paper said, thanks to the “unconditional execution in accordance with the Party’s will.” It singled out the ministries of Metallurgical Industry, Chemical Industry, and Education, as well as the State Academy of Sciences as having “strong discipline” in the execution of their tasks, regarding the plan as a “legal obligation.” Officials from the Agricultural Science Academy and the Central Bureau of Statistics were commended for supervising the detailed execution of their assigned tasks on a weekly and monthly basis to achieve their respective science and technology development goals. One successful research project has resulted in the cultivation of fall and spring wheat varieties with very high yields. This achievement exceeded the targets set in the key national projects. According to Rodong Sinmun, KimChaek University of Technology contributed to this breakthrough by establishing a production process for granular, slow-release fertilizer, and the Hamheung University of Chemical Industry contributed through its technical design. The Ferrous Metal Institute within the State Academy of Sciences contributed to key national projects by developing materials that ensure the mechanical strength of essential components required in the hydropower sector, thus increasing their lifespan compared to before and producing prototypes. The paper criticized some agencies, on the other hand, for their alleged tendency to perform the key national project tasks in a “formalistic manner.” It emphasized the need to pay attention to the necessary issues for scientific and technological development and ensure the research conditions for technicians. For this, investment is essential, it said. The officials responsible in each ministry and agency must concentrate on investing in the science and technology sector and continue to ensure favorable conditions for scientists and technicians Reading between the lines of this mixed review, it appears that government agencies face a dilemma of having to unconditionally comply with party directives, while at the same time managing to do so without the necessary budget. From this point of view, the apparent criticism might represent an indirect plea for funding. On the other hand, if the message is the opposite – you are legally obliged to achieve these goals even if the budget isn’t available – then the science and technology sector is destined for further frustration. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ministries%20under%20pressure%20to%20meet%20research%20goals%20and%20improve%20conditions%20for%20scientists%20and%20engineers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Ministries%20under%20pressure%20to%20meet%20research%20goals%20and%20improve%20conditions%20for%20scientists%20and%20engineers https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Ministries%20under%20pressure%20to%20meet%20research%20goals%20and%20improve%20conditions%20for%20scientists%20and%20engineers "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministries-under-pressure-to-meet-research-goals-and-improve-conditions-for-scientists-and-engineers/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Ministries%20under%20pressure%20to%20meet%20research%20goals%20and%20improve%20conditions%20for%20scientists%20and%20engineers&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/ministries-under-pressure-to-meet-research-goals-and-improve-conditions-for-scientists-and-engineers/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Ministries%20under%20pressure%20to%20meet%20research%20goals%20and%20improve%20conditions%20for%20scientists%20and%20engineers "Reddit") **Categories:** Science & Tech --- ### [Press Release - South Koreans rally to condemn Maduro's election fraud in Venezuela, following in the steps of Kim Jong-un’s totalitarianism](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism/) **Published:** August 16, 2024 **Author:** Ahn Chan-il **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Shutterstock_2452677991.jpg "Caracasvenezuelaapril132024venezuelaspresidentnicolasmadurospeaks | nk insider")**Seoul, South Korea** – Over 300 representatives and members from leading Korean civic groups and North Korean defector organizations will gather in Seoul on August 17 to hold a rally condemning the fraudulent election practices of the Maduro regime in Venezuela. Venezuela’s dictatorship is not only brutal but also plagued by crime, corruption, and widespread hunger, which have forced 8 million people to flee the country and scatter across the globe. The regime operates the largest torture center in the West and has imprisoned over 2,000 political prisoners in the last three weeks alone. Despite the opposition’s victory in the July 28 election, Maduro has falsely declared himself the winner through fraudulent vote counting. Recently, he even banned the use of communication apps like TikTok, WhatsApp, and X (formerly Twitter) in Venezuela. His fear of people communicating with one another closely mirrors the totalitarianism of Kim Jong-un’s regime in North Korea. We, Korean civic groups, strongly condemn these actions and want to show Korea’s support and solidarity with Venezuela’s opposition and democratic forces. We will announce a formal statement and distribute it on-site tomorrow, local time. We invite the media and the public to join us. **August 16, 2024** **Event Details:** - **Date:** Saturday, August 17, 2024, 2:00 PM KST - **Location:** In front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Gwanghwamun, Seoul, South Korea - **Contact:** 010-9077-6759 **Participating Organizations** - Citizens Assembly for Ethical North Korean Human Rights Law and Unification - Coalition of South Korean NGOs and North Korean Defectors - Committee for the Democratization of North Korea - Korea Elderly Human Rights Association - Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea - North Korea Strategy Center - North Korean Human Rights Association - People for Successful Corean Reunification - SNK Global Center - World Union for North Korea Woman Defectors To read the Korean version of this press release, please follow this [link](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/08/16/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism-2/). - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Ahn Chan-il](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/ahn-chan-il-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/ "Ahn Chan-il") [Ahn Chan-il](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/) Chan-il is the Founder and Executive Director of the World North Korea Research Center. He oversees the center’s mission to serve as a prominent think tank dedicated to North Korean studies. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Korea University, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science from Konkuk University. [![Ahn Chan-il](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/ahn-chan-il-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/ "Ahn Chan-il") Latest posts by Ahn Chan-il ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/)) - [Press Release – South Koreans rally to condemn Maduro’s election fraud in Venezuela, following in the steps of Kim Jong-un’s totalitarianism](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism/) - August 16, 2024 - [보도 자료: 김정은의 전체주의의 길을 가고 있는 베네수엘라 마두로의 부정 선거 개표 규탄 집회](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism-2/) - August 16, 2024 - [A Puzzling Propaganda Discrepancy: Kim Jong-un Says the “Republic of Korea” but Others Say “Gwaerae”](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-puzzling-propaganda-discrepancy-kim-jong-un-says-the-republic-of-korea-but-others-say-gwaerae/) - October 8, 2023 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Press%20Release%20-%20South%20Koreans%20rally%20to%20condemn%20Maduro%27s%20election%20fraud%20in%20Venezuela%2C%20following%20in%20the%20steps%20of%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20totalitarianism&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Press%20Release%20-%20South%20Koreans%20rally%20to%20condemn%20Maduro%27s%20election%20fraud%20in%20Venezuela%2C%20following%20in%20the%20steps%20of%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20totalitarianism https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Press%20Release%20-%20South%20Koreans%20rally%20to%20condemn%20Maduro%27s%20election%20fraud%20in%20Venezuela%2C%20following%20in%20the%20steps%20of%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20totalitarianism "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Press%20Release%20-%20South%20Koreans%20rally%20to%20condemn%20Maduro%27s%20election%20fraud%20in%20Venezuela%2C%20following%20in%20the%20steps%20of%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20totalitarianism&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Press%20Release%20-%20South%20Koreans%20rally%20to%20condemn%20Maduro%27s%20election%20fraud%20in%20Venezuela%2C%20following%20in%20the%20steps%20of%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20totalitarianism "Reddit") **Categories:** Press Release --- ### [HRF Announces New Grants for North Korean Human Rights](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-announces-new-grants-for-north-korean-human-rights/) **Published:** February 22, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Excerpt:** NEW YORK – The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce five grants to help strengthen the work of civil society organizations in South Korea focused on improving North Korean human rights, education, and resettlement. **Content:** NEW YORK – The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce five grants to help strengthen the work of civil society organizations in South Korea focused on improving North Korean human rights, education, and resettlement. **– $28,000 to [North Korea Strategy Center](https://nkscen.bxd.solutions/)** to extract information about the regime to shed light on human rights violations in North Korea. **– $25,000 to** [**EUM Research Institute**](https://www.eum.re.kr/english) to provide human rights education for female North Korean defectors during the resettlement process. **– $25,000 to** [**NoChain for North Korea**](https://www.facebook.com/NKNoChain/) to increase understanding of liberal democracy and market economy among North Koreans through the inflow of external information. **– $20,000 to** [**North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity**](http://nkis.or.kr/) to produce and smuggle “resistance music” inside North Korea to educate North Korean people about human rights. **– $10,000 to** [**North Korean Human Rights Association**](https://nkhumanrights.org/) to increase public awareness in South Korea about North Korean human rights issues. These organizations cover a range of high-need areas, reflective of the multidimensional nature of North Korean human rights issues today. “It is vital to help organizations and activists that shed light on the enormous challenges facing the North Korean people, counter the dictatorship’s propaganda, and assist defectors with resettlement,” said HRF’s director of Korea Desk, Seongmin Lee. “HRF is confident these grants will meaningfully impact many North Korean lives.” Over the past 15 years, HRF has led pro-democracy and human rights initiatives in Asia, including North Korea, providing activists with the necessary resources, skills, contacts, and platforms to make a difference. HRF’s work includes public education about the North Korean human rights crisis, capacity building for North Korean defector groups, and the award-winning [Flash Drives for Freedom (FDFF) program](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/). FDFF is a global initiative that encourages people to donate their USB drives to help disseminate information into North Korea and combat the regime’s constant propaganda. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Flash-Drives-For-Freedom.png "Flashdrivesforfreedom | nk insider")*[Flash Drives for Freedom](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/) (FDFF) is an HRF program that travels the world to inspire people to donate their USB drives, microSD cards, and hard drives to help disseminate information into North Korea to counter Kim Jung-un’s propaganda.* *The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. To view a complete archive of our activities, please visit [hrf.org](http://hrf.org/).* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=HRF%20Announces%20New%20Grants%20for%20North%20Korean%20Human%20Rights&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=HRF%20Announces%20New%20Grants%20for%20North%20Korean%20Human%20Rights https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=HRF%20Announces%20New%20Grants%20for%20North%20Korean%20Human%20Rights "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-announces-new-grants-for-north-korean-human-rights/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=HRF%20Announces%20New%20Grants%20for%20North%20Korean%20Human%20Rights&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-announces-new-grants-for-north-korean-human-rights/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=HRF%20Announces%20New%20Grants%20for%20North%20Korean%20Human%20Rights "Reddit") **Categories:** HRF Grants --- ### [Evidence of slavery: North Korean workers evaluation](https://www.nkinsider.org/evidence-of-slavery-north-korean-workers-evaluation/) **Published:** August 11, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Istock-458115455-1.jpg "Workers repairing asphalt road | nk insider")Formal evaluation of employees may be a regular feature of corporate life, but the North Korean version, given the virtues and transgressions it highlights, and punishments that can result, underscore the widespread claim among human rights activists that its workers toil in a 21st-century slave society. HRF has obtained a copy of one worker’s recent evaluation. For obvious reasons, we cannot reveal names. Nor can we reveal too much detail that might allow authorities to identify the company and the worker, who is still in North Korea. What we can say is the evaluation is by the company of an individual who was returning home after an overseas assignment. It is labeled “evaluation paper” and marked “top secret.” At the top of the form, there is a slogan, “Let’s make the entire Party and society adhere to Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il’s ideology.” The detailed individual assessment indicates how the company views the employee ideologically, mentally, and physically and how devoted he was to the Party and the leader during the overseas assignment. Each worker returning to North Korea is required to submit to this level of scrutiny and be approved for the resumption of normal life. The examination process lasts from two weeks to a month or more. Each repatriated worker is required to write a self-criticism. During their time abroad, they must participate in regular mutual criticism sessions, documenting what they see, hear, and feel. At these sessions, they report on their colleagues. Armed with this information, authorities can punish those who are too lenient on themselves. For instance, if one worker reports a comment made by another, but the latter fails to mention it in their own self-criticism, they will be forced to rewrite their report and face corresponding penalties. During this examination, the evaluation of the on-site manager takes precedence over the workers’ subjective explanations. A person’s fate, in other words, can be determined by the manager. Based on their evaluation papers, some workers face punishment, including the gulag, while others might face collective criticism in front of all employees. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Evaluation-1-1024x713.jpg "Evaluation | nk insider")Partial image of the evaluation document of a worker about to return home (Image: Era Seo)The evaluation of this returning worker states: “Dongmu (comrade) was a passionate patriotic youth who dedicated himself to solving the issues envisioned by our dear leader Kim Jong-un. Dongmu lived with high loyalty to accelerate the day when the ideology of our great leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il would flourish in our socialist stronghold under the leadership of our dear Marshal Kim Jong-un.” It noted that the worker “prepared and presented bouquets with heartfelt loyalty” on April 15 (Kim Il-sung’s birthday) and February 16 (Kim Jong-il), as well as on other political holidays. “Dongmu earnestly conducted the Ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System and the five educational teachings, striving to embody them in all aspects of work and life,” it reads. “Dongmu also fervently engaged in the socialist patriotic movement, contributing to revolutionary tasks. Dongmu exhibited the communist virtue of mutual aid and cooperation, striving to achieve collective innovation in fulfilling the people’s economic plan with all conscience and passion.” In the assessment, which the worker would surely be grateful for, the manager referred to “difficult conditions,” but said that despite this, “Dongmu aimed to complete even the hardest plans with extraordinary strength and enthusiasm, working to become the organization’s vanguard. Dongmu always maintained integrity and honesty in both work and life.” Of course, there would need to be something wrong, otherwise the glowing report would not be believed. Thus, it says: “However, a shortcoming was Dongmu’s insufficient acceptance of the organization and Dongmus’ critical support. This defect can be rectified through future criticism and support from the organization and other comrades.” At the bottom, it is dated Juche 113 (2024), Month, Day and signed by the Consulate General of North Korea in Shenyang, China, Dandong Branch, and by the Branch Manager and Secretary of the Party Committee. Given the importance of this document, workers know that they cannot express any frustration to their managers about their excessive workload, poor living conditions, or even homesickness. They are naturally mistrustful of their colleagues and have to engage in competition to increase productivity. The 100,000 or so workers dispatched to China are mostly in their teens to their forties. Chinese workers say that these workers are unable to leave their workplaces for years and have to work over 14 hours a day and consider them worse off than Chinese prisoners. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Evidence%20of%20slavery%3A%20North%20Korean%20workers%20evaluation&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Evidence%20of%20slavery%3A%20North%20Korean%20workers%20evaluation https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Evidence%20of%20slavery%3A%20North%20Korean%20workers%20evaluation "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/evidence-of-slavery-north-korean-workers-evaluation/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Evidence%20of%20slavery%3A%20North%20Korean%20workers%20evaluation&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/evidence-of-slavery-north-korean-workers-evaluation/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Evidence%20of%20slavery%3A%20North%20Korean%20workers%20evaluation "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [600 escapees repatriated from China are sentenced to life in the gulag ](https://www.nkinsider.org/600-escapees-repatriated-from-china-are-sentenced-to-life-in-the-gulag/) **Published:** August 9, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Istock-1133533312-1.jpg "Lines of barbed wire to demarcate the border | nk insider")Six hundred North Korean escapees who were rounded up last year in China and forcibly repatriated have been given life sentences in political prison camps with no prospect of release, according to a reliable source in the country. The source, whose identity is withheld for obvious reasons, confirmed that the process of dispatching the last prisoners to the camps was finalized last week. Given that such harsh sentencing is normally reserved for people who have been in contact with South Koreans or Christians, the punishment this time is clearly designed as a warning to people looking to escape as dissatisfaction grows over the increasingly dire economic conditions. It came as an afterthought and almost certainly on the direct orders of Kim Jong-un. The 600 North Koreans had all been detained in China as illegal immigrants. The international community and human rights organizations had hoped that Beijing would take a humanitarian approach and allow them to go to third countries. They were held for a while, until October when the international spotlight went off China at the end of the Hangzhou Asian Games. The detainees were then forced across the border at Hunchun, Tumen, Changbai, and Nanping in Jilin Province, and Dandong in Liaoning Province. It is customary for the North Korean State Security Department to hold repatriated citizens at its assembly centers where they undergo intensive interrogation. If someone is found to have attempted to reach South Korea, married a Chinese citizen, or had contact with Christians, they are typically sentenced to political prison. The others are sent to re-education camps in their hometowns with relatively short sentences. The October victims were interrogated in Sinuiju, Hyesan, and Onsong. As expected, some were sent to political camps and others were placed in re-education camps. Among this latter group, a number were released after their families bribed camp managers. **Re-arrest and life sentences** However, in July, all 600 were unexpectedly re-arrested. The source in North Hamgyong Province heard this news from a security officer who quoted the [Law on the Rejection of Reactionary Thought and Culture](https://www.dailynk.com/20230321-4/), proclaimed in December 2020, and said, “Our Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un has issued orders to permanently isolate North Koreans who voluntarily come into contact with the outside world.” The official reportedly said that Kim Jong-un’s directive was that border-crossers be treated as traitors and sent to political prisons. The logic, he said, was that if treated leniently, there’s no telling that they wouldn’t try to escape across the border again. There are two types of prisoners in the gulag. Some have fixed sentences, even if they do not themselves know exactly when they will be released. The others are in for life with no chance of release. Kim’s directive to “permanently isolate” the 600 repatriated people from society is an indication that they belong in the latter category and will never be set free. At the time of their re-arrest, the families were told that the victims were being taken away for further investigation, the source said. This was in fact the case with some, while others were immediately sent to camps. During the re-investigation, particular attention was paid to whether they had accessed capitalist videos or the internet, including platforms like YouTube, during their time in China. However, the source stated that in his opinion, this inquiry was merely for show, as the investigations were concluded by mid-July, and all were sent to the gulag. The source emphasized that most families of the forcibly repatriated defectors are unaware of their relatives’ exact fate. Those who do know are reportedly afraid that they too may be subjected to investigation and possible punishment. It is not clear where the 600 have been sent but there is speculation that it may be the Chongjin No. 25 Kwanliso, a political prison camp located in Suseong-dong, in the Songpyeong District of Chongjin City in North Hamgyong Province. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=600%20escapees%20repatriated%20from%20China%20are%20sentenced%20to%20life%20in%20the%20gulag%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=600%20escapees%20repatriated%20from%20China%20are%20sentenced%20to%20life%20in%20the%20gulag%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=600%20escapees%20repatriated%20from%20China%20are%20sentenced%20to%20life%20in%20the%20gulag%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/600-escapees-repatriated-from-china-are-sentenced-to-life-in-the-gulag/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=600%20escapees%20repatriated%20from%20China%20are%20sentenced%20to%20life%20in%20the%20gulag%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/600-escapees-repatriated-from-china-are-sentenced-to-life-in-the-gulag/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=600%20escapees%20repatriated%20from%20China%20are%20sentenced%20to%20life%20in%20the%20gulag%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Pyongyang cracks down on Russian cultural content](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyang-cracks-down-on-russian-cultural-content/) **Published:** August 7, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Northkorea-tv.jpg "Northkorea tv | nk insider")North Korea has ordered a ban on Russian media and started cracking down on Russian cultural content. The move flies in the face of the warming of ties between the two countries and appears to be a measure to curb local admiration for Putin’s Russia. Judicial bodies have been instructed to restrict access to Russian movies and songs. Offending items on the list include dozens of films related to Stalin, the communist revolution, and second-generation revolutionary rulers, as well as the famous song “*A Million Scarlet Roses*.” Specific movies to be confiscated and deleted include *Tycoon, Swan Lake, Comrades in Arms, The Bear’s Kiss, Smoke Screen, Defending Honor, Defending Peace, Love on Duty, First Love after God, and Fate.* Russian content is more popular than Chinese content with North Koreans because it is more closely aligned with the political and ideological foundation of Juche. Another reason for its popularity is that North Korea was a client state of the Soviet Union and its ideas and institutions were similar up until the break with communist tradition with the North’s hereditary leadership system. The familiarity allows viewers to compare, question, and dream. Most foreign songs are already banned by the regime. But some are secretly sung. For good measure, the state has produced a new list of forbidden Russian titles. They include *Broken Dreams, Lantern, Shepherd Song, A Million Scarlet Roses, Song of Youth, and Blue Handkerchief.* The titles reveal why the regime doesn’t like Russian songs. This is because most focus on life over ideology, while North Korea’s priority is regime over individual. Russian books, translated into Korean and published by the Kumsong Youth Publishing Company, which are now banned include *China-Soviet Union Relations, Stalin’s Great Crimes, The Fate of a Spy, Understanding Stalin Correctly, The Gold of the Romanov Family, Siberian Railroad Murder Case, Nasreddin, and Alexander the Great.* Citizens expected that Putin’s recent visit to North Korea would lead to a closer relationship between the two countries and that this would help them overcome the severe economic difficulties, including shortages of food and oil. However, such expectations pose a threat to Kim Jong-un, diminishing his faith in his rule. The reaction has come quickly. While the two old allies may be warming up on the leader-to-leader level, that is as far as Pyongyang is going to allow it to go. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Pyongyang%20cracks%20down%20on%20Russian%20cultural%20content&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Pyongyang%20cracks%20down%20on%20Russian%20cultural%20content https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Pyongyang%20cracks%20down%20on%20Russian%20cultural%20content "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyang-cracks-down-on-russian-cultural-content/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Pyongyang%20cracks%20down%20on%20Russian%20cultural%20content&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pyongyang-cracks-down-on-russian-cultural-content/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Pyongyang%20cracks%20down%20on%20Russian%20cultural%20content "Reddit") **Categories:** Culture --- ### [North Korea develops agricultural drones](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-develops-agricultural-drones/) **Published:** August 2, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Helicopter-1.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")North Korea has introduced a pesticide-spraying drone that it claims can do the work of 35 farm laborers. The drone, called the Jongdari-101, can carry 15 kilograms of pesticides and fly for up to 12 minutes, according to the English quarterly [Foreign Trade](https://www.nkeconomy.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=13633) and the latest issue of [Hwabo Chosun](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/PYH20240719069600042), a North Korea publication. The use of drones in agriculture fits the emphasis on the improvement in the quality of life through science and technology, a feature of Kim Jong-un’s “people first” philosophy. Analysts speculate that coverage of the Jongdari-101 in publications targeted at foreigners indicate that the regime is looking to export the product. The drone is a six-axis unmanned aerial vehicle which can be remotely controlled from a distance of up to one kilometer, and is able to spray an area of one hectare in a 12-minute session It weighs 40 kilograms and operates at between seven and 21 kilometers per hour. There is speculation as to whether North Korea’s drones are locally made or not. Given that drone technology has been developed for military purposes for some time, the adaptation for agricultural use would pose no difficulty. “They have been operating drones since the late 1990s and developing self-destructing and long-range drones since 2010,” said Lee Ki-jin, an expert with the South Korean army. At the 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party in January 2021, Kim Jong-un ordered researchers to carry out key projects for the development of reconnaissance equipment including unmanned aerial vehicles, Lee said. “This is likely to not only diversify the threat to us of small-sized drones but also accelerate their development,” he said. “It is highly likely that the agricultural drone unveiled this time was made with homegrown technology,” said Cho, a defector who was an agricultural and livestock expert in North Korea. He noted that the drone project was first reported a year ago in Minju Joson, which targets domestic readers, and speculated that the appearance now in reports aimed at overseas suggests the drone has been developed for export. “There is a question as to how much agricultural drones will be used in actual farming in the country itself because fertilizer itself is scarce,” he said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20develops%20agricultural%20drones&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20develops%20agricultural%20drones https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20develops%20agricultural%20drones "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-develops-agricultural-drones/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20develops%20agricultural%20drones&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-develops-agricultural-drones/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20develops%20agricultural%20drones "Reddit") **Categories:** Science & Tech --- ### [Kim comes to the rescue of flood victims](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-comes-to-the-rescue-of-flood-victims/) **Published:** July 31, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Pic0083092.jpg "Pic0083092 | nk insider")Kim Jong-un personally directed rescue operations last weekend following severe flooding in the city of Sinuiju and Uiju county on the Chinese border, according to North Korean media. Kim mobilized air force helicopters and rescue boats belonging to the navy and the border security maritime patrol squadron in an attempt to save 5,000 residents stranded in flooded areas, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Pic0083112.jpg "Pic0083112 | nk insider")State run media the korean central news agency kcna revealed images showing the flooded areas on july 29Some 4,200 people were evacuated Sunday, the state news agency reported. The fate of the remaining 800 local residents was not mentioned. The reports featured photos of Kim looking grimly out as his car drove through flooded streets. He was accompanied by Workers’ Party Secretaries Jo Yong-won and Park Tae-sung. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Pic0083109.jpg "Pic0083109 | nk insider")Kim surveys flood devastation Image | kcnaKim Jong-un severely reprimanded officials responsible, KCNA said. According to sources in the impacted area of North Pyongan Province, the Yalu River, which forms the border with China, was swollen after heavy rainfall and its banks on the North Korean side overflowed. The country’s National Emergency Crisis Response Committee had met a week earlier on July 22, KCNA reported. But the main topics of discussion were measures to prevent damage to railways and agriculture, with no mention of countermeasures to prevent the flooding of the Yalu. In the North Korean system, bodies such as the crisis response committee may only make recommendations. Mobilization of resources requires the direct approval of the political leadership. Given this, there is a tendency for citizens to hold the ruling Kim family responsible for disasters, although such thoughts are too dangerous to voice. This in turn results in parental scolding by the leadership of officials singled out for blame. Incurring the leader’s wrath when he is in defensive mode can have serious consequences. In 2009, for example, following a disastrous currency re-evaluation, then-leader Kim Jong-il had Park Nam-ki, the head of the Workers’ Party’s Planning and Finance Department, executed. Citizens were forced to attend lectures that attributed all the blame to him. The disaster this weekend, which appears to have caused at least 800 fatalities, was avoidable. Consequently, the system has already gone into high gear blaming Kim’s subordinates. “What can no longer be tolerated is the irresponsibility and uncombativeness of the social safety agencies, which must guarantee and thoroughly ensure the safety of the people’s lives,” Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA. **“Long Live Comrade Kim Jong-un!”** The knowledge that Kim bears responsibility does not, however, seem to undermine support for him. Sources in the province report that in the affected areas it is, in fact, rising. The explanation is the apparent unprecedented personal care demonstrated by Kim. With previous flooding in the country, the leadership has been reluctant to publicize the death toll and extent of the damage, and failed to take follow-up measures. In August 2007, for example, over 600 people died in floods in Gangwon and North and South Hwanghae provinces. In 2016, floods in North Hamgyong killed 500. When the same area was devastated in 2019, the regime mentioned the displacement of 68,900 people without giving the death toll, which was believed to have run into the hundreds. In the past, the regime appeared to have focused on recovery and been rather unconcerned about casualties. But that appears to have changed with Kim Jong-un for the first time showing genuine concern for saving lives. KCNA reported July 30 that government ministries were preparing aid materials to send to the affected areas, with the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry and the Ministry of Chemical Industry providing the most aid. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/스크린샷-2024-07-30-092302-1.jpg "스크린샷 20240730 092302 | nk insider")The ministry of metallurgical industry prepares to dispatch aid for flood affected residents image | rodong sinmunThis followed a party directive on July 29 to all institutions, enterprises, and people’s units across the country, instructing them to donate supplies to the flood-affected residents, even if they are used items, according to a knowledgeable source. Given the already difficult situation for citizens, the government is not in a position to demand new items from them, hence the emphasis on donating used items, the source said. “The unprecedented scale of the rescue teams mobilized for rescuing residents and the nationwide support measures have led the residents of the affected northern region of North Pyongan Province to shout ‘Long live Comrade Kim Jong-un!’ His approval rating is rising,” he said. **China and Russia seem to distance themselves** The indifferent attitude of China and Russia in this flood disaster is another reason why Kim Jong-un must now pay more attention to the sentiments of his people. In the past, these two main allies have been sent condolences and aid whenever North Korea faced natural disasters. On his visit to Pyongyang in June, Russian President Putin even affirmed in the official treaty upgrading ties that the two countries would cooperate in natural disasters. However, there has been no word of support from Russia so far. China has been unusually indifferent to this disaster, with no expression of condolences or intention to provide support. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20comes%20to%20the%20rescue%20of%20flood%20victims&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20comes%20to%20the%20rescue%20of%20flood%20victims https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20comes%20to%20the%20rescue%20of%20flood%20victims "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-comes-to-the-rescue-of-flood-victims/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20comes%20to%20the%20rescue%20of%20flood%20victims&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-comes-to-the-rescue-of-flood-victims/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20comes%20to%20the%20rescue%20of%20flood%20victims "Reddit") **Categories:** Natural Disaster --- ### [Remote education starts to spread in the provinces](https://www.nkinsider.org/remote-education-starts-to-spread-in-the-provinces/) **Published:** July 29, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Remote-education_rhodong-sinmun-2-1.jpg "Remote educationrhodong sinmun 2 | nk insider")Defectors imagine a day when they might be able to have video calls with their families in North Korea via Zoom. It is a hope that stems from the North Korean government’s [emphasis on remote education](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20230520018600504#:~:text=%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%80%202019%EB%85%84%204,%EB%85%B8%EB%8F%99%EC%9E%90%20%EB%8C%80%ED%95%99%EC%83%9D'%EC%9D%B4%20%EB%8A%98%EA%B3%A0%20%EC%9E%88%EB%8B%A4.). During the COVID-19 pandemic, online classes became a common part of daily life worldwide. This was not exactly the case in North Korea. The idea of remote education seems unrealistic given that Internet penetration is only [0.07%](https://www.spnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=55201#:~:text=%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%80%20%EC%A0%84%EC%B2%B4%20%EC%9D%B8%EA%B5%AC%202,%EA%B0%80%EC%9A%B4%EB%8D%B0%20%EA%B0%80%EC%9E%A5%20%EB%82%AE%EC%9D%80%20%EC%88%98%EC%B9%98%EB%8B%A4.) of the approximately 25 million population. That is the lowest among 238 countries. Despite this, however, on July 16, *Rodong Sinmun*, the official party newspaper, reported that officials and workers in the Kyongsong area of North Hamgyong Province, where the Kim family’s villas are located, are included in a new remote education system. “Many workers are now part of this system, acquiring scientific and technological knowledge and making significant contributions to the development of their country,” the paper said. “In Orang County and Kyongsong County, where modern local industrial factories are being established, local industry officials and workers are part of the remote education system, building a high tower of knowledge while working.” The newspaper also emphasized that officials and workers there are showing special zeal for the new system. “Their enthusiasm for remote education is steadily increasing, and their knowledge levels are significantly improving,” it noted. This development can be interpreted in two ways. “It might be evidence that the scientific and technological advancements emphasized by Kim Jong-un are actually being realized,” said Choi, a defector who majored in computer science at KimChaek University of Technology. “Or, given it’s in Kyongsong and Orang counties, rather than in Pyongyang or other large cities, is likely due to the unique regional characteristics of these areas,” he said. Choi pointed out that Kyongsong County is included in the ‘[20×10 Regional Development Policy](https://www.inss.re.kr/publication/bbs/js_view.do?nttId=41037155&bbsId=js&page=1&searchCnd=0&searchW)‘ announced this year, which aims to build local industrial factories in 20 counties annually for the next ten years. “I understand they are building fish processing factories in coastal areas like Kyongsong and Orang,” he said. “Remote learning is likely advantageous for training the relevant personnel.” **Emphasis on knowledge-based workers** Remote education began in universities with the adoption of a law during the 3rd Session of the 14th Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly in April 2019. Over [130,000 workers](https://stock.mk.co.kr/news/view/128397) are being educated remotely at Kim Il-sung University, KimChaek University of Technology, Han Duksu Pyongyang University of Light Industry, and other institutions. The learning is primarily aimed at adults working in factories and enterprises, and on farms, allowing them to receive a university education. In contrast to cyber universities in the United States or South Korea, North Korea’s remote education departments are integrated within existing universities. For example, farm workers study through the remote education department of a College of Agriculture, while educators study through a similar remote education department of a College of Education. KimChaek University of Technology, the top college for science and engineering [in 2010](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20130206198900014), was the first to establish a remote education department. It has the largest number of students, most of whom study information technology, electrical engineering, and [automation](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20230520018600504). The regime has stated that any citizen who owns a computer or portable communication device connected to the national network can receive remote education. The Remote Education Law mandates that local People’s Committees and relevant institutions, enterprises, and organizations provide the necessary conditions for students to receive education remotely in places like libraries, and [to equip](https://stock.mk.co.kr/news/view/128397) these places with the required facilities. However, unlike the typical remote education in South Korea or the United States, in North Korea it happens at the workplace rather than at home. This difference explains why some experts question the feasibility of the remote system in North Korea. More generally, the surge in remote education [stems from](https://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=206143) Kim Jong-un’s emphasis on “making the entire population scientifically and technologically talented.” The constitution was revised in 2019 to include this goal. “Although the single-leader system persists in North Korea under Kim Jong-un’s rule, the socio-cultural system has faced a decline in public trust due to the famine and the spread of individualism that prioritizes materialism over ideology,” said Lee Woo-young, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. “To adapt to the changing environment, Kim Jong-un has pursued strategic changes like ‘people first’ policies at the economic, social, and cultural levels,” he said. “Regional balance at the social level, strengthening science and technology education, and the spread of the remote education system can be seen as part of this change.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Remote%20education%20starts%20to%20spread%20in%20the%20provinces&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Remote%20education%20starts%20to%20spread%20in%20the%20provinces https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Remote%20education%20starts%20to%20spread%20in%20the%20provinces "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/remote-education-starts-to-spread-in-the-provinces/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Remote%20education%20starts%20to%20spread%20in%20the%20provinces&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/remote-education-starts-to-spread-in-the-provinces/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Remote%20education%20starts%20to%20spread%20in%20the%20provinces "Reddit") **Categories:** Science & Tech --- ### [A virgin raped in a prison camp](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-virgin-raped-in-a-prison-camp/) **Published:** July 31, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Istock-541563882.jpg "Barbed wire fence of a restricted area under dark sky | nk insider")We won’t say her full name, for reasons which will become obvious, but Choi was not really a defector. Nor was she caught by the Chinese police. She falls into the category of self-surrendered escapee. Choi was one of the 200 North Koreans detained at a facility in Jilin province and sent back across the border into North Korea on April 26 this year. They followed an even larger group of 600 people caught and repatriated against their will after the international spotlight went off China at the end of the Hangzhou Asian Games the previous October. But Choi was different from the others who had all been rounded up. We heard her story third-hand, from someone in North Korea who in turn heard it from somebody released just a month ago from a labor camp in Onsong County, North Hamgyong Province. Choi’s story began when she crossed the border illegally into China in 2019. She was just 18 and went to earn money doing odd jobs. For five years, she avoided the eyes of the public security bureau. Then she was faced with a choice: marry a man 20 years her senior and stay in China. Or be reported. She took a third option and chose voluntary repatriation. Once back in North Korea, the security people took her voluntary surrender and the fact that her family was all in North Korea into account, and handed her over to the Onsong County labor camp. North Korea’s various “Kkangpan,” the slang term for prisons, include camps for political offenders, provincial labor camps, and then smaller labor camps in each of the 200 counties. These county prisons are the least harsh. Being sent there is considered the lightest of possible punishments. But Choi was not to be so lucky. When she arrived at the camp, she was interrogated by the person in charge. His name was Kim. He was 46. Dispatched by the local people’s committee, Kim wielded absolute power. Inmates had to obey his every word. He was tasked with evaluating them and had the authority to extend or shorten their terms. Kim learned during Choi’s interrogation that she was a virgin. The authority structure in the county labor camp was such that Kim, as the head, was supported by a leader who was responsible for overseeing the prisoners and who was helped by team leaders. Both this leader and the team leaders were prisoners, whose terms could also be lengthened or reduced according to Kim’s evaluation. Choi was serving a one-year sentence of reform through labor. Meals consisted of thin salty soup with a few boiled corn kernels. The day began at 5 a.m., followed by breakfast from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., and then work until 7 p.m. The early morning work mainly involved carrying stones, and after breakfast, inmates were mobilized for the rest of the day to do farm labor. In this environment, inmates tried to curry favor with the camp head to become team leaders or, if they were lucky, to become the overall prisoner leader. With this in mind, Kim made an unusual request to Choi’s team leader, a 54-year-old woman named Jeon. She was serving a two-year sentence for smuggling. Could Jeon verify Choi’s virginity? Jeon coaxed and threatened Choi. If she could prove she had had no marital relations with any Chinese man, she could have her term reduced, Jeon told her. Choi acquiesced and let Jeon conduct an intimate examination. Jeon reported her findings to Kim. That night, Kim summoned Choi. He needed to personally confirm she had had no relationships with Chinese men while in China, he said. Then he raped her. Choi now regretted her decision to return to North Korea to avoid an unwanted marriage. With a year still to go, she was scared and ashamed, unable to tell anyone in the county labor camp about the incident. As of this writing, she is still there. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20virgin%20raped%20in%20a%20prison%20camp&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=A%20virgin%20raped%20in%20a%20prison%20camp https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=A%20virgin%20raped%20in%20a%20prison%20camp "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-virgin-raped-in-a-prison-camp/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=A%20virgin%20raped%20in%20a%20prison%20camp&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-virgin-raped-in-a-prison-camp/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=A%20virgin%20raped%20in%20a%20prison%20camp "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Phone flashlights at a concert: when a photo shows the opposite of what it seems to](https://www.nkinsider.org/phone-flashlights-at-a-concert-when-a-photo-shows-the-opposite-of-what-it-seems-to/) **Published:** June 14, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Flashlights.jpeg "Flashlights | nk insider")At an outdoor event celebrating the 112th birthday of Kim Il-sung in April, students in the audience turned on their phone flashlights. The moment, captured in photographs released by the Korean Central News Agency, appeared to be spontaneous. Judging from the waving lights, as well as the pools of darkness where some students had not turned on their flashlights, observers overseas might assume that something natural was happening here just as it does at performances all over the world. Except that it wasn’t. Ask a defector and they will tell you that it was staged, that this was deliberately manipulated propaganda. That is because in North Korea, before the start of any event, performance or movie, the organizers instruct the audience how to clap at the start, when to clap, for how many minutes, and the order and rules of the event until it ends and they leave. The familiarity and obedience to such instructions is the result of a lifetime of obligatory study sessions and lectures covering all aspects of their lives. That is why in photos and videos, they’re always clapping in unison or chanting slogans like robots. It is not because they all feel the same, but because they’ve been given the same instructions. Such is the tragedy of their orchestrated lives. The guidelines from revised educational material, published in May by the Kumsong Youth Publishing Company and obtained by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), provide insight into whether residents can voluntarily turn on their phone flashlights during events. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/9-오피니언-북한-청년학습제강-분석-북-왜-플래시-사진을-공개했나1 Docx.jpg "9오피니언북한 청년학습제강 분석북 왜 플래시 사진을 공개했나1 docx | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/9-오피니언-북한-청년학습제강-분석-북-왜-플래시-사진을-공개했나2-docx.jpg "9오피니언북한청년학습제강분석북왜플래시사진을공개했나2docx | nk insider")The state’s guidelines for youth, published in 2024 and obtained by NK Insider, instruct young people to turn off their cell phones at public events.The “Socialist Patriotic Youth League intensive study sessions” is a 24-page, F4-size document that outlines party policies. It has eight sections, with the last covering “common knowledge” and including “etiquette and morality to follow in theaters and cinemas.” “When watching an art performance or movie, even if you have seen it before or know the content, do not explain it to others or read the subtitles aloud. If you are watching with elderly people, only briefly explain the parts they do not understand,” it says. “When bringing a mobile phone, ensure it is turned off during the performance.” In other words, the student audience had to be told to turn on their phones. Thus, the appearance of fun and spontaneity reveals yet another example of dictatorial rule. Citizens everywhere are forced to participate in the study and other activities based on their party, organization, and other affiliation. This type of control starts at age seven when children enter school and continues until they are 80. The main mandatory activities include study sessions, lectures, and Life Review Sessions. The regular study sessions are weekly and last an hour. The purpose is to indoctrinate citizens with Kim Jong-un’s and the party’s lines and policies. These sessions are summarized quarterly and evaluated through a Review Session at the end of the year conducted by the party. The weekly Life Review Sessions are conducted by the local offices of the Korean Children’s Union, the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, the Workers’ Party of Korea, the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea, the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea, and the Socialist Women’s Union of Korea. These sessions involve personal evaluation and feature pledges by individuals to improve themselves by reflecting on the words of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un. People are expected to criticize not only themselves but also their peers with reference to party policies and the Kim family’s sayings. The system functions to ensure absolute control and obedience to the dictator. Given this context, the photo of university students at a performance with their phone flashlights takes on a meaning opposite to the one it seems to suggest. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Phone%20flashlights%20at%20a%20concert%3A%20when%20a%20photo%20shows%20the%20opposite%20of%20what%20it%20seems%20to&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Phone%20flashlights%20at%20a%20concert%3A%20when%20a%20photo%20shows%20the%20opposite%20of%20what%20it%20seems%20to https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Phone%20flashlights%20at%20a%20concert%3A%20when%20a%20photo%20shows%20the%20opposite%20of%20what%20it%20seems%20to "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/phone-flashlights-at-a-concert-when-a-photo-shows-the-opposite-of-what-it-seems-to/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Phone%20flashlights%20at%20a%20concert%3A%20when%20a%20photo%20shows%20the%20opposite%20of%20what%20it%20seems%20to&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/phone-flashlights-at-a-concert-when-a-photo-shows-the-opposite-of-what-it-seems-to/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Phone%20flashlights%20at%20a%20concert%3A%20when%20a%20photo%20shows%20the%20opposite%20of%20what%20it%20seems%20to "Reddit") **Categories:** Culture --- ### [South Korea needs to take action to deal with Pyongyang’s hackers](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-needs-to-take-action-to-deal-with-pyongyangs-hackers/) **Published:** July 26, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Hacking-woman-korea-flags.jpg "Hacking woman korea flags | nk insider")South Korean policy makers are calling for urgent measures to deal with hacking by North Korea. “The regime in Pyongyang views cyber attacks as a panacea and an insurance policy. They are intensively training hacking experts,” said Park Choong-kwon, a defector who is now a ruling People Power Party lawmaker in South Korea’s National Assembly. Pyongyang has stolen [4 trillion](https://www.yonhapnewstv.co.kr/news/MYH20240321009000641#:~:text=%EC%9D%B4%EB%93%A4%EC%9D%80%20%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C%EC%9D%B4%20%EC%9C%A0%EC%97%94%EC%9D%98,%EA%B7%9C%EB%AA%A8%EB%A1%9C%20%EC%B6%94%EC%82%B0%EB%90%9C%EB%8B%A4%EA%B3%A0%20%EC%A0%84%ED%96%88%EC%8A%B5%EB%8B%88%EB%8B%A4.) won worth of cryptocurrency through cyber attacks, Park said. It has also stolen large amounts of personal information and sought to cause social disruption in South Korea through malicious comments and fomenting of internal conflict. Park made the comments at a seminar held on July 3 under the theme of “The Reality of North Korean Hacking and Countermeasures.” There is no doubt as to the intensity of North Korea’s efforts in this disruptive direction. According to the security analysis firm [Logpresso](https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=7966313), there were over 13,000 hacking attacks over the past year. South Korean security experts pointed out that while past attacks were institution-focused, tactics have shifted towards individuals with weak security by spreading malware through phishing sites. The evolution of North Korea’s hacking technology is rooted in its concerted efforts since 1995 to secure cyber capabilities. That was when it developed the first strategic plans and techniques, and established cyber units as well as a command system for cyber warfare. The hacking attacks became apparent around 2009. Starting with [the 7.7 DDoS attacks in July 2009](https://www.boannews.com/media/view.asp?idx=21860), they caused [a network disruption at Nonghyup Bank](https://www.khan.co.kr/national/court-law/article/202205171730011#:~:text=%EC%95%9E%EC%84%9C%202011%EB%85%84%203%EC%9B%94,%EC%97%90%20%EC%9D%98%ED%95%9C%20%EA%B2%83%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C%20%EA%B2%B0%EB%A1%A0%EB%83%88%EB%8B%A4.), one of South Korea’s leading banks, in 2011. In 2012, they hacked the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper. Other notable incidents attributed to North Korea include the March 20, 2013, attack on several government and private sector websites, the 2014 [Sony Pictures hack](https://ddaily.co.kr/m/page/view/2016022803212616610), the 2016 Interpark personal information leak, and attacks on South Korea’s internal defense network. Techniques have continuously evolved. An example of this is [the cryptocurrency theft using ransomware in 2017](https://www.voakorea.com/a/7634128.html) when, through the ‘WannaCry 2.0’ ransomware attack, North Korea paralyzed aviation, rail, and medical networks in 150 countries, demanding cryptocurrency in exchange for restoring the systems. On May 16 this year, [the U.S. Department of the Treasury](https://www.voakorea.com/a/7616871.html) identified North Korea and Russia as the most threatening countries in the field of proliferation finance, which refers to the financing of weapons of mass destruction.. Specifically, it pointed out that North Korea continues to engage in malicious cyber activities, such as hacking virtual asset providers and conducting ransomware attacks, to generate illegal profits in both fiat and virtual currencies. The United Nations Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea has also mentioned Pyongyang’s revenue generation through cyber attacks in past panel reports. According to the committee, ransomware targets have included medical institutions and critical social infrastructure worldwide. It said 40 percent of the profits from these activities were directed toward [nuclear weapons development](https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/diplomacy/1133214.html) and other regime priorities. **Hacking strength lies in training** The irony of its hacking prowess is that North Korea allows only a very small number of people to access the Internet. Elite Senior High Schools have been established to train hackers. In Pyongyang, Namsan High School, Kumsong Senior High School, and Second Middle School were reorganized to include special computer classes with talented children selected at the city, county, and district levels. During the six-year curriculum at Kumsong Middle School, for example, students focus intensively on algorithm writing and programming and then go on to study at the College of Computer Science at Kim Il-sung University, Pyongyang University of Computer Technology, KimChaek University of Technology, Hamhung University of Computer Technology, and other scientific universities. There, they undergo advanced training in command automation, computational operations, and technical reconnaissance. By the time they reach their twenties, this rigorous system has transformed the best and brightest into world-class cyber warriors. The skills of these students, particularly those who have passed through Kumsong Middle School, [are evident](https://www.chosun.com/economy/tech_it/2023/07/07/NH5YR64H7VAZHNA57TX4WIFIDA/) from the fact that KimChaek University of Technology and Kim Il-sung University swept the top four positions in a monthly hacking competition hosted by the American IT global company Hackers in May last year. “North Korea focuses on its cyber capability because it is less costly to establish and maintain,” said Kim Heung-kwang, who lectured at Hamhung University of Computer Technology. “Moreover, unlike high-risk physical military actions, cyber power can paralyze command systems, making it highly effective even during peacetime.” He added that the attackers do not use North Korean IP addresses. “The reality is that unless these people are apprehended in China, it is impossible to hold North Korea openly accountable,” he said. Despite the increasing severity of North Korea’s cyber attacks, there are no [effective countermeasures](http://severity). “South Korea urgently needs to establish relevant laws and systems, such as a Basic Cybersecurity Law, similar to those in the US and the EU,” said Kim, a North Korean political scientist. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=South%20Korea%20needs%20to%20take%20action%20to%20deal%20with%20Pyongyang%E2%80%99s%20hackers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=South%20Korea%20needs%20to%20take%20action%20to%20deal%20with%20Pyongyang%E2%80%99s%20hackers https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=South%20Korea%20needs%20to%20take%20action%20to%20deal%20with%20Pyongyang%E2%80%99s%20hackers "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-needs-to-take-action-to-deal-with-pyongyangs-hackers/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=South%20Korea%20needs%20to%20take%20action%20to%20deal%20with%20Pyongyang%E2%80%99s%20hackers&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-needs-to-take-action-to-deal-with-pyongyangs-hackers/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=South%20Korea%20needs%20to%20take%20action%20to%20deal%20with%20Pyongyang%E2%80%99s%20hackers "Reddit") **Categories:** Science & Tech --- ### [Russians promote weirdness of North Korea for tourism](https://www.nkinsider.org/russians-promote-weirdness-of-north-korea-for-tourism/) **Published:** July 23, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Photo_2024-07-24-11 47 31.jpeg "Photo20240724 11 47 31 | nk insider")When 200 young Russians arrived at Pyongyang’s Sunan Airport on Monday this week, they were excited to touch down in a strange and exotic place that had been billed as a kind of Holiday in Hell. The students who came on two Air Koryo planes were from Primorsky Krai in the Russian Far East and will stay in the North for 12 days. Their trip was considered newsworthy enough to have been reported by the media outlet Vesti Primorye under the headline, “Primorye students visit the most mysterious and isolated country in the world.” “I’m really excited,” one girl said. “What will the most isolated country look like? What will the atmosphere be like? It seems really interesting to experience a completely different world.” “I can’t contain my excitement. I’m eager to personally see what goes on inside such a closed-off country,” another student said. The expressions of giddy excitement at being in such a weird place are obviously not what North Korean authorities expected from their warming ties with Russia, following the recent state visit of President Vladimir Putin. It is apparent that North Korea tourism is being promoted in Russia not for leisure or learning, but as travel into weirdness. The theme is reminiscent of the Holidays in Hell concept made famous by the American journalist and humorist P.J. O’Rourke whose book of that title detailed his visits in the 1980s conflict zones and unlikely destinations (which, ironically, included South Korea where he reported on anti-government student protests). The students will stay in Pyongyang for two days to explore the city, and then go to the Wonsan Songdowon International Children’s Camp on the east coast. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Photo_2024-07-24-11 47 25-1024x506.jpeg "R1 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Photo_2024-07-24-11 47 21-1024x576.jpeg "| nk insider")Amid the growing political, economic, and military exchanges between North Korea and Russia, the Russian government is promoting tourism to North Korea as part of its economic aid to the country. Russian travel agencies have been making considerable efforts to attract tourists. But a lack of sufficient facilities in North Korea and, we may presume, the negative image of the country, is not helping the cause. The travel agency Vostok Intour has introduced a 4-day tour of North Korea and last weekend reported that just 54 tourists visited the city of Rason in the northeast of the country, near the Russian border. Media in Primorsky Krai seem to be encouraging tourism by billing North Korea as the “world’s most isolated country without the Internet.” It’s a theme that weighs heavily on North Koreans who have escaped from their country, for it only serves to highlight its horrors. “It’s sad as someone with North Korean roots to see the suffering of my people being used to boost tourism and entertain Russians,” said Cho, 54, who has been in South Korea since early 2023. “Given such popular sentiment where even children recognize North Korea as the world’s most isolated country, I think it’s unlikely that the Russia-North Korea relationship will be sustainable,” said Jung, 52, who defected in 2010 and is now pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. “I think we’ll see the appearance of close ties for a while because Russia seems to be getting military support from North Korea and is in turn trying to provide economic assistance. But it won’t go that deep,” she said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Russians%20promote%20weirdness%20of%20North%20Korea%20for%20tourism&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Russians%20promote%20weirdness%20of%20North%20Korea%20for%20tourism https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Russians%20promote%20weirdness%20of%20North%20Korea%20for%20tourism "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/russians-promote-weirdness-of-north-korea-for-tourism/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Russians%20promote%20weirdness%20of%20North%20Korea%20for%20tourism&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/russians-promote-weirdness-of-north-korea-for-tourism/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Russians%20promote%20weirdness%20of%20North%20Korea%20for%20tourism "Reddit") **Categories:** Culture --- ### [Kim Jong-un new leadership style is just a cosmetic change](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-new-leadership-style-is-just-a-cosmetic-change/) **Published:** July 10, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Factory-jong-un-1-1.jpeg "Factory jongun 1 | nk insider")During a visit to a modern defense industry factory on July 2, Kim Jong-un behaved in a way that was a departure from the usual practice, which may give outsiders the impression he wants North Korea to be more of a normal state. What caught the eye was the sight of Kim and his entourage moving around independently, as opposed to the normal spectacle of them all hanging obsequiously onto his every word and gesture. The plant visit came immediately after an important party meeting. The 10th Enlarged Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea was held in Pyongyang from June 28 to July 1. In North Korea, activities attended by members of the Kim family are called Number 1 Events. During Number 1 Events, a specific piece of music called *the Number 1 Event Song* is struck up at the start, signaling that everyone present must devotedly focus on the words and actions of the Kim family throughout. This is but one feature of the meticulous dictatorship the Kims have run for nearly 80 years. However, it is notable that Kim Jong-un broke that mold during this event. What was it that was unusual? Judging from the KCNA photos, as Kim toured the factory with his aides, some had their backs turned to him and were looking in completely different directions. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Factory-jong-un-4.jpeg "Factory jongun 4 | nk insider")In a stunning departure from normal practice, Kim’s entourage have their backs to him during his visit to medical factory (Image: KCNA)It was a small, missable sight for an outsider, but something almost unimaginable for citizens. “This is truly unexpected,” a resident of Onsong County, North Hamgyong Province, said a few days later. “It’s something we could not imagine. It’s still hard for me to believe that people were standing with their backs to the Supreme Leader while he was speaking.” Defectors don’t remember anything like this under Kim before, let alone in the days of Kim’s father and grandfather. “I lived there over 50 years and I never saw anything like this,” said Kim, who escaped to South Korea in 2022. “This was not only unthinkable under Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, but even until today under Kim Jong-un. You could be executed for turning your back on him while he was speaking.” In theory, it is possible that this was some kind of aberration. For example, perhaps the song hadn’t been played to bring people to attention. But in such a case, whoever at KCNA issued the photos would have been arrested by now and the photos withdrawn. The fact is that they weren’t, which means the scene was approved. Adding weight to this interpretation is the fact the event was not isolated. There are other changes afoot. For example, there is a shift in regime slogans. Typically, these are entirely focused on Kim and his family. For example, “Let’s thoroughly arm ourselves with the revolutionary ideology of the great Comrade Kim Jong-un!” That emphasis on Kim is due to the fact that the state and the nation are subordinate to the royal bloodline. However, recently the main slogan on Korean Central TV has changed to “Let’s unite through patriotism.” This seems to emphasize the importance of the state. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/스크린샷-2024-07-09-101004-1024x673.jpg "스크린샷 20240709 101004 | nk insider") ‘Let’s unite through patriotism!’ Recent slogans emphasize the state rather than the Kims (Image: Korean Central Television)So, is the Kim Jong Un regime genuinely trying to transform North Korea from a dictatorial, slave state into a normal state that pursues the development and prosperity of the nation for the sake of the people? As attractive as the thought might be, we have to say that the short answer is no. Despite the effort to appear normal, these are superficial displays. The evidence for our skepticism lies in what else was happening at the same time as the factory visit. On the heels of the party meeting, there was a mass mobilization of youth nationwide. For instance, in Pyongsong, on July 4, 150 young people from South Pyongan Province were forcibly conscripted into difficult jobs such as mines and farms under the guise of collective pledges. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Deok-sung-gathering-2.jpeg "Deoksung gathering 2 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/스크린샷-2024-07-09-100604-1024x665.jpg "20240709 100604 | nk insider")(Left) A Kim Jong-un ethics lecture for Youth Workers and members of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea (GFTUK) met at the Central Hall of Workers on July 4 (Image: KCNA), (Right) Young people in South Pyongan Province forcibly “volunteer” to work in mines and on farms (Image: Korean Central Television)“In our area, on July 3, 130 young people and trade union members were caught up in the so-called voluntary pledge campaign and sent to mines and farms,” said a source in North Hamgyong Province. “This is claimed as voluntary, but in reality, it is forced relocation. If the party committee, trade union committee, or women’s union committee recommends collective mobilization and you do not comply, you are in big trouble.” Refusal results in immediate labeling as a “revolutionary dropout,” or even a “counter-revolutionary element,” the source said. “You face such political pressure that you can no longer work or live in society. Knowing this, we accept our fate and comply,” the source said. Thus, as change is made in one aspect, the administrative and organizational tightening of the screws serves to only strengthen the dictatorial system. As a further indication of this, a source from Hyesan, Yanggang Province, reported on July 7 that during the party meeting, trade union and women’s union organizations across the country held ethics sessions on the “greatness” of Kim Jong-un. In a lecture by union officials, the focus was on Kim Jong-un’s meeting with Trump in Singapore, the source said. “It emphasized that he is a ‘divinely gifted’ individual,” he said. “It continued for an hour, praising his meeting with Trump as a victory that brought the Americans to their knees. It was absurd to see the North Korean regime boasting about a meeting with the United States while branding it as a defeat for the Americans.” The same source claimed that internal control over residents has intensified, with stricter punishments for watching South Korean dramas or foreign videos and reading foreign publications. “Control over clothing and hairstyles has also become stricter than ever,” he said. “A 23-year-old man named Yoo from Onsong County, North Hamgyong Province, was sentenced on July 6 to seven years in prison for listening to South Korean music and sharing it with a close friend,” the source reported. Our conclusion at this stage is that the heightened controls are intended to send the message that Kim’s new external leadership style of appearing “normal” is not to be misunderstood by his subjects. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20new%20leadership%20style%20is%20just%20a%20cosmetic%20change&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20new%20leadership%20style%20is%20just%20a%20cosmetic%20change https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20new%20leadership%20style%20is%20just%20a%20cosmetic%20change "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-new-leadership-style-is-just-a-cosmetic-change/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20new%20leadership%20style%20is%20just%20a%20cosmetic%20change&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-new-leadership-style-is-just-a-cosmetic-change/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20new%20leadership%20style%20is%20just%20a%20cosmetic%20change "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Does ousted finance minister face execution?](https://www.nkinsider.org/does-ousted-finance-minister-face-execution/) **Published:** July 19, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Ko-jeongbum.jpg "Kojeongbum | nk insider")When Kim Jong-un replaced his finance minister at the end of last month, flagging “obstacles to economic development,” the rumor mill went into top gear. Had the booted official, Ko Jeong-bum, messed up seriously enough that he might be executed? Certainly, the decision, made at an important [Workers’ Party meeting](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/07/103_377748.html), looked bad for Ko. Back in December, with the exchange rate soaring to 20,000 won to the dollar and food and commodity prices skyrocketing, the [finance minister](https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EA%B3%A0%EC%A0%95%EB%B2%94) came under pressure to solve the problem. The authorities issued proclamations about stabilizing exchange rates and prices every month until this year. But prices just kept on rising. Finally, at the end of the first half, Ko was replaced and the poisoned chalice was handed to a new face, [Ri Myong-guk](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/PYH20240702070500315?section=image/nk). As everyone knows, in North Korea’s system, the dictator is positioned as making all decisions. But every time the economy worsens and public sentiment wavers, officials are held accountable. In serious enough cases, [they’re executed](https://www.dailynk.com/english/expert-predicts-further-purges-of/). For example, in the 1990s, then-dictator Kim Jong-il deflected responsibility for the mass famine that caused hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of deaths by blaming it on the minister of agriculture, So Kwan-hui. Accused of embezzlement and spying, he was shot in front of a large crowd in 1997. Similarly, in 2010, the director of the party’s planning and finance department, [Pak Nam-gi](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/18/north-korean-executed-currency-reform), was executed after a botched currency reform. Nobody really believes that one person was responsible, so suitable charges had to be found. Pak was charged with being the “son of a bourgeois conspiring to infiltrate the ranks of revolutionaries to destroy the national economy.” Such harshness is brutal evidence of the extent to which the leadership will go to avoid bearing responsibility. At that time, Kim Jong-il had suffered multiple strokes and had designated his third son as his successor. But it hardly makes sense to single out Pak as responsible for the currency reform, particularly given how extreme it was. The state confiscated funds held by ordinary citizens, exchanging them at a ratio of 100 to 1. North Korea’s economy is in such a mess that we may expect more crises of this sort until the system changes. With central planning paralyzed and the rationing system no longer functioning, the regime has lightened up and relaxed its controls over the unofficial markets so that people can scrape a basic living. Thus, workers no longer earn money from their enterprises but instead earn it independently and pay the workplace in order to maintain their official association with it. Doctors, teachers, fishermen, and cooperative farm workers all have their own illegal way of surviving in these circumstances. None depend on the state’s economic policies and nobody trusts them. The government, meanwhile, maintains the official system and labels any activities that deviate from this policy as anti-socialist. This ambivalence, it must be said, serves to provide survival opportunities for law enforcement officials who are able to top up their own meager salaries by confiscating money and goods under the pretext of crackdowns and controls. Such chronic difficulties are way too complicated to be resolved by the execution of a finance minister. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Does%20ousted%20finance%20minister%20face%20execution%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Does%20ousted%20finance%20minister%20face%20execution%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Does%20ousted%20finance%20minister%20face%20execution%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/does-ousted-finance-minister-face-execution/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Does%20ousted%20finance%20minister%20face%20execution%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/does-ousted-finance-minister-face-execution/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Does%20ousted%20finance%20minister%20face%20execution%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Kim Jong-un the Apple maniac](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-the-apple-maniac/) **Published:** July 8, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Shutterstock_2366197483.jpg "Chiangmaithailandseptember232023newiphone15 | nk insider")Like many people, I was captivated by Steve Jobs when he famously said during his 2005 Stanford University commencement speech, “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” I was also captivated by his fashion sense. His iconic style emphasized simplicity and practicality, featuring Miyake turtlenecks, Levi’s 501 jeans, and New Balance 992 sneakers. Thus attracted, I started buying Apple products and became one of South Korea’s “App-deungyi.” These are consumers who blindly praise everything Apple does. The word combines the company’s name with “gob-deungyi,” which means camel cricket or spider cricket. There’s also a notable App-deungyi in North Korea. According to various broadcasts and videos, Kim Jong-un is [an Apple fan](https://biz.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2018/01/23/2018012302478.html). He uses an iMac, a MacBook, an iPad, and an iPhone. In other words, while he’s officially [anti-American](https://www.voakorea.com/a/korea_korea-politics_kimjongun-provocations-new-administrations/6047726.html), he is in fact an Apple maniac. According to [reports](https://biz.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2018/01/23/2018012302478.html), as rumors spread that he uses an iPhone, the device has gained popularity as “The Marshal’s Phone.” He is known to import the latest iPhone models as soon as they are released, not only for himself but also as gifts for deputy director-level officials and above in powerful institutions. Apple says it does not sell its products to North Korea. In this context, Bloomberg revealed that thousands of Apple products have been illegally [imported](https://www.newspim.com/news/view/20180613000012) into North Korea over the past several years. But there is a new twist to this story. Kim may be switching to Samsung. Known as an early adopter, [he was spotted](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20230713014600504) carrying a foldable smartphone at last year’s Hwasong-18 test launch. It was difficult to confirm the exact country of origin as the phone was in a case. However, experts speculated that it was most likely Samsung Electronics’ latest model, which held over 70% market share globally last year. Some suggested that it might be [a foldable phone](https://www.hankyung.com/article/202307134531g) from the Chinese manufacturer OPPO, but we’re going with the Samsung claim. “In recent years, the penetration rate of mobile phones in North Korea has been increasing,” said one expert in Seoul. “It seems there is an intention to create a different digital environment by trying out foldable phones and possibly producing and distributing them locally.” Indeed, a promotional video released by North Korea on the propaganda site Naenara in June featured the latest North Korean smartphones, including several foldable products. These are developed and produced by the [Madusan Mobile Phone](https://www.nkeconomy.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=13486) Development and Production Center under the Madusan Economic Union. The foldable Madusan smartphone features an octagonal-shaped camera on the back. Another model has four cameras in a circular design. However, it is unclear if these foldable phones are actually being produced and developed within North Korea. NK Economic News [pointed out](https://www.nkeconomy.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=13486) that, given North Korea’s smartphone production history, it is likely that if they are producing foldable phones, the displays would be Chinese. UN Security Council Resolution 2397 bans the export and import of electronic devices to and from North Korea. But Pyongyang reportedly bypasses these restrictions and clandestinely imports electronic products and related components. These come mainly [from China](https://www.dailynk.com/20240508-2-2/#google_vignette), with payments made in cash or through proxy dollar bank accounts. Various types of smartphones are released in North Korea. They include Pyongyang Touch, Arirang, Jindallae, Phurun Hanul, and Samtaesong. An International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) check of a Samtaesong phone revealed it is a Chinese [product](https://www.dailynk.com/20240508-2-2/#google_vignette). This leads to the question of why people in North Korea would need a mobile phone when they can’t access the internet. The use of mobile phones is not widespread, but they are nevertheless valued by those who can get them. “Having a mobile phone allows you to watch South Korean dramas,” said one source. “If someone outside informs you that inspection teams are coming, you can escape or stop watching.” Phones also help stabilize prices in the marketplace. “People can call around and find out what people are charging,” he said. “This discourages sellers from charging exorbitant prices to avoid losing credibility.” There is another interpretation of this increased penetration which is that it is aimed at making it easier to control the population. Whatever the explanation, perhaps the day will come when North Koreans can through their phones find inspiration in Steve Jobs’ message, “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20the%20Apple%20maniac&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20the%20Apple%20maniac https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20the%20Apple%20maniac "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-the-apple-maniac/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20the%20Apple%20maniac&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-the-apple-maniac/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20the%20Apple%20maniac "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [North Korea trade fair in Russia violates sanctions](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-trade-fair-in-russia-violates-sanctions/) **Published:** July 7, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Nk-trade-market-1.jpg "Nktrademarket1 | nk insider")A North Korean trade fair in Russia at the end of June directly challenged sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council. The event, held in Vladivostok June 26 to 30, even featured a model of the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile which was the basis for the sanctions. Coming on the heels of the state visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the upgrading of bilateral ties, the trade fair appears to be a deliberate provocation endorsed by the Russians. The sanctions date back to 2017 when the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2356 over Pyongyang’s ballistic missile tests. It included additional sanctions on four specific organizations and 14 individuals. Later that year, the UN adopted three more resolutions in response to successive missile and nuclear tests. The North Korean Goods Festival, as the trade fair was billed, was held at Vladivostok’s Dynamo Stadium with 150 representatives and 20 managers from several trading companies. One was the Mansudae Overseas Project Group of Companies, an affiliate of the Mansudae Art Studio, which is a major foreign currency earner for the regime and one of the organizations on the UN sanctions list. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/30-러시아-블라디-북한상품전람회에서-판매한-대북제제-대상품목들-1024x507.jpg "30러시아 블라디 북한상품전람회에서 판매한 대북제제 대상품목들 | nk insider") Images taken by an insider at the North Korean Goods Festival in VladivostokFounded in 1959, the Mansudae Art Studio exports paintings, handicrafts, ceramics and other works of art, including statues and architecture. Among the artworks on display at the trade fair were “Towards 2012” by Ham Sung-chol, a ceramic vase by Woo Chol-ryong, and an embroidery work called “Fairy” by Ri Won-in. More unusually, the event featured a water tube for children in the shape of the Hwasong-15. This was a violation of the prohibition on displaying models of such missiles by the Security Council and appears to have been a blatant challenge to the international community. With Russia a permanent member of the UN Security Council, analysts assume that the provocation was deliberate and approved by Moscow. The two allies share pariah status, following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The two leaders signed a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement” on June 19 that commits them to come to one another’s aid in times of conflict. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20trade%20fair%20in%20Russia%20violates%20sanctions&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20trade%20fair%20in%20Russia%20violates%20sanctions https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20trade%20fair%20in%20Russia%20violates%20sanctions "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-trade-fair-in-russia-violates-sanctions/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20trade%20fair%20in%20Russia%20violates%20sanctions&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-trade-fair-in-russia-violates-sanctions/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20trade%20fair%20in%20Russia%20violates%20sanctions "Reddit") **Categories:** Sanctions --- ### [Futuristic new tower unveiled in Pyongyang](https://www.nkinsider.org/futuristic-new-tower-unveiled-in-pyongyang/) **Published:** July 5, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Science-tower-.jpg "Science tower | nk insider")A futuristic new tower unveiled in Pyongyang symbolizes the regime’s ambitions in science and technology, but whether actual capability goes beyond aspirational architecture remains to be seen. According to Rodong Sinmun, the [Mirae (future) Symbol Tower](https://m.news1.kr/photos/view/?6732771) incorporates designs representing the nucleus and electron orbitals. Twenty-one meters high, it symbolizes the government’s plan for scientific prowess and rapid development. Landmarks such as the [Mirae Scientists Street](https://www.spnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=45638), where the tower is located, as well as the Sci-Tech Complex along the Daedong River, and the Wisong Scientists Residential District have become iconic features of the capital city. Pyongyang’s transformation into a city of [science and technology](https://m.dongascience.com/news.php?idx=22326) is seen as part of Kim Jong-un’s new goal to elevate North Korea into an economic powerhouse. “The Mirae Scientists Street Symbol Tower, rising in the center of the main thoroughfare at the entrance of the street, powerfully demonstrates the party’s unwavering determination to strengthen the foundations of socialism through science and to advance socialism with the locomotive of science, in an artistic manner,” the Rodong Sinmun [reported](https://www.nkeconomy.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=13535). The Mirae (future) inscribed on the tower represents the determination of scientists and educators to carve out the future and the blue color symbolizes rapid progress, according to an official from the Pyongyang Urban Design Research Institute quoted in the piece. Outsiders, however, cautioned that the architecture may not represent more will than capability. “Architecture serves to carry the party’s message,” said a defector in South Korea who studied architecture in Paris. “It is not that North Korea has achieved a particular breakthrough in science and technology, but rather, it is expressing its will to do so.” Science and technology have in fact been emphasized for decades since the rule of Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, the defector said. “It seems that Kim Jong-un intends to continue this legacy in order to bring about change.” Kim Jong-un has emphasized the need to prioritize science and technology since he took power in 2012. At the 7th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea in 2016, he presented a “strong nation of science and technology” as an important goal on the way to building a powerful socialist nation. Since then, North Korea has been seeking economic development through innovation in both the basic and industrial sectors of science and technology. Initiatives include a biotech focus on gene transfer and recombination, stem cells, growth hormones, antibody development, and supporting agricultural technology. Also, in nanotechnology, the focus is on oxide nanotechnology and industrial applications, as well as the development of nanoparticles and materials. In energy, the emphasis is on small- to medium-sized hydropower generation, high-efficiency coal-fired power generation, and alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power, along with nuclear power generation. Additionally, the coal sector is focused on underground gasification, coal exploration, and improving mining-related facilities. Particularly in the metals and chemicals sector, there is a focus on the development and production of Juche steel, the completion of technology for carbon one chemical industry, and the Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Plant. “Kim’s prioritizing of science and technology is aimed at economic self-reliance,” said Choi Ye-seo, a North Korean sociologist. “It appears that there are some achievements in certain areas. However, it remains to be seen how sustainable these technological innovations will be in the face of ongoing international sanctions and resource shortages.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Futuristic%20new%20tower%20unveiled%20in%20Pyongyang&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Futuristic%20new%20tower%20unveiled%20in%20Pyongyang https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Futuristic%20new%20tower%20unveiled%20in%20Pyongyang "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/futuristic-new-tower-unveiled-in-pyongyang/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Futuristic%20new%20tower%20unveiled%20in%20Pyongyang&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/futuristic-new-tower-unveiled-in-pyongyang/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Futuristic%20new%20tower%20unveiled%20in%20Pyongyang "Reddit") **Categories:** Science & Tech --- ### [Overseas experts worry how North Korea might use AI](https://www.nkinsider.org/overseas-experts-worry-how-north-korea-might-use-ai/) **Published:** July 3, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Shutterstock_2480508735.jpg "Hackerfromnorthkorea humaninhoodwithcomputer hacker | nk insider")North Korea is using artificial intelligence to assist its extensive hacking activity and appears to be exploring the possibility of developing its own generative AI, according to South Korean intelligence experts. Seoul and its allies are anxious to map out other areas where the North Koreans may boost their capabilities with AI, in particular military applications. The heightened concern follows last month’s visit to Pyongyang by Russian President Vladimir Putin, when the two countries upgraded their defense relationship. The June 19 agreement includes a commitment to full-scale cooperation in science and technology and, notably, AI. “We have identified circumstances where generative AI is used to search and identify hacking targets,” said an official from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, quoted in [Digital Daily](https://m.ddaily.co.kr/page/view/2024042606074318590), a Korean publication. “There are also trends indicating efforts to develop their own generative AI.” Experts are stressing the need to pay attention to North Korea’s future actions in this area. According to a report in [NK Kyongje](https://www.nkeconomy.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=13447), overseas experts have taken note of an in-depth paper on generative AI in the January 2024 issue of “Computer and Program Technology,” which is published in Pyongyang by the Central Information Agency for Science and Technology, as an indication that the regime is putting some of its best minds on the sector. “They have the talent and can develop it,” said a programmer in Seoul who graduated from the North’s Kim Chaek University of Technology before defecting. By way of illustration, students from Kim Chaek University of Technology and Kim Il-sung University swept the top four positions last year in a hacking competition hosted by the American IT company HackerEarth. The first-placed student scored a perfect [800 points](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20230707015400504). The students benefited from the country’s Gifted High Schools system that nurtures prodigies in math and science. Candidates are selected annually via regional math competitions. They invariably end up at Kim Chaek University of Technology and go on to specialize in nuclear weapons among other sectors. “The challenge will be how to deal with international exchange, internet access, and high-performance hardware, all of which are necessary for developing the latest AI technologies,” the defector said. Over the past year, North Korea has demonstrated a focus on promoting informatization and developing the latest technologies, dedicating [full effort](https://www.nkeconomy.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=13498) to these areas. Specifically, it has drawn public [attention](https://www.nkeconomy.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=12780) to its research on next-generation mobile communication technologies such as 4G and 5G, the promotion of cloud computing research, and the expansion of AI applications. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Overseas%20experts%20worry%20how%20North%20Korea%20might%20use%20AI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Overseas%20experts%20worry%20how%20North%20Korea%20might%20use%20AI https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Overseas%20experts%20worry%20how%20North%20Korea%20might%20use%20AI "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/overseas-experts-worry-how-north-korea-might-use-ai/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Overseas%20experts%20worry%20how%20North%20Korea%20might%20use%20AI&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/overseas-experts-worry-how-north-korea-might-use-ai/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Overseas%20experts%20worry%20how%20North%20Korea%20might%20use%20AI "Reddit") **Categories:** Science & Tech --- ### [North Koreans forced to attend war anniversary lectures](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreans-forced-to-attend-war-anniversary-lectures/) **Published:** June 27, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-6 25-rally-3.jpeg "2024 6 25 rally 3 | nk insider")The Workers’ Party is forcing government and ordinary citizens to attend weekly lectures this month commemorating the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 to remind them as if they needed it, that the anti-American and anti-South Korean struggle must continue unabated. The slight change in the narrative from previous years is that the role of South Korea has shifted from “American puppet” to “principal enemy.” This is in keeping with Kim Jong-un’s strategic move away from reunification to permanent division of the peninsula. The lecture series is titled, “Having a thorough understanding of the primary enemy and a Juche-oriented war perspective to mercilessly crush the atrocious Anti-Republic invasion schemes of the enemies.” The text of the lecture series published by the Workers’ Party of Korea Publishing House refers in particular to the invasion on June 25 that started the three-year war outbreak, saying, “The history of the crimes committed by the U.S. against our people will never be forgotten and our determination to destroy them will grow stronger every day.” The war began 74 years ago with a surprise attack by the forces of Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il-sung, across the border into South Korea. The bloodiest episode in Korean history, the war drew in America, China, and other nations and resulted in millions of deaths without achieving anything. Kim Il-sung’s attempt at forced reunification failed. The border remained hardly changed. But the division was sealed in blood and hatred and remained so to this day. Kim’s grandfather survived politically by blaming other communist factions in the North and by accusing the United States of having started the conflict. Generations of North Koreans have grown up believing this lie. But sources inside North Korea suggest that the propaganda is failing to resonate with the people in the way it used to. According to one person reached in North Pyongan Province, the virulence expressed against the United States goes over people’s heads these days. “They seem to think that shouting anti-American slogans and shaking their fists at the U.S. will not make any difference,” he said. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/강연제강-표지-주적관념-1-709x1024.jpg "강연제강 표지주적관념 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/강연제강-내지-주적관념-1-699x1024.jpg "강연제강 내지주적관념 | nk insider")The state’s lecture script for commemorating the Korean War, published in 2024 and obtained by NK Insider, emphasizes the hostility towards the U.S. The “innate hostility and confrontation mentality” of North Korea’s enemies is becoming “increasingly rampant and tyrannical,” according to the lecture script. “This unyielding vengeance and unwavering concept of the principal enemy cannot and must not be forgotten,” it says. “If we let our guard down even for a moment, the disasters of over 70 years ago will be repeated. We must firmly remember the truth of class struggle, maintaining a clear concept of the principal enemy and a Juche-oriented war perspective to mercilessly crush the enemy’s schemes.” Citizens are also harangued about recent achievements attributed to Kim Jong-un’s wise leadership and sacrificial dedication. “North Korea’s status as a globally admired nuclear power and a strong nuclear state in the East is now firmly established and irreversible,” the text says. This apparent success is making Washington and Seoul furious, it says. “The United States and other hostile forces are desperately trying to hinder our ever-strengthening nuclear war deterrence and annihilate our Republic. Notably, the U.S. is blatantly strengthening its so-called ‘alliance’ and ‘trilateral cooperation’ with South Korea and Japan.” The lectures also repeat the refrain that annual war games in the South, currently underway, mean conflict is imminent. “In the past, military exercises were claimed to be routine, defensive, and non-threatening,” it says. “However, they have now escalated to ‘end of the regime,’ ‘occupation of Pyongyang,’ and ‘decapitation operations.’” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Koreans%20forced%20to%20attend%20war%20anniversary%20lectures&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Koreans%20forced%20to%20attend%20war%20anniversary%20lectures https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Koreans%20forced%20to%20attend%20war%20anniversary%20lectures "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreans-forced-to-attend-war-anniversary-lectures/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Koreans%20forced%20to%20attend%20war%20anniversary%20lectures&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreans-forced-to-attend-war-anniversary-lectures/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Koreans%20forced%20to%20attend%20war%20anniversary%20lectures "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Are the upgraded Russia-North Korea ties just skin-deep?](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-the-upgraded-russia-north-korea-ties-just-skin-deep/) **Published:** June 25, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Putinandkim.jpeg "Putinandkim | nk insider")Russia and North Korea last week upgraded their relationship from “friendly” to a strategic partnership with a mutual defense commitment that has prompted concerns about war in South Korea. With Russia now isolated in the world following its invasion of Ukraine, a fellow United Nations member state, it is rebuilding old ties with the North that fizzled a generation ago with the end of the Cold War. What this means for North Korea itself and its possible impact on the peninsula remains to be seen. But, given that, before the war in Ukraine, the Russians had more varied exchanges and felt more comfortable with South Koreans than the North Koreans, who even in the communist era they saw as extreme and alien, their partnership appears to be a marriage of convenience. The two sides are drawn together by their common status as pariah states. This is a status that the Russians would want to change, which suggests their commitment to the North Koreans may not go that far. When Vladimir Putin flew into North Korea this week for the first time in 24 years, he was repaying Kim Jong-un’s visit to Moscow last year. The two leaders signed a [Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/key-points-north-korea-russia-landmark-strategic-partnership-treaty-2024-06-20/) that represented a landmark reset of the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighborliness, and Cooperation that Putin signed with Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, in Pyongyang in July 2000. The Russians once considered North Korea a client state. In its previous incarnation as the Soviet Union, it controlled North Korea after World War Two and installed Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il-sung, as a puppet leader. Kim proved to be a difficult client and developed his *juche* (self-reliance) philosophy as an expression of independence from Moscow (as well as Beijing). Despite this, they remained formal allies. Then relations soured in the early 1990s when the Russians rejected communism. A clause in the new agreement that commits mutual support in the event of war is raising concern, particularly in Seoul and Washington. According to Article 4, if one party is subjected to military invasion and enters a state of war with another country or a coalition of countries, the other party will provide military and other assistance without delay using all available means, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51 and the laws of North Korea and Russia. The relevant article in the UN Charter allows for the support of member states when they are attacked but is somewhat ambiguous in that it does not specify how to manage a case when one member state attacks another. It simply states, “If an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations, the right of individual or collective self-defense can be exercised.” The ambiguity recalls the circumstances in Korea in 1950. When North Korea invaded the South, it claimed it was repelling an invasion by South Korea and the United States. The former Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China used this fiction to support North Korea. The South Korean presidential office last week strongly condemned the Russia-North Korea agreement as “absurd” and said it would [reconsider its policy](https://www.voanews.com/a/south-korea-blasts-russia-north-korea-deal-says-it-will-consider-possible-arms-supplies-to-ukraine-/7663155.html) of limiting support for Ukraine to non-lethal supplies. Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also declared, “We will respond firmly and resolutely to any actions threatening our security.” Back in Moscow, Putin was asked by a reporter from the daily Izvestia at a press conference for his response to the South Korean stance. “The treaty states ‘in case of a military invasion’ so if the South Korean government has no plans to attack North Korea, why would this be considered a threat?” Putin said. “If the South Korean government were to actually provide weapons to Ukraine, this would not help resolve issues on the Korean Peninsula at all,” he added. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Are%20the%20upgraded%20Russia-North%20Korea%20ties%20just%20skin-deep%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Are%20the%20upgraded%20Russia-North%20Korea%20ties%20just%20skin-deep%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Are%20the%20upgraded%20Russia-North%20Korea%20ties%20just%20skin-deep%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-the-upgraded-russia-north-korea-ties-just-skin-deep/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Are%20the%20upgraded%20Russia-North%20Korea%20ties%20just%20skin-deep%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-the-upgraded-russia-north-korea-ties-just-skin-deep/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Are%20the%20upgraded%20Russia-North%20Korea%20ties%20just%20skin-deep%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Excessive security annoys Putin aides and disturbs citizens in Pyongyang](https://www.nkinsider.org/excessive-security-annoys-putin-aides-and-disturbs-citizens-in-pyongyang/) **Published:** June 24, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** Several senior Russian officials were undiplomatically expelled from a meeting room by North Korean security during last week’s visit to Pyongyang by Vladimir Putin, underscoring the way in which, the new official upgrade of relations notwithstanding, Russians and North Koreans don’t actually get along. A video shared on X by Estonian blogger Dmitri shows the Russians being thrown out and expressing open dissatisfaction, complaining, “This wasn’t mentioned when we came in.” > A North Korean official kicked out Russian ministers who entered the meeting room before Kim Jong Un. Foreign Minister Lavrov, Defense Minister Belousov, Health Minister Murashko, Roscosmos head Borisov, First Deputy Prime Minister Manturov and Deputy Prime Minister Savelyev were… [pic.twitter.com/Lk3VgxLFvb](https://t.co/Lk3VgxLFvb) > > — WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) [June 19, 2024](https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1803416735690682462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) The Russians allegedly violated the rules by entering the room before North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The top officials at the receiving end of North Korean security included Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, Roscosmos State Space Corporation Director Yury Borisov, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, and Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev. The incident gives a glimpse into the extreme security and excessive protocol surrounding Kim Jong-un. According to several sources, a curfew was imposed from 8 pm to 7 am on June 19-21 in some border areas and in parts of Pyongyang. The dates coincided with Putin’s visit. One source said citizens were made to wait for seven hours from 5 am for a welcoming event for Putin in Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/회담장-2.jpeg "회담장 2 | nk insider")Russian officials were about to be expelled for entering a meeting room before putin and kim jong un image kcnaBesides the usual checking of IDs and names against lists and metal detectors, soldiers stood by armed with automatic weapons. The Daedong Bridge leading to Kim Il-sung Square and also the Okryu Bridge and its surroundings were filled with an unprecedented number of armed soldiers. “The children were just excited to see the soldiers’ automatic rifles slung over their shoulders,” one source said. “However, it was not pleasant for participants to see children made to wait from 5 AM to ensure an event starting at noon, being passed through metal detectors, and entering a venue guarded by fully armed soldiers.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/김일성-광장.jpeg "김일성 광장 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/김일성-광장-2.jpeg "김일성 광장 2 | nk insider")Children and citizens’ of Pyongyang had to wait for seven hours for Kim and Putin (Image: KCNA)To make things worse for the crowds, the temperature in the capital reached 38 degrees Celsius that day. Some children needed medical treatment, the source said. Other sources spotted soldiers with machine guns positioned on rooftops. In the past, these weapons were hidden, but for some reason this time, they were visible, instilling fear among the citizens. Analysts say Kim has increased his focus on security over fears of a potential backlash over recently intensified controls. This year, North Korea has also forced citizens in Pyongyang and other regions to [relocate under the guise of voluntary resource mobilization.](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/02/11/is-something-happening-in-north-korea-6000-young-adults-forcibly-sent-to-mines-and-farms-in-january/) - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Excessive%20security%20annoys%20Putin%20aides%20and%20disturbs%20citizens%20in%20Pyongyang&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Excessive%20security%20annoys%20Putin%20aides%20and%20disturbs%20citizens%20in%20Pyongyang https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Excessive%20security%20annoys%20Putin%20aides%20and%20disturbs%20citizens%20in%20Pyongyang "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/excessive-security-annoys-putin-aides-and-disturbs-citizens-in-pyongyang/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Excessive%20security%20annoys%20Putin%20aides%20and%20disturbs%20citizens%20in%20Pyongyang&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/excessive-security-annoys-putin-aides-and-disturbs-citizens-in-pyongyang/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Excessive%20security%20annoys%20Putin%20aides%20and%20disturbs%20citizens%20in%20Pyongyang "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [New system to reward people for reporting on their neighbors](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-system-to-reward-people-for-reporting-on-their-neighbors/) **Published:** June 20, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Shutterstock_1674945655.jpg "Kaesongnorthkoreaseptemper7 2016northandsouth | nk insider")North Korea is taking a leaf out of the capitalist book to incentivize citizens to turn in people engaged in illegal economic activity. While betraying neighbors was previously considered a patriotic duty, it has now become another means to make money. The harsh directive came out of a meeting of police where Kim Jong-un instructed police to tighten social discipline to block the inflow of outside information. He called for an “uncompromising struggle against all illegal activities that could hamper economic development and an improvement of people’s life,” according to the KCNA. Kim was speaking at the Fifth National Conference of Branch Heads of Public Security Substations on April 30. The first such meeting since 2012, it involved around 3,500 substation chiefs. It is the first time that North Korea has paid people to report illegal activity. “This new reward system is causing a lot of strife among people,” said one source inside North Korea. “Street vending is prohibited, but a lot of ordinary people depend on it for their day-to-day survival. So, they are appalled. Meanwhile, old people who stay at home and have nothing to do are happy for a way to earn money,” he said. The system pays people according to the severity of the alleged crime. Besides applying to actual criminal behavior, it also applies to the sale of unauthorized goods in markets by people who have not applied for sales permits. Street vendors are therefore a major target. Although similar to systems in other countries for reporting illegal parking and other violations, the difference is that the reward for the informant is not paid by the state but extracted from the victim. “Once caught after a report, regardless of the reason, a person has to pay a fine of at least 400,000 to 500,000 won,” the source said. The police give 200,000 to 300,000 won to the informant. Although it appears to be an initiative to crack down on crime, the real intention is to strengthen controls. Police on June 9 apprehended a woman in her 40s near a school in Hoeryong in North Hamgyong Province who was selling ice cream to passing students. He confiscated her product, wrote a report, and imposed a large fine. The next day, a man in his 70s boasted to his neighbors that he had reported the woman and had received a 200,000 won reward. “Previously, street vendors only had to avoid safety officers or the patrol team,” the source said, referring to the auxiliary police who wear red armbands. “But now they have to be wary of everyone they meet. Many have already given up.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=New%20system%20to%20reward%20people%20for%20reporting%20on%20their%20neighbors&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=New%20system%20to%20reward%20people%20for%20reporting%20on%20their%20neighbors https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=New%20system%20to%20reward%20people%20for%20reporting%20on%20their%20neighbors "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-system-to-reward-people-for-reporting-on-their-neighbors/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=New%20system%20to%20reward%20people%20for%20reporting%20on%20their%20neighbors&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-system-to-reward-people-for-reporting-on-their-neighbors/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=New%20system%20to%20reward%20people%20for%20reporting%20on%20their%20neighbors "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [North Korea’s Internal War Against South Korean Culture and Market Ideas May Be Unwinnable](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-internal-war-against-south-korean-culture-and-market-ideas-may-be-unwinnable/) **Published:** February 15, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Excerpt:** As the generation of North Koreans who grew up familiar with the jangmadang market system enters adulthood, the state is cracking down harshly to prevent their “impure” attitudes and tastes - which include a preference for South Korean music and movies - from going mainstream.  **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/North-Korean-child.jpeg "North korean student | nk insider")As the generation of North Koreans who grew up familiar with the jangmadang market system enters adulthood, the state is cracking down harshly to prevent their “impure” attitudes and tastes – which include a preference for South Korean music and movies – from going mainstream. The regime sees the battle as “critical,” but it may ultimately prove to be one it cannot win. There is no question that Kim Jong Un is afraid of foreign, and particularly South Korean, culture. In its “[2023 Report on North Korean Human Rights](https://www.korea.kr/news/policyNewsView.do?newsId=148917377),” South Korea’s Ministry of Unification released testimonies from North Korean defectors about six teenagers executed after a public trial in Wonsan for watching South Korean videos. The fact the sentence in this case was more severe than for murder, rape, robbery, rape and drug trafficking, gives an idea of how seriously the state views the threat. It is also clearly widespread. According to an educational document obtained by NK Insider, over 9,000 students from an elite middle school in one provincial city last year confessed to having watched illegal videos and turned themselves in to security authorities. More than 3,000 of them handed over flash drives containing illegal videos. “Hostile acts of antisocialism and non-socialism, which in the past were only practiced by some naive residents, sectors, and units in society, have now penetrated deeply into the overall social life,” the document said. Entitled “On rising up to struggle to suppress and eliminate anti-socialist and non-socialist behaviors,” the document is being used to train party officials, government officials, workers, soldiers and students. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/비사1.jpg "비사1 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/비사3.jpg "비사3 | nk insider")“On rising up to struggle to suppress and eliminate anti-socialist and non-socialist behaviors.” This political education material obtained by NK Insider warns the country is at a critical moment as to whether it can maintain the purity of its socialist system.The spread of foreign culture is “weakening our internal power and becoming the main obstacle to our march (and) has now reached the point of being unacceptable,” it claimed, adding, “It is not an exaggeration to say that we are at the crossroads of whether we can adhere to the socialist system.” To drive the message home, the regime is publicizing its terror tactics. An “Educational Guidance Video” recently obtained by the Seoul-based South and North Development (SAND) Institute, shows the public trial of two 16-year-olds being sentenced to a labor camp for having watched South Korean movies and K-pop. The video shows them being taken away in shackles to start their 12-year sentences. Fear of the outside world is, of course, not new for North Korea’s regime. To maintain power centered around a supreme leader, a dictatorship needs two types of emotional bond with the people. The first is the deification of the leader. The second is hostility toward the enemy that serves to promote the superiority of the leader’s rule. For this purpose, North Koreans are subjected to an extensive and systematic mindset education program from an early age. The reason it fears cultural content from the U.S. and South Korea is because it undermines these bonds. The content that is now spreading through North Korea is making a remarkable difference. From contact with recent defectors and from our sources within North Korea, we understand that North Koreans who have glimpsed the political system and social conditions portrayed in the videos find themselves conflicted. They may feel betrayal and distrust toward the regime. They may feel envy and longing for the lives people in affluent democratic societies seem to enjoy, with their guaranteed freedoms and human rights. In this way, feelings of relative deprivation turn to hatred. Such sentiments spreading through North Korea originate with the jangmadang markets. [These markets coexist with the state-run socialist economy.](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/02/02/foreign-currency-is-now-the-key-to-north-koreas-survival/) In time, the markets have formed an economic community that is distinct from the country’s political and administrative organizations. This community is driven not by organizational regulations and codes of conduct, but by the principle of supply and demand, where competing interests meet. The traders who organized and operated the first market communities are now middle-aged or even old. Children born during that time are now young adults. This jangmadang generation which never experienced rationing and knows market-oriented values is emerging as the mainstream. They put more focus on self-centered interests than on dedication and service to the leader and the system. As the regime tries to kill their way of thinking without losing the benefit of the markets, it will find itself limited. This is because the jangmadang generation cannot be forced or brainwashed with any appeal to a spirit of sacrifice. They already know and admire free societies through the South Korean content they have been exposed to. They prefer and pursue free market-oriented capitalism over socialism. As their influence grows, we should expect to see anti-authoritarian and anti-state struggles and calls for the system to improve and the society to change. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Internal%20War%20Against%20South%20Korean%20Culture%20and%20Market%20Ideas%20May%20Be%20Unwinnable&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Internal%20War%20Against%20South%20Korean%20Culture%20and%20Market%20Ideas%20May%20Be%20Unwinnable https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Internal%20War%20Against%20South%20Korean%20Culture%20and%20Market%20Ideas%20May%20Be%20Unwinnable "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-internal-war-against-south-korean-culture-and-market-ideas-may-be-unwinnable/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Internal%20War%20Against%20South%20Korean%20Culture%20and%20Market%20Ideas%20May%20Be%20Unwinnable&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-internal-war-against-south-korean-culture-and-market-ideas-may-be-unwinnable/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Internal%20War%20Against%20South%20Korean%20Culture%20and%20Market%20Ideas%20May%20Be%20Unwinnable "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Will wheat solve the food problem?](https://www.nkinsider.org/will-wheat-solve-the-food-problem/) **Published:** June 19, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Istock-1407149321.jpg "Farmers hand holding wheat | nk insider")Kim Jong-un is trying to shift food production over from corn over to rice, wheat, and barley, and the party’s daily [*rodong sinmun*](https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=7988702) is reporting, not unexpectedly, that he is succeeding. In a story this week, the paper talked of “historic transformations in socialist rural construction” with the country’s grain production structure. Land under cultivation has increased by more than 15,000 *jeongbo* (almost 37,000 acres) over last year, and by 35,600 jeongbo (87.000 acres) compared to 2022, it said. “It is expected that a large increase in grain production from wheat and barley fields will fulfill the national grain production plan,” the paper said. Historically, under Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il-sung, the focus was on rice. This was changed to potatoes by his father, Kim Jong-il. The staples in recent years have been rice and corn, but Kim is stressing more wheat and barley. In a speech in December 2021, during The 4th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the party, Kim stressed the need to change the people’s “dietary culture” to focus on “white rice and wheat-based foods.” Experts overseas believe the reason for the change is that wheat allows for two crops, which is an important consideration as economic sanctions are making food imports difficult. The problem is that double cropping requires fertilizer and the country is suffering from a chronic shortage. Given this, it is doubtful whether double cropping will succeed. Given this risk, some are referring to his expansion of wheat and barley as “Kim’s gamble.” Despite these concerns, wheat and barley production appears to have increased. Output in 2022 was 220,000 tons, a [22.2%](https://www.rfa.org/korean/news_indepth/wheatplant-02282022101900.html) increase from the previous year, according to South Korea’s Rural Development Administration. “If food problems are alleviated even a little, and no one goes hungry, that’s great,” said Chae, who defected five years ago. “The issue is that while food prices might drop somewhat, people are required to meet certain quotas in submitting the wheat flour they produce to the state. Will this leave them with anything to eat?” Chae said that the locally produced wheat is consumed by officials, while expired flour from Russia is supplied to markets for ordinary people. Some South Korean media suggest the change is driven by the popularity of flour-based products in the *jangmadang* markets. They also [say authorities are responding](https://world.kbs.co.kr/special/northkorea/contents/news/koreatoday_view.htm?lang=k&No=436627) to a decrease in the demand for corn and an increase in the demand for flour. “The soil in North Korea is highly acidic,” said Park, 58, a defector who used to work on an agricultural cooperative management committee. “Double cropping may seem feasible now, but it needs to be monitored. Double cropping wheat might reduce the yield of other crops, although wheat causes less soil acidification compared to corn.” He also thinks the emphasis on wheat and barley makes sense from the fertilizer point of view. “Wheat and barley require relatively less fertilizer than rice,” he said. “Given the severe shortage of compost and fertilizer and the blockade on fertilizer imports, they might be the only viable option right now.” A, who lived in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province, said that most households prefer rice if it’s available. “Flour comes second,” she said. “It digests quickly. You don’t stay full for long. Raising two sons in North Korea, I often cooked rice mixed 50-50 with corn to make it more filling.” “Bread and cookies made from flour don’t replace normal meals. They are usually eaten as snacks. To create a bread-eating culture as Kim Jong-un suggests, there needs to be an abundance of food of the sort he has. Even to make just bread, you need ingredients like baking soda. Men who do physical labor can’t sustain themselves on bread,” she said. “I saw photos on the news of people buying bread, but that’s only possible in Pyongyang,” she said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Will%20wheat%20solve%20the%20food%20problem%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Will%20wheat%20solve%20the%20food%20problem%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Will%20wheat%20solve%20the%20food%20problem%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/will-wheat-solve-the-food-problem/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Will%20wheat%20solve%20the%20food%20problem%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/will-wheat-solve-the-food-problem/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Will%20wheat%20solve%20the%20food%20problem%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [The party struggles to rein in rebellious and wayward youth](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-party-struggles-to-rein-in-rebellious-and-wayward-youth/) **Published:** June 10, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Shutterstock_1439256359.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkoreamay12019twogirlswith | nk insider")North Koreans are considered modern-day slaves. They are led by one man, Kim Jong-un and forbidden to live or even think in ways that he, or that the party, on his behalf, does not approve. Recently, though, it seems young people aren’t listening. Authorities are sounding the alarm regarding the free and individualistic lifestyles that appear to be trending. Despite the propaganda emphasizing Kim’s unique leadership qualities and thought and the need to uphold “our style” of socialism, young people seem to be rejecting socialist poverty and yearning for capitalist affluence. The regime has been emphasizing the need to eliminate anti-socialist and non-socialist phenomena through various youth organizations, legal bodies, and enforcement agencies. But the free-spirited mindset of the youth remains unchanged. Awareness of the free world and desire for liberty pose a serious threat to Kim’s system. Authorities now are desperately trying to instill political and class consciousness in the young. Judging by the lecture materials published by the [Kumsong Youth Publishing House](https://guides.library.illinois.edu/ias/korean/nkjuvenile/Kumsong_Youth_Publishing) and distributed nationwide to working youth this month, negative sentiment about one-party rule and the Kim family dictatorship is widespread. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/8-분석기사-강연제강-1.jpg "8분석기사강연제강 1 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/8-분석기사-강연제강-2-1.jpg "8분석기사강연제강 2 | nk insider")NK Insider obtained the regime’s internal lecture materials, published by Kumsong Youth Publishing Company in June. In it, the authorities mention that drug use, superstition, immorality, and criminality are rampant among the country’s youthConsider these excerpts from material obtained by NK Insider: “These behaviors have recently taken on different forms and are being carried out in very cunning ways, with their dangers and consequences becoming more serious,” it says. “Social issues such as drug crimes, superstitious activities, violent crimes, and de facto marital cohabitation are becoming prominent, with women’s crimes being particularly rampant,” the material claims, in a bid to link bad behavior with a loss of faith in Kim and the system. “Some young women engage in prostitution for a few pennies, leave home to wander, and get involved in various criminal activities. They openly engage in immoral behavior citing living difficulties, thereby destroying healthy social ethics. Wearing exotic clothes and makeup, undergoing illegal plastic surgery and tattoos, drinking alcohol and beer, and behaving indecently. All these alien changes in the youth’s mental sphere manifest in various forms in social life.” Let us consider this. Assuming the regime is not exaggerating, it is confirming that drug use, superstitious activity, and criminal behavior are rampant. The flagging of a drug problem in a society like North Korea, which is not shy about brutal repression when it comes to politics, implies difficulty in control. What is the nature of this social problem and where do the drugs come from? In the mid-1990s, North Korea rebranded poppies as “white bellflowers” and had them cultivated on state farms. White poppies adorned fields that once grew corn and potatoes. Ordinary adults and teenagers were mobilized to labor under the August sun with farm workers to harvest the sap, or opium, from the poppies. They were told the farms were [cultivating poppies to raise funds](https://thediplomat.com/2014/08/north-korea-chinas-largest-drug-dealer/) to import rice to solve food shortages. But the opium was actually deployed to fill the coffers of the then-leader, Kim Jong-il. The result was that the food shortages turned into a massive famine that resulted in hundreds of thousands, if not, millions of deaths. With its cultivation, many North Koreans started using opium. People would eat poppy leaves during the spring planting season. After the harvest, they would take the leftover dry stalks home. Opium seeds were used in cakes. For people too poor to buy medicine, opium became a panacea. In time, social issues related to addiction, such as intravenous drug use, began to emerge. Eventually, the regime banned the personal cultivation of opium. However, it is still reportedly being produced in some military units where it is used to treat soldiers with dysentery, diarrhea, colds, panic disorders, depression, and arthritis. This fact was revealed when a discharged soldier brought seeds home after serving on the front line in Gangwon Province. Opium seeds are considered the best souvenirs for soldiers when they complete their compulsory service, he reported. Now poppies are being secretly cultivated around the country by discharged soldiers. The regime is also targeting superstitious activities, which it deems anti-socialist and non-socialist. The trouble with this is that the regime undermines its own claims by itself engaging in superstitious activities at national political events. For example, on September 8 last year, according to the *Rodong Sinmun*, at a launching ceremony for the tactical nuclear attack submarine No. 841, named the [Hero Kim Kun Ok](https://www.38north.org/2023/09/sinpho-south-shipyard-new-submarine-makes-debut-but-with-many-questions-to-be-answered/), Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui ceremonially broke a champagne bottle on the submarine’s hull in front of Kim Jong-un, Ri Pyong-chol, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Kim Tok-hun, Premier of the Cabinet, and Kim Myong-sik, Navy Commander. North Korean fishermen superstitiously break a bottle to pray for safety before setting sail. If the leader himself approves of similar superstition for what is claimed to be the first tactical nuclear attack submarine, what are people supposed to think? The lecture material also condemns the youth for wearing exotic clothes, singing songs that are popular in the rest of the world, and watching foreign movies as decadent capitalist culture and anti-socialist, non-socialist criminal activities. The regime seems to be fighting a rearguard action it cannot win. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20party%20struggles%20to%20rein%20in%20rebellious%20and%20wayward%20youth&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20party%20struggles%20to%20rein%20in%20rebellious%20and%20wayward%20youth https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20party%20struggles%20to%20rein%20in%20rebellious%20and%20wayward%20youth "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-party-struggles-to-rein-in-rebellious-and-wayward-youth/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20party%20struggles%20to%20rein%20in%20rebellious%20and%20wayward%20youth&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-party-struggles-to-rein-in-rebellious-and-wayward-youth/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20party%20struggles%20to%20rein%20in%20rebellious%20and%20wayward%20youth "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Buying time to earn money](https://www.nkinsider.org/buying-time-to-earn-money/) **Published:** June 17, 2024 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Shutterstock_471544823.jpg "Closeupofnorthkoreanbanknotewonmoney | nk insider")Suppression comes in many forms. There is suppression of association, suppression of travel, and suppression of speech. But of these, the most pervasive form of subjugation for people born in North Korea is what you might call job subjugation. North Koreans cannot freely choose their jobs. They are assigned to a workplace and, once assigned, can’t quit. They may be reassigned or removed. But they can’t leave of their own volition. Whenever I try to explain about my life there, this is the most difficult part to address. To explain it, I need to introduce the idea of parallel employment. Most North Koreans live their lives in this way, and no, it doesn’t mean they all work for the secret police. In a planned economy, which is the pride of socialism, the state determines in advance what jobs are necessary and how many people are needed to fill them. As a result, there is never a surplus or a shortage of workers. This approach to economics requires the state to directly involve itself in individual job placement and restrict people’s ability to make arbitrary decisions on their own. In such a system, if you are born with an innate talent for music and the state decides you should work at a butcher shop, you will end up selling pork. It may feel unfair, but what can be done? The socialist society, no matter how strong your personal desires, requires that you sacrifice for the greater good. One for all! This was the mindset of parents in the 1960s and 70s in North Korea. It was a way of thinking that became problematic during the arduous march of the 1990s. When food shortages turned to famine, the state was forced to cut rations. People who had previously relied on the food distribution system, which was almost everybody, suddenly had to be self-sufficient. They were like animals confined and fed by their keepers and then abruptly released into the jungle. People born in captivity were ignorant of the laws of survival in the jungle and met fates commensurate with their level of preparedness. Some turned to begging, others to trading. Some went to work, believing the country would never abandon them. I won’t elaborate on the fate of those with such misguided faith. But what became clear was the people who survived were those who did not follow the state’s directives. By the late 1990s, the country had taken on a strange appearance. Two systems now co-existed. There was a formal system of socialism and a real system of capitalism. This was a natural development for those who had survived and needed to continue living. But because of the law, it meant that staying alive was illegal. Everyone became a criminal without committing anything you might normally consider to be a crime. The phrase, “If you hang it on your nose, it’s a nose ring. If you hang it on your ear, it’s an earring” became a popular saying, a North Korean version of, “Some say tomato, some say tom-ay-to.” The state demanded that citizens continue to work for the collective good without providing them with a single grain of rice. In other words, job placements by the authorities continued. At the same time, we had to survive. Our method was to pay for our own time. The concept, known as the “deposit system,” involved paying a monthly fee to our assigned workplace in exchange for not having to show up. The fee of course was non-refundable and so not a deposit in the strict sense. The freed-up time allowed us to engage in actual money-making. This system still exists. The fee is determined by the job category. If the assigned workplace is a coal mine or a farm, the “deposit” is high. That is because these jobs are under the strictest state supervision, making any change almost impossible. These workers are considered a cursed group, with 99% of placements determined by the occupations of a person’s parents at the time of their birth. In this part of the class system, upward mobility is nigh on impossible. Thus, it is logical that the deposit prices are high. The price also rises during those months when higher earnings are possible. For example, between spring and fall, when squid fishing is best, fees nearly triple. The problem for the fishermen, though, is that the squid seems to have defected as well. They no longer appear along the coast. North Korean fishermen pursue them all the way to Siberia, sometimes even in small boats. Thus they earn enough to feed their families at the risk of their lives. Yet, despite such seasonal hardships, their official enterprises still demand their share. The fee is also influenced by gender, with men having to pay more. In 2019, the monthly price for men ranged from 80 to 100 yuan, while for women it was 40 to 50 yuan. I have a cousin with a very strong ideological commitment to the regime. She enlisted and had exemplary military service, reaching the rank of deputy company commander before discharge. She did not mind being poor because she was the proud owner of a party membership card. But then it became too difficult for her to continue doing unpaid work. She eventually had to participate in the deposit system. When it came to paying the first monthly fee, she was shocked to find that it was 100 yuan. The slap in the fact was that it was higher than other people’s because of her eight years of service and her party membership. After that, I often heard her lamenting about how her party card had become a burden. In these ways, people are charged different amounts depending on their situation and environment. But, as long as they pay, they can use their time without being subject to any controls. They are relatively unmolested because the deposit system is very advantageous for enterprises as well. In North Korea, when the party decides something, it must be done. The burden for executing projects falls on organizations and enterprises but they need to procure the necessary materials and equipment. If they fail, they risk being labeled disloyal and anti-Party. This is where the deposit system comes to the rescue. It is a good source of revenue. In a country where a month’s salary is barely enough to buy a pack of cigarettes, people survive in this very peculiar way. But it means that even time is subordinated to the state. The silver lining is that, at least, you can buy it. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Buying%20time%20to%20earn%20money&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Buying%20time%20to%20earn%20money https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Buying%20time%20to%20earn%20money "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/buying-time-to-earn-money/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Buying%20time%20to%20earn%20money&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/buying-time-to-earn-money/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Buying%20time%20to%20earn%20money "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Is the next leader being prepared?](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-the-next-leader-being-prepared/) **Published:** June 13, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Close-shot-chat.jpg "Close shot chat | nk insider")In the eighteen months since Kim Jong-un’s daughter, Ju-ae, first appeared in public, her deification as the next leader seems to be underway. One indication is that, while she has been seen by everyone, basic information that would allow people to talk about her is being kept secret. “We don’t know her name for sure,” said a resident contacted in Hyesan in Yanggang Province. “Nor has her age been publicly disclosed. But then we don’t know exactly when her father was born. We just take a break on the day presumed to be his birthday.” Asked what she thought of Kim’s daughter, another resident said, “Does it matter what we think? Since she’s his daughter, he will do as he wishes.” She said some people are puzzled that a woman, not a man, is being positioned as the next leader, adding, “But no one dares to express this. Even a slight misstep could mean death.” Such potential danger encourages indifference. “Once the state presents Kim Ju-ae, it’s only a matter of time before she becomes the next supreme leader,” said a person in Musan, Yanggang Province. “We’re too busy trying to survive to think about her.” Such testimonies indicate that North Koreans are aware that, regardless of who becomes the next leader, their lives won’t change. Their indifference suggests that the groundwork for succession has already been laid. If this analysis is accurate, it shows that, in essence, the question of whether North Korea’s patriarchal society would accept a woman as the next leader, a question long posed by the international community, has already been answered. For the people, it makes no difference whether the leader is male, female, young, or old. They have internalized over three generations the conviction that rebellion against the dictator leads to death. Obedience runs through their veins. If she succeeds her father, Kim Ju-ae would be the fourth-generation ruler. She revealed her face to the world during the test launch of the Hwasong-17 on November 18, 2022. Born on February 19, 2013, she was nine at the time. Her father’s decision to bring her there instead of taking her to an amusement park or on a family trip reminded people of his nature as a dictator. He even took photos with her against the backdrop of a Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL). ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kim-juae-icb-debut-1024x676.jpg "Kimjuaeicbmdebut | nk insider")Kim ju aes first public appearance at the test firing event of hwasong 17 with the missile and transporter erector launcher tel behind image kcnaFrom this point on, Kim has made every effort to imprint his daughter on the people’s minds. He took her to military facilities and institutions, as well as to state events, making senior Party and state officials show her respect due to the supreme leader. During a visit to the Naval Command on August 27, 2023, he had the elderly naval commander, Kim Myong-sik, not only salute her but also report to her. Kim Myong-sik’s age has not been disclosed, but based on his appearance in videos and photos, he seems old enough to be Kim Ju-ae’s grandfather. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Salut-1024x679.jpg "Salut | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Shaking-hand-1024x665.jpg "Shaking hand | nk insider")Kim Juae shaking hands with an old naval commander Kim Myong-sik on August 27, 2023. News by Korean Central Television on August 28, 2023 (Image / KCTV)On November 30, 2023, which was Air Force Day, Kim Ju-ae visited the Air Force Command sporting a leather coat and sunglasses, striking poses in the foreground and with her father in the background, seemingly intent on asserting to the world that she was poised to become the next dictator. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kim-juae-leather--1024x680.jpeg "Kim juae leather | nk insider")An image kim ju ae wearing sunglasses in a leather coat at the air force command on aviation day image kcnaOn March 15 this year, Kim Ju-ae inspected special forces with her father, further underscoring her future role. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Binocular-kimjuae-kcna-1024x680.jpg "| nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kim-juae-and-kim-jongun-1024x669.jpeg "Kim juae and kim jongun | nk insider")Kim Ju-ae observes special forces training on Aviation Day (Left). Kim Ju-ae looks even more like the leader at national events (Image / KCNA)Kim Ju-ae’s most recent appearance in North Korean state media was at the dedication ceremony for a street in Pyongyang in mid-May. The contrast between the enthusiastic applause of senior officials cheering Kim Jong-un, their hands raised high, and Kim Ju-ae’s casual clapping sent the message of her status to the whole country. On that day, she did her hair in a style and wore clothes that are considered a violation of student regulations. But for the next dictator, anything is okay, even if she is only a child. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Is%20the%20next%20leader%20being%20prepared%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Is%20the%20next%20leader%20being%20prepared%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Is%20the%20next%20leader%20being%20prepared%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-the-next-leader-being-prepared/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Is%20the%20next%20leader%20being%20prepared%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-the-next-leader-being-prepared/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Is%20the%20next%20leader%20being%20prepared%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Culture --- ### [Kim Yo-jong’s whopper: Poop balloons represent “People’s Freedom of Expression”](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-yo-jongs-whopper-poop-balloons-represent-peoples-freedom-of-expression/) **Published:** June 9, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kim-yo-jong-with-balloon.jpg "Kim yo jong with balloon | nk insider")North Korea launched [300 more balloons](https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2024/06/09/4IXERWQBPFHHFM3QR7MKRL4A34/) full of trash and poop in South Korea’s direction this weekend. The latest tit-for-tat barrage began at the end of May when Pyongyang sent an estimated 260 balloons across the DMZ, each full of waste, cigarette butts and compost, and containing a detonation device set to explode after a certain period. Authorities estimate around 1,000 balloons have been sent so far. The junk mainly lands in Gyeonggi Province north of Seoul, but some have reached the densely populated capital. The military deployed its Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Rapid Response Team (CRRT) and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team to analyze the contents, but no hazardous materials have been found so far. The offensive is seen as a reaction to balloons sent north by defector groups in South Korea containing anti-Kim Jong-un contents, Bible verses, and memory sticks with K-pop and K-dramas. With North Koreans increasingly aware of the outside world, despite the heaviest information controls in the world, the regime considers these contents to be a serious challenge to its authority. When Seoul demanded the regime “immediately cease such inhumane and degrading acts” after the first filth balloons arrived, Kim Yo-jong, deputy director of the ruling Workers’ Party, responded by saying the poop was an exercise of the “people’s freedom of expression.” It is a “sincere gift of goodwill” to the advocates of “freedom of expression” in liberal democracies, she said. These remarks sparked outrage among defectors who took to YouTube and other platforms attacking Kim for cynically suggesting that North Koreans enjoy freedom of expression when in fact, as the sister of the leader Kim Jong-un, she is one of only a handful of people in the country who does. On June 4, the South Korean government further responded to the balloons and other actions, including GPS jamming by the North, by suspending the September 19 military agreement, which prohibited hostile acts between the two Koreas. This decision cleared the way for the resumption of propaganda broadcasts to North Korea, which were suspended in 2016 and which [started up again](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-resumes-sending-trash-balloons-south-korea-2024-06-09/) on Sunday. “North Korea’s leaders brought this on themselves,” said a defector in his 30s who settled in the South just two months ago. “The balloons filled with filth were an expression of resentment against leaflets which are sent by balloon into the North which highlight the hypocrisy of the regime.” He observed that freedoms for North Koreans are severely restricted through laws like the Anti-Reactionary Thought and Culture Act, the Youth Education Protection Act, and the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Act. “The filth balloons reflect North Korea’s situation and highlight the disparity between the two Koreas,” said a 50-year-old defector from Nason. “The leadership is really afraid of the citizens learning about their activities through the leaflets.” Defectors who saw such leaflets when they lived in the North confirmed that the regime would perceive them to be a significant threat. “These balloons they’re sending are a desperate reaction to their recent satellite launch failure. They are also a criticism of Park Sang-hak,” said a defector who was a veterinarian in North Korea. He was referring to the [head of the Fighters for a Free North Korea](https://www.thedailybeast.com/park-sang-hak-who-started-epic-balloon-fight-will-avenge-north-korea-poop-attack) who sent 300,000 leaflets via 20 large balloons from Ganghwa Island. Park’s balloons contain information leaflets, dollar bills, memory cards, and Bible verses. The regime was so afraid of them when the activity started a few years ago that they demanded the then-South Korean President, Moon Jae-in, do something. Much to the amazement of defectors at the time, Moon obliged and made it illegal to send balloons to the North. The Supreme Court last year ruled this law a violation of freedom of expression and lifted the ban. The defector community largely applauds this decision and believes the balloons should continue, despite the negative reaction from the North. “Even if these balloons lead to criticism of defectors, I believe the leaflets must continue to be sent to North Korea,” said the former vet. “North Korea is short on garbage. Look at Kim Yo-jong sending cigarette butts. What can you expect from such trash? The real garbage that should come in a filth balloon is her head.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Yo-jong%E2%80%99s%20whopper%3A%20Poop%20balloons%20represent%20%E2%80%9CPeople%E2%80%99s%20Freedom%20of%20Expression%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Yo-jong%E2%80%99s%20whopper%3A%20Poop%20balloons%20represent%20%E2%80%9CPeople%E2%80%99s%20Freedom%20of%20Expression%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Yo-jong%E2%80%99s%20whopper%3A%20Poop%20balloons%20represent%20%E2%80%9CPeople%E2%80%99s%20Freedom%20of%20Expression%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-yo-jongs-whopper-poop-balloons-represent-peoples-freedom-of-expression/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Yo-jong%E2%80%99s%20whopper%3A%20Poop%20balloons%20represent%20%E2%80%9CPeople%E2%80%99s%20Freedom%20of%20Expression%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-yo-jongs-whopper-poop-balloons-represent-peoples-freedom-of-expression/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Yo-jong%E2%80%99s%20whopper%3A%20Poop%20balloons%20represent%20%E2%80%9CPeople%E2%80%99s%20Freedom%20of%20Expression%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Home delivery in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/home-delivery-in-north-korea/) **Published:** June 4, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Manmulsang-2.jpg "Manmulsang qr | nk insider")With around five million people, or [19%](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/01/31/the-rising-use-of-cell-phones-in-north-korea-catalyst-for-change-or-instrument-of-control/) of the population, owning mobile phones, delivery service through online platforms is making its appearance in North Korea. The country’s first online shopping mall, Okryu, appeared in April 2015. It was followed by others with distinct local names, such as Naenara, Abnal, Kwanghung, Unpasan, and Manmulsang. This last one is the country’s Amazon in terms of popularity. These websites are referred to as “electronic commerce service systems” or “electronic stores” and are [operated](https://www.dailynk.com/%E5%8C%97-%EC%98%A8%EB%9D%BC%EC%9D%B8-%EC%A3%BC%EB%AC%B8%EC%95%B1-%EC%98%A5%EB%A5%98-%ED%81%B4%EB%A6%AD-%ED%95%9C%EB%B2%88%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C-%EC%9D%8C%EC%8B%9D-%EB%B0%B0%EB%8B%AC/) by the Service General Bureau of the People, a central administrative body. To promote the electronic order payment system, the bureau operates a delivery service that uses motorcycles or vans depending on the distance and quantity of products ordered. Recently, a QR code-based electronic payment system has been implemented. But actual online payment is still very much in its infancy. “When I was there I had a mobile phone, but I never actually used the Okryu app,” said Lim, 30, who has been in South Korea since 2019. “That was because back then the system wasn’t developed enough to allow for electronic payments in rural areas.” “But I hear from more recent defectors that they regularly bought things through online apps. However, it seems it still doesn’t work for shoes and clothes,” he said. “With items like tofu, rice, oil, or rice cakes, you can call the shop and order, and they deliver directly. You can also order food for special occasions like Lunar New Year or 60th birthday parties, as well as bento boxes for picnics,” he said. Of course, the concept of home delivery is not totally new. It began in the 1990s with firewood, said Choi Seo-ah, who is in her mid-50s. “It was during the Arduous March,” she said, referring to the famine of that time. “People started trading in markets to survive. People without capital would collect wood from the mountains and sell it. Some would secretly mine coal from coal mines to sell.” “They would lumber and coal onto carts and take them to the markets to sell,” she explained. “If you paid for a whole cartload, they would deliver it to your home. You could even request regular deliveries.” Women played a major role in initiating this, Choi said. “It was heartbreaking to see them with permanently blackened hands pulling carts with their sons.” “In my city, phone orders for delivery are common now,” said Kim, 35, a defector from Hoeryong, near the Chinese border. “You can order rice and food and they will bring it by bicycle or motorcycle. After multiple orders, I sometimes gave a little extra as a tip.” One popular spot in the city was a noodle restaurant located in front of a statue of Kim Il-sung’s wife, Kim Jong-suk. “I was friendly with the staff there and could call in an order and have it delivered,” she said. She said that while this type of phone delivery service is popular, ordinary citizens seldom place orders through apps. It’s usually traders who do that. “Merchants order goods in bulk through online apps, receive them at home, and resell them,” Kim said. “Those with more money order accessories to sell. However, I didn’t buy that much. I was receiving financial support from my family in South Korea, and worried that if I bought too much, the authorities might get suspicious and wonder where I got my money.” Choi said that for everyone to be able to enjoy using the delivery system, rather than just a privileged few, a market economy that allows people to live comfortably is crucial. “To purchase goods with a mobile app, you need to deposit money in a bank and link it to an account,” she said. “But how many people have enough money to deposit in a bank? Ordinary people don’t. That’s why they don’t use phone apps to make payments.” Since the 2000s, the government has tried to revitalize its economy with measures such as the [Central Bank Law](https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/pge/view.do;jsessionid=y_vFivJ8Dlp5Daq7J8AUyI1aLE3VNesDkR49N1FJ.ins22?menuId=EC218) in 2004 and the Commercial Bank Law in 2006. In 2010, the Central Bank issued a “Narae” electronic payment card, linked to bank accounts, allowing payment for goods and services in foreign currency within the country. But this is insufficient. Ordinary citizens won’t be able to fully embrace e-commerce until the economy is opened. It may not be realistic to expect they will have the freedom that Kim Jong-un enjoys, buying a $1,900 Dior [puffer](https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25216525#home) for his daughter Kim Ju-ae, but perhaps we can hope for a day when they can at least order food for delivery. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Home%20delivery%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Home%20delivery%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Home%20delivery%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/home-delivery-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Home%20delivery%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/home-delivery-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Home%20delivery%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [It’s better to be a hammer or sickle than a brush](https://www.nkinsider.org/its-better-to-be-a-hammer-or-sickle-than-a-brush/) **Published:** June 4, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Nk-stamtp-900.jpg "| nk insider")The ruling Workers’ Party emblem of North Korea is different from other communist parties in that it includes a brush alongside the hammer and sickle in its emblem. The hammer represents the industrial working class, the sickle represents the peasantry, and the brush intellectuals. The official explanation is that the workers and peasants protect the intellectuals. The regime tells outsiders that it values intellectuals. That’s why the brush is in the center. This idea is propagated in the arts, especially in films. A typical example is Part 4 of the movie series [*A Destiny of Many Trials*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vYpXkT0rMs&t=13504s)*.* Insiders see it differently, though. According to Lee, 44, whose father was a high-ranking officer in the State Security Department, the brush in the center means that the workers and peasants should monitor intellectuals. Lee enjoyed a privileged life in North Korea. Her father held an important position mainly overseeing the surveillance of citizens. Naturally, the Lees were well-treated. That all changed when she was 26 and her father died in a car accident. He was from Chongjin in North Hamgyong Province and had reached the rank of general in the State Security Department due to his own father’s background as an anti-Japanese guerrilla. But he lacked political support. People in the State Security Department who had long-standing grudges against him immediately conspired to label him an enemy of the party and a traitor to the nation. One official who had been particularly close to her father, secretly warned Lee and her mother. They should flee at once, he said. They went into hiding even before the traditional three-day funeral rites for her father were over. After almost a year concealed in the basement of a relative without once seeing any light of day, Lee’s mother decided to escape. Lee couldn’t let her go alone. They decided to face death together if caught. By good fortune, they crossed the Yalu River and reached Incheon in South Korea within a month. What struck Lee most about the dictatorship was the State Security Department’s interpretation of the party emblem. “My father said that teachers are the primary targets of surveillance by the State Security Department,” Lee said. “From elementary school teachers to university professors, everything they say inside and outside the classroom is 100 percent monitored by the department. I was shocked when he told me this.” That is because teachers are thought to be the most loyal and trusted. “Father said that the more you know, the higher your rank on the surveillance list, and teachers know a lot. That makes them top targets,” Lee said. “The way to be safe is to be ignorant and uneducated. This realization made me even more determined to defect.” Scientists are also closely monitored. Lee shared one example she learned about from a fellow student with the same surname as hers, Ri Jin-ok, at Pyongyang Jang Chol Gu University of Commerce. (The surname Lee is usually romanized as Ri, Li or Yi in North Korea). Her friend’s mother and father were professors at Kim Chaek University of Technology and Kim Il Sung University respectively. Her uncle, [Ri Jong-gwa](https://www.dailynk.com/%E5%8C%97-%EB%A6%AC%EC%8A%B9%EA%B8%B0%EB%B0%95%EC%82%AC-%EC%A7%91%EC%95%88%EC%9D%80-%EC%9D%B8%EC%9E%AC-%EC%84%BC%ED%84%B0/), was an “honored scientist” who introduced a hydrogen purification system for generator cooling at a thermal power plant and contributed to preserving trees with anti-Japanese struggle slogans. Her maternal grandfather was [Ri Sung-gi](https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/people/ri-seung-gi), who was famous in North Korea as the chemist who developed Vinalon, a synthetic fiber which came to be used in North Korean textiles even more than cotton and nylon. Vinalon was touted as evidence of the superiority of Kim Il-sung’s Juche philosophy even though Ri invented it in the 1930s when he worked in a Japanese institute. Grandfather Ri was involved in nuclear technology and possibly also chemical weapons development. Despite receiving the highest accolades, he had one flaw. He was a defector from South Korea. This stain of his origins impacted his descendants. Lee learned from her friend that the Ri family was never allowed to travel abroad, go on business trips, or take up jobs related to foreign countries. The pretext was always national security and their own safety. Her friend’s father tried to work in trade but was not permitted for this reason. Her friend herself majored in commerce but was only able to take jobs that kept her inside the country. The famous scientist’s entire extended family remained under special surveillance by the State Security Department through the generations simply due to his South Korean origins and prominence. Such is the fate of those who represent the brush. Furthermore, Lee Jin-ok’s father, who was Lee Seung-gi’s son-in-law, also tried to work in the trade sector to improve their living conditions, but he was prohibited from working abroad due to his connection to Lee Seung-gi. At the time Lee Jin-ok was studying (2003), North Korean professors earned only about 20-30 cents. Lee Jin-ok herself graduated from the commerce university but could only find jobs that allowed her to work domestically. Ms. Lee claims that the Lee family was under special surveillance by the State Security Department due to their South Korean origin and scientific prominence. “North Korea, where people who know more or have the potential to know more become targets of special surveillance by secret police, is the worst dictatorship created by humanity,” Ms. Lee stated. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=It%E2%80%99s%20better%20to%20be%20a%20hammer%20or%20sickle%20than%20a%20brush&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=It%E2%80%99s%20better%20to%20be%20a%20hammer%20or%20sickle%20than%20a%20brush https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=It%E2%80%99s%20better%20to%20be%20a%20hammer%20or%20sickle%20than%20a%20brush "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/its-better-to-be-a-hammer-or-sickle-than-a-brush/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=It%E2%80%99s%20better%20to%20be%20a%20hammer%20or%20sickle%20than%20a%20brush&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/its-better-to-be-a-hammer-or-sickle-than-a-brush/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=It%E2%80%99s%20better%20to%20be%20a%20hammer%20or%20sickle%20than%20a%20brush "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Balloons full of poop launched over South Korea needed Kim Jong-un’s direct approval](https://www.nkinsider.org/balloons-full-of-poop-launched-over-south-korea-needed-kim-jongs-direct-approval/) **Published:** June 1, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Prasentation1.jpg "Präsentation1 | nk insider")With North Korea launching balloons full of excrement into South Korea in recent days, the regime seems to be pretending it doesn’t have the power to stop its people from expressing their real feelings. The balloons were retaliation against South Korea, where activists recently resumed sending balloons into the North. The activists argue that North Koreans have a right to know about South Korea as it really is. Their balloons contain information and USBs with K-pop and other content. The previous government of Moon Jae-in banned the practice after North Korea complained, but the constitutional court last year ruled this a violation of free speech. The North considers the balloons to be a serious challenge to its ability to indoctrinate and control its people. Retaliation with waste is a distinct change from threatening war. But then the regime made itself look stupid by mocking democracy and pretending it wasn’t able to stop its citizens from expressing themselves. “The government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea considers the dissemination of leaflets against South Korea as an expression of our people’s freedom of speech and a guarantee of the South Korean people’s right to know,” said Kim Jong-un’s powerful sister Kim Yo-jong, the day after the first barrage on May 28. “There are limitations to immediately stopping it. We respectfully ask for the understanding of the South Korean government.” This would be amusing if the regime saying it actually respected its citizens rights. In fact, not only do the balloons sent south require the direct approval of Kim Jong-un. But so do the contents. This was confirmed by a former official of the Central Committee’s 813 Liaison Office in an interview. Jeon, 52, who entered South Korea in 2018, revealed that broadcasts and leaflets sent to South Korea need Kim’s approval down to the smallest detail. The printworks where the anti-South leaflets are produced consist of two main buildings, Jeon said. The building on the right from the main gate is where the journalists write scripts for broadcasts and the leaflets. They work in strict secrecy. The building on the left from the main gate is the publishing house. He said that while he was there, the copy created by the journalists was not sent to the publishing house via a computer network but was delivered in an old-fashioned way. “The journalists worked on the third floor, and the publishing house was on the first floor of the other building,” he said. “The scripts and designs were placed in special cans, which were then hung on a rope and lowered down to the publishing house. As you can imagine, I was quite surprised when I first worked there.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/813-liaison-office-1024x568.jpg "813 liaison office | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/내용물-합참-1024x768.jpeg "내용물합참 | nk insider")(Left) Aerial view of the 813 Liaison Office in Pyongyang where propaganda against South Korea is secretly produced. (Image / Google Map) (Right) The contents of the balloon flown from North Korea were disseminated in the middle of the road in South Korea (Image / ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff) So, is this really a civilian-led initiative as Kim Yo-jong claims? “There are ten locations along the Military Demarcation Line where the North Korean regime sends balloons filled with leaflets,” said a military intelligence official, referring to the line that separates the two halves of the DMZ border that is off limits to civilians. “Our military is already aware of these locations and closely monitors them.” Furthermore, all contents must be approved by Kim Jong-un. “The scripts for broadcasts and leaflets, as well as their designs, must be approved by Kim Jong-un,” said the defector Jeon. According to sources in North Korea, citizens are completely unaware of the human waste balloons sent by its government. When told, their reactions varied. “No matter what, this isn’t right,” said a resident of Kyongwon County in North Hamgyong Province. “It would be extremely embarrassing if the international community were to find out.” Meanwhile, a resident of Chongjin in North Hamgyong Province dismissed it, saying, “This has nothing to do with me.” A resident in Hyesan in Yanggang Province commented, “The government knows what it’s doing. Whether they send shells or human waste to South Korea, what does it have to do with me? I’m just happy if I can make a good living today and not go hungry tomorrow.” “The regime has not informed the people about this incident not because they are disinterested, but because the authorities know that it is an embarrassing thing to do,” said Jeong, a defector who entered South Korea in November 2022. “This incident was state-sponsored and ordered by Kim Jong-un,” he said. “But even he feels ashamed of it.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Balloons%20full%20of%20poop%20launched%20over%20South%20Korea%20needed%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20direct%20approval&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Balloons%20full%20of%20poop%20launched%20over%20South%20Korea%20needed%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20direct%20approval https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Balloons%20full%20of%20poop%20launched%20over%20South%20Korea%20needed%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20direct%20approval "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/balloons-full-of-poop-launched-over-south-korea-needed-kim-jongs-direct-approval/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Balloons%20full%20of%20poop%20launched%20over%20South%20Korea%20needed%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20direct%20approval&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/balloons-full-of-poop-launched-over-south-korea-needed-kim-jongs-direct-approval/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Balloons%20full%20of%20poop%20launched%20over%20South%20Korea%20needed%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20direct%20approval "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### ["I am a teacher, not a tax collector"](https://www.nkinsider.org/i-am-a-teacher-not-a-tax-collector/) **Published:** May 30, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/North_korean_young_pioneers_at_w.jpg "Northkoreanyoungpioneersatw | nk insider")“I am a teacher, not a tax collector,” the teacher explained after announcing he was quitting. “I can no longer do this even if I end up without a job and starving.” The comment, recalled by one of the teacher’s colleagues, named Kim, 52, who escaped to South Korea, point to the sickness in the North Korean education system. The state’s exploitation of students is widely known. But what does it say about the teachers who carry it out on behalf of the regime? What do the people, who are directly responsible for the brainwashing and enslaving of the children under the Kim dictatorship, think? Are they perpetrators complicit with the dictatorship, or are they victims as well? Educators in North Korea are officially considered “professional revolutionaries.” “I may have been called this,” said Cho, 42, who taught for ten years and now works in construction in the South. “However, it did not mean I had economic privileges. It was just a verbal distinction. While it is true that stores have signs saying ‘Teachers are served first,’ teachers are too poor to take advantage of this service. What can you buy with a monthly salary of 2,000 North Korean won (US$0.2)?” “I should point out that the term ‘service’ here means simple sales,” he said. “It’s not the kind of service you might expect. Looking back, it seems that this recognition as professional revolutionaries was probably because teachers are at the forefront of the Kim family’s policy of enslaving the citizenry.” Teachers are required to conduct what are best described as five-minute worship services about Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, or Kim Jong-un before every class. All education and training for students begins this way. The country introduced four-year compulsory elementary education in 1956 and added three years of middle school in 1958. Two more years were added in 1967. In 1975, an 11-year system, including one year of kindergarten, was put in place. In the mid-1980s, the government introduced specialized education for gifted students, establishing middle schools in every district for the purpose. Then in 2011 the elementary school course was extended to five years, resulting in the current twelve-year compulsory education system. “Students who could not get into the district middle schools for gifted students became disillusioned with their future, neglected their studies, and even avoided participating in organized activities, which became a problem,” said the defector Kim. “As a result, in 2009, all district middle schools, except those at the municipal and central levels, were abolished.” The regime boasts that theirs is a “nation of education” and that youngsters are the “kings of the country.” But it does not really invest. The financial burden is borne entirely by the students. For example, children are responsible for maintaining school buildings, educational equipment, and all other educational institution maintenance and operational costs. They are also mobilized for regular “*Kkoma* (kids) plans.” Kids are trapped at around age ten in these plans as soon as they put on the red scarf as Young Pioneers. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Young-pioneers-kcna.jpeg "Young pioneers kcna | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Kcna-young-pioneers-2.jpeg "Kcna young pioneers 2 | nk insider")Children receiving red neckties and badges at the joining ceremony of the Korean Children’s Union (KCU) (Image: KCNA)Children from nine to 17 must donate materials to the state each month according to the *Kkoma* plans of the Young Pioneer Corps and Youth League Organization at their school, according to the defector Cho. “If they do not participate faithfully, their advancement to higher schools, like foreign language schools or arts schools, and the elite No. 1 Central High School, and university is restricted,” he said. Here is a list of what they are required to bring to school each month: scrap iron, 5 kg; scrap plastic, 2 kg; paper, 3 kg; scrap copper, 0.5 kg; broken glass, 3 kg; and scrap aluminum, 1 kg. “They also bear the financial burden of maintaining school buildings and getting new facilities,” Cho said. He recalled that in 2010, when schools were instructed by the authorities to buy computers and CCTVs for classrooms, they collected an average of $10 per student. “In the school where I taught, this directive overlapped with an unfinished fence repair project that had stalled the year before due to a lack of materials,” Cho said. On top of the regular donations, his students had to provide $10 cash; cement, 50 kg; 50 bricks; sand, 100 kg; planks of wood, 3 meters; rectangular lumber, 3 meters; and rebar, 2 meters. Given that the average monthly salary at the time was 2,000 won, this was never easy for parents. There was in fact an outcry. “People felt if this continues, the state should stop calling it free education and start charging tuition fees,” Cho said. As for teachers, they were forced to prioritize the collection of these various materials and money over teaching and began to wonder what their job actually was. “It felt like we were coming to school day and night just to collect debts from students. We’re like old tax collectors. Some even quit over this,” he said. ‘Although salaries reportedly increased in education and other sectors last year by 20 to 30 times, [soaring exchange rates and prices ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcEeJ2m2mUc)have left the lives of teachers and students largely unchanged. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%22I%20am%20a%20teacher%2C%20not%20a%20tax%20collector%22&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%22I%20am%20a%20teacher%2C%20not%20a%20tax%20collector%22 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%22I%20am%20a%20teacher%2C%20not%20a%20tax%20collector%22 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/i-am-a-teacher-not-a-tax-collector/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%22I%20am%20a%20teacher%2C%20not%20a%20tax%20collector%22&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/i-am-a-teacher-not-a-tax-collector/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%22I%20am%20a%20teacher%2C%20not%20a%20tax%20collector%22 "Reddit") **Categories:** Education --- ### [Activists resume balloon launches aimed at reclusive North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/activists-resume-balloon-launches-aimed-at-reclusive-north-korea/) **Published:** May 13, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Park-sang-hak.jpg "Park sanghak | nk insider")Fighters for Free North Korea (FFNK) has resumed sending informational leaflets to North Korea. Park Sang-hak, a North Korean defector and activist who leads the organization, confirmed through email that his organization sent hundreds of thousands of leaflets that are critical of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, along with 2000 USBs containing external content, using large balloons launched from Ganghwa island of South Korea around 11:00 PM local time on May 10. “We sent 300,000 anti-North Korean leaflets condemning Kim Jong-un’s verbal abuse against the 80 million Koreans who long for the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula and 2,000 USB sticks containing footage of K-pop and trot through 20 large balloons” Park said. The organization’s launch of leaflets this time was, according to the press release, partly in response to Kim Jong-un’s recent policy change concerning South Korea, as well as to help address North Koreans’ right to know. In his speech at the 10th session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly in January, Kim [described](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/16/world/asia/north-korea-reunification-policy.html "described") the Republic of Korea as “the most hostile state” and “a foreign country” and discarded his predecessors’ long standing national policy of seeking unification with the South. Following Kim’s drastic policy change towards the South, [a number of organizations related to handling inter-Korean relations were disbanned](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/03/15/pro-north-activist-group-in-south-korea-dissolves-itself/) and [any references to unification in school textbooks were ordered to be removed](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/03/26/students-under-pressure-to-erase-south-korea-from-textbooks-before-the-school-year-starts/ "any references to unification or one nation in text books were removed"), among other measures taken. The footage shows FFNK launching balloons with leaflets and USBs. The poster in the footage says that Kim Jong-un is a “traitor” and an “enemy of all Koreans.” Source: FFNKPark’s leaflet launch comes at a time when activists based in South Korea have resumed their work in recent months, including sending leaflets to people in the North, following the South Korean Constitutional Court’s ruling last September that [the anti-leaflet law which banned such activities is unconstitutional](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/04/113_360105.html). Lee Min-bok, a defector and head of Campaign for Helping North Korea in a Direct Way, an organization that sends such leaflets to the North, recently [told](https://www.voakorea.com/a/7585416.html) VOA about the resumption of their work in six years. The North Korean regime tells its people only that which suits its interests and strictly prohibits their access to information from the outside world to maintain its totalitarian rule. To help activists’ work in breaking this information blockade, HRF established the program Flash Drives for Freedom (FDFF). For more information, please visit its [website](https://flashdrivesforfreedom.org/ "the program website"). - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") [Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/) Seongmin is the director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation. [![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") Latest posts by Seongmin Lee ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/)) - [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) - March 10, 2026 - [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) - January 10, 2025 - [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - January 9, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Activists%20resume%20balloon%20launches%20aimed%20at%20%20reclusive%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Activists%20resume%20balloon%20launches%20aimed%20at%20%20reclusive%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Activists%20resume%20balloon%20launches%20aimed%20at%20%20reclusive%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/activists-resume-balloon-launches-aimed-at-reclusive-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Activists%20resume%20balloon%20launches%20aimed%20at%20%20reclusive%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/activists-resume-balloon-launches-aimed-at-reclusive-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Activists%20resume%20balloon%20launches%20aimed%20at%20%20reclusive%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Flash Drives for Freedom --- ### [Singing of our friendly parent](https://www.nkinsider.org/singing-of-our-friendly-parent/) **Published:** May 22, 2024 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Friendly-parent.jpg "Friendly parent | nk insider")Friendly Parent. This is the title of that [new song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lylFyaxHCsA) in North Korea that is going viral. How warm and familiar they are, those words, friendly parents. But many words these days are tugged away from their original meanings. Communist Party, comrades, revolution. Thinking of these words now, feelings of unease and negativity arise. In their day, they meant change, innovation, positivity. Meaning over time becomes discolored by experience. Friendly Parent. Father teaching me to ride my bike. Mother, despite her own hunger, handing me a piece of bread. You might think that. But to me, friendly parent represents absolute power. My experience prevents me from taking the words at face value. This is probably the same for all North Koreans. None of us thinks of our mother and father when we hear “friendly parent.” We think of the Kims. Certain words and phrases are reserved for their royal use. Like “peerless leader” and “great.” Friendly parent is one of them. We grew up with these modifiers. I still feel uncomfortable saying his name on its own. Kim Jong-un. It feels wrong without “beloved father” or “friendly leader.” Repetition drilled this in deep. Of course, I never thought of him as my parent. No one in their right mind considers someone their own age as a parent. “Friendly parent” was a formality, detached from its literal meaning. But formality is crucial for survival when any deviation is a threat. So, we North Koreans learned to separate our words from our feelings. Here is what I mean. When Kim Jong-un emerged as the leader, dissatisfaction welled up inside me. The idea of someone just a little older than me ruling my country was inconceivable. The reason for this emotion was very simple. It was just jealousy of a more successful peer. After spending a few days mired in displeasure, I accepted Kim Jong-un’s existence, concluding that, in a dictatorship, you must be born to the right parents. What else could I do? I am nobody. Were the thoughts of others, drifting silently into the air, much different? Did they truly think of utopia or ideology when accepting Kim Jong-un? We couldn’t know each other’s true feelings, but as with one voice we all revered Kim Jong-un. Heroic tales about him emerged from all corners. Have you heard? He skied at the age of three and drove a tank when he was five. He could fly a plane. He’s a science genius. In science colleges, they told each teacher to write down two great things about him. Write about the greatness of someone I’ve never met? Now there is a thing. Utter absurdity. The praise for him was so relentless that it became difficult to distinguish what was true anymore. But did we want to believe it? As I say, even if the greatness was fabricated by someone’s literary skill, denying it brought on only harm. What was genuine, it seems, was that we wanted Kim Jong-un to be a remarkable person. Only by believing this could we justify the decision we were forced to make to elevate him. For a while, after he ascended to power, new stories spread widely. There were rumors of a new economic system coming. Chongjin city would completely open. It would start with Rajin. The country would develop as China had. Although they were mere rumors, they reflected our desire. One manifestation of hope was the US-North Korea summit. When we heard about it, we focused on one thing only: the prospect of an improved economic situation. This desire for change was this strong. The faces of the American and North Korean leaders were plastered everywhere. Everyone spent their time discussing the summit. It felt like there had never been such a historic event. It stirred our hearts like a boulder thrown in a calm lake. Then, contrary to all hope, the outcome in all areas was despair. Due to sanctions against us, we once again plunged into hardship. In Chongjin, where squid fishing sustains livelihoods, people’s became noticeably impoverished. Fishermen, net makers, diesel sellers, ice sellers, boat drivers. All were interconnected like a chain being slowly pulled down. Unsold coal piled up in front of Wonsan Port. Unsmuggled herbs were stacked in layers on the banks of the Yalu River in Hyesan. The burden of taxes grew heavier and punishments became more severe. People were more anxious than ever. In front of us, a security officer posts proclamations. In our ears, the Moranbong Band sings praises of Kim Jong-un. “Love as vast as the sea…” In this dissonant situation, I want to shut my eyes and ears. The song extols compassionate governance. But he rules through terror. He solves his problems by executing people. Gallows are erected everywhere. Images of the suffering populace from the stories of tyrants fill my mind. This is not just a tale from history. It is our story. I cannot stop my tears. In my ears, the song goes on, “Our father who cares for ten million children…” The tears won’t stop. Where did it go wrong? Where are the hopes we harbored at the beginning of Kim Jong-un’s rise? Where has the trust and promise gone? So much has gone wrong. We know this. It is not normal to feel angry hearing a song about a parent. Nor is it normal to feel uneasy walking by a government complex. It’s not normal to bow down to a young person in authority. It’s not normal for our life to depend on one person’s mood. It’s gotten to a point where no one speaks up when they see something abnormal. Our naive complacency and cowardice in assuming that things will eventually be okay has led to today’s outcome. Who said democracy is fed with blood? We are seeing in North Korea how destructive and harmful that unstoppable absolute power can be when it is given to an unqualified person. That person is the “friendly parent.” In the future, people will read about all this in history books. They may not understand today’s North Korea or its people. But I want to say this. We tried to change. But we were unlucky. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Singing%20of%20our%20friendly%20parent&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Singing%20of%20our%20friendly%20parent https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Singing%20of%20our%20friendly%20parent "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/singing-of-our-friendly-parent/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Singing%20of%20our%20friendly%20parent&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/singing-of-our-friendly-parent/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Singing%20of%20our%20friendly%20parent "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Kim Jong-un portrait appears on classroom walls in rebuilt party school](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-portrait-appears-on-classroom-walls-in-rebuilt-party-school/) **Published:** May 26, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Portrait-3.jpeg "Portrait 3 | nk insider")When Kim Jong-un participated in the opening ceremony of the new Central School of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the event was conducted on a far grander scale and was more extensively reported by the media than we would have expected. Those in attendance included Kim Tok-hun, Jo Yong-won and Choe Ryong-hae of the presidium of the party’s politburo, along with central committee secretaries Ri Il-hwan, Kim Jae-ryong and Pak Thae-song. Also present were officials from the central committee, provincial, city, and county party secretaries, cabinet members, representatives from ministries and central institutions, officials from each provincial party committee, faculty members of the school, staff from party cadre training institutions at various levels, and key party officials from central and local units. What was the reason for such a lavish event? The answer can be found in a photograph of Kim sitting in a classroom in the school with party leaders jotting notes as he speaks. As with all schools in North Korea, portraits of his father and grandfather adorn the wall above the blackboard, but now Kim’s own photo has joined them, giving him equal status. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Lavish-inauguration-1.jpeg "Lavish inauguration | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Kim-jong-un-party-school-2--1024x678.jpg "Kim jong un party school 2 | nk insider")Kim at the lavish inauguration event of the Party School (Left). The portraits of Marx and Lenin make a reappearance in North Korea (Right) (Image: DPRK state media)To understand why he chose the party school to make this point, we need to understand its significance. The Central School of the North Korean Workers’ Party, as it was called then, was established on June 1, 1946, by Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il-sung, to train cadres. This was an essential task in the early days of the country’s founding, when few officials had experience. In April 1972, to commemorate the first dictator’s 60th birthday, his son Kim Jong-il renamed it the Kim Il-sung Advanced Party School. This change was typical of the posture of Kim Jong-il, who through his own later rule, always promoted his father above himself. In contrast, Kim Jong-un has changed the school’s name and hung his own portrait alongside those of his grandfather and father. Also, significantly, portraits of Marx and Lenin, which disappeared from North Korea in 1992, have reappeared and hung on the exterior wall opposite those of the three Kims. By doing this, Jong-un is positioning himself not merely as the successor of his grandfather and father but as a leader of a socialist society implementing the ideas and theories of Marx and Lenin, on par with Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. “It is possible this is an expression of Kim Jong-un’s lingering resentment towards his grandfather,” said a defector currently pursuing a Ph.D. in North Korean studies. As the son of his father’s mistress, Kim Jong-un was never formally presented to Kim Il-sung by Kim Jong-il. Kim has already ordered that his grandfather’s birthday, previously celebrated as the Day of the Sun, be downgraded to the April 15th Holiday. This suggests that Kim sees it as his time to become the “sun.” The rebuilding of the school followed a corruption scandal. It was widely known that to enter, a candidate generally needed strong connections or significant financial resources. One defector who arrived in the South last year tells the story of the father of a school friend who was the party chairman for the Taedonggang District Flower Production Office in Pyongyang. “My friend’s father went to the school for reeducation in 2017 on the recommendation of the district party,” he said. “Graduates usually get promoted to higher positions, but there is lobbying involved.” The man got his job after bribes amounting to $1,200. Corruption in party assignments peaked in 2019 with a major purge of faculty. A large number, including the headmaster, Ko Ki-chol, was expelled from the party and reassigned to manual labor jobs. High-ranking officials like Organizational Guidance Department head Ri Man-gon and Agricultural Department head Pak Thae-dok were also purged. In a rare public disclosure, Kim Jong-un dissolved the school’s party committee at an expanded Politburo meeting in February 2020. The school was renamed in 2021 and was rebuilt and expanded on its new site designated by Kim. The school has doubled the number of programs and now offers the following courses: - 6-month course for incumbent cadres - 6-month course for military officers - 6-month course for female party cadres - 1-year special course for incumbent cadres - 2-year special course - 2-year Party Construction Department course - 2-year researcher (faculty) course - 2-year researcher (political propaganda officers) course - 2-year Party Construction major course - 2-year military political officers course - 3-year researcher course - 4-year Party Construction Department course At the inauguration this month, Kim exhibited unusual behavior, according to a source from Hyesan city in a phone interview. . “It is customary in our country for people to maintain a dignified posture in group photos at official events or in public,” he said. “However, in these photos, he is standing with his legs unusually wide apart. He probably tried hard to appear more distinctive than others. Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung never posed like that.” It also seems that some unfortunate staff member made a mistake. Kim Jong-un gave his speech in his capacity as the General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea. However, the podium identified him as the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission. He holds that position as well, but it was not relevant on that occasion. “It won’t be long before he pushes aside the Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il ideology, and promotes his own thought,” said the defector doing the Ph.D. The source in Hyesan says rumors are circulating that there will soon be a flood of portraits of Kim Jong-un for people to hang on walls everywhere. Just as the presence of portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il in every household signified the completion of their regimes, so it is expected to soon be with Kim Jong-un’s portrait. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20portrait%20appears%20on%20classroom%20walls%20in%20rebuilt%20party%20school&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20portrait%20appears%20on%20classroom%20walls%20in%20rebuilt%20party%20school https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20portrait%20appears%20on%20classroom%20walls%20in%20rebuilt%20party%20school "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-portrait-appears-on-classroom-walls-in-rebuilt-party-school/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20portrait%20appears%20on%20classroom%20walls%20in%20rebuilt%20party%20school&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-portrait-appears-on-classroom-walls-in-rebuilt-party-school/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20portrait%20appears%20on%20classroom%20walls%20in%20rebuilt%20party%20school "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Was there almost a second Korean War in 1980?](https://www.nkinsider.org/was-there-almost-a-second-korean-war-in-1980/) **Published:** May 21, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Pg-1980-0250-309.jpg "Pg19800250309 | nk insider")South Korea this week marks the 44th anniversary of protests in Gwangju, where over 200 civilians were killed by martial law forces suppressing what was then seen as an attempted rebellion, but which has long been officially accepted by the state as a [pro-democracy movement](https://www.518.org/Mayzine/202006/subpage/sub0401.php). “Today’s Republic of Korea stands on the blood and tears shed by Gwangju,” President Yoon Suk-yeol said. Despite this broadly accepted interpretation, however, some aspects [remain contested](https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/the-gwangju-uprising-battle-over-south-koreas-history). Some claim that the rebels were communists and/or that Pyongyang sent special forces to support them. There is a further claim that North Korea was poised to intervene with conventional forces and that the peninsula was on the brink of a second Korean War. These allegations have been investigated and dismissed by the South Korean and US governments. They are, however, believed by many North Koreans. Whether that is the result of disinformation from the regime in Pyongyang or over-interpretation by North Koreans reading between the lines of the propaganda is not clear. Defectors do say, though, that at the time of the uprising, official reporting within North Korea gave citizens the impression that it was orchestrated by the North. According to Seong, a 53-year-old who arrived in South Korea in 2015, North Korean airborne troops were on standby at an airfield. “They were ready to step in if the Gwangju struggle persisted,” he said. People believed the army might soon join forces with the democratic forces in South Korea to realize reunification under communist rule. What can we make of this perception? The uprising itself lasted for nine days. North Korean TV ran the news every day, embellishing in its usual way. North Korea later made [a film](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAdUu2qrYGo) that depicts the Gwangju Democratization Movement as a spontaneous uprising by citizens. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/스크린샷-2024-05-19-222502-1024x550.jpg "스크린샷 20240519 222502 | nk insider") **The North Korean film *Symphony for the Beloved* depicts the Gwangju Uprising in 1980.** (**Image | North Korea’s KCTV**)This is similar to how South Korean films portray it, except that it misses out the part where the army sealed off the city for three days and urged citizens to surrender before going in. It highlights martial law troops running amok under the influence of hallucinogens. There is no evidence that there were North Korean spies in Gwangju at the time, but rumors of espionage heroism circulated in the North Korean army and among civilians. “I remember my aunt, who worked at the Ministry of Education, telling me that Kim Il-sung was extremely angry when the uprising was suppressed,” said Jeong, 56, who entered South Korea in 2010. “She said that officials in charge of South Korean operations were punished and lost their positions for missing a golden opportunity.” There are many accounts among defectors related to the involvement of North Korean troops. “My uncle served in the 32nd Light Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Corps. He was supposed to be discharged in 1978, but his discharge was delayed for two years,” said another defector also named Seong, 53. “Ten years later, he told us why. The whole family was shocked. He said he had gone to South Korea and that his unit of three commandos had advanced to Gwangju around May 18. He said they were suddenly ordered to retreat.” Jo, 43, who entered South Korea in November 2022, remembers hearing a veteran talking about it at his middle school. “My school had a lot of events like that with war veterans to encourage students to join the military,” he said. “One was in 1997. One of them unexpectedly mentioned the Gwangju uprising in informal conversation. He said airborne troops were in the planes and on standby on May 27.” “He said the operation was canceled because the uprising was quelled,” Jo said. This may help explain why North Koreans, who switch allegiance in the process of defecting, arrive in South Korea thinking that its leader at that time, Chun Doo-hwan, prevented a second Korean War. They are therefore surprised to find that Chun is dismissed as a dictator. Kim, 36, who defected in July 2022, said: “In my church in South Korea, a man said to me, ‘How can North Koreans be so helpless after living under three generations of dictatorship? Look at South Korea. We had military dictatorship too, but we achieved today’s democracy through the May 18 Democratization Movement. It’s really sad.’” “So I said, ‘No matter how harsh South Korea’s military dictatorship was, it didn’t exterminate entire families up to the eighth cousin for defiance, right? If it had, there wouldn’t be anyone left to demand the truth now.” “If South Korea’s dictatorship had been like ours, do you think democratization movements would have been possible?” Kim said. Whether North Korea was actually involved in the Gwangju Democratization Movement or whether its troops were on alert as a matter of course or actually ready to cross the border is a matter that no one can definitively conclude until North Korea collapses and its files are opened. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Was%20there%20almost%20a%20second%20Korean%20War%20in%201980%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Was%20there%20almost%20a%20second%20Korean%20War%20in%201980%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Was%20there%20almost%20a%20second%20Korean%20War%20in%201980%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/was-there-almost-a-second-korean-war-in-1980/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Was%20there%20almost%20a%20second%20Korean%20War%20in%201980%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/was-there-almost-a-second-korean-war-in-1980/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Was%20there%20almost%20a%20second%20Korean%20War%20in%201980%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Why are North Korean defectors conservative?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-are-north-korean-defectors-conservative/) **Published:** May 20, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Summit-repatriation.jpg "Summit repatriation | nk insider")Nine out of ten North Korean defectors in South Korea support conservative parties. In National Assembly elections in 2012, for example, the turnout among defectors was 76% compared to the 54% national average. Around 87% of supported conservative candidates, a figure significantly higher than the nationwide share of 55%. This strong backing of conservatives [appears to stem from](https://m.khan.co.kr/national/national-general/article/201403031933291#c2b) their preference for liberal democracy and market economy, resentment towards the North Korean regime, and belief that critics of conservative parties are anti-democratic. From personal experience, it seems to me that few defectors are indifferent about politics. Most support a specific party. The concept of “[party identification](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228212608_Party_Identification_Unmoved_Mover_or_Sum_of_Preferences)” in political science helps explain this. It refers to a tendency of some people to feel a strong connection with a specific political group and incorporate the values and policies into their identity. Another useful idea is the theory of “reactive ethnicity,” which proposes that immigrants settling into a new society feel the need to strengthen their cultural identity when they experience discrimination or exclusion. They come to support a party or movement that protects their rights and advocates for the interests of their group. So, why conservatives? This orientation is related to the specific characteristics of Korean politics. The terms right and left have been used in politics since revolutionary France in the late 18th century. At that time, those advocating rapid reforms sat on the left of the assembly and those favoring more gradual reforms sat on the right. This left-right split also applies to South Korean politics, but with one important distinction. While elsewhere progressives on the left advocate for equality and conservatives on the right prioritize liberty, in Korea the key differentiating factor is North Korea. Ever since its liberation from Japanese rule after World War Two, the Korean peninsula has been ideologically split between the rightist South and leftist North. As this national division endured, parties within South Korea became distinguished by how they viewed North Korea and proposed to deal with it. Thus, the current ruling party of Yoon Suk-yeol is seen as conservative and the main opposition Democratic Party is considered progressive. The support of North Korean defectors for the conservative side is related to these political concepts. They find those belonging to the progressive camp to be very cold towards them and unconcerned about their rights. When I ask why they voted conservative, defectors invariably cite the forced repatriation of defectors, removal of the ban on leaflet distribution to North Korea, and interest in North Korean human rights. The forced repatriation explanation refers to [an incident in 2019](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1114722) when two defectors were sent back across the border via Panmunjom against their will and at the request of North Korea, despite expressing a desire to defect. At the time, the government sought to conduct the repatriation secretly, but the plan was exposed. “I heard about that in my hometown,” said Lee, who lived in Songpyong district of Chongjin and came South in 2020. “People said the two men had killed the other people on their fishing boat when they defected. They are in the weaker position, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they were falsely accused. I was worried because I was preparing to defect myself.” Lee said he was scared of being forcibly repatriated. “It’s important to have noble reasons for political positions. But I just can’t support those who want to impress North Korea, when it’s a country I couldn’t even survive in. Rather than supporting conservatism, I support those within the conservative camp who show interest in North Korean human rights issues and are less likely to forcibly repatriate us.” Regarding this distinction, Chae, a defector now at university, admitted that he didn’t like being told that North Koreans are politically conservative. “I came to understand why people support conservatism politically,” she said. “Just as personal values become ideologies for conservative and progressive politicians, political tendencies also stem from personal experience. I think the same applies to North Koreans. I think it would be difficult for them to support parties that antagonize North Korean defectors or disregard their rights.” She said she was shocked by the ban in South Korea by the previous progressive government on people [sending leaflets](https://thediplomat.com/2022/08/kim-yo-jong-targets-south-korean-leaflets-as-root-cause-of-norths-covid-19-pandemic/) into North Korea, which was apparently made in response to a demand by Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong-un. “I don’t know much about the North Korean leaflets, but if Kim Yo-jong is paying attention to them to that extent, it means North Korea is concerned about them,” she said. “Those who belong to the left, who fight for human rights and democratization, should naturally be more proactive in ensuring the right of the people in North Korea to know about the outside world, even through leaflets. It was really difficult to understand that they were blocking it. I understand why the term ‘pro-North’ is associated with the left.” The law was [struck down](https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-propaganda-leaflets-kim-jong-un-b3e8c5dd05c50e1d91dafca807b91b35) by the constitutional court in 2023. “In a free democratic country, defectors should be able to follow different political ideologies,” she said. “But the identity of being a defector cannot be changed.” When Chae went to a protest against forced repatriation and revealed she was a defector, someone who supported repatriation told her, “You’re not a defector, you’re a traitor.” “I defected with the determination to live more freely, so why does this make me a traitor? The fact is that speaking about North Korean human rights or opposing forced repatriation has become the language of the conservatives,” she said. “I understand that Moon Jae-in was a human rights lawyer but his administration did not co-sponsor the UN Human Rights Council’s North Korea human rights resolution, which has the potential to improve things in North Korea,” she noted. “The reason given was for the peaceful relationship with North Korea. But the relationship has not improved at all.” She admitted she was scared of the left-wing camp in South Korea. “Korean defectors do not support conservative parties because they are conservative,” she said. “I think it is because the left-wing camp forces them to.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20are%20North%20Korean%20defectors%20conservative%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20are%20North%20Korean%20defectors%20conservative%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20are%20North%20Korean%20defectors%20conservative%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-are-north-korean-defectors-conservative/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20are%20North%20Korean%20defectors%20conservative%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-are-north-korean-defectors-conservative/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20are%20North%20Korean%20defectors%20conservative%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [South Korea through the eyes of North Koreans](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-through-the-eyes-of-north-koreans/) **Published:** May 19, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Istock-1780151406.jpg "Reenactment of change of korean royal guards ceremony in historical joseon costumes in gyeongbokgung palace in seoul south korea on 4 november 2023 | nk insider")If you were to ask North Koreans how they view South Korea, their response might vary according to their job, the part of the country they live in, and their age. But what they would have in common is the impact on their subconscious of the regime’s narrative. North Koreans generally view South Korea as the 51st state of the United States. They think it has lost its Korean culture and that its political and economic decisions are in the hands of Americans. Of course, the U.S. has influence but the idea that it directly controls everything would strike Americans and South Koreans as a case of Goebbels’ adage that if a lie is big enough and repeated often enough, people will come to believe it. Defectors say they grew up always being told South Korea was a puppet state. This theme is frequently reinforced in movies and other propaganda material. Take, for instance, episode 13 of the popular North Korean drama *Nation and Destiny*. [The film portrays the assassination of former South Korean President Park Chung-hee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9gkJ1h5wS4) and has the assassin, Kim Jae-gyu, obtaining approval in advance from the United States. The core message of the movie is that changing presidents in the South is a trivial task for the U.S. once it decides to do so. North Koreans accept this portrayal as fact and genuinely believe it to be true. In fact, the phrase “I have America behind me” became popular among young people, especially university students, explaining that they had a good sponsor. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/The-north-korean-film-_nation-and-destiny_-part-13 -민족과-운명-13부-1024x667.jpg "The north korean film nation and destiny part 13 민족과 운명 13부 | nk insider") In the drama *Nation and Destiny*, the South Korean President’s assassin shouts “America is behind me.” (Image / KCNA)When Kim, 26, arrived in South Korea in May 2022, he could not hide his astonishment when he saw anti-American and anti-war demonstrations in Seoul. “I was astonished by these [protests](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOfwt9BsriU). I had no idea there were so many people in South Korea demanding the withdrawal of US troops,” he said. “Aren’t these people all spies? When we were taught in the North about how revolution would happen in the South, the first task was the withdrawal of US troops. But to see so many people openly carrying out North Korea’s directives in South Korea is both interesting and terrible.” Defectors are even more amazed to hear calls for the withdrawal of US troops in the National Assembly. Hearing this for the first time, every defector thinks, “Kim Jong-un’s spies have secured stable positions.” Of course, they haven’t. The South Korea that North Koreans imagine and the South Korea that defectors experience are entirely different countries. Regarding South Korea’s economy, the term which the regime in Pyongyang most often uses to describe it is “bubble.” “When I was at university, the professor would say South Korea has a bubble economy that the U.S. can burst anytime it wants,” said Jung, a 46-year-old former teacher who defected to the South in November 2022. “He used the example of the Daewoo Group’s collapse in 1999.” Daewoo went bankrupt with tens of billions of dollars in debts that it could no longer service. But the explanation Jung remembers was different. “The professor said it was because the US automaker GM was angered by [Daewoo’s acquisition of Poland’s FSO Company in 1995](https://www.koreaspare.com/page_daewoo_en.html) and executed a plan to destroy Daewoo over four years,” he said. “In the isolated environment of North Korea, we believed this explanation without question,” he said. “I thought of South Korea’s economy as just a subsidiary of the US economy.” Again, the actual South Korea that defectors encounter economically is entirely different from the South Korea they viewed from inside North Korea. It is not uncommon for North Koreans to encounter South Korean dramas or songs. Choi, 35, who arrived in the South in July 2022, was a fisherman. He said that they regularly watched South Korean movies and dramas out at sea, where controls are less stringent. But North Koreans end up with significant misconceptions about South Korean culture. “I used to think that everyone in South Korea spoke English fluently,” said Song, 52, who defected in 2012. “When I came here, I was surprised that many people didn’t.” She thought this because of the common theme in regime indoctrination that South Korea has abandoned its national culture and traditions in favor of American culture, leaving nothing of Korean identity behind. “When I came here in 2022, I thought South Korea was so Americanized that people wouldn’t communicate well with me, and there would be no emotional connection,” said Cho, 55. “Contrary to what I learned, South Korea highly values its national heritage, preserves its cultural heritage, loves its history, and holds patriotism in high regard.” “The cultural difference is not as vast as I thought,” said Cho. “From a cultural point of view, South Korea is like a well-off North Korea. The emotions and sentiments of the people are very similar to those of North Koreans. I feel no sense of alienation here. My boss at my construction company feels like an older brother. This unexpected similarity is the biggest shock I’ve experienced since coming to South Korea.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=South%20Korea%20through%20the%20eyes%20of%20North%20Koreans&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=South%20Korea%20through%20the%20eyes%20of%20North%20Koreans https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=South%20Korea%20through%20the%20eyes%20of%20North%20Koreans "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-through-the-eyes-of-north-koreans/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=South%20Korea%20through%20the%20eyes%20of%20North%20Koreans&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-through-the-eyes-of-north-koreans/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=South%20Korea%20through%20the%20eyes%20of%20North%20Koreans "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [How shamanism and fortune-telling persist in the two Koreas](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-shamanism-and-fortune-telling-persist-in-the-two-koreas/) **Published:** May 18, 2024 **Author:** Kim Heung-kwang **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Shutterstock_1180439125.jpg "Seoulkoreaapril282018koreantraditionalshaman | nk insider")The occult movie *Exhuma* recently surpassed [box-office sales of 10 million in South Korea](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-03-24/entertainment/movies/Occult-film-Exhuma-surpasses-10-million-admissions-mark/2009515) and is currently showing in 133 countries, but audiences in North Korea, where all South Korean content is illegal, are unable to see it. This is unfortunate for its shamanism theme is one that draws on ancient Korean beliefs and would resonate with northerners. The movie was released in 2023 under the Korean title *Pamyo*, a word which specifically refers to the exhumation of remains for reburial or cremation, a familiar tradition related to improving fortunes of the living, in Korea and other Asian countries. The story revolves around strange phenomena when a feng shui expert and a mortician excavate a tomb at the request of a wealthy Korean family in the United States. After its release in Vietnam on March 15, *Exhuma* recorded [sales of over 2.2 million](https://www.kglobaltimes.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=27119) in 17 days, a record for a Korean film in the country. After seeing it, I became curious as to how North Koreans would respond. The Koreans may have been divided for eight decades, but our ancestors lived together for thousands of years. We still share common roots with regard to belief in spirits and shamanist practice, even if much is officially outlawed in the atheist North. I had my palm read and my fortune told many times when I was an adult and worked as a university professor in North Korea. Before I got married, my mother-in-law encouraged me to go to a fortune-teller’s house in Yonggwang County, about an hour’s drive from Hamhung, where I lived, for a reading. The fortune-teller was an elderly woman. She asked my age and looked at my palm and said, “You should write to make money.” I guess she was kind of right, because in South Korea I am still lecturing and writing this column. Coming to the South, I noticed how deeply fortune-telling, shamanism, and palmistry are intertwined with daily life. It seems there are more fortune-telling places marked with the 卍 symbol than churches. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Shutterstock_1499857043-1024x681.jpg "Jeonjusouthkoreaseptember82018acouplegetstheir | nk insider") A couple gets their fortune read at a fortune telling booth in Jeonju Hanok Village in South Korea on Sept 8, 2018. Face readings (GwanSang) and palm readings (SonGeum) offered at the booth. (Image: Shanae Ennis-Melhado / Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.) According to one report in 2022, there are a million fortune tellers and the industry is [worth 10 trillion won](http://kidokilbo.com/column/view.php?wr_id=218&id=column). It doesn’t seem too exaggerated to call the country the Republic of Fortune-telling. It is especially rooted among teenagers and young adults through smartphones. In North Korea, such practices are officially deemed superstitions and prohibited. However, fortune-telling and palmistry clandestinely persist. Before the New Year, with memorial ceremonies for ancestors, and when there are possible promotions or punishments, people somehow manage to secretly visit fortune-tellers. It’s not easy to find them because they can’t hang signs outside their places. People rely on word of mouth. Before significant events, officials seek out fortune-tellers, but they do it very discreetly. A friend who worked as a police investigator consulted a fortune teller in the hope of getting direction or even just hints to help him solve a murder case he had been assigned to. He couldn’t do this openly because he risked severe penalties. There is a reported increase in fortune-telling since the pandemic, as life has become increasingly difficult. The authorities are trying to crack down and have organized a lecture series under the theme of “Let’s intensify the struggle to eradicate superstitious activities throughout society.” Shamanism is indeed resilient. Its influence keeps appearing in the soil of society like weeds that social leaders thought they had cleared. For centuries it endured the arrival of major religions, acting as a receptive base for them and infiltrating their substructures. Both Koreas share deeply rooted beliefs in Yin and Yang and the Five Elements. Fortune-telling is ultimately tied to money. Life is not easy, and the future is uncertain, so people seek reassurance and the fortune-tellers make money. The appeal of folk beliefs is clearly linked to material gain. If you offer more, you receive more. Therefore, people willingly pay money for religious rituals. The main difference between North and South lies in the scale, rituals, methods, tools, and offerings of shamanism. In South Korea, visiting a shaman’s house to have one’s fortune told is common practice. In addition, there is a thriving business in tarot cafes and fortune-telling cafes, in popular areas such as the Hongdae and Sinchon districts near major universities in Seoul. Also, people use fortune-telling apps categorized by daily, yearly, or lifelong fortunes are actively utilized. So far, though, no-ne seems to be able to confidently predict the day of reconciliation when people from the two sides will be able to freely meet and have their fortunes told. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-heung-kwang-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/ "Kim Heung-kwang") [Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/) Heung-kwang is the representative of NK Intellectual Solidarity, an NGO based in Seoul, South Korea. Previously, he served as the chairman of the quarterly magazine North Korean Village, chairman of the board of directors of Samheung North Korean Defector Children’s School, and a policy advisory member of the Ministry of National Defense in South Korea. Before defecting to South Korea in 2004, he was a professor at the Hamheung Communist College in North Korea. He graduated from North Korea’s Kim Chaek University of Technology and received his doctorate from South Korea’s Hansae University Graduate School. [![Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-heung-kwang-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/ "Kim Heung-kwang") Latest posts by Kim Heung-kwang ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/)) - [How shamanism and fortune-telling persist in the two Koreas](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-shamanism-and-fortune-telling-persist-in-the-two-koreas/) - May 18, 2024 - [Change in North Korea as Kim Jong-un remodels Fortress Juche](https://www.nkinsider.org/change-in-north-korea-as-kim-jong-un-remodels-fortress-juche/) - April 24, 2024 - [Kim Jong-un rejects unification out of fear of South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-rejects-unification-out-of-fear-of-south-korea/) - April 1, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20shamanism%20and%20fortune-telling%20persist%20in%20the%20two%20Koreas&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=How%20shamanism%20and%20fortune-telling%20persist%20in%20the%20two%20Koreas https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=How%20shamanism%20and%20fortune-telling%20persist%20in%20the%20two%20Koreas "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-shamanism-and-fortune-telling-persist-in-the-two-koreas/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=How%20shamanism%20and%20fortune-telling%20persist%20in%20the%20two%20Koreas&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-shamanism-and-fortune-telling-persist-in-the-two-koreas/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=How%20shamanism%20and%20fortune-telling%20persist%20in%20the%20two%20Koreas "Reddit") **Categories:** Culture --- ### [The consequences of loyalty and disloyalty in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-consequences-of-loyalty-and-disloyalty-in-north-korea/) **Published:** May 16, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Jang-and-kim.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")Towards the end of his long career, Kim Ki-nam had good reason to worry about his future. As North Korea’s longtime propaganda chief, he had the honor in December 2011 of escorting the hearse at the funeral of the leader Kim Jong-il. Walking along the right side of the vehicle, directly in front of him, was his friend Jang Song-thaek, the powerful number two man in the country. In front of Jang was the new number one, Kim Jong-un. Two years later, Kim Jong-un had Jang arrested and shot by firing squad. A swathe of family members, friends and aides disappeared. The purge of others among Kim Jong-il’s pallbearers has given rise to the phrase the “curse of the [funeral seven](https://news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?no=2013121414020021470).” But Kim Ki-nam survived. Indeed, we may say he thrived, because when he died earlier this month at age 94, Kim Jong-un accorded him the honor of a state funeral and led the proceedings himself. North Korean media noted that Kim Jong-un personally chaired Kim Ki-nam’s funeral committee, participating in a memorial event and being the first at the burial at the Patriotic Martyrs’ Cemetery to [sprinkle dirt on the coffin](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/05/103_374371.html). “(Kim Ki-nam) laid the cornerstone for the eternal glory of the Party and the state,” Kim Jong-un was quoted as saying. Kim Ki-nam was the head of Kim Il-sung University, the chief editor of the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, and then the head of the party’s Propaganda and Agitation Department. Often likened to [Joseph Goebbels](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20240508013751504), the propaganda minister of Nazi Germany, Kim dedicated himself to securing the legitimacy and idolization of the three-generation rule of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un. Heo Kwang-il, Chairman of the North Korean Democratic Improvement Committee in South Korea noted that Kim was sufficiently trusted to lead the North Korean delegation to the funeral in Seoul of the South’s Kim Dae-jung in 2009. “As he aged, he suffered from health issues, but he would still appear at official events where he would be seen taking notes at Kim Jong-un’s speeches,” he said. Loyal to the end, Kim apparently “expressed his regret at not being able to respect the leader while [enduring difficult times due to illness](https://www.chosun.com/politics/diplomacy-defense/2024/05/10/4WQI6Z6G35DS7HXY2FNBVNU6UM/), and earnestly requested (me) to support Kim Jong-un,” said Politburo member Ri Il-hwan in a eulogy. Ri is a director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department, which is headed by Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong. Explaining the deathbed loyalty message, a defector who was an official in the department sees it as an attempt to appear to “share the burden of loyalty to Kim Jong-un among the people, thus gaining their support. Additionally, Kim Jong-un’s direct participation in the funeral serves as an implicit indication of the treatment that those loyal to him can expect.” The defector asked that his name not be used. “Kim Jong-un’s act of personally sprinkling soil at the gravesite may also intend to humanize his image,” he said. “His appearance reminds people of the public purging of Jang Song-thaek. He was paraded in public with his hands tied, serving as a sacrificial lamb to send the message that even a relative can be executed.” Kim Jong-un’s public announcement of Jang’s execution and his appearance at Kim Ki-nam’s funeral signal the treatment those who support him versus those who oppose him can expect. Another defector who worked as an official and who similarly requested anonymity, said that, as Kim Ki-nam and his brother, Kim Yong-nam, a former foreign minister and President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, were prominent loyalists, Kim Jong-un’s direct involvement was “a natural courtesy.” “While Jang Song-thaek sought to build his own power base, Kim Ki-nam neither sought nor belonged to any faction,” he noted. Kim was close with Kim Jong-il from the time when they were in the Propaganda and Agitation Department. “Those who praised Kim Ki-nam highly noted that when he held high positions, he monitored his children and family to ensure they didn’t pursue personal interests excessively,” the defector said. Some reports say that over [420 people](https://www.rfa.org/korean/weekly_program/bd81c870c120-c778bbfcd1b5c2e0/newsinsidenk-03012019145500.html) have been publicly executed since Kim Jong-un came to power. Kim Ki-nam illuminated the path that North Koreans need to follow to make sure they don’t suffer the same fate. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20consequences%20of%20loyalty%20and%20disloyalty%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20consequences%20of%20loyalty%20and%20disloyalty%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20consequences%20of%20loyalty%20and%20disloyalty%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-consequences-of-loyalty-and-disloyalty-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20consequences%20of%20loyalty%20and%20disloyalty%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-consequences-of-loyalty-and-disloyalty-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20consequences%20of%20loyalty%20and%20disloyalty%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [When free medical treatment is not free](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-free-medical-treatment-is-not-free/) **Published:** May 14, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Istock-645601082.jpg "North korean flag with lot of medical pills isolated | nk insider")“Oh, are you a North Korean defector?” the South Korean man at the book club asked me politely. “If it’s not too intrusive, may I ask you something?” He went on to ask me a question related to healthcare and medicine, which was his field of study. This man seemed to have read a lot about how healthcare works in North Korea. It was odd for me to listen to him talk about it because I’d never had any hospital treatment when I lived there. I felt I should have known more, but frankly it was all quite unfamiliar to me. Healthcare in North Korea, he explained passionately, was based on socialist principles and established there in a unique way. He emphasized, for example, one key characteristic which was that all treatment was free. “Do you remember going to hospital and being prescribed medicine?” he asked. “I never received medicine,” I said. I really had no such recollection. But this did not seem satisfactory to him. “I know defectors often speak negatively about North Korea,” he ventured. “But still, as a nation, North Korea does operate hospitals. It’s hard to believe you weren’t given any medicine.” I must say I found this response truly intriguing. I’ve often found myself disputed in this way. When it first happened, I really tried to understand why. That was when I came across the concept of confirmation bias. Coined by British psychologist Peter Watson, this idea explains how we tend to seek information that supports our existing beliefs and ignore or downplay information that contradicts them. I think that’s what my book club friend was doing. I was telling him my experience but it didn’t fit what he felt he knew to be true. What he couldn’t see was how we were both right. He was correct in that the healthcare system does provide free treatment. However, the contradiction lay in the fact that, if hospitals are not functioning properly, there is no point to go to them and thus no experience of free treatment. North Korea’s [healthcare system](https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/pge/view.do;jsessionid=YM4huT1zVji9JYsD8A9CMcKJmlBoAAKImIJL006u.ins22?menuId=SO315) has three main features: besides free treatment, it has a system of preventive medicine and a household doctor system. The state owns all healthcare-related facilities and equipment. Medical personnel are also all directly employed by the state. Comprehensive free treatment has been in place in theory since 1960, following the enactment of the 1947 Social Security Act. But without any formal legal changes, the practice ended in [the 1990s](https://s-space.snu.ac.kr/bitstream/10371/98940/1/6.%EC%8B%A0%ED%9D%AC%EC%98%81%20%EC%99%B8.pdf). It is true that surgery remains free. But patients have to pay the hospitals for the necessary medication and so the doctors can get their salaries. If a person can’t pay, they don’t get the surgery. During the pandemic the central government said local party committees had [to tailor production of vaccines ](https://www.dailynk.com/%EB%B3%B4%EA%B1%B4%EC%9D%98%EB%A3%8C%EB%8F%84-%EC%9E%90%EB%A0%A5%EA%B0%B1%EC%83%9D-%EC%99%B8%EC%B9%98%EB%8A%94-%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C-%EC%9A%B0%EB%A6%AC%EC%8B%9D%EC%9D%98-%EC%98%88%EB%B0%A9/)to local needs and take responsibility for all research, production, and technical and personnel issues. In North Hamgyong Province, for example, the provincial party committee convened a meeting of over 100 department-level leaders and technicians to figure out how to comply. The result gives a sense of the status of the healthcare system. “Party workers distributed basic medication, food supplies, and firewood from their own homes as part of the infectious disease control measures,” said Han, who ran a business in Cheongjin, the provincial capital. “Basically, they provided a few pills and some unpalatable food items. Seeing this, people got angry, saying, ‘Are you mocking the poor?’ Even food given to comfort babies shouldn’t be this pathetic.'” Kim, a hospital assistant in Kyonghung County in the northeast of the country, said her facility had ambulances, but that patients had to pay for the gasoline. “When lives are at stake, people will pay if they can. But most either walk or are brought in on carts or makeshift stretchers. In rural areas, even the stretchers have to be paid for,” she said. “Free healthcare is a facade,” she added. “When you see people dying and others trying to escape, you can’t help wishing North Korea would just open up and allow people to earn money. That way they could afford medicine and live. It’s a thought that crossed my mind countless times.” A defector from Hoeryong said that the United Nations gets tricked into sending supplies. “I don’t see why they send medical supplies,” she said. “The Hoeryong People’s Hospital is designated for UN inspection visits. When that happens, nurses put on gowns and lie down as if they are patients.” Lee Myeong-hee, 50, from the Chongam district of Cheongjin, confirmed that supplies labeled as UN aid often arrived at the city’s hospitals. “However, they are not provided to patients. Doctors usually take them for their own use or for high-ranking officials,” she said. She added that she occasionally received such supplies because she had relatives who work in the hospital. Some doctors are known to openly charge for medical treatment. “My brother called from North Korea to ask if I could buy MRI equipment,” said Choi, 38, a defector now in the South. “He’s completed his medical training and been assigned to a hospital.” Doctors who bring equipment to their hospital can earn money, Choi explained. “For example, if they charge 100,000 won per examination, 20% goes to the hospital and they get to keep the rest,” he said. “If I can collect a little more to buy that equipment, my brother will be able to support our family on his own.” Citizens also rely on folk remedies and opium for relatively simple illnesses. “For inflammation or headaches, there’s no need to go to the hospital,” said Choi, who escaped from the North with her grandmother. “Even if you do go, there’s hardly any medicine. My grandmother suggested mulberry root to me for inflammation. When my headache was unbearable, like my head was splitting and I was cold and sweating, she dissolved half a grain of opium in water and gave it to me.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=When%20free%20medical%20treatment%20is%20not%20free&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=When%20free%20medical%20treatment%20is%20not%20free https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=When%20free%20medical%20treatment%20is%20not%20free "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-free-medical-treatment-is-not-free/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=When%20free%20medical%20treatment%20is%20not%20free&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-free-medical-treatment-is-not-free/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=When%20free%20medical%20treatment%20is%20not%20free "Reddit") **Categories:** Health --- ### [Kim Jong-un and the campaign of coerced adulation](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-and-the-campaign-of-coerced-adulation/) **Published:** May 11, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Kim-jong-un_851-military-unit_4242014.jpg "Kim jongun851 military unit4242014 | nk insider")Congratulations, your congratulatory message is on TV. In North Korea, where the leadership never seems to tire of being congratulated, there’s a tradition of showcasing congratulatory messages in the *Rodong Sinmun*, the Workers’ Party newspaper, and on Korean Central Television. The messages hail the exceptional leadership and admirable character of you-know-who. Many come from overseas, giving citizens the idea that foreigners admire him. On April 17, the *Rodong Sinmun* featured a message from Chongryon (the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan) in which Kim was notably portrayed as “The Sun of Juche Korea.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/The-sun-of-juche-korea-1-1024x629.jpg "Screenshot | nk insider")The April 17 Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed Chongryon’s letter (left, boxed in red) sent to Kim, in which Kim was portrayed as ‘The Sun of Juche Korea,’ a phrase previously reserved only for his grandfather Kim Il-sung.What made people sit up and take notice was that the message was discreetly tucked inside the paper on page five. Usually, such stuff is front page news. Why might that have been? We note that this year authorities issued instructions that April 15, Kim Il-sung’s birthday and a national holiday, was no longer to be referred to as the Day of the Sun. The ‘“sun,” as readers may know, has long been used to mean Kim Il-sung. Then, as soon as the two-day holiday was over, the message was published. The sun being glorified now was Kim Jong-un. We should remind ourselves that the daily *Rodong Sinmun* can only be published with the leader’s approval. A case in point was back in 2008 when the paper didn’t come out for a while. Ordinary citizens didn’t pay much attention because the paper is for party members. But even they weren’t so concerned. They were familiar with delays caused by the country’s poor transportation system. It turned out, however, that Kim Jong-il had had a stroke and was in a coma. *Rodong Sinmun* was stuck until he woke up. In the strict dictatorship system, nobody could act on his behalf. Nothing could proceed without his signature. The same is now the case under Kim Jong-un. Our point here is that the instruction to delete “Day of the Sun” in reference to his grandfather and the approval of Chongryon’s message calling him the “sun” was the handiwork of Kim Jong-un himself. Actually, the regime doesn’t just approve messages for publication. It’s likely they have a hand in crafting them. The senders of these front page congratulatory messages are often individuals or entities whose identities cannot be verified by North Korean readers. For instance, while someone may be introduced as the director of a certain ideological research institute in, say, the Republic of Congo, there is no way to confirm whether the person is not in fact the sole member of that organization. It seems even that the messages are themselves drafted as per instructions from the party. In 2021, the party’s Propaganda & Agitation Department issued a directive, with the registration number eight, to overseas North Korean delegations and companies telling them to send flower baskets and congratulatory messages to Comrade Supreme Leader (Kim Jong-un) on major occasions. Diplomats and others overseas engage in tearful diplomacy to fulfill this task, pleading with foreigners to write such messages. According to our research, they even go as far as treating them to expensive meals using their own money or personally drafting the texts and begging them to simply sign. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20and%20the%20campaign%20of%20coerced%20adulation&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20and%20the%20campaign%20of%20coerced%20adulation https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20and%20the%20campaign%20of%20coerced%20adulation "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-and-the-campaign-of-coerced-adulation/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20and%20the%20campaign%20of%20coerced%20adulation&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-and-the-campaign-of-coerced-adulation/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20and%20the%20campaign%20of%20coerced%20adulation "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Defectors and the search for happiness](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-the-search-for-happiness/) **Published:** May 9, 2024 **Author:** Jang Mi **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Shutterstock_574774678-1.jpg "Seoulkoreadecember312016colorfulbillboardson | nk insider")“Are you happy? Is life in South Korea more satisfying than in North Korea?” Ninety percent of the people I meet for the first time ask these questions. When they do, I can infer in their expectant look, their hearts. “Weren’t things too tough in North Korea? Did you feel welcomed here?” Complex and subtle emotions bloom in my heart and rise to be expressed, but the words linger, then die on the tip of my tongue. I always says yes. Am I happy? If material abundance is the condition for happiness, there is no doubt in my answer. But… if anything else counts, I must say I don’t know. We defectors exist as a distinct new group due to the circumstances of our nation. We are individuals who have fled persecution, hunger, and irrationality in our place of birth. Those who have not experienced the courage and the coexistence of fear and excitement involved in such a choice do not know us. Many died or were caught on this journey. Some even achieved their dreams. We find ourselves in immigration detention centers permitted to choose where we go. Most choose South Korea. Why? Because we believe we are one people and that this is where we can heal our wounded hearts. Everyone hopes to become members of society in a new world and they head to South Korea. That is how they come to be separately designated as defectors. The fact this separate designation exists implies that we are a subcategory, distinct from the mainstream. This doesn’t just signify a difference in wealth, although we arrive penniless. It also denotes the varied reactions and biases from those around us. As Korea is a homogeneous nation, small differences are accentuated in a way that makes it difficult for even the slightly different person to smoothly assimilate. Our speech patterns and ways of thinking arouse unwanted curiosity. When asked about their hometowns, most defectors around me say they’re Korean-Chinese or from Gangwon, the only Korean province that is itself divided. Very few say “North Korea” and even they would have said nothing if their accent hadn’t given them away. I was one among that small number. The first time I mentioned coming from North Korea, the next question that came rushing in was, “Do you know what a taxi is?” I somewhat regretted being so honest. I wondered then, What makes us ashamed of our hometowns, of our identities? Is it these overly excited or awkward reactions when we mention them? Furthermore, what is the reason for claiming to be Korean-Chinese? Perhaps the poverty and hunger that often come to mind when North Korea gets mentioned make us feel ashamed. Many defectors carry deep hurts. It is for this reason that they find it difficult to dwell on their lives in North Korea. What pride can there be, what honor is there in the time spent and the experience there in that place we fled like escaped prisoners? The fact of being born in North Korea suddenly feels repugnant. But, because of it, we are classified as a minority. There is an uncomfortable truth that everyone avoids. It is that no one takes pride in being a North Korean defector. When defectors talk about needing better human relationships or more advanced social connections, they think of their relationships with South Koreans, not with fellow defectors. Some believe that the way to integrate into mainstream society is to completely erase their previous identity and leave the defector community behind. Why do we choose separation instead of community cohesion in this way? We undoubtedly share the same homeland, similar affiliations, and experiences. We have every reason to empathize and unite, but defectors from North Korea do not. This is a point that requires deep contemplation. Perhaps we want to turn away from the word “North Korea,” from our homeland, our people, our group…everything. I would say, then, that North Korean defectors are lonely strangers. Even if they earn money, they can’t easily send it back home, and even if they manage to find a way, they can’t visit themselves. They have no homeland to return to. They live each day as if life ends today. They have no relatives to care about them, no families to hold them close. Some might think that, as they are earning more money than they did in North Korea, they should be happier. But the value of money does not lie in any comparison with the past. The value of what you have is relative to others. That is why even in an advanced society where basic needs are met, those considered lower on the social ladder will be unhappy until they reach a certain rung. Reflecting on this, I ask, Are we sure we are settling in well? Or is our only strategy to dilute the fact of our identity over time? Is that identity something we can’t entirely erase? May our only hope be that our children and their children will escape the subcategory and become mainstream? Of course, it’s not the case that we all have failed to settle. I’ve seen impressive defectors who become politicians, YouTubers, and social activists. But only a few continue such activities, and even they remain filled with anxiety and have not been able to shake off their problems. It is natural for those who believe they belong to the minority and feel sidelined to suffer from anxiety. But then I ask, are we not homo sapiens who prioritize the protection of communities? I would say it is crucial that defectors feel stability within the social network and recognize their usefulness. Such awareness and improvement should start from the individual, extend to the group, and ultimately reach the government level. As immigrants welcomed into South Korean society, the North Korean defector community requires society’s consideration, taking into account potential side effects they might experience. What concerns is the government currently contemplating among the various issues faced by North Korean defectors? What measures are being considered to foster harmonious coexistence between locals and North Korean defectors? From our perspective, solutions should be based on in-depth research and thorough investigation, rather than rushed through like emergency measures, as with the recent establishment of North Korean Defectors’ Day. Will such a special day truly alter perceptions in society of defectors? It’s a challenge to be optimistic when even defectors themselves have yet to thoroughly examine their own issues and find stability. All change starts from within and extends outward. It’s been four years since I arrived in South Korea. I haven’t yet received institutional help in achieving mental stability or finding a job. Despite being young, having a university education, and having family nearby, I find the future daunting. How can people who are weak in all these things adapt well? I believe that help for this group is urgently needed. It should be continuous and systematic, transcending the influence of inter-Korean relations or partisan politics. We have plenty of reasons to care for each other. But back to the question. Am I happy, the person asked me. Once again, as always, I answered, “Yes.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") [Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/) Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. [![Jang Mi](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/ "Jang Mi") Latest posts by Jang Mi ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-mi/)) - [When seeing the world makes “My Country is the Best” harder to sing](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-seeing-the-world-makes-my-country-is-the-best-harder-to-sing/) - June 9, 2026 - [Who created “Oppasi”? How tyranny thrives on power and silence ](https://www.nkinsider.org/who-created-oppasi-how-tyranny-thrives-on-power-and-silence/) - June 3, 2026 - [The void of civilization](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-void-of-civilization/) - May 4, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Defectors%20and%20the%20search%20for%20happiness&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Defectors%20and%20the%20search%20for%20happiness https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Defectors%20and%20the%20search%20for%20happiness "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-the-search-for-happiness/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Defectors%20and%20the%20search%20for%20happiness&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-the-search-for-happiness/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Defectors%20and%20the%20search%20for%20happiness "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Companies in China prepare to employ more North Korean workers](https://www.nkinsider.org/companies-in-china-prepare-to-employ-more-north-korean-workers/) **Published:** May 8, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Istock-868421204.jpg "The train travel between sinuiju and dandong stayed in dandong railway station | nk insider")Companies in China are reportedly preparing to employ North Korean workers. Firms in the Chinese border city of Dandong, across the Yalu River from the city of Sinuiju, are significantly expanding production spaces and building new dormitories. One company in particular has bought land and built production facilities on three or four levels, as well as a five-story dormitory facility. It has also erected a concrete wall topped with barbed wire around its perimeter, along with a moat. NK Insider has received photos and video footage of the new plant and has confirmed their authenticity, but we have opted not to show them in order to protect the source. What we can say is that it is located in an isolated spot away from local residential complexes and appears to be ready to employ workers in a state akin to confinement. But that’s not all. A closer look reveals that the dormitory consists of closely spaced rooms along both sides of its long corridors. Each room is 3m by 4m and contains iron bunks for eight occupants. Each floor has a common dining area and shared bathroom and toilet. The dining space on each level indicates that occupants will not be permitted to freely move between floors. Metal doors at either end of each floor are closed, confirming the suspicion that residents will not have unauthorized access via the stairways. The structure resembles a detention facility, no matter how you look at it. But then, this is what the facilities of most Chinese companies that employ North Korean workers look like. North Korean authorities insist that accommodation facilities be within factory premises in their contracts with overseas companies. Before the pandemic, they would seldom accept accommodation outside the factory site. The pandemic changed things. North Korea took it as a golden opportunity for foreign currency earning. It closed its borders even to its own overseas workers as a way to keep them employed for as long as possible. While it justified this as a health and safety measure, it was in fact a calculated strategy for foreign currency. Even now, although the border with China is open to trade once more, the country is not taking back its workers. It is estimated that there are over 100,000 North Korean workers in China. This figure is based on a leak from the North Korean consulate in Dandong where officials some time ago let it be known how many passports for workers on expired three-year contracts were being extended. Most of the workers are women in their 20s and 30s. They have been trapped for almost six years due to the pandemic. There are cases of women in their 30s who were newly married and sent on one-month travel visas who ended up stuck in China. One we know of left a one-year old child at home, believing she could earn some money, only to find herself trapped. Another woman volunteered to work abroad to cover medical expenses for her sick parents and siblings. She, too, has been unable to return for six years. During the pandemic, authorities were concerned that news from home would disrupt workers. As a result, besides being trapped, the workers in Chinese factories did not know how their families’ were doing. In these circumstances, some women resorted to suicide by jumping from their dormitory buildings. Others who expressed their frustration were confined and beaten by the secret police. Now it appears that these women are to be joined by a new cohort. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Companies%20in%20China%20prepare%20to%20employ%20more%20North%20Korean%20workers&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Companies%20in%20China%20prepare%20to%20employ%20more%20North%20Korean%20workers https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Companies%20in%20China%20prepare%20to%20employ%20more%20North%20Korean%20workers "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/companies-in-china-prepare-to-employ-more-north-korean-workers/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Companies%20in%20China%20prepare%20to%20employ%20more%20North%20Korean%20workers&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/companies-in-china-prepare-to-employ-more-north-korean-workers/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Companies%20in%20China%20prepare%20to%20employ%20more%20North%20Korean%20workers "Reddit") **Categories:** Overseas Workers --- ### [Animation films and the shaping of violent children](https://www.nkinsider.org/animation-films-and-the-shaping-of-violent-children/) **Published:** May 7, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Nk-animation-1.jpg "Nk animation | nk insider")When defectors from North Korea see kids’ animation movies in South Korea for the first time, they’re usually in for a shock. They’re nothing like what they were used to. “The films I grew up with now look excessively brutal and provocative,” said Lee, who arrived in 2022 and is studying political science at Soongsil University in Seoul. “Watching South Korean films, I felt the cruelty of the regime in the North which has been indoctrinating children for nearly 80 years.” While the North’s film industry is struggling, [as we reported last month](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/04/26/north-koreas-film-industry-has-trouble-staying-afloat/), propaganda through animation and cartoons remains in full swing. Throughout North Korea, the first sentence four-year-olds children learn in kindergarten is, “Thank you, dear father Kim Jong-un.” The second is, “American bastards are wolves.” Loyalty to the leader and hatred of the United States are the twin themes that characterize North Korean nationalism. This is not news, but the international community forgets and from time to time [reminds itself](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNwuGlG5sKw). As the regime does not permit private education, the indoctrination is uniform in kindergartens and schools nationwide. One of the most popular cartoons is [*A Squirrel and a Hedgehog*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGZD6P2bvEw). It depicts the current military standoff on the peninsula with the United States as a wolf, Japan as a weasel, and South Korea as a mouse. Other Western powers are crows and foxes under the control of the American wolf. The North Korean military is the squirrel, with a heroic spy squirrel infiltrating the South on espionage missions. Although the story may fit the North’s view of the standoff, the problem lies in the level of content that is inappropriate for children. There are numerous scenes of people drinking, scantily clad mice, and people being shot and killed. Another popular animation, [*The Boy General*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iThSZzgY_d8&list=PLh-riHynZ8tNkkYkTEgggJG-rkssIyDiA), depicts the ancient peninsular kingdom of Goguryeo defeating northern invaders. It is also packed with gruesome scenes of people having their throat slit or being shot with arrows. Anywhere else, people would automatically consider such scenes too unsettling for children. But having themselves been subjected to such abnormal indoctrination from early on, North Korean adults fail to catch the negative impact. “The regime has been cleverly exploiting national division to maintain its dictatorship,” said Lee, a 55-year-old defector who entered South Korea in 2012 and is currently pursuing a doctoral program in North Korean studies at a university in South Korea. “Slogans like ‘Let’s defend the leader with our lives’ or ‘Let’s become guns and bombs for our leader’ that are so familiar to citizens are no different from the suicide attack mentality of Al-Qaeda-like terrorist groups,” she said. Such indoctrination colors everything youngsters are involved in. On June 1 Children’s Day, for example, they participate in games like ‘[Throwing Grenades’ and ‘Destroying American Bastards](https://www.rfa.org/korean/weekly_program/d1b5c77cbb38d654c0b0cc45/uniculture-05082015135116.html)’ at events held nationwide in nurseries and kindergartens. Lee said that the indoctrination is so thorough that children do not consider the killing of Americans or South Koreans to be murder. “They grow up with a violent use of words, uttering phrases like ‘I will kill’ as a casual matter of course from the earliest age,” she said. “Preaching violence like this to children is unjustifiable under any circumstances.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Animation%20films%20and%20the%20shaping%20of%20violent%20children&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Animation%20films%20and%20the%20shaping%20of%20violent%20children https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Animation%20films%20and%20the%20shaping%20of%20violent%20children "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/animation-films-and-the-shaping-of-violent-children/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Animation%20films%20and%20the%20shaping%20of%20violent%20children&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/animation-films-and-the-shaping-of-violent-children/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Animation%20films%20and%20the%20shaping%20of%20violent%20children "Reddit") **Categories:** Education --- ### [China resumes forcible repatriation of defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/china-resumes-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors/) **Published:** May 5, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Protesters-1.jpg "Protesters | nk insider")China last month returned a large number of refugees to North Korea against their will, according to news reports based on activists, brokers and family members. South Korea’s [Yonhap News](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240502006900315#:~:text=Korean%20defectors%3A%20civic%20group,-14%3A38%20May&text=SEOUL%2C%20May%202%20(Yonhap),calls%20to%20stop%20the%20act.) reported that around 200 escapees being held in a detention center in Jilin province were handed over to North Korean authorities on April 26. [Radio Free Asia](https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/k050224my1-05022024004117.html), meanwhile, quoted a missionary organization saying that 50 to 60 people had been sent back. If confirmed, these forced repatriations mark the resumption of a practice that the international community and human rights organizations have pleaded with China for a long time to stop. North Koreans who are returned after trying to escape face brutal interrogation and punishment, including imprisonment in the country’s gulag. Those found to have met with missionaries or South Koreans in China are in some cases executed. Rights groups argue that forcibly returning refugees at the risk of such treatment violates international agreements that Beijing has ratified. Chinese authorities say the victims are illegal immigrants and deny that their rights are violated in North Korea. The last mass repatriation from China was of 600 defectors in October 2023. The Radio Free Asia report quotes a missionary group saying the returned North Koreans were arrested in the cities of Tumen and Hunchun. It said others were sent back at the same time across the border from Dandong in Liaoning Province. Additionally, it is noted that a significant number of North Korean defectors are currently detained by Chinese authorities, awaiting repatriation. Defectors returned to North Korea face imprisonment in *kyo-hwa-so* labor camps with terms often linked to the time spent abroad. For instance, a person who stayed outside the country for five years may face five years and so on. As most of the people currently being repatriated escaped before the pandemic, they are likely to be given long terms. Few are expected to survive the long sentences. Given the current food shortages faced by ordinary North Koreans, the plight of inmates is even more dire. China’s repatriation policy dates back to the 1990s when there were large numbers of people escaping famine. The policy was halted during the pandemic. The sudden surge in repatriations follows the meeting of Zhao Leji, the third-ranking member of the Politburo, with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang to discuss a possible summit marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The two countries have designated 2024 as the “year of friendship.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=China%20resumes%20forcible%20repatriation%20of%20defectors&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=China%20resumes%20forcible%20repatriation%20of%20defectors https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=China%20resumes%20forcible%20repatriation%20of%20defectors "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/china-resumes-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=China%20resumes%20forcible%20repatriation%20of%20defectors&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/china-resumes-forcible-repatriation-of-defectors/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=China%20resumes%20forcible%20repatriation%20of%20defectors "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Why there is no Parents' Day in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-there-is-no-parents-day-in-north-korea/) **Published:** May 6, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Pic0071741-1.jpg "Pic0071741 | nk insider")Wednesday is eobeoi (parents) day in South Korea, where it is a national holiday. Established on May 8, 1973, it is a time for people to express their gratitude, honor the traditional virtues of respect for the elderly, and spread the culture of filial piety. It is a festive time of gift-giving around the whole country. Gifts vary according to circumstances, but the general custom these days is to prepare flowers, money, and health supplements. Some families use Parents’ Day as an opportunity to travel abroad with their parents, while others attend performances, travel locally, or buy expensive items at department stores. There is, however, no Parents’ Day in North Korea. There, the leader is considered the only parent who matters. The regime claims that its system is based on socialist principles of equal distribution, where everyone eats and lives well, and positions the leader as the parent of the entire nation. Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and now Kim Jong-un have all filled this role. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/07-서에라-북한에는-왜-어버이날이-없을까-2.jpg "07서에라북한에는 왜 어버이날이 없을까 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/07-서에라-북한에는-왜-어버이날이-없을까-1-2-1.jpg "07서에라북한에는왜어버이날이없을까12 | nk insider")Kim is portrayed as ‘the benevolent parent of \[Korean\] women,’ according to this recently obtained internal document entitled ‘Socialist Women’s Union of Korea Rules’ (published in 2021).Since there cannot be any other parents besides the leader, children cannot refer to their own parents as parents. However, the truth is that no one in North Korea considers the Kim family as the parents. In its early days, North Korea operated a system that somewhat resembled other socialist bloc countries. People followed the instructions of the party and relied on the state’s food distribution system to survive. Despite the scarcity of food, there was no alternative but to conserve and eat sparingly. At that time, the regime boasted of having the most superior socialist system in the world, supplying essential items such as soap, toothpaste, soy sauce, soybean paste, and shoes according to state regulations. However, by the late 1980s, the country faced a severe crisis. The collapse of Soviet communism directly contributed to North Korea’s economic difficulties. There was no longer an international socialist market, and North Koreans could no longer rely on the ration system. Still, they had to keep working, even if it was unpaid. If they refused, they were subjected to even harsher forced labor. The parental leader was now a dictator, a thug brandishing a gun. Farmers toiled all year round only to have their harvests confiscated in the fall. Under the pretext of military provisions, national food plans, and patriotism, everything was plundered. As a result, farmers now condemn Kim Jong-un more than the officially hated class of colonial era landlords. They accuse him of being even more ruthless. This is why there is no Parents’ Day in North Korea. Instead, there is Mother’s Day. This was established by Kim in May 2012, just five months into his rule. Some view its establishment as a sign of increased national attention to women. However, in reality, citizens interpret it as a way to emphasize the social role of women. This was made clear in an address by Kim in which he called on women of working age to actively join the labor force and contribute their sweat and hard work. In particular, he urged women to have more children, saying that it is patriotic to have many children at home. In essence, women are portrayed as the driving force and engine of national development. However, there is no mention of providing social or domestic privileges to women. Instead, the focus is on their dedication to the party and the leader. The regime recently released a song about Kim called “[Friendly Father](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtmZ5q9glWY)” that was intended for domestic propaganda but which has gone viral internationally. It depicts Kim as a parent figure, but in reality, those suffering from hunger and malnutrition, wandering the streets and dying in gutters, do not call the man responsible a friendly father. Still, the song is pumped out on mobile broadcasting vehicles, in the streets and villages day and night. It dominates television and radio. Some feel such aversion to it that they refuse to watch television. They know that as long as Kim remains in power, North Korea will never have a real Parents’ Day. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Why%20there%20is%20no%20Parents%27%20Day%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Why%20there%20is%20no%20Parents%27%20Day%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Why%20there%20is%20no%20Parents%27%20Day%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-there-is-no-parents-day-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Why%20there%20is%20no%20Parents%27%20Day%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-there-is-no-parents-day-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Why%20there%20is%20no%20Parents%27%20Day%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [5-jang 6-ki: What a North Korean woman needs for her dowry](https://www.nkinsider.org/5-jang-6-ki-what-a-north-korean-woman-needs-for-her-dowry/) **Published:** April 30, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2093445334_5586dcaf22_o-1.png "20934453345586dcaf22o | nk insider")I love *Pride and Prejudice* so much that I’ve watched it dozens of times. It gets praised a lot for the wonderful story and beautiful cinematography. But the reason I love it is because of how Darcy goes from believing he should marry someone from a prestigious family to falling in love with Elizabeth and eventually chooses sincerity over connections. The turning point that really made it my favorite movie of all time was when the line “fate changes with love” kept coming to mind. Perhaps this line stuck with me because it resonates with my personal story in North Korea. It implies that love has the power to change not just the heart but also significant decisions and directions in life. I became so enamored of this movie and the dialogue because it seemed to say that through love, we can reshape our destiny in unexpected ways. If I were to say this out loud, my friends might tell me to keep quiet because it just makes me look like a dreamer who wants her life to turn around through marriage. There would be some truth in this. However, as someone with limited choices, the only way for me to achieve social advancement as a North Korean would be through marriage to someone of higher social status. This unfolding of love in this way is common in North Korea. The marriage culture there places importance on the family background of the prospective spouse. Families with anti-Japanese revolutionary activist ancestors, such as Kim Il-sung, for example, are considered to have a good pedigree. With *Pride and Prejudice* I sometimes feel I’m watching a North Korean romance in a European setting. It evokes a sense of nostalgia every time. It’s a movie that conveys a subtle charm, helping me navigate between the societal boundaries of Western life I haven’t experienced and my 20 years in North Korea. The goal of the female lead’s mother is to marry Elizabeth off to a good suitor. She reminds me of my own mother. In North Korea, you have to meet many conditions to marry the child of a party official. First, you have to be exceptionally good-looking. Then, of course, your own family background is crucial. Above all, you have to be healthy. Free from disease. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Shutterstock_1945420891-1024x681.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkoreaoctober122017koreannewlywedstraditionallycametothemuseum | nk insider")Korean newlyweds in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Oct. 12, 2017. (Photo by Truba 7113, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.)Han Seo-hee, 56, a defector who used to matchmake the children of officials in Pyongyang says that ideas of beauty are changing. “Family background is a basic condition,” she says. “Then there are looks. Current trends for the good wife, ideal mother type is an egg-shaped face and fair skin. In Pyongyang officials even want a woman who looks like the actresses in South Korean dramas and movies, even though it’s actually forbidden to watch them.” Then there are the things a woman must prepare. These include items categorized as “5-jang 6-ki” (*jang* for furniture and *ki* for electronic appliances). The 5-jang items would be things like bedding chests, wardrobes, decorative cabinets, dining cabinets (for displaying dishes) and bookshelves. Items in the 6-ki category would be television sets, refrigerators, sewing machines, electric fans and video recorders. Recently, computers, tablets, mobile phones and South Korean Cuckoo brand rice cookers have been added to the list. “Nowadays, people with means acquire 8-jang 9-ki things to marry off their daughters,” said Choi, 26. “Just a few years ago, bicycles were added. Just before I left in 2020 people were buying motorcycles and modifying them for transportation.” “I was receiving money from South Korea, so I planned to bring a motorcycle as my dowry. With just that, I could face a potential husband’s family without feeling inferior,” she said. Im, who is from North Hamgyong Province, married the son of a manager at a ceramics factory in Kyongsong before defecting. Along with the traditional 5-jang 6-ki dowry, she also brought a washing machine and a water purifier. They were quality Japanese brands. “In Kyongsong, there were returnees (Koreans in Japan who returned to North Korea) who received second-hand washing machines and refrigerators from their families in Japan,” she said. “They would sell them in the market. That’s where I got mine from. Before the early 2010s, washing machines as part of a dowry was really uncommon.” “The trouble was we couldn’t use the washing machine and water purifier because there was no electricity,” she said. “They were just for show. Sometimes, electricity was supplied sporadically. Even if we tried to run the washing machine with that electricity, without a transformer, it didn’t work.” They manually pumped water and poured it into the tank attached to the purifier and used it that way. “Looking back, it seems really unfair. Women had to acquire household appliances just to get married. If their background wasn’t good, it was difficult to find anyone suitable,” she said. “It’s ironic that Kim Jong-un emphasizes family background but his own mother was from Japan, a country North Korea hates,” she said. “Shouldn’t he be working in a coal mine or on a collective farm? His family background is worse than mine.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=5-jang%206-ki%3A%20What%20a%20North%20Korean%20woman%20needs%20for%20her%20dowry&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=5-jang%206-ki%3A%20What%20a%20North%20Korean%20woman%20needs%20for%20her%20dowry https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=5-jang%206-ki%3A%20What%20a%20North%20Korean%20woman%20needs%20for%20her%20dowry "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/5-jang-6-ki-what-a-north-korean-woman-needs-for-her-dowry/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=5-jang%206-ki%3A%20What%20a%20North%20Korean%20woman%20needs%20for%20her%20dowry&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/5-jang-6-ki-what-a-north-korean-woman-needs-for-her-dowry/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=5-jang%206-ki%3A%20What%20a%20North%20Korean%20woman%20needs%20for%20her%20dowry "Reddit") **Categories:** Culture --- ### [Hundreds of North Korean Defectors Repatriated by China Face Miserable Fate](https://www.nkinsider.org/hundreds-of-north-korean-defectors-repatriated-by-china-face-miserable-fate/) **Published:** January 20, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Hyeonseo-Lee-My-escape-from-North-Korea-TED-Talk-NORTH-KOREAN-PRISONERS-CHINA.png "Hyeonseoleemyescapefromnorthkoreatedtalk north korean prisoners china | nk insider")Right after the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games drew to a close, on October 9, 2023, [as if it were a military operation](https://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2023/10/12/2023101201066.html), the Chinese government made an apparently calculated decision to secretly repatriate approximately 600 North Korean detainees in China to North Korea, according to Joo Ok-kyung of Light of Freedom, a defectors rescue group. Radio Free Asia’s [sources added](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/china-repatriates-north-korean-defectors-10122023004404.html) that most of the North Koreans were civilians and religious figures who were arrested while attempting to travel to South Korea from China. That [marked](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231011008851315) China’s first large-scale repatriation of North Korean defectors since Pyongyang reopened its borders after about three and a half years of COVID-19 lockdowns. The South Korean government had appealed to China about the fate of the defectors and subsequently [protested their forced repatriation](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-says-north-korean-defectors-china-sent-back-north-2023-10-13/), but China denies the existence of any “[so-called defectors](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-foreign-ministry-says-no-north-korean-defectors-country-2023-10-12/)” in the country, labeling them illegal economic migrants instead of refugees fleeing the North Korean regime’s human rights abuses. Several sources who requested anonymity confirmed to NK Insider that the repatriated North Korean defectors initially completed a 15-day COVID-19 medical examination at an infectious disease quarantine facility in the repatriated region. They were subsequently transferred to the Ministry of State Security in their respective regions of residence, where they underwent a 10-15 day classification pretrial period and interrogation process that determines which crimes North Korean defectors will be charged with. During this period, a final decision was made about whether the defector would be sentenced to life imprisonment as a political prisoner or non-life imprisonment as an economic prisoner. It’s a period of life and death known in North Korea as the “Hell Trial Period.” After the “Hell Trials” of the repatriated North Koreans were completed in recent months, interrogations and investigations by their corresponding agencies were conducted by the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Social Security. North Korea’s Ministry of State Security is a notorious agency that investigates “anti-state crimes” and convicts the alleged offenders under the “Anti-State and Anti-National Crimes” section of Chapter 3 of the Criminal Law of the DPRK, resulting in permanent confinement in political prison camps. North Korean defectors who attempted to escape to South Korea, practiced their religion, or interacted with South Koreans are handled by the Ministry of State Security for violations of Article 3 of the Criminal Law, the [Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Law](https://www.dailynk.com/20230321-4/), and the [National Secret Protection Law](https://www.segye.com/newsView/20230203507787). Defectors who entered China as “illegal immigrants” and were sold to Han Chinese buyers, human traffickers, or other illegal businesses are handled by the Ministry of Social Security. According to testimony from fellow North Korean defectors, the interrogation process is often used to obtain confessions to crimes that have already been determined and to complete legal documents. The defectors further claim that the most severe torture, assault, and other human rights abuses are committed during this period, and some have died from the mental and physical pain of the interrogation process, while others have been forced to make false confessions. Repatriated North Korean defectors are detained in groups of 10 to 30 people in the detention centers of their respective agencies, assigned an investigator, and subjected to an interrogation process that can take months to years. The Department of State Security at each county and district level designates agents from the Anti-Espionage and Investigation Sections to carry out these investigations. Additionally, the Department of Social Security at the county and district-levels assigns its officers to deal with these matters. North Korean defectors under the purview of the Ministry of State Security are transferred to pretrial detention centers in their respective provinces after the interrogation process, where they undergo a final review process by the prosecutor of the Central People’s Procuratorate, then a closed trial by the Provincial People’s Court, followed by a transfer to a political prison camp. On the other hand, most of the Ministry of Social Security’s detainees are subjected to a final review by the Provincial Department of Social Security, sentenced in an open or closed trial, and sent to an economic criminal internment camp. As of January 15, 2024, more than 30 percent of the approximately 600 North Koreans who were forcefully repatriated in October 2023 are under the purview of the Ministry of State Security and are being interrogated on suspicion of anti-state crimes, according to interviews by NK Insider of family members and sources connected to the defectors in South Korea. Now, just months after China repatriated them last October, hundreds of North Koreans are in imminent danger of vanishing forever because they longed for freedom in South Korea. Families of North Korean detainees and North Korean defectors who have experienced forced repatriations have repeatedly denounced the human rights abuses by the North Korean regime’s Ministry of State Security and Ministry of Social Security, as well as the Chinese government’s abetment of repatriation. North Korean defectors and human rights activists continue to urge the international community to take a stronger stand against the dire threats faced by North Koreans longing for freedom, and condemn the Chinese government for facilitating human rights violations by the North Korean regime. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Hundreds%20of%20North%20Korean%20Defectors%20Repatriated%20by%20China%20Face%20Miserable%20Fate&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Hundreds%20of%20North%20Korean%20Defectors%20Repatriated%20by%20China%20Face%20Miserable%20Fate https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Hundreds%20of%20North%20Korean%20Defectors%20Repatriated%20by%20China%20Face%20Miserable%20Fate "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/hundreds-of-north-korean-defectors-repatriated-by-china-face-miserable-fate/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Hundreds%20of%20North%20Korean%20Defectors%20Repatriated%20by%20China%20Face%20Miserable%20Fate&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/hundreds-of-north-korean-defectors-repatriated-by-china-face-miserable-fate/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Hundreds%20of%20North%20Korean%20Defectors%20Repatriated%20by%20China%20Face%20Miserable%20Fate "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Shouldn't Kim Ju-ae be in school?](https://www.nkinsider.org/shouldnt-kim-ju-ae-be-in-school/) **Published:** March 19, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Kim-juae.png "Kim juae | nk insider")As Kim Jong-un intensifies the confrontation with South Korea, he appears to be raising the profile of his 11-year-old daughter, Ju-ae. Is he positioning her as his successor? In contrast to his own appointment, which was relatively sudden, are we seeing a repeat of the slow-motion anointment over a long period that her grandfather, Kim Jong-il, experienced? Some people think this is exactly what is happening. A high-ranking North Korean defector named Oh, who asked that her identity not be disclosed, recently shared her perspective on this issue with journalists. “There’s much discussion regarding whether Kim Ju-ae can really become the next leader as she is a girl,” she said. “But this talk stems from a lack of understanding about North Korea. The fact she is a daughter holds no significance.” To make this point, Oh shared the story of a former colleague in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kim was a senior bureaucrat. One day, his father-in-law, also a high-ranking official, was found guilty of something and banished from Pyongyang. To avoid being tainted by association, Kim was forced to divorce his wife. He married a widow. He did this very quickly and soon his new wife was pregnant. Then tragedy struck, at least as far as Kim was concerned. The father-in-law was cleared. The accusations against him were found to have been false. Kim Jong-il, the leader at that time, had personal knowledge of the case and instructed that everything be restored to its previous state. The father-in-law recovered his reputation, got his job back and returned to his house in Pyongyang. His daughter had to get remarried to Kim. All of this happened in 18 months. Kim’s second wife would often linger a distance away from the entrance of the Foreign Ministry to get a glimpse of him. This bizarre and tragic situation captures reality for North Koreans. Regardless of who they are, they live in contradiction. Given this, what does it matter to them whether Kim Ju-ae is a son or a daughter? Kim Sung-min, the representative of Free North Korea Radio, agreed. When journalists asked him if Kim Ju-ae would be the next leader, he responded with a definite, “Of course.” “You should see Kim Jong-un’s siblings and relatives as side branches,” he explained. “North Korea has a system that eliminates them from public attention. Side branches are never promoted in society or in the media. This was the case in Kim Jong-il’s time and it’s the same under Kim Jong-un. For example, according to our sources inside North Korea, citizens don’t know anything about [Kim’s brother, Jong-chul,](https://nypost.com/article/who-is-kim-jong-un-older-brother-kim-jong-chul/) or his [half-brother, Jong-nam, murdered in Malaysia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-Oe9jtQuiU). Further, he said, they don’t actually know Kim Ju-ae’s name. “She is being promoted and they’ve seen her images but it seems Kim Jong-un is keeping her actual name from being publicized.” He said that North Korea is such a complete dictatorship that even if Kim Jong-un were to have presented her as the successor as a 5-year-old, the populace would have instantly chanted “Long live Kim Ju-ae.” Kim Ju-ae is a confident princess in a slave state. This much can be deduced from her hairstyle and fashion. A teacher named Cho, 48, who defected in March 2023, says ordinary students are not allowed to grow their hair beyond shoulder length. The strictly enforced limit is 5 cm below the ears. He believes the reason Kim Ju-ae is permitted to grow her hair so long is to differentiate her from other students. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/unnamed.png "Unnamed | nk insider") Middle school students with regulation hairstyles. Credit/ sputnik.by![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KJA.jpg "Kja | nk insider") Kim Ju-ae accompanies her father to observe flight training in this November 2023 photo. Credit / Rodong Sinmun.Her fashion serves the same purpose. Sunglasses and leather jackets are the dictator style inherited from her grandfather. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/비행부대-참관-1024x651.jpg "비행부대참관 | nk insider") Kim Ju-ae accompanies her father to observe flight training in this November 2023 photo. Credit / Rodong Sinmun.![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2008년-11월5일김정일-위원장이-인민군-제2200부대와-제534군부대-직속-구분대를-시찰.jpg "2008년11월5일김정일위원장이인민군제2200부대와제534군부대직속구분대를시찰 | nk insider") Kim Jong-il sports sunglasses in this 2008 photo as he inspects army units. Credit/ Korean Central TVThe highlighting of Ju-ae underscores a particular theme of the Kim dynasty. That is their contempt for education. As an 11-year-old, of course, Ju-ae should be at school rather than indulging in her dictator father’s princess play. Nobody in North Korea would dare say that, though. Not only because it would be life-threateningly presumptuous. But also because the Kims don’t put great stock in learning. That goes back a way. Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of Kim Jong-un, apparently went against the dying wishes of his own father about getting an education and failed to complete middle school. This scene of the father’s appeal appears in the North Korean movie “Dawn.” Kim Il-sung’s mother honors her husband’s desire and sends her son to school but he drops out. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/김형직-유언-장면-1-1024x481.jpg "김형직유언장면1 | nk insider") The [movie “Dawn”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJf6NUcVhC8) shows Kim Jong-un’s great-grandparents. Credit/ Korean Central TVIt is claimed that Kim Jong-il attended university. But strictly speaking, it’s not an exaggeration to say he didn’t really complete middle school. He was more interested in political activities than in studying. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/김일성-종합대학-시절-김정일.jpg "김일성종합대학시절김정일 | nk insider") Kim Jong-il surrounded by fellow students and faculty members at Kim Il-sung University. Credit/KCNAEven if he did attend classes, teachers would be afraid to challenge him as part of the natural teaching process. Another defector named Jung, who settled in South Korea in 2022, heard from acquaintances whose fathers attended the same school as Kim Jong-il that some teachers disappeared overnight after “making mistakes” in his classes. Another defector who knew someone who went to university with him, said Kim hardly ever turned up. Kim Jong-un seems to be carrying on this tradition. A defector who taught for 20 years in North Korea recounted a peculiar incident at the Kim Il Sung Military University (where Kim supposedly completed a five-year program in just four months) when Kim took over a class and taught a lesson on “modern warfare and punctuality” after an instructor arrived three minutes late for a session on artillery. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/스위스-유학-당시-김정은-사진-ofigennocom_-1024x774.jpg "스위스유학당시김정은사진ofigennocom | nk insider")Kim jong un with classmates in switzerland Credit ofigenno ComThe point here is not that the leadership needs to be super-academic. It’s that the Kims are not noted for being smart. Kim’s Jong-un’s lack of education is directly connected to his policy failures in governing the country. We might just wonder what policies Kim Ju-ae might pursue. If she continues to be denied normal education, it is likely her rule would only make North Koreans poorer. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Shouldn%27t%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20be%20in%20school%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Shouldn%27t%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20be%20in%20school%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Shouldn%27t%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20be%20in%20school%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/shouldnt-kim-ju-ae-be-in-school/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Shouldn%27t%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20be%20in%20school%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/shouldnt-kim-ju-ae-be-in-school/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Shouldn%27t%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20be%20in%20school%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [“Music Politics” Shows the Changing View of Women in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/music-politics-shows-the-changing-view-of-women-in-north-korea/) **Published:** February 8, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/A-woman-playing-gayageum.png "A woman playing gayageum | nk insider")In recent years, the changing role of women in North Korean society, brought on by the famine of the 1990s, has become apparent through the songs the state deploys to indoctrinate the people. This indoctrination is referred to as “[music politics](https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/nkp/knwldg/view/knwldg.do;jsessionid=nOIUojokJ7Pr9JTuLsonohFpCtlnrB3WGKXGEnj0.ins22?menuId=NK_KNWLDG_DICARY&knwldgNo=239#:~:text=%EC%9D%8C%EC%95%85%EC%A0%95%EC%B9%98&text=%EC%9D%8C%EC%95%85%EC%A0%95%EC%B9%98%EB%9E%80%20%27%EC%9D%8C%EC%95%85%EC%9D%84,%EB%8B%B4%EA%B2%A8%20%EC%9E%88%EB%8B%A4%27%EA%B3%A0%20%EA%B0%95%EC%A1%B0%ED%95%9C%EB%8B%A4.).” It’s very effective. I’ve been in South Korea for 10 years, but I still hum North Korean songs and I was surprised recently when I realized I was humming the song [Nostalgia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7PBlhmEYc8), which North Korean propagandists claim was written by Kim Il Sung himself. “You must have worked too hard in school,” my fellow defector friends joked. As kids, we’d sing the [Song of General Kim Il Sung](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N_2qjqZJMA) every day as we marched in a group to school. Kim’s son and successor, Kim Jong Il, is credited with introducing [music politics](http://nks.ac.kr/Word/View.aspx?id=1585). The term itself was first used at a Ministry of People’s Armed Forces symposium about Kim Jong Il’s ‘greatness’ on February 7, 2000. It functions rather like “music in advertising” in other societies, where music is used to influence the consumers’ emotional response to an advertisement. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/KJI5-1-1024x574.jpg "Kji5 | nk insider") Kim Jong Il, former North Korean leader (pictured on the right), is often described as a “master musician” and “genius” in state propaganda. Screenshot from the propaganda film “Eternal People’s Sun” broadcast on KCTV.The main themes in music politics are the blood relationship between the leader and the people and the will to die for him and the revolution. Kim Jong Il stressed its importance, saying, “Music has sometimes replaced thousands of guns and millions of tons of food.” [Kim Jong Un](https://www.sisajournal.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=145839) has continued in the same vein. According to state media, he established and named the Moranbong and Chongbong bands, the Samjiyon Orchestra, and the Band of the State Affairs Commission, and also directed the selection of their songs. Music politics gives us a way to observe social change. There is a famous song about women that every North Korean knows called [Women Are Flowers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07kDsQ5u0ns). In this song, a woman is a “flower that tends to its entire family” and a “flower that nurtures our sons and daughters into heroes.” This emphasis on the femininity of the housewife and mother was intended at the time to address a social problem. Many men and women left their spouses but were unable to divorce because of the tight laws, and when they found new partners, they lived together pretending to be married. They came to be known as [8.3 couples](https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/83couple-10112011103614.html). This comes from a decree on August 3, 1984, instructing that daily necessities be made from by-products from factories. In other words, fake or crudely manufactured goods. “During the Arduous March (of the 1990s famine), women were forced to work in jangmadang markets to support their family,” a North Korean economic expert explained. They became involved in “running sales,” selling local specialties in other areas. “They asked for divorces from husbands who were unable to make money and this resulted in 8.3 couples. The song emerged as a solution from the regime,” he said. From 2010, this feminine perception of women shifted. Now, they were seen as having what we might call patriarchal femininity. Thus, the second verse of the song [Ode to My Wife](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/MYH20100316010200038), released that year, goes, “when I get tired, she supports me,” and (she is) “a person I need as a life companion.” Thus, a woman became seen as a companion and a breadwinner rather than as a housewife. Women became the main pillar of the jangmadang market economy starting from the Arduous March in 1996. While men were tied to the military or their organizations as the official heads of their household, women were relatively less controlled and therefore free to work in the market to support their families. As men started to depend on them, many women sought to avoid marriage altogether. “You suffer a lot when you get married,” they would say. “It’s just one more burden.” Given this, the new characterization of women in music shows how the regime is trying to encourage social participation by women, who have now become the main pillar of economic activity. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CMusic%20Politics%E2%80%9D%20Shows%20the%20Changing%20View%20of%20Women%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%E2%80%9CMusic%20Politics%E2%80%9D%20Shows%20the%20Changing%20View%20of%20Women%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%E2%80%9CMusic%20Politics%E2%80%9D%20Shows%20the%20Changing%20View%20of%20Women%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/music-politics-shows-the-changing-view-of-women-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%E2%80%9CMusic%20Politics%E2%80%9D%20Shows%20the%20Changing%20View%20of%20Women%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/music-politics-shows-the-changing-view-of-women-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%E2%80%9CMusic%20Politics%E2%80%9D%20Shows%20the%20Changing%20View%20of%20Women%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [South Korea Bans Dog Meat but “Sweet Meat Stew” Still Cherished in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-bans-dog-meat-but-sweet-meat-stew-still-cherished-in-north-korea/) **Published:** January 25, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/fence-sweet-dog-cute-pet-mammal-887379-pxhere.com_-scaled.jpg "Fencesweetdogcutepetmammal887379pxhere Com | nk insider")On January 9, 2024, South Korean legislators [banned](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/09/asia/south-korea-bill-bans-dog-meat-bill-intl-hnk/index.html) 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. Although it may seem counterintuitive, [proponents have touted the health benefits](https://health.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2015/07/10/2015071001335.html) of eating hot stew on hot summer days due to the concept of *iyolchiyol* (이열치열), which could be roughly translated as “beat the heat with heat” or “fight fire with fire.” Moreover, as Koreans have long considered dog meat to be a stamina-booster as well as a good source of protein, the history of eating dog meat in Korea can likely be traced back thousands of years. **Korea’s Long History of Dog Meat Consumption** An image of a slaughtered dog on an ancient wall painting in Korea suggests that Korea’s history of dog meat consumption [may date back to](https://www.seoul.co.kr/news/newsView.php?id=20080415031014) the Goguryeo Dynasty (37 BC – 668 AD). During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), there were several historical documents about the positive effects of dog meat. In the “Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine,” a medical book from the Joseon Dynasty that is now registered with UNESCO, the writer [asks](https://www.ecobs.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=15438), “Isn’t it true that dog meat is the best for patients with spear wounds?” In addition, *Dongguksesigi* (“A Record of the Seasonal Customs of the Eastern Kingdom”) is an almanac of Korea’s monthly seasonal customs that was written by Hong Seok-mo, a scholar during the reigns of King Jeongjo (1725-1800) and King Sunjo (1800-1834). He [wrote](https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0001709), “Dogs boiled and stewed with green onions are called ‘gujang.’ Add bamboo sprouts and chili powder to it, mix it with rice, and eat it as a seasonal dish. If you sweat after eating it, you can overcome the heat and replenish your energy.” According to another historical text called [*The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty*](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/columnists/9350502), Kim An Ro (1481-1537), who was a servant in the 31st year of King Jungjong, loved dog meat so much that people bribed him with dog meat to receive a position in the government. At that time, people also made “dog meat taffy” in the winter by mixing rice, dog meat, garlic, pine nuts, and taffy, and that tradition is still being practiced in North Korea. **Dog Meat Consumption in North Korea** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Dog-meat-in-North-Korea-1024x529.jpg "Dog meat in north korea | nk insider") Screenshot of a KCTV broadcast from North Korea on July 18, 2022. The text on the left reads “*Dangogi* Cooking Contest,” referring to the North Korean term for dog meat stew that roughly translates to “sweet meat stew.”In North Korea, it’s difficult for many people to store food in a refrigerator like they do in South Korea due to chronic electricity shortages, so they make dog meat taffy to preserve the meat and eat it when they please. When I was living in North Korea, my mom used to store it in the ground or in a small jar outside, and at times I would take some out, boil it, and eat it. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Dangogi-단고기-sweet-meat-stew-NK-Shenyang_City_Scenes_沈陽市內景色_1787015742.jpg "Dangogi 단고기 sweet meat stew nk shenyangcityscenes沈陽市內景色1787015742 | nk insider") The Korean sign of a state-run North Korean restaurant in Shenyang, China reads “Pyongyang Dangogi Restaurant.” The Chinese and North Korean flags are illuminated above it.North Korean families that can afford it make two to three dogs into taffy or dangogi (a dog meat stew that’s roughly translated as “sweet meat stew”) for married men every year because they believe it boosts a man’s stamina. When I was young, my father used to eat dog meat taffy that he had received as a bribe, and in modern times, North Korea still has a culture of paying bribes with dog meat. **South Korea’s Shift Away from Dog Meat** After South Korea was selected to host the 1988 Summer Olympics, South Korea’s consumption of dog meat led to criticism from dog lovers and animal rights activists abroad (who considered it uncivilized) and sparked a domestic debate about the practice. In response, South Korea’s government temporarily banned the sale of dog meat in Seoul’s traditional markets and asked dog meat retailers to remove dog carcasses from their stalls to avoid offending foreigners. This [caused a backlash](https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/south-korea-dog-meat-ban-trade-sell-farmers-compensation-4053796) from some South Koreans who considered the international criticism and the government’s subsequent acquiescence as a form of “cultural imperialism” against one of Korea’s traditions. Dog meat was allowed to be sold again openly in the capital after the Olympics ended, but some South Koreans, especially younger generations, began to avoid dog meat due to the perceived stigma, and debates about [cultural relativism](https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/explore-engage/key-terms/cultural-relativism) ensued. Eventually, some South Korean politicians became [vocal opponents](https://www.hsi.org/news-resources/seoul-last-dog-meat-shops-end-on-site-killing/) of the dog meat industry, including the former Mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon, and South Korea’s current President, Yoon Suk Yeol, an [animal lover](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-parliament-expected-pass-bill-ban-dog-meat-trade-2024-01-09/) who owns six dogs and eight cats with first lady Kim Keon Hee. Ultimately, on January 9, 2024, South Korea’s National Assembly [passed legislation](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/09/world/asia/south-korea-dog-meat-ban.html) that will prohibit the breeding, slaughter, distribution, and sale of dogs for consumption after a three-year grace period. **A Debatable Ban on Dog Meat Consumption in South Korea** With the passage of South Korea’s recent bill abolishing the dog meat industry, it seems that South Korea’s dog meat and boshintang culture will slowly fade away. On the one hand, I understand why some South Koreans are against dog meat consumption, since according to data from 2020, South Koreans raised about [6 million dogs as pets](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230202005000320). On the other hand, however, I disagree that dog meat consumption is an “uncivilized culture” since dogs are still eaten by people [throughout the world](https://pawsafe.com/blogs/dog-healthcare/which-countries-eat-dogs), and dog meat was also consumed by people in various cultures [throughout history](https://koreascience.kr/article/JAKO199911920137949.pdf), including ancient Rome. Therefore, cultures form and disappear depending on the era and context within which cultural traditions are developed, so Koreans should not be stigmatized for eating dog meat. If the South and the North are eventually reunified, I hope that a debate over Korea’s “sweet meat” boshintang culture does not arise. While things are changing fast here in the South, the North seems to stubbornly insist on adhering to its culinary traditions. In that regard, this development just seems to add one more element to the ever-growing differences on both sides of the Korean Peninsula today. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=South%20Korea%20Bans%20Dog%20Meat%20but%20%E2%80%9CSweet%20Meat%20Stew%E2%80%9D%20Still%20Cherished%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=South%20Korea%20Bans%20Dog%20Meat%20but%20%E2%80%9CSweet%20Meat%20Stew%E2%80%9D%20Still%20Cherished%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=South%20Korea%20Bans%20Dog%20Meat%20but%20%E2%80%9CSweet%20Meat%20Stew%E2%80%9D%20Still%20Cherished%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-bans-dog-meat-but-sweet-meat-stew-still-cherished-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=South%20Korea%20Bans%20Dog%20Meat%20but%20%E2%80%9CSweet%20Meat%20Stew%E2%80%9D%20Still%20Cherished%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-bans-dog-meat-but-sweet-meat-stew-still-cherished-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=South%20Korea%20Bans%20Dog%20Meat%20but%20%E2%80%9CSweet%20Meat%20Stew%E2%80%9D%20Still%20Cherished%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Culture --- ### [Kim Jong-un rejects unification out of fear of South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-rejects-unification-out-of-fear-of-south-korea/) **Published:** April 1, 2024 **Author:** Kim Heung-kwang **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Kim-Jong-un-at-the-7th-Enlarged-Meeting-of-8th-Central-Military-Commission-of-WPK-on-Aug-9-2023.webp "Kim jongun at the 7th enlarged meeting of 8th central military commission of wpk on aug 9 2023 | nk insider")Like a wizard, Kim Jong-un waved his magic wand on March 23 and an entire organization vanished. The [Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/1133760), a party body commonly known as the Fatherland Front, that had been around for almost 80 years, was no more. The front’s dissolution was the latest in a series of vanishing tricks in the wake of Kim’s announcement on December 30 that there was no more point in pursuing reunification with South Korea. [Government departments](https://www.chosun.com/politics/politics_general/2024/01/16/EESYGLV7LRFUBFMPDRCY7AMBVQ/) have gone. References to unification went from [subway station names](https://www.munhwa.com/news/view.html?no=2024022101039910126001), [websites](https://www.voakorea.com/a/7442853.html), and [publications](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20240304098600504). The map of the peninsula in weather forecasts now only shows North Korea. Even the [national anthem](https://www.mk.co.kr/en/politics/10943977) has been changed. “The beautiful country of 3,000 ri,” a reference to the length of the peninsula, has become “The beautiful country of this world.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/115245-1-1024x614.jpg "115245 | nk insider") ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1162-1.jpg "1162 | nk insider") The weather forecast on North Korea’s state-run Korean Central Television on Jan 16 (right) showed an accentuated image of North Korea on a map to make a point. Until the previous day, Jan 15 (left), North Korea had not distinguished South Korea on the map.Gone are organizations like the Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration, the North Headquarters of the Pan-national Alliance for Korean Reunification, and the Consultative Council for National Reconciliation. Now the Fatherland Front has followed them into the trash can. The front was formed in 1946, before the formal creation of the two separate states, as a coalition of 72 political parties and social organizations from both sides. Notably, it brought together the South Korean National Democratic Front, an umbrella body of 40 leftist groups led by the Communist Party of Korea, and the North Korean National Democratic Front, which had 13 groups and was led by the Workers’ Party of Korea. Despite this history, the front has been something of an empty vessel since the establishment in 1961 of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF), as the governmental organization handling the real business of inter-Korean relations and unification-related matters. The front’s main role has been peace offensives, such as dialogue between political parties and social organizations in the two Koreas. The decision on March 23 to dissolve it came in a meeting in which representatives of its 24 member parties and social organizations accused South Korea of pursuing ”regime collapse” and “unification by absorption.” This latter term refers to the German and Vietnamese forms of national unification by which one side completely takes over the other. The members declared that, as Seoul was not a good faith partner, there was no longer any need for the front to exist. They unanimously agreed to dismantle it. Kim is now moving to [revise the constitution](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-kim-calls-change-status-south-warns-war-2024-01-15/). If carried out, this will formally eradicate the founding mission of the Kim dynasty to achieve reunification. What are we to make of this? International experts are offering several interpretations. Some view it as Kim’s acceptance that [reunification on the North’s terms](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2024/01/799_366788.html) is no longer possible. Others see it as a [strategic repositioning](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2024/03/137_368377.html) rather than a true abandonment of reunification. Others argue that it’s a tactical move to push the obstacle of South Korea aside and extract concessions from the United States. Given that the change is an implicit rejection of his father and grandfather, some say he is seeking to distinguish his own rule from theirs. It is hard to thoroughly argue against these theories. Each has some merit. As most analysts agree, it will take time before the smoke clears and Kim’s intentions become apparent. That said, what stands out for me is that the factor driving the dissolution of the Fatherland Front and the other changes this year is the growing influence of South Korea, not just in the world, but within North Korea itself. In many ways, North Korea hardly changes from one decade to the next. But the recent influx of information into the country has emerged as the Achilles’ heel of Kim’s regime. Lee Min-bok, who heads an activist group in the South that [sends information into the North](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/15/world/asia/south-north-korea-balloon-drop.html) using balloons, believes that, while the South Koreans do not have a strategic plan to achieve “reunification by absorption,” they are in fact absorbing North Korea by stealth. “This process is invisible,” he said. “The way the South’s culture has taken root even in the stony ground of North Korea is evidence of this.” Lee noted that the official name for the South, the Republic of Korea, was never uttered when he lived in North Korea, but now even Kim is using it as he strives to convince his people that it is a foreign country. He is doing this because South Korea has replaced the United States in his assessment as the North’s greatest enemy. “Previously everything was devoted to the cause of reunification, but now this has been abandoned in the face of an apparently impending absorption by the South. The fact that they have designated the South as their number one enemy shows how keenly they feel this threat,” he said. It is my conviction that the rationale for the recent change of direction is fear of South Korea’s invisible takeover of North Korean hearts and minds. The claims about South Korea’s bad faith and aggressive intent which are used to justify the new posture do not stand up to fact-checking. Most inter-Korean efforts have been initiated by South Korea. Three of its presidents have visited Pyongyang, where they adopted declarations and agreements regarding peace and reunification. The idea that this all masks an aggressive intent is a fantasy at best and hypocrisy at worst, a case of North Korea seeing itself in the South Korean mirror. That is not to say North Korea does not fear South Korea. It does. North Korea’s regime is always afraid. Its actions towards the outside, as well as towards its own, are all driven by fear. And this is what lies behind its new posture. We see it manifest in the dismantling of the Fatherland Front and all the other changes. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-heung-kwang-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/ "Kim Heung-kwang") [Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/) Heung-kwang is the representative of NK Intellectual Solidarity, an NGO based in Seoul, South Korea. Previously, he served as the chairman of the quarterly magazine North Korean Village, chairman of the board of directors of Samheung North Korean Defector Children’s School, and a policy advisory member of the Ministry of National Defense in South Korea. Before defecting to South Korea in 2004, he was a professor at the Hamheung Communist College in North Korea. He graduated from North Korea’s Kim Chaek University of Technology and received his doctorate from South Korea’s Hansae University Graduate School. [![Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-heung-kwang-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/ "Kim Heung-kwang") Latest posts by Kim Heung-kwang ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/)) - [How shamanism and fortune-telling persist in the two Koreas](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-shamanism-and-fortune-telling-persist-in-the-two-koreas/) - May 18, 2024 - [Change in North Korea as Kim Jong-un remodels Fortress Juche](https://www.nkinsider.org/change-in-north-korea-as-kim-jong-un-remodels-fortress-juche/) - April 24, 2024 - [Kim Jong-un rejects unification out of fear of South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-rejects-unification-out-of-fear-of-south-korea/) - April 1, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20rejects%20unification%20out%20of%20fear%20of%20South%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20rejects%20unification%20out%20of%20fear%20of%20South%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20rejects%20unification%20out%20of%20fear%20of%20South%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-rejects-unification-out-of-fear-of-south-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20rejects%20unification%20out%20of%20fear%20of%20South%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-rejects-unification-out-of-fear-of-south-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20rejects%20unification%20out%20of%20fear%20of%20South%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [My mother, the Iron Lady](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-mother-the-iron-lady/) **Published:** March 3, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/shutterstock_1445455430-1.jpg "Wonsannorthkoreamay42019streetscenein | nk insider")One of my most terrifying memories was the day the secret police ransacked our family’s house. Three men barged in and one of them barked at my two-year-old baby sister. “Where is your mother?” he said. Before we could reply, they started searching everywhere. The two of us stood in the kitchen, holding hands. We were petrified, scared even of the sound of our own breathing. The agents, who were from the Ministry of State Security (MSS), were looking for evidence to incriminate my mother. She was running a side business selling steel products. Someone had reported her. Later, looking back, I wondered why they couldn’t have investigated her workplace. Why did they have to come to the house? Perhaps as someone snitched on her, they saw a chance to make some money themselves and came to scare her into paying them off. That day, they didn’t say anything clear that I remember. They left our tidy place in a mess and neither of my parents returned home for a day or two. My motivation to eventually defect from North Korea was connected to many incidents of this sort that I experienced. The fear I felt that day later turned into a kind of resentment. Since then, I have constantly questioned to myself, “What’s wrong with earning some money by trading in an environment where making a living through regular work is difficult? Why should I live in a place where even the opportunity to work hard to make money is denied?” Reflecting on that day, my mother used to tell me, “If you want to gain anything, you must be prepared to lose something.” This was her way of rationalizing her illegal business dealings with China, which she embarked upon despite the risk, so she could buy food for her family. My mother was a graduate of the Kim Jong-suk University of Education (named after Kim Il-sung’s wife), in Hyesan, on the Chinese border. She became an elementary school teacher. The school system required her to teach all subjects, including physical education and music (harmonica and accordion). But she came to feel there was no hope in being a teacher. She decided to give it up and do business with Chinese traders. Before the pandemic [(and now starting up again](https://thediplomat.com/2023/12/after-nearly-4-year-gap-north-korea-begins-issuing-visas-for-chinese-businesspeople/)), these people would come to North Korea to conduct business. Private trade with them was illegal for us. But mother went ahead and started selling steel items to them. The products came from the [Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex](https://www.38north.org/2016/06/kimchaek062016/). This is the country’s biggest steel mill and is located in Chongjin, which is known as the City of Iron. The key people who made the business possible were Chinese customs officials. The person my mother dealt with had good connections. They would load a truck about two thirds full with steel and cover it with boxes of seafood, which is a popular export item to China. The Chinese partner had such good relationships that sometimes his truck would pass through customs without being inspected at all. “It seems like you are living with a bomb on your head, never knowing when it will explode,” my grandmother told my mother. Through this risky business, it wasn’t just our family that lived in relative luxury. So did the cadres around us. It was not possible to engage in this kind of business without the cadres around us finding out sooner or later. It was inevitable. For this reason, my mother used to bribe them to turn a blind eye. She gave them cash, CRT monitors, computers, color televisions, washing machines, tape recorders, and cassettes. Of course, if anything went wrong, she would be the one to bear all the responsibility. That was how it was. Making money by selling thousands of laptop-sized rectangular steel plates to China was no small thing. It’s unclear how things started to go wrong. But, after about two years, the secret police caught wind of it. When they burst into our house that day, without even taking off their shoes, they were looking for evidence. They searched everywhere but found nothing. That was because the cash was hidden where they wouldn’t think to look. I don’t know if my father anticipated a visit when my mother started the business, but I remember one day he reinforced the threshold connecting two rooms in the house. He raised it, using bricks and cement, and hid the money inside it. After the search, the MSS interrogated my mother for several days. She managed to avoid punishment. I don’t know how. Perhaps she bribed them. But the outcome was that she had to stop the steel trading. She must have been scared now that she was a person of interest to the MSS. Another factor might be that after being summoned by the MSS, she collapsed in the toilet. She was diagnosed with a cerebral hemorrhage. Fortunately, she was found quickly, and her health recovered enough that she could resume daily activities without any trouble. The uncertainty about my father’s job security and my mother’s health filled me with great fear about how we were going to survive. This incident solidified my thinking. No matter how hard we work to make a living, in this country we are not guaranteed any reward for our efforts. If my mother, the Iron Lady, could face such misfortune, what hope was there? “I loved children and teaching them,” my mother told me. “I quit teaching and went into the steel business to support my kids. Then I was caught. When I collapsed with the brain hemorrhage and had to give it up, I probably felt greater relief that I didn’t have to do this dangerous work anymore than fear about not being able to make money.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=My%20mother%2C%20the%20Iron%20Lady&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=My%20mother%2C%20the%20Iron%20Lady https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=My%20mother%2C%20the%20Iron%20Lady "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-mother-the-iron-lady/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=My%20mother%2C%20the%20Iron%20Lady&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-mother-the-iron-lady/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=My%20mother%2C%20the%20Iron%20Lady "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [A North Korean defector's quest for freedom at 2024 College Freedom Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-quest-for-freedom-2024-college-freedom-forum/) **Published:** April 29, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** On April 8, College Freedom Forum (CFF) brought together brave and inspiring activists at Stanford University to highlight some of the most pressing human rights issues facing the Asia-Pacific region. Connecting university students with activist leaders around the world, CFF is [a series of events](https://hrf.org/oslo/college-freedom-forum/) organized by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) with an aim to promote democracy and human rights in authoritarian regimes. At CFF, not only do students hear about major global human rights issues firsthand from renowned activists; they become equipped with the unique insights and knowledge resources needed to tackle these issues and, in the process, gain valuable opportunities to broaden their educational endeavors far beyond the classroom and make connections for professional growth. Amid rising authoritarianism worldwide, the region has been at its center in recent years in the shadow of the Chinese Communist Party’s increasingly assertive authoritarian practices, democratic regression in Myanmar, crackdowns on free speech in Vietnam to Kim Jong-un’s totalitarianism in North Korea, among others. One such activist invited to the event was Eunhee Park who defected from North Korea at the age of 21. At CFF ’24, Eunhee talked about her harrowing escape from the oppressive Kim regime in pursuit of freedom and highlighted the extreme measures taken by the North Korean regime to control its citizens, including harsh punishments for fashion choices the regime deems improper. Despite the risks and sacrifices, Park emphasized the value of living in a free society and explained why she would never take her freedom for granted. You can check out her story below: Other speakers this time included Lobsang Sangay, Prime Minister of the Central Tibetan Administration’s government-in-exile; Mai Khoi, Vietnamese pop star and political activist; Jewher Ilham, Uyghur advocate and daughter of imprisoned scholar IIham Tohti. These activists shared their personal stories and highlighted the struggles for democracy and human rights within their communities and what the international community can do to stand in solidarity with their causes. Other updates at the Human Rights Foundation: - This year, HRF brings its flagship Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) under the theme of “Re-claim Democracy” to Oslo, Norway, between June 3-5. For more information, you can check out . - Follow event updates on Twitter @[osloff](https://twitter.com/OsloFF "osloff") and Instagram @[osloff](https://www.instagram.com/osloff/?hl=en). - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") [Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/) Seongmin is the director of the Korea Desk at the Human Rights Foundation. [![Seongmin Lee](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/seongmin-lee-3.png)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/ "Seongmin Lee") Latest posts by Seongmin Lee ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/b0fbec8b7e11dac9e21607a33ced7c6e254a9a2e/)) - [Tyranny Tracker: identifying authoritarianism, illuminating freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/tyranny-tracker-identifying-authoritarianism-illuminating-freedom/) - March 10, 2026 - [Exclusive: Documents and personal items found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-and-personal-items-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-1/) - January 10, 2025 - [Exclusive: Documents found on the body of a North Korean soldier in Kursk Oblast region (2)](https://www.nkinsider.org/exclusive-documents-found-on-the-body-of-a-north-korean-soldier-in-kursk-oblast-region-2/) - January 9, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20North%20Korean%20defector%27s%20quest%20for%20freedom%20at%202024%20College%20Freedom%20Forum&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=A%20North%20Korean%20defector%27s%20quest%20for%20freedom%20at%202024%20College%20Freedom%20Forum https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=A%20North%20Korean%20defector%27s%20quest%20for%20freedom%20at%202024%20College%20Freedom%20Forum "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-quest-for-freedom-2024-college-freedom-forum/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=A%20North%20Korean%20defector%27s%20quest%20for%20freedom%20at%202024%20College%20Freedom%20Forum&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/my-quest-for-freedom-2024-college-freedom-forum/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=A%20North%20Korean%20defector%27s%20quest%20for%20freedom%20at%202024%20College%20Freedom%20Forum "Reddit") **Categories:** Flash Drives for Freedom --- ### [The achievements and limitations of Yoon Suk-yeol's North Korean human rights](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-achievements-and-limitations-of-yoon-suk-yeol-s-north-korean-human-rights/) **Published:** April 29, 2024 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/South-korena-president.jpg "South korena president | nk insider")The current administration of Yoon Suk-yeol in South Korea has done more than any of its predecessors to stand up for the human rights of North Koreans. But, following its defeat in April in National Assembly elections, these efforts may well run out of steam. The government published a “North Korean [human rights report](https://www.unikorea.go.kr/eng_unikorea/news/Publications/ronkhr/)” for the first time last year and earlier this year came out with a “North Korean economic and social conditions report.” Defectors in the South took notice in March when Cabinet members wore [forget-me-not badges](https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240327050630) to express support for South Korean POWs and abductees held in North Korea. Subsequently, the Ministry of Unification distributed badges to local and international human rights organizations. Also, the Yoon administration this year has designated a North Korean [Defectors’ Day](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/04/103_369206.html). On April 18, the Ministry of Unification launched an advisory committee for the establishment of a North Korean Human Rights Center. Scheduled to be completed by 2026, the center aims to raise awareness about human rights issues and facilitate international cooperation for improving the situation in North Korea. Also in April, Unification Minister Kim Young-ho held discussions with experts and senior figures, including former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, to work out a new approach to unification amid the changing environment, internationally and on the peninsula. We should see these efforts in context. Progressive and conservative governments in Seoul share a willingness in theory to talk with North Korea. But the importance they place on dialogue in practice varies. Given that Pyongyang will refuse to meet if it is criticized, the keener the government in Seoul is on talks and exchanges, the quieter it is on human rights. Progressives have emphasized dialogue and downplayed human rights, while conservatives do the opposite, vocally supporting human rights to the detriment of dialogue. The Yoon government has had no exchanges with North Korea but has been more active than any previous government on human rights. But as Yoon approaches the midpoint of his five-year term, this policy is facing significant criticism. First, critics argue that the emphasis on human rights has closed the door to dialogue. Second, they point out that the government does consistently support human rights for North Koreans in its diplomacy. The notable example of this is its failure to make any effort regarding China’s policy of forcibly repatriating North Korean refugees. When Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs invites defectors to testify at UN events, it even demands that they refrain from criticizing China over this issue. This understandably leads defectors and rights organizations to [doubt Yoon’s commitment](https://www.segye.com/newsView/20240418517145?OutUrl=naver). Another weakness is the diminishing possibility of the establishment of the [North Korean Human Rights Foundation](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/03/06/national/northKorea/Korea-North-Korea-human-rights/20230306163156053.html). This institution was mandated by the North Korean Human Rights Act enacted back in 2016. It is supposed to have a chairperson and 12 directors recommended by the Minister of Unification and the National Assembly. Among the directors, two are recommended by the unification minister and five each by the ruling and opposition parties. While the government and ruling party have made their seven recommendations, the opposition party has yet to recommend anyone. With the election defeat, it looks like this deadlock will not change. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20achievements%20and%20limitations%20of%20Yoon%20Suk-yeol%27s%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20achievements%20and%20limitations%20of%20Yoon%20Suk-yeol%27s%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20achievements%20and%20limitations%20of%20Yoon%20Suk-yeol%27s%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-achievements-and-limitations-of-yoon-suk-yeol-s-north-korean-human-rights/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20achievements%20and%20limitations%20of%20Yoon%20Suk-yeol%27s%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-achievements-and-limitations-of-yoon-suk-yeol-s-north-korean-human-rights/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20achievements%20and%20limitations%20of%20Yoon%20Suk-yeol%27s%20North%20Korean%20human%20rights "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [North Korea’s film industry has trouble staying afloat](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-film-industry-has-trouble-staying-afloat/) **Published:** April 26, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Day-and-a-Night.png "Day and a night | nk insider")The once thriving movie industry in North Korea seems to be stagnating. When a new war blockbuster, [*72 Hours*,](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/film-04092024161251.html) was screened this month in theaters throughout the country, it was only the second movie to come out this year. It followed [*A Day and a Night*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw7Fpge-3Hs), which was aired on Korean Central Television on April 15, coinciding with founding leader Kim Il-sung’s birthday. This is a far cry from the vibrant cinema scene in the past when Kim’s Jong-un’s father, Kim Jong-il, took charge out of his own personal fascination and understanding of the propaganda value of movies. To get a sense of the apparent slowdown, despite the large numbers still employed in the industry, we need to look at the involvement of the political leadership in the arts sector. In 2013, Kim Jong-un personally instructed the arts sector to produce 100 films a year. This goal proved too ambitious, but the country’s three studios did at least manage to release one or two films a month in the last several years. More were produced but a number were deemed unsuitable. The censor deciding the fate of each movie is Kim Jong-un himself. Every movie has to be approved by him before it can be released. According to insiders, the main reason for rejecting a film is poor quality. Productions are expected to meet international standards, but the studios are unable to achieve this because they lack both the budgets and the necessary experience. Films that aren’t approved for release are kept in storage. The main Korean Film Studio, the April 25 Film Studio, which focuses on war movies, and the April 26 Children’s Animation Film Studio, have facilities to preserve them. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock_387743629.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkoreajuly292014thekoreanfilm | nk insider")This picture, taken on July 29, 2014, shows the premises of the Korean film Studio in Pyongyang. (Mieszko9, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.)Another twist in this system is that movies approved for release can later be recalled. This happens when issues arise with the actors. Once a movie is recalled for this reason it can never be broadcast again. Veterans in the industry reckon well over 100 movies have been canceled in this way. One notable example involved the actress Woo In-hee who was a star in the 1960s and ‘70s. She reportedly had an affair with[ ](https://www.chosun.com/english/north-korea-en/2015/05/15/AAT7MACZ4H2NU34LBGRBDOQ5DY/)Kim Jong-il, among others. Whatever the actual truth, she was executed for “impurity.” Culture and arts sector workers had to [attend the execution](https://www.chosun.com/english/north-korea-en/2015/05/15/AAT7MACZ4H2NU34LBGRBDOQ5DY/). Her film director husband, Yoo Ho-son, and their children were placed in the front row and forced to watch. They were then sent away for two years of reform through labor. All the films in which she appeared were recalled and stored. Some were re-shot with different actresses. Another case was that of actor Choi Woong-chul. He had the misfortune of being indirectly related to Kim Jong-un. His wife and Kim had a common uncle, Jang Song-thaek, who was a top leader. When Jang was executed in 2013 for treason, all of Choi’s movies were recalled and some, such as “The General Secretary of Taehongdan,” were re-shot with other actors. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/우인히.png "우인히 | nk insider")![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-21-192528.png "Screenshot 20240421 192528 | nk insider")Woo In-hee (left) was an actress and mistress of Kim Jong-il (Image | TMD). Movies featuring Choi Woong-chul (right) were recalled after his wife’s uncle was executed (Image | Sunday Newspaper)Another factor in the current woes of the industry is financial. Directors get paid around the equivalent of two or three dollars a month. This is not enough to live on and so they supplement the income with bribes from actors for roles. To be a star, you have to either have a strong political background and connections or spend money. Once selected, it’s considered a basic moral duty for a lead actor to take care of the director, the production team, and support staff while the movie is being made. They also may have to bear other costs. For instance, certain outfits like military uniforms are provided by the studios, but everyday undergarments, casual wear, and other clothes have to be covered privately. Hence, it’s a common assumption that any new star must be rich. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock_2353439059.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkorea–march262008ateamof | nk insider")A team of technicians shooting a movie in Pyongyang Film Studio on March 26, 2008. (Pvince73, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.)The other source of financing is the party committees in the locations where the movies are shot. Filmmaking falls under the jurisdiction of the Party Central Committee’s Propaganda and Agitation Department, which requires local units to cover food, accommodation and other necessities. For example, if a film is being made about the Kimchaek Iron and Steel Complex, the party committee there guarantees everything needed for the entire filming period. With the regions struggling financially, they can’t meet these costs and so the movies can’t be made. Besides the wealthy stars, most actors and production staff have their own personal difficulties and struggle to survive. Many engage in side jobs to make ends meet. Actors, for example, may go to people’s homes on ceremonial occasions and perform. They are also invited by wealthy people to liven up the atmosphere of social gatherings. They can earn up to $200 or $300 for this. However, since this is illegal, if caught, they must undergo “revolutionization” (reform through labor). They might get sent to mines or rural areas for a year or more, but consider the risk worthwhile. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20film%20industry%20has%20trouble%20staying%20afloat&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20film%20industry%20has%20trouble%20staying%20afloat https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20film%20industry%20has%20trouble%20staying%20afloat "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-film-industry-has-trouble-staying-afloat/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20film%20industry%20has%20trouble%20staying%20afloat&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-film-industry-has-trouble-staying-afloat/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20film%20industry%20has%20trouble%20staying%20afloat "Reddit") **Categories:** Movies --- ### [Is Kim Jong-un playing off Russia and China for gain?](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-kim-jong-un-playing-off-russia-and-china-for-gain/) **Published:** April 20, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/240413_KJU-meets-Chinese-delegation.jpg "240413kju meets chinese delegation | nk insider")A recent flurry of diplomacy activity suggests that Kim Jong-un may be reviving his grandfather’s old strategy of playing off Russia and China against one another to get them competing to support him. Top Chinese Communist Party Politburo leader [Zhao Leji visited Pyongyang](https://www.mk.co.kr/en/politics/10989887) in mid-April, prompting speculation that a summit with Xi Jinping is in the works to mark the 75th anniversary of ties in October. Kim has declared 2024 to be the “year of DPRK-China friendship.” At the same time, North Korea’s ministers of education and health visited Moscow, and Russia’s spy chief visited Pyongyang, as part of the follow-up to the [Kim-Putin summit ](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/15/vladimir-putin-kim-jong-un-summit-russia-north-korea-meeting-five-things)last year. The exchanges not only underscore how the two superpowers have broken ranks with the international community and are no longer condemning Pyongyang for its nuclear program. But the timing recalls the way Kim’s grandfather, the founding leader Kim Il-sung, manipulated the animosity between his main allies to his own benefit. Indeed, this strategy was so ingrained that when the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, Kim Il-sung feared domination by China and immediately reached out to replace the Soviets with the United States. Kim Jong-un met with Zhao Leji April 13, embracing him three times and proposing a toast to the “good health” of Xi Jinping. Zhao, the third-ranking member of the Chinese party’s Politburo Standing Committee and Chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, reportedly [presented Kim](https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20240415/4880593/1) with a statue of eight galloping horses and boxes of 30-year-old Maotai liquor. Analysts speculated that Zhao’s mission was to lay the groundwork for Kim to visit Beijing in October. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-14-225840.png "Screenshot 20240414 225840 | nk insider")Logo for the Year of China-North Korea Friendship. Image | Rodong Sinmun Zhao also met with his counterpart, Choe Ryong-hae, who is a Politburo member and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly. They signed agreements on visa exemption, translation and publication of classical works, issues related to tariffs and quarantine, communication information including radio and TV, and rapid postal delivery, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. China has recently [resumed tourism with North Korea](https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/human_rights_defector/nktour-04082024153740.html), and is encouraging its citizens to visit. Russia has similarly made support for North Korea a foreign policy priority in the wake of Moscow’s isolation after its attack on Ukraine. On April 13 [Health Minister Jong Mu-rim](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/04/103_372630.html) and a delegation left Pyongyang bound for Russia, after a send-off from Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/240413북주재러대사아.-이.-마체고라의-배웅을-받는-북한-정무림-보건상과-대표단-일행-3.png "240413북주재러대사아 이 마체고라의 배웅을 받는 북한 정무림 보건상과 대표단 일행 | nk insider") **Health Minister Jong Mu-rim with Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora** **Image | Russian Embassy in Pyongyang**As they departed, Minister of Education Kim Seung-doo returned from talks in Moscow about setting up Russian language education in North Korea. At the end of March, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, [Sergei Naryshkin](https://www.reuters.com/world/russian-delegation-visits-pyongyang-discuss-cooperation-against-spying-kcna-says-2024-03-27/#:~:text=Sergei%20Naryshkin%2C%20the%20head%20of,Chang%20Dae%2C%20the%20SVR%20said.), visited Pyongyang for talks with the head of state security, Ri Chang-dae. It is not clear what they discussed, but sources in Moscow say Russian authorities are now complying with Pyongyang’s request to repatriate defectors. In mid-March, a South Korean who helps defectors was [arrested in Moscow](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68541185) on charges of espionage. Russia used to crackdown on North Korean construction workers entering the country on student visas, as a measure to get around sanctions. Now, it turns a blind eye. Earlier in March, in a different type of exchange, a ballet troupe from the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in Vladivostok performed “Sleeping Beauty” in Pyongyang. As with China, Russian travel agencies are also actively promoting tourism to North Korea. On the international stage, Russia is clearly ahead of China in terms of its backing of North Korea. On March 28, it [exercised its veto powe](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/29/russia-blocks-renewal-of-un-panel-monitoring-n-korea-sanction-compliance)r against renewing the mandate of the Panel of Experts monitoring North Korea’s compliance with sanctions. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Is%20Kim%20Jong-un%20playing%20off%20Russia%20and%20China%20for%20gain%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Is%20Kim%20Jong-un%20playing%20off%20Russia%20and%20China%20for%20gain%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Is%20Kim%20Jong-un%20playing%20off%20Russia%20and%20China%20for%20gain%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-kim-jong-un-playing-off-russia-and-china-for-gain/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Is%20Kim%20Jong-un%20playing%20off%20Russia%20and%20China%20for%20gain%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-kim-jong-un-playing-off-russia-and-china-for-gain/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Is%20Kim%20Jong-un%20playing%20off%20Russia%20and%20China%20for%20gain%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Workers' Party Directive Instructs Diplomats to Gain Chinese Recognition of North Korea as a Nuclear Power](https://www.nkinsider.org/workers-party-directive-instructs-diplomats-to-gain-chinese-recognition-of-north-korea-as-a-nuclear-power/) **Published:** February 9, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Excerpt:** With its confidence boosted by recently strengthened ties with Russia, North Korea is setting its sights on recognition by China of its status as a nuclear power. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/KJU-front-shot.jpg "Kju front shot | nk insider")SEOUL – With its confidence boosted by recently strengthened ties with Russia, North Korea is setting its sights on recognition by China of its status as a nuclear power. Pyongyang last month issued instructions to its diplomats overseas that underscored the need for them to be proud of the new standing of the country as they pursue this goal. The instructions were issued on January 19, according to a North Korean official in China. They came in a directive from the International Affairs Department of the ruling Workers’ Party’s to the party’s international relations committees in the ministries of Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations, and in other relevant bodies. The directive – “On Developing Foreign Relations in Accordance with the Enhanced International Status and Stature of the DPRK” – follows the strategic decision by Kim Jong Un announced in December to drop the national objective of Korean unification and see South Korea with new eyes as the “No.1 hostile country and implacable enemy.” North Korea has been committed to re-unification since the division in 1948 and North Koreans have been indoctrinated to see southerners as fellow Koreans who were oppressed and in need of liberation. Diplomats and other officials involved in overseas relations “should have self-awareness and pride as citizens of a nuclear state and establish new foreign relations in that spirit,” the directive said. It hailed Kim Jong Un’s visit to Russia in September 2023 as a “great victory” and an “immortal achievement” that raised the country’s international standing. The key task now, the directive said, is to put relations with the strategic allies, China and Russia, on a new footing. But first and foremost, it said, North Koreans must be on guard against great power chauvinism and shake off the “illness of submission and dependence.” This phrase from the North’s political lexicon refers to the historically unequal nature of relations with China and Russia as those of great power and vassal state, with North Korea serving as a buffer against the United States. The directive said that this traditional relationship is reflected in current mutual defense treaties, diplomatic documents, and economic cooperation agreements with China and Russia and that it is therefore necessary to work to revise and update them. While the emphasis may be new, North Korea has been moving in this direction for some time. North Korean officials in China say that Kim Jong Un proposed to Xi Jinping during his January 2019 visit to Beijing and again during Xi’s visit to Pyongyang that June that the two countries sign a new military cooperation and mutual defense treaty that covers strategic weapons. The Chinese have so far held off responding to avoid having to formally approve of North Korea’s nuclear program, which would further exacerbate relations with the United States and other countries. The theme also appeared in March last year in education material called “Regarding Learning from the Noble Spirit of National Self-respect the Great General and Respected Comrade Supreme Leader Have Shown in Their External Affairs Activities.” Issued by the Party Committee Propaganda Department of The Ministry of External Economic Relations, it quoted Kim Jong Un as saying, “It is the unwavering will and belief of our party to maintain independence in politics and diplomacy. Foreign affairs officers must carry out external affairs activities anytime and anywhere with the pride of a nuclear power state and the spirit of national self-respect.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1-1.jpg "11 | nk insider") ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2-1.jpg "| nk insider") NK Insider exclusively obtained the portion of an internal education material titled “Regarding Learning from the Noble Spirit of National Self-respect the Great General and Respected Comrade Supreme Leader Have Shown in Their External Affairs Activities.” The document was issued by The Party Committee Propaganda Department of The Ministry of External Economic Relations in March 2023. In it, the country’s foreign affairs officials were urged to carry out external affairs activities with the pride of a nuclear power state and the spirit of national self-respect.Going forward, the relevant North Korean departments and diplomatic channels dealing with China will be fully mobilized to organize contact opportunities, including summits and high-level meetings, with a view to upgrading relations in the political, military and economic spheres, the directive said. “Russia highly valued (North Korea’s) self-defense strategic weapons systems,” the official in China said, quoting the directive. “(We) provided ammunition to Russia this time on the condition that Russia recognizes North Korea’s strategic weapons, including nuclear weapons.” Russia’s war with Ukraine appears to be providing new life to North Korea-Russian relations. Kim Jong Un is looking to take advantage of it to “take China completely away from the United States and put it on the side of the DPRK.” He expects that recognition as a nuclear power by the two major allies would secure North Korea’s international status and break the circle of UN sanctions. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Workers%27%20Party%20Directive%20Instructs%20Diplomats%20to%20Gain%20Chinese%20Recognition%20of%20North%20Korea%20as%20a%20Nuclear%20Power&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Workers%27%20Party%20Directive%20Instructs%20Diplomats%20to%20Gain%20Chinese%20Recognition%20of%20North%20Korea%20as%20a%20Nuclear%20Power https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Workers%27%20Party%20Directive%20Instructs%20Diplomats%20to%20Gain%20Chinese%20Recognition%20of%20North%20Korea%20as%20a%20Nuclear%20Power "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/workers-party-directive-instructs-diplomats-to-gain-chinese-recognition-of-north-korea-as-a-nuclear-power/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Workers%27%20Party%20Directive%20Instructs%20Diplomats%20to%20Gain%20Chinese%20Recognition%20of%20North%20Korea%20as%20a%20Nuclear%20Power&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/workers-party-directive-instructs-diplomats-to-gain-chinese-recognition-of-north-korea-as-a-nuclear-power/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Workers%27%20Party%20Directive%20Instructs%20Diplomats%20to%20Gain%20Chinese%20Recognition%20of%20North%20Korea%20as%20a%20Nuclear%20Power "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Russia and North Korea Enter Practical Phase of Close Cooperation](https://www.nkinsider.org/russia-and-north-korea-enter-practical-phase-of-close-cooperation/) **Published:** November 15, 2023 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** On November 14, 2023, North Korean and Russian representatives met in Pyongyang for the 10th Meeting of the Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy, Science and Technology. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Kim-Deok-hoon.png "Kim deokhoon | nk insider")SEOUL – On November 14, 2023, North Korean and Russian representatives [met in Pyongyang](https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/north-korea-russia-us-allies-nuclear-missiles-11152023224052.html) for the 10th Meeting of the Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy, Science and Technology. Full details of the discussions were not announced but seemed to revolve around follow-up measures related to the agreements reached at the bilateral summit held in Russia in September 2023. The Russian delegation, led by Minister of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov, also included Russia’s Minister of Sports, among others. It arrived in Pyongyang on the previous day, and a welcoming reception was held at the Koryo Hotel. The delegates discussed practical issues for cooperation in various fields. Kozlov highlighted North Korea’s unwavering support for Russia in various respects, stating, “North Korea, fighting shoulder to shoulder against hegemonic forces on the front lines, is sending Russia full support in regional and international issues.” North Korea’s External Economic Affairs Chairman, Yun Jong-ho, led the North Korean delegation and emphasized North Korea’s commitment to enhancing close contact and cooperation between the relevant sectors to promote bilateral relations in all fields and elevate them to a new level. Meanwhile, a North Korean cultural delegation, headed by Director of Cultural Affairs Seung Jeong-gyu, departed from Pyongyang on December 14, 2023, to participate in the 9th International Cultural Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia. These developments indicate that Russia and North Korea are entering a substantial phase of exchange and cooperation in various areas such as the military and economy. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Russia%20and%20North%20Korea%20Enter%20Practical%20Phase%20of%20Close%20Cooperation&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Russia%20and%20North%20Korea%20Enter%20Practical%20Phase%20of%20Close%20Cooperation https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Russia%20and%20North%20Korea%20Enter%20Practical%20Phase%20of%20Close%20Cooperation "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/russia-and-north-korea-enter-practical-phase-of-close-cooperation/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Russia%20and%20North%20Korea%20Enter%20Practical%20Phase%20of%20Close%20Cooperation&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/russia-and-north-korea-enter-practical-phase-of-close-cooperation/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Russia%20and%20North%20Korea%20Enter%20Practical%20Phase%20of%20Close%20Cooperation "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [Japan’s impasse over abductions. It’s the North Korean economy, stupid](https://www.nkinsider.org/japans-impasse-over-abductions-its-the-north-korean-economy-stupid/) **Published:** April 5, 2024 **Author:** Kim Dong-sik **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Shutterstock_1042813912-scaled.jpg "Japanandnorthkoreaflagtogether | nk insider")Recent news suggests Tokyo was making efforts for a summit with North Korea. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 25 quoted Kim Yo-jong, deputy director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party, saying Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had “expressed his [willingness to directly meet](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/25/north-korea-says-japans-kishida-proposed-summit-with-kim)” with her brother, Kim Jung-un. Kim Yo-jong issued a prophetic warning. “If Japan continues to interfere in our sovereign rights as it does now and stubbornly collapses over the issue of abductions without the capacity to resolve it, any overtures towards reconciliation would be nothing more than populist maneuvers,” she said. Responding the same day, Kishida confirmed her suspicions, saying, “Summit talks with North Korea are important for resolving various issues between Japan and North Korea, including the abduction issue.” The next day, Kim Yo-jong said, “Our government has once again clearly understood Japan’s stance. We will [reject and refuse](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240326008700315) any contact or negotiation with the Japanese side.” Japan’s pursuit of a summit failed due to its misread of the significance of the abduction issue for the North Koreans. The “abduction issue” refers to the [unexplained disappearances](https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20021002/225074/1) of 17 people along the western coast of Japan in the 1970s and 1980s. The mystery was solved to some extent at least, when the agent behind the bombing of Korean Air Flight 858 in November 1987, Kim Hyon-hui, said she had been taught Japanese in the North by Daguchi Yaeko, a Japanese woman who disappeared in Tokyo in 1978 when she was 22 (and who, it later transpired, was married in North Korea to Hara Dadaaki, another kidnap victim). Kishida is of course obliged to pursue summit talks with Kim Jung-un to resolve the issue. However, it seems that his office misunderstands how negatively North Korea perceives the issue and why. Pyongyang’s attitude stems from 2002 when Kim Jong-il [admitted to kidnapping Japanese nationals and apologized](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/sep/18/japan.northkorea). “‘Special agency operatives conspired to abduct 13 Japanese,” Kim Jong-il told Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Pyongyang. These were acts “carried out by a few obsessed with heroism,” he said. “Since I became aware of it, all relevant officials have been dealt with.” In October 2002, five surviving abductees were allowed to temporarily return to Japan, and after a second Japan-North Korea summit in February 2004, five members of the family of remaining abductees were set free. Kim Jong-il’s reluctant, and apparently face-losing, confession and the repatriation of survivors was a gesture intended to prompt the Japanese to compensate for their 1910-45 colonial rule. The Japanese, however, said nothing about compensation. Instead, they focused on bringing back surviving abductees and kept asking for the return of those Pyongyang claimed had died. This remains Japan’s position. Kim Jong-il at the time experienced a bitterness toward Japan that Kim Jung-un shares. Even if Kim Jong-un wanted to be more conciliatory, any acknowledgement of Japan’s demands would require him to contradict the assertion that the abductees had died. Further, some of the people kidnapped work in the agency that handles espionage operations targeted against South Korea. They know too much sensitive information. For these reasons, ever since 2002, North Korea has categorically rejected Japan’s demands about the abductions. This, however, does not mean there is no solution. There is and it goes back to Kim Jong-il’s motive for admitting to the abductions. It’s economic. Japan’s hands are somewhat tied by sanctions. But, nevertheless, the key lies in the state of the North Korean economy. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/ "Kim Dong-sik") [Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/) Dong-sik is the author of "No One Reported Me – the Story of an Agent from the North," and founder and director of the KAS Consultancy, an NGO based in Seoul, Korea. While in North Korea, he worked at the Department of the DPRK’s Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea focused on South Korea for 15 years. The mission of the department (대남공작부서) was to carry out various espionage activities in South Korea. During this time, he carried out two missions in the South for which he received the title of Hero of the Republic and the National Flag Medal, 1st Class. Originally coming from a construction background, he also had various other experiences in North Korea, ranging from the chairman of a youth league and the general secretary of a factory to the director of a district party, among others. He graduated from Kim Jong Il Politics and Military University in North Korea and received a doctorate in North Korean studies in South Korea. [![Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/ "Kim Dong-sik") Latest posts by Kim Dong-sik ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/)) - [Japan’s impasse over abductions. It’s the North Korean economy, stupid](https://www.nkinsider.org/japans-impasse-over-abductions-its-the-north-korean-economy-stupid/) - April 5, 2024 - [Why North Korean news media don’t report news](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korean-news-media-dont-report-news/) - March 23, 2024 - [With her Mount Paektu bloodline, there is nothing preventing Kim Ju-ae being the next leader](https://www.nkinsider.org/with-her-mount-paektu-bloodline-there-is-nothing-preventing-kim-ju-ae-being-the-next-leader/) - March 16, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Japan%E2%80%99s%20impasse%20over%20abductions.%20It%E2%80%99s%20the%20North%20Korean%20economy%2C%20stupid&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Japan%E2%80%99s%20impasse%20over%20abductions.%20It%E2%80%99s%20the%20North%20Korean%20economy%2C%20stupid https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Japan%E2%80%99s%20impasse%20over%20abductions.%20It%E2%80%99s%20the%20North%20Korean%20economy%2C%20stupid "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/japans-impasse-over-abductions-its-the-north-korean-economy-stupid/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Japan%E2%80%99s%20impasse%20over%20abductions.%20It%E2%80%99s%20the%20North%20Korean%20economy%2C%20stupid&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/japans-impasse-over-abductions-its-the-north-korean-economy-stupid/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Japan%E2%80%99s%20impasse%20over%20abductions.%20It%E2%80%99s%20the%20North%20Korean%20economy%2C%20stupid "Reddit") **Categories:** World --- ### [North Korea Has Cash Cards?](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-has-cash-cards/) **Published:** January 16, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Excerpt:** “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. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/card-1.png "Card | nk insider")SEOUL – “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](https://38north.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/DPRK-Financial-Org_Upd-2016-0606.pdf)) issued the *Sili Card*, which was mainly used by foreigners and the upper class when they paid merchants. When I asked fellow North Korean defectors if they had ever heard of the Sili Card, most of them had not, but most North Koreans who entered South Korea in the last five years have heard of or used the *Narae Card* and *Jonsong Card* while in North Korea. The Narae Card was first issued by the Joson Trade Bank of North Korea in 2010, which was around the same time that the Jonsong Card was issued. The Narae Card is a cash card that was designed to be used by the general public and can be obtained by opening a North Korean money account or foreign currency account with the Central Bank of the DPRK and depositing a certain amount of cash. This card utilizes an electronic payment method, and one of its main restrictions is that it can only be used to make payments in dollars and foreign currencies deposited in a foreign currency account. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/card-e1706440347771.png "Card | nk insider") The Jonsong card above reads “Central Bank of the DPRK.” The Songbong card below reads (*Hwang-geum-ui Sam-gak-ju Bank*). It’s called “The Golden Delta Bank” in English. Image provided by the writer.When asked about the use of the Narae Card, one North Korean defector said, “I only used the Narae Card for remittances. I used it to receive money from my mom in South Korea, who sent it through a broker. The banking fee usually depends on the exchange rate of the Chinese yuan. When I received a remittance in 2019, 100 Chinese yuan was worth 135,000 to 140,000 North Korean won, and I would withdraw the money minus a banking fee of 4,000 won.” The defector added that North Korea appears to be using the card solely to secure foreign currency because reportedly, there is no system in place to pay by card in rural areas. In rural areas, there are no terminals that accept card payments and only a limited number of people use foreign currency. The Narae Card is mainly used for remittances but it doesn’t have a convenient system to facilitate them. To send money to a family member or friend, the senders need to visit a bank in their local district, provide information regarding the recipient’s resident registration card and bank card, and deposit the desired amount of money. Then, the recipient comes to the bank, shows the card and ID number, and withdraws the money. Many North Korean defectors, including those interviewed, agreed that the Narae card is one strategy for the regime to utilize foreign currency. Unlike the Narae Card, which can only be used to pay in foreign currency, the *Koryo Card*, issued in 2011 by the Koryo Bank of North Korea, introduced a system that allows people to pay with North Korean currency. In 2015, North Korea introduced two other cash cards: the *Jonsong Card* of the Central Bank of the DPRK, and the *Songbong Card* of the Golden Delta Bank of North Korea. The issuance and use of cash cards inside North Korea is certainly a sign of change in North Korean society. However, the vast majority of cash cards are only used in certain areas like Pyongyang and the border region, and they’re only used by a small number of people. Moreover, it’s also worth noting that the use of cash cards is driven by the North Korean government, which appears to be a way for the regime to secure desperately needed foreign currency. Recently, North Korean defectors have reported that using a payment app on their phones to pay with QR codes has become popular among some young people in North Korea. However, those who pay through an app are still afraid to use it because it makes it easier for the regime to trace the source of funds. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20Has%20Cash%20Cards%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20Has%20Cash%20Cards%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20Has%20Cash%20Cards%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-has-cash-cards/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20Has%20Cash%20Cards%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-has-cash-cards/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20Has%20Cash%20Cards%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [Change in North Korea as Kim Jong-un remodels Fortress Juche](https://www.nkinsider.org/change-in-north-korea-as-kim-jong-un-remodels-fortress-juche/) **Published:** April 24, 2024 **Author:** Kim Heung-kwang **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock_1517030678.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkoreaseptember82019juchetowerover | nk insider")The colossal ideological fortress of Juche has stood firm for a long time as the cornerstone of North Korea’s pursuit of revolution and defense against enemies within and without. But it seems that some interesting changes are taking place. Constructed in the 1950s and ‘60s, [Juche (self-reliance)](https://apnews.com/general-news-d63d00ce9de042dc88b9df2c40be53ee) was Kim Il-sung’s version of Marxism-Leninism. Despite his reliance on the Soviet Union and China, Kim sought to forge an independent line in what some say was a bid for leadership of the non-aligned movement. Fortress Juche was manned in those days by his comrades in the anti-Japanese guerrilla before the nation was founded. Then in the 1990s it was taken over by brave songun (military-first) knights loyal to his son, Kim Jong-il. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1995년1월1일-다박솔초소-현지지도.jpg "1995년1월1일 다박솔초소 현지지도 | nk insider")The picture shows the late leader Kim Jong-il visiting the military post ‘Da Bak Sol’ on Jan. 1, 1995, an occasion that the regime once characterized as the starting point of Kim’s Military-first Policy (Songun)” (Image | NCNA)At some point in the last ten years, new knights bearing the names ‘nation’ and ‘people’ took up positions in the fortress. The songun knights held their place at first, but in time the young knights became stronger. Those living within the fortress walls were initially puzzled by the change. But they knew the upstarts had the backing of the leader, Kim Jong-un, and they began to pay attention to what they were doing. As they watched them struggle for economic development and improvement in the quality of life, they saw how the old songun knights seemed to give up, stepping back into a corner and reminiscing about past glory. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock_1385497736-1024x683.jpg "April262019vladivostokprimorskykrainorthkorean | nk insider")Kim Jong-un during the ceremony of laying flowers and wreaths at the memorial of eternal fire in Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia on April 26, 2019. (Alexander Khitrov, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.)We may say now that the knights of nation and people lead in North Korea. However, this doesn’t mean that Fortress Juche is crumbling. Rather, it seems to have been reinforced. It’s the expression that has changed. This shift is shaping policy and having a significant impact on society outside the fortress. People see new banners fluttering in their towns, urging them to “concentrate all efforts on economic construction.” It’s as if the new knights are riding out of the fortress in vigorous pursuit of growth. The people within Fortress Juche have come to realize that what has been going on within the walls is closely connected to the changes taking place outside. The new ideological emphasis on nation and people is the link to the new policy direction prioritizing economic development. Like interlocking gears, ideology and policy have begun to turn together, propelling one another forward. As the themes of nation and people drive the policies, the results of economic development, in turn, strengthen the ideology. With this in mind, let’s consider this month’s [International Seminar on Juche Ideology](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/PYH20240415015700315?section=image/nk)” held on April 14 to commemorate the 112th anniversary of Kim Il-sung’s birth. Given how tightly North Korea had sealed its borders until recently because of COVID-19, the opening for this international event was significant. With scholars sympathetic to North Korea from over 20 countries, analysts wondered what Pyongyang had in mind by inviting them. Judging by the speeches delivered during the symposium and the letters of gratitude sent to Kim Jong-un by participants and their praise of “[Kim Jong-un ideology” as the “beacon of hope for progressive humanity](https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1713258245-982037730/%EA%B2%BD%EC%95%A0%ED%95%98%EB%8A%94-%EA%B9%80%EC%A0%95%EC%9D%80%EB%8F%99%EC%A7%80%EA%BB%98-%EC%A3%BC%EC%B2%B4%EC%82%AC%EC%83%81%EA%B5%AD%EC%A0%9C%ED%86%A0%EB%A1%A0%ED%9A%8C-%EC%B0%B8%EA%B0%80/),” it seems that Kim wishes to impose his own new ideological stamp without formally replacing the old. By having this endorsed by foreigners, he is signaling to the domestic audience that this is to be set in stone. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/주체사상국제토론회-2024년-4월14일-1024x581.png "주체사상국제토론회 2024년 4월14일 | nk insider")The picture shows pro-North Korean activists and organizations from several countries attending the ‘International Conference on Juche Ideology,’ which was reported by state media to have taken place on April 14 in Pyongyang. (Image | Rodong Sinmun)In a significant related move, [Kim last month referred to the extensive construction](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20240331002800504 "Kim last month referred to the extensive construction") at the party’s Central Cadres Training School, scheduled for completion in May, as the “Kim Il-sung-Kim Jong-il Ideology Academy, Juche Ideology Academy.” [Juche always had its critics](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14672715.2023.2174892) among Marxist-Leninists. Its espousal of dialectical materialism and emphasis on the absolute authority of the leader was inherently contradictory. Its core concepts were simply declared, instead of being argued and backed up with empirical evidence. Further, the critics said, it lacked explanatory power, functioning simply as a tool to justify the peculiarities of the dictatorial Kim dynasty. Kim Jong-un’s attempt to modify rather than completely discard Juche ideology is a pragmatic option to pursue change while underscoring his legitimacy and ensuring continued power. Any abrupt discarding of Juche carries a risk of instability. Given that Kim has been in power for over a decade, what accounts for his timing? While he appears to the outside to have had a rock-solid power base from the outset, after his father died in 2011, Kim Jong-un has been solidifying his position. Until now he focused on building up military power and advancing science and technology. This has involved replacing the old songun guard and keeping the new military leaders focussed and content. He has now also solved the question of the survival of the “Mount Paektu” Kim family bloodline. He is now ready to pay attention to the field of revolutionary thought and theory. That is important because in the collectivist system, ideas are more important than money. How might he do this? Just as Marxist-Leninism evolved into neo-Marxism and as the Chinese Communist Party has reinterpreted rather than abandoned Mao Zedong Thought, so Kim Jongunism is likely to involve partial changes. But, to make them, he needs to overcome several obstacles. Any change must almost certainly involve a measure of openness. But doing this while maintaining the solid power of the supreme leader and the party-centric system will not be easy. Also, failure to address external issues, notably the nuclear problem, could pose significant hurdles to economic development. Then there is the likely resistance from conservative factions coupled with external pressures in the form of sanctions. As we consider this, we should note that whatever is going to happen has started. While maintaining the facade of the Fortress, Kim is restructuring the framework holding it up and advocating new values ​​of the nation and the people. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-heung-kwang-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/ "Kim Heung-kwang") [Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/) Heung-kwang is the representative of NK Intellectual Solidarity, an NGO based in Seoul, South Korea. Previously, he served as the chairman of the quarterly magazine North Korean Village, chairman of the board of directors of Samheung North Korean Defector Children’s School, and a policy advisory member of the Ministry of National Defense in South Korea. Before defecting to South Korea in 2004, he was a professor at the Hamheung Communist College in North Korea. He graduated from North Korea’s Kim Chaek University of Technology and received his doctorate from South Korea’s Hansae University Graduate School. [![Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-heung-kwang-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/ "Kim Heung-kwang") Latest posts by Kim Heung-kwang ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/)) - [How shamanism and fortune-telling persist in the two Koreas](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-shamanism-and-fortune-telling-persist-in-the-two-koreas/) - May 18, 2024 - [Change in North Korea as Kim Jong-un remodels Fortress Juche](https://www.nkinsider.org/change-in-north-korea-as-kim-jong-un-remodels-fortress-juche/) - April 24, 2024 - [Kim Jong-un rejects unification out of fear of South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-rejects-unification-out-of-fear-of-south-korea/) - April 1, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Change%20in%20North%20Korea%20as%20Kim%20Jong-un%20remodels%20Fortress%20Juche&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Change%20in%20North%20Korea%20as%20Kim%20Jong-un%20remodels%20Fortress%20Juche https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Change%20in%20North%20Korea%20as%20Kim%20Jong-un%20remodels%20Fortress%20Juche "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/change-in-north-korea-as-kim-jong-un-remodels-fortress-juche/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Change%20in%20North%20Korea%20as%20Kim%20Jong-un%20remodels%20Fortress%20Juche&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/change-in-north-korea-as-kim-jong-un-remodels-fortress-juche/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Change%20in%20North%20Korea%20as%20Kim%20Jong-un%20remodels%20Fortress%20Juche "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [By honoring defectors is South Korea unintentionally erecting a barrier to integration?](https://www.nkinsider.org/by-honoring-defectors-is-south-korea-unintentionally-erecting-a-barrier-to-integration/) **Published:** April 17, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/202401301326424059-1.png "202401301326424059 | nk insider")When I started English lessons again when I was 20, the first topic in the textbook was St. Patrick’s Day in America. This celebration of immigrants gave me a favorable impression of American society as one that embraces its minorities. It stuck with me for a long time. Now it looks like South Korea is going to give us immigrants from North Korea a similar day. But I’m not sure how I feel about this. President Yoon Suk-yeol raised the idea of a North Korean Defectors’ Day in a cabinet meeting on January 16 and the following month Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho [announced the selection of July 14](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240221002600315). Events for the inaugural day are in the planning stage. The ministry has said the intention is to honor the suffering of defectors and those who died trying to escape and to promote an inclusive social attitude towards. The reason for choosing July 14 is that this was the date in 1997 when [the law was implemented](https://elaw.klri.re.kr/eng_mobile/viewer.do?hseq=60748&type=part&key=1) that provided legal protection and support for the rapid settlement of people escaping from the North. The law used the term “defector” to define anyone who had left North Korea and not acquired foreign citizenship. At the time, there were 848 northerners in the South who were referred to variously as repatriates, deserters, escapees and refugees. There are now around 34,000. Since the ministry announcement in February, media covering the issue have tended to be positive. Some, however, have quoted people claiming that designating a special day keeps North Koreans from assimilating and exacerbates discrimination. Some suggest a day promoting human rights for North Koreans instead. “People say a defectors’ day will help social integration, but I think that’s the opinion of people who haven’t experienced living here as a North Korean,” said Song. “The only way I can avoid discrimination at work is to hide my background. Many of us just want to live as citizens here. Setting up a defectors’ day only serves to remind us that we’re still seen as different.” As an example, Song, who has a trucking business, said that when drove to the presidential residence in Yongsan to deliver landscaping material, he was the only driver denied entry at the main gate. “While other drivers were allowed to go in, I was the one denied of the entry there. So, I thought it was because I was a defector from North Korea,” he said. “I appreciate it was probably a security measure, but it just made me wonder once again. No matter how hard I try or how long I’m here, am I always going to be an outsider?” Another defector, named Baek, said her personal experience is that she feels “exposed and in danger” when she discloses her identity. She described how after three years in a company she discovered she was being paid 200,000 won less than other new hires and, unlike them, had received no raise because the boss knew she was from the North. “I wanted to resign and look for a higher paying job. But he told me to stay, saying nobody else would hire a North Korean like me,” she said. “Then he patted me on the shoulder.” At the time, she didn’t know workplace harassment could be reported, and that threats of this nature regarding salary or to prevent people quitting was illegal. “When I meet defectors who have settled in places like the UK or Canada, they don’t seem to understand the discrimination we face. They say people there don’t care that they are from North Korea. I want to live in a country like that. In fact, until this discrimination disappears, I don’t even want to hear the words ‘North Korean defector.’” Baek said a defectors’ day may work politically in that, now Kim Jong-un is saying South Korea is the enemy and that defectors are traitors, it may send the message to would-be defectors in North Korea that South Korean society welcomes them. “But it won’t promote social integration between us here,” she said. “Instead, it will segregate us more.” The concerns of Song and Baek are not isolated. In a 2015 survey by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, around 50 percent of defectors said they had experienced discrimination in South Korea. Women, comprise the majority of defectors, in particular complained about sexual harassment, wage [discrimination](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20191207044400004) and other forms of prejudice. The creation of a particular day could create the impression that North Koreans are being treated as victims who need special treatment. This could undermine efforts by defectors themselves to positively develop their identities and capabilities. “One of my South Korean colleagues even said it seemed to her like reverse discrimination,” Baek said. The integration of North Koreans in South Korea is a process of overcoming cultural differences in the interest of the future united community. The irony is that, by creating a North Korean Defectors’ Day, the government may be erecting a barrier to integration. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=By%20honoring%20defectors%20is%20South%20Korea%20unintentionally%20erecting%20a%20barrier%20to%20integration%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=By%20honoring%20defectors%20is%20South%20Korea%20unintentionally%20erecting%20a%20barrier%20to%20integration%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=By%20honoring%20defectors%20is%20South%20Korea%20unintentionally%20erecting%20a%20barrier%20to%20integration%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/by-honoring-defectors-is-south-korea-unintentionally-erecting-a-barrier-to-integration/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=By%20honoring%20defectors%20is%20South%20Korea%20unintentionally%20erecting%20a%20barrier%20to%20integration%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/by-honoring-defectors-is-south-korea-unintentionally-erecting-a-barrier-to-integration/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=By%20honoring%20defectors%20is%20South%20Korea%20unintentionally%20erecting%20a%20barrier%20to%20integration%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Are North Koreans tiring of being told to sacrifice for tomorrow?](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-north-koreans-tiring-of-being-told-to-sacrifice-for-tomorrow/) **Published:** April 6, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NK-book.jpg "Nk book | nk insider")Despite the 180 degree turn this year on the long standing goal of reunification and the [removal of a monument](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-tears-down-monument-symbolizing-union-with-south-report-2024-01-23/) he built to it, North Korea has not turned its back on Kim Jong-il. Like a dutiful son, the current leader Kim Jong-un still honors “Kim Jong-il Patriotism,” a core educational tool introduced immediately after his father’s death. This continued focus of Kim Jong-il reminds North Koreans of how he responded to [the famine](https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/how-did-the-north-korean-famine-happen) at the start of his 1994-2011 rule with the slogan “Let’s live for tomorrow, not for today!” In March 2012, a few weeks after his death, his son, Kim Jong-un, dutifully planted pine and magnolia trees in his memory at locations where markers showed he had appeared to “give guidance.” Shortly afterwards, the Rodong Sinmun, in an editorial urging officials to dedicate themselves, gave birth to the idea of “Kim Jong-il Patriotism.” Since then, “[Kim Jong-il Patriotism](https://www.dailynk.com/english/world-welcomes-kim-jong-il-patriot/)” has been a core feature of ideological indoctrination, emphasizing unwavering loyalty to the leader, profound dedication to the future, and fervent attachment to socialist institutions. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1000005459-1024x797.png "1000005459 | nk insider") Father and son inspect an air force unit just 12 days before Kim Jong-il’s death. Image | KCNAIn the face of a widespread deaths from starvation and related illnesses, a collapsed economy and devastated living standards, Kim Jong-il activated the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the party’s Central Committee to come up with slogans that were part denial of responsibility, part assertion that political control was not loosening, and part fantasy. “Even if the road is rough, let’s smile and live!” one of them said. The one best remembered was “Let’s live for tomorrow, not for today.” Literally, in translation, “Let’s not live today for today, let’s live today for tomorrow,” this was the standout slogan in a strategy to convince citizens to turn their hatred towards the United States and South Korea as the real cause of their suffering. “Kim Jong-il always told us to dedicate ourselves to future generations, even if we ourselves would never see the fruit,” said Han, 45, remembering his teenage years and his twenties. Now attending a vocational training college in Seoul, Han said many people took the message as, “Don’t ever expect to live well.” They found it perplexing. A former miner who recently defected after work in Russia said miners were not so perplexed. They were cynical. “We turned it into ‘There’s no tomorrow like today,’” said Kim, 35. “Conditions were bad. There weren’t enough safety checks and there were a lot of accidents. We never knew when we might die, so when we got paid, we spent our money on better food and alcohol like it was our ritual. As we drank, we would chant it. ‘There’s no tomorrow like today.'” According to a source contacted last week in Ongjin County, Hwanghae Province, that refrain has now been picked up by ordinary people. Despite Kim Jong-un talking about “sacrificing ourselves for the nation following his father’s teachings, people commonly respond saying they believe only in themselves. They say there’s no tomorrow like today,” the source said. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/청년학생들의-야회_2 16 2024.jpg "청년학생들의 야회2 16 2024 | nk insider")Students celebrate Kim Jong-il’s birthday at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on February 16 this year. Image | KCNA- [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Are%20North%20Koreans%20tiring%20of%20being%20told%20to%20sacrifice%20for%20tomorrow%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Are%20North%20Koreans%20tiring%20of%20being%20told%20to%20sacrifice%20for%20tomorrow%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Are%20North%20Koreans%20tiring%20of%20being%20told%20to%20sacrifice%20for%20tomorrow%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-north-koreans-tiring-of-being-told-to-sacrifice-for-tomorrow/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Are%20North%20Koreans%20tiring%20of%20being%20told%20to%20sacrifice%20for%20tomorrow%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-north-koreans-tiring-of-being-told-to-sacrifice-for-tomorrow/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Are%20North%20Koreans%20tiring%20of%20being%20told%20to%20sacrifice%20for%20tomorrow%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [North Korea tries again to rein in unsanctioned use of foreign currency](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tries-again-to-rein-in-unsanctioned-use-of-foreign-currency/) **Published:** April 19, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock_2402645793.jpg "Economyofnorthkorea flagofdprk dollarsundermagnifying | nk insider")North Korea issued a fresh warning this month in what looks like its losing battle to crack down on private economic activity. Authorities on April 5th declared that the distribution of goods and unapproved transactions in foreign currency were illegal and would be punished. The proclamation has been posted at train stations, bus stops, shops, jangmadang markets, roadsides, and even in villages. This move suggests that [earlier efforts](https://www.asiapress.org/rimjin-gang/2023/08/society-economy/strengthening1/) to stamp out private trading with foreign currency have so far been unsuccessful, raising the possibility that the state may have to eventually surrender. The genie released in the 1990s after the end of rationing is refusing to go back into the bottle. The target is not simply rogue traders, but rather established entities where people make money on the side. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/0416-서에라-6.jpg "0416서에라6 | nk insider")Police warning issued on April 5 against “smuggling goods or black-marketing foreign currency outside state control.” Image | NK Insider Exclusive The seven-point declaration says that, despite recent efforts to stabilize the exchange rate, institutions, businesses, organizations, and factories continue to engage in clandestine distribution of goods using foreign currency. This behavior clouds public sentiment and undermines development plans and the wellbeing of the people, it says. The police will consider it a challenge to the country’s “sacred law” and will punish offenders. “Never engage in the act of distributing goods or engaging in foreign currency transactions outside the national control,” the posters say. It warns of uncompromising crackdowns. This language is creating an atmosphere of fear. It brings to mind the introduction in 2021 of 50,000 won and 5,000 won *donpyo* vouchers, apparently due to shortage of proper paper and ink for banknotes. Introduced during the pandemic, the vouchers were just a temporary measure and could be used as regular cash, authorities said. However, people were cautious about using them, fearing they might suddenly be declared no longer valid. This mistrust was rooted in the 2009 currency reform when people were left holding worthless old banknotes. Given the mistrust, analysts say the latest effort to combat illegal trading and curb the use of foreign currency is likely to prove ineffective. They say it is inevitable that clandestine foreign currency transactions will continue. That is because even official trading companies need to sell goods on the side to earn sufficient foreign currency to stay in business. When these institutions earn foreign currency through legal imports, the state confiscates it. They then take some of their goods to markets to secure foreign currency needed to trade overseas. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20tries%20again%20to%20rein%20in%20unsanctioned%20use%20of%20foreign%20currency&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20tries%20again%20to%20rein%20in%20unsanctioned%20use%20of%20foreign%20currency https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20tries%20again%20to%20rein%20in%20unsanctioned%20use%20of%20foreign%20currency "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tries-again-to-rein-in-unsanctioned-use-of-foreign-currency/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20tries%20again%20to%20rein%20in%20unsanctioned%20use%20of%20foreign%20currency&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-tries-again-to-rein-in-unsanctioned-use-of-foreign-currency/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20tries%20again%20to%20rein%20in%20unsanctioned%20use%20of%20foreign%20currency "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [The Birth of Korea Documentary Leaves No Room to Deny Achievements of Syngman Rhee](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-birth-of-korea-documentary-leaves-no-room-to-deny-achievements-of-syngman-rhee/) **Published:** February 25, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** “If it weren't for President Syngman Rhee, South Korea today would hardly differ from North Korea,” said Jo Dong Jin, a 45-year-old North Korean defector. Jo made the comment on February 23 after watching The Birth of Korea, a documentary on South Korea’s first president which has been creating something of a sensation since its release in mid-January. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Syngman-Rhee.jpg "Syngman rhee | nk insider")SEOUL – “If it weren’t for President Syngman Rhee, South Korea today would hardly differ from North Korea,” said Jo Dong Jin, a 45-year-old North Korean defector. Jo made the comment on February 23 after watching The Birth of Korea, a documentary on South Korea’s first president which has been creating something of a sensation since its release in mid-January. “I have to say I cried a lot throughout the movie,” Jo said. “I kept feeling so sad that President Rhee has not been properly appreciated.” The movie, produced by Kim Deok Young, addresses some of the negative assumptions about Rhee that have passed into history as true and produces evidence to show that he was misunderstood. It has been favorably commented on by President Yoon Suk Yeol and other politicians. It is also gaining popularity among North Korean defectors, “Just by looking at the nighttime satellite photos of the Korean peninsula, shown in the movie, you can see clearly whether Kim Il Sung or Syngman Rhee was right,” Jo said. “As a North Korean, I wonder about the common sense of people who deny South Korea’s founding president. The country may not have been perfect but he gave South Koreans the gift of a free democratic system that eventually enabled the prosperity you see today.” At the beginning of this year, Elon Musk made this point when he posted nighttime satellite photos of the peninsula on X with the comment: “Crazy idea: Let’s divide a country into half capitalist and half communist and check on it 70 years later.” > Night and day difference [pic.twitter.com/7WUaRHeNqt](https://t.co/7WUaRHeNqt) > > — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) [December 30, 2023](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1741133362117681512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) As someone from North Korea, I can tell you that to be born there is like being born in hell. But it’s not hard to find people who don’t believe this. For example, Victoria, the daughter of the Russian Ambassador to North Korea, often showcases the developed aspects of North Korea and shares glimpses of daily life there across all her platforms, [including YouTube.](https://www.youtube.com/@kisainkorea) In South Korea, there are also people like this. Some politicians make the point that South Koreans should avoid disparaging Kim Il Sung’s North Korea. Not that any of them would choose to live there. My interpretation is that they think that North Korea is good in theory, but not good enough in practice for them. In other words, even these people, by appearing to be positive, in fact confirm my claim that North Korea is hell. It is typical of Kim Il Sung and the North Korean regime that they consistently obscured their own unfair and inhumane policies by constantly pointing the finger at Rhee, portraying him as an incompetent leader and a traitor who sold the country to the United States. There is a 1980s North Korean movie, Snow Melts in Spring, where the main character criticizes his friend for joining the South Korean army and calls Rhee “a man who used to do business in Hawaii.” The implication is that Rhee was not more than a greedy capitalist. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/North-Korean-film-1024x475.jpg "Northkoreanfilm | nk insider")[North Korean film “Snow Melts in Spring” where Syngman Rhee is disparaged as a mere trader | KCNA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eQz-vXrFGE&t=2771s)As this suggests, North Koreans have been raised to despise Rhee and still are, even decades after his passing. The reason for this strong dislike is that, to the North Korean regime, the very establishment of South Korea as its rival is a testament to his achievements. Though born to a fate akin to that of slaves, North Koreans who defect to South Korea find freedom. They often remark among themselves about the gulf between the two versions of Korea. Rhee gets the credit for founding the better version and ensuring that it endured the war and eventually thrived. The documentary “[makes us reflect on how dire our reality would have been without him,”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLTsY72QfHg) said Thae Yong Ho, who was stationed in London as a North Korean diplomat and is now an elected member of the South Korean National Assembly. Jung Su Jeong, 51, a defector who arrived in South Korea in December 2022, expressed astonishment upon hearing that people in South Korean society openly disparage the first President. “I was shocked when I first heard people denouncing him,” she said. “I thought they were all North Korean agents because their interpretation was so similar to what we were taught.” [The South Korean GDP is over 57 times larger than North Korea’s.](https://www.statista.com/statistics/1035390/south-korea-gdp-comparison-with-north-korea/) However, this prosperity can only be sustained when history is remembered. The Birth of Korea documentary serves as a wake-up call to the younger generation which may be forgetting it. Given that North Korea considers the South its enemy and has nuclear weapons, the consequences of losing sight of what is important are unimaginable. Jung Young-seong, 43, a defector who arrived less than a year ago, in March 2023, said, “When history is distorted and ignored, the suffering of our grandparents under Japanese colonial rule or the enslavement of citizens today in North Korea could soon become the reality of young people in South Korea.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Rhee-Syng-man-nobaya-gajeta-.jpeg "Rheesyngmannobayagajeta | nk insider")Syngman Rhee (1875-1965) Picture | Nobaya Gazeta **Syngman Rhee** Rhee came from North Korea. He was born on March 26, 1875, in Hwanghae Province. A Christian democracy activist, Rhee was jailed for anti-government activities and later went to the United States where he earned a BA from George Washington University, an MA from Harvard and a PhD in 1910 from Princeton. In Hawaii, he became the superintendent of the Korean Christian Academy. He was the President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea from 1919 to 1925. From 1945-48, he served as the first Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, and from 1949-61, he was the first President. He resigned following protests against rigged elections and went to Hawaii where he died on July 19, 1965. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/kim-il-sung-vkcom_-1024x1019.jpg "Kimilsungvkcom | nk insider")Kim Il-sung, the first dictator of North Korea (1912 -1994) Picture | vk.com**Kim Il Sung** Born on April 15, 1912, in Pyongyang. After elementary school, Kim moved to Manchuria. He enrolled in school when he was 15 but dropped out. He was arrested and imprisoned. From 1936-41, he served in the Anti-Japanese Allied Army of Northeast China. From 1942-45, he was a captain in the Soviet Army. After World War Two, when the Soviets occupied the northern zone of Korea, they installed Kim as the leader. After obtaining backing from Stalin, his troops invaded South Korea. Despite his failure to achieve victory, he remained unchallenged in power until his death in 1994, when he was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong Il, establishing the communist world’s first family dynasty. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Birth%20of%20Korea%20Documentary%20Leaves%20No%20Room%20to%20Deny%20Achievements%20of%20Syngman%20Rhee&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Birth%20of%20Korea%20Documentary%20Leaves%20No%20Room%20to%20Deny%20Achievements%20of%20Syngman%20Rhee https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Birth%20of%20Korea%20Documentary%20Leaves%20No%20Room%20to%20Deny%20Achievements%20of%20Syngman%20Rhee "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-birth-of-korea-documentary-leaves-no-room-to-deny-achievements-of-syngman-rhee/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Birth%20of%20Korea%20Documentary%20Leaves%20No%20Room%20to%20Deny%20Achievements%20of%20Syngman%20Rhee&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-birth-of-korea-documentary-leaves-no-room-to-deny-achievements-of-syngman-rhee/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Birth%20of%20Korea%20Documentary%20Leaves%20No%20Room%20to%20Deny%20Achievements%20of%20Syngman%20Rhee "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Defectors back ruling party this time in National Assembly elections](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-have-no-choice-but-to-support-conservatives-in-national-assembly-elections/) **Published:** April 8, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Thae-yong-ho-1.jpg "Thae yongho | nk insider")In the lead up to the parliamentary elections in South Korea on April 10, the campaigns of some North Korean defectors [are gaining attention](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/05/north-korea-south-millennial-defector/). These candidates share a common background. It is not too hyperbolic to say they were born into a harsh world where they lived much of their lives as slaves. Consequently, they have developed similar political inclinations. They share the conviction that liberal democracy and dictatorship are fundamentally incompatible and that there can be no compromise under any circumstances with dictators. In South Korea, as you would imagine, the political landscape is broadly polarized between conservatism and progressivism. In this regard, it is not unlike the United States and other democracies, many of which are also holding elections this year. As far as North Koreans are concerned, these overseas elections are not that interesting. That is because Republicans or Democrats, conservatives and progressives do not seem that different in their North Korea policies. However, the situation is different in South Korea. That is because the issue that separates conservative and liberal is neither economic or cultural. It is a matter of national identity that is intrinsically tied up with North Korea and the approach to reconciliation and reunification. The divide between these two sides was especially exacerbated during the tenure of former President Moon Jae-in. Defectors overwhelmingly support the conservative approach to North Korea. “Why do I support the (ruling) People Power Party?” said Kim, 55, a journalist for Free North Korea Radio. “It’s quite simple for me. The (opposition) Democratic Party cannot achieve peace by accommodating the regime. I’m convinced Kim Jong-un will never give up his dictatorship.” “The threat of war provides the justification he needs to maintain his dictatorship,” she said. “From as soon as we can speak, we were taught that we had to invade South Korea. That’s North Korea for you.” “Kim Jong-un’s peace show is just a way of taking advantage of South Korea. It has nothing to do with ensuring actual peace. War is restrained when South Korea is strong,” she said. Asked why he was campaigning for the conservative party, Bae, 47, who has been in the South for 16 years and runs a small business, said his political awakening came when South Korean authorities forced two defecting fishermen [back over the border to North Korea](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50329588). ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/선원북송.jpg "선원북송 | nk insider") The scene shows the repatriation of two North Korean fishermen to North Korea at Panmunjom in Nov 2019 (Image | Ministry of Unification of Korea)“I was shocked when they accepted that these guys were murderers without a trial,” he said. “It was the North that called them murderers. What if they call me a murderer some time? Do I get sent back? Seeing photos of them resisting being pushed over the border made me shiver like a pig. Actually, I wasn’t interested in politics before that and didn’t even vote. But that has changed. It’s not just a simple political choice. It’s about saving my life.” This may seem like an overreaction to South Koreans. But the sentiment is widespread among defectors. Many want to do their part to make sure the opposition party loses its majority in the National Assembly. “If the Democratic Party wins, there’s no telling when they might start hunting down defectors at the behest of Kim Jong-un,” said Yoon, who has been in the South for 20 years. A single mother supporting her daughters’ university education, she is active in human rights organizations. “My daughters left the North when they were really young. They’re no different from kids here,” she said. “They’re inclined to support the Democratic Party, and it’s hard to convince them otherwise. I can’t force them. But lately, I’ve been feeling like I haven’t raised them well.” Former military officer Kim, 65, has the same issue. “Of course, I support the (ruling) People Power Party,” he said. “But my daughter supports the liberal party.” “She agrees with the liberals who prioritize economic relations with China while condemning Japan and the United States. She also disagrees with the Yoon administration’s focus on relations with Japan and the United States. So, I asked her, if a war breaks out with North Korea, do you think the Chinese will help us? Or do you think it will be the US military and the Japanese self-defense forces? She replied that the Chinese army probably wouldn’t help us.” “I asked her which party is pushing for closer ties with the US and Japan? Then I asked, if North Korean troops entered Seoul, who do you think they would kill first? She didn’t respond. Anyway, her perspective changed after that conversation.” **The history of conservative and progressive administrations** South Korea has had 11 presidents, including the current President, Yoon Suk-yeol. Among them, eight have been considered “conservative” and three “progressive.” The conservative lineage in South Korea includes the three main leaders in the pre-democracy period in the 40 years from the founding as a separate state in 1948 until the first democratic presidential election in 1987. They were Syngman Rhee (1948-60), Park Chung-hee (1961-79) and Chun Doo-hwan (1980-88). Even after democracy, voters continued to elect conservative leaders. They were: Roh Tae-woo (1988-93), Kim Young-sam (1993-8), Lee Myung-bak (2008-13), Park Geun-hye (2013-7), and the current President, Yoon Suk-yeol (2022-present). The progressive side has produced three presidents: Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003), Roh Moo-hyun (2003-8), and Moon Jae-in (2017-22). **Syngman Rhee (July 1948 – April 1960)** “Follow me, unite and live; divide and die.” (October 1948, first broadcast two months after liberation) As the founding father of South Korea, Syngman Rhee spent most of his life as an independence activist against Japanese rule and was a key founder of the Provisional Government. An educated man, Rhee was the first Korean to earn a Ph.D. He played a crucial role in the national founding. His lasting legacy was the establishment of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. Rhee’s country was not a democracy. But it was an aspiring democracy. Rhee was a Methodist and a humanitarian, but his rule was authoritarian and he stepped down following student protests against a rigged election. For this reason, his image was tarnished and he was never rehabilitated by his successors. Interestingly, while statues of many founding presidents are featured in their respective embassies in the United States, there is no such statue of Syngman Rhee. **Park Chung-hee (December 1963 – October 1979)** “If there is even one possibility in a hundred, we should exert our utmost efforts. That is what national defense is.” (Press conference in 1975) As a military dictator, Park Chung-hee is still dismissed in some progressive circles. His rule became more oppressive as time went on. His Yushin Constitution gave him dictatorial powers. Park made a strong national defense and anti-communism his top priorities. But his outstanding achievement, which even many progressives acknowledge, was that he laid the foundation for Korea’s remarkable economic growth. It is this that ensured South Korea’s eventual democracy and indisputable ascendancy over North Korea. **Chun Doo-hwan (September 1980 – February 1988)** “If Yun-sang lives, you (the kidnapper) will live. If he dies, you die” (During a nationwide address after a young boy named Lee Yun-sang was kidnapped) Chun Doo-hwan often began his speeches with the phrase “I myself,” delivered in a deep, resonant tone. He is perceived by all parties now as a military dictator without redeeming features. His greatest mistake is considered to have been the violent suppression of the [Gwangju Uprising in May 1980.](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/05/17/asia-pacific/politics-diplomacy-asia-pacific/dying-democracy-1980-gwangju-uprising-transformed-south-korea/) North Korean defectors, however, are inclined to be more forgiving. Many of them argue that events in Gwangju were orchestrated by Kim Il-sung, who sent spies to incite rebellion, and that if the authorities had not acted swiftly, it could have led to a second Korean War. Chun came to power through a staged coup in 1979 and ‘80. He successfully bid for the first major international events in South Korea, such as the Asian Games in 1986 and the Summer Olympics in 1988, and completed economic development and national land improvement projects. Although not really credited for it, he agreed to step down as he had promised after his seven-year term and accepted the constitutional change in 1987 that allowed for his successor to be elected through a direct popular vote. It was this tweak to the constitution that turned Korea into a democracy. **Roh Tae-woo (February 1988 – February 1993)** “I am an ordinary person. Please trust me.” (During the presidential election campaign) Roh Tae-woo was the first president to win under the direct election system and to see out the modern five-year single term. He, too, faced accusations of being a military dictator or at least partly so because he had been a key participant in Chun Doo-hwan’s coup and right-hand man during Chun’s reign. His “I am an ordinary person” slogan was devised to counter these criticisms. Roh Tae-woo was considered to have led South Korea with a gentle but sometimes indecisive leadership style. During his tenure, he introduced a nordpolitik approach to North Korea (modeled on West Germany’s ostpolitk approach to East Germany) that emphasized dialogue and no longer penalized overseas Koreans for dealing with the North. He oversaw the simultaneous entry of both Koreas into the United Nations, and the establishment of Seoul’s diplomatic relations with North Korea’s east bloc allies, notably the Soviet Union and China. **Kim Young-sam (February 1993 – February 1998)** “Even if you twist a rooster’s comb, dawn will come.” (After being expelled from the National Assembly) First elected in the 1950s in his 20s as the youngest member of parliament, Kim Young-sam was a Presbyterian and a longtime champion of democracy and became the president 50 years later. Despite his criticism of authoritarian leaders, Kim was never accused of being a “communist,” particularly as his mother had been murdered by North Korean infiltrators in 1960. Kim graduated from Seoul National University’s Department of Philosophy, was known for his rambling and emotional speeches, which made people find him interesting and feel his humanity. However, he made many gaffes. Once in a press conference, for example, he was asked about nuclear weapons and got it mixed up with nuclear power. As his predecessor had been an army general, Kim is seen by progressives as the first civilian democratic president. He was elected as the candidate for Roh’s ruling party. **Lee Myung-bak (February 2008 – February 2013)** “Whether there is a path already there or not, don’t think about it; think about how to create a new path.” (Lee started many speeches about new projects with this phrase.) A former CEO of Hyundai Construction and Engineering, Lee is the only president with a solid background in business. He frequently used economic terms familiar to businesspeople. He was known for presenting new ideas along with specific details simultaneously. Lee was a Christian who served as an elder in the Somang Presbyterian Church in Seoul. Following two presidents who had held talks with North Korea and not achieved much in his estimation, Lee said he was open to talks “anywhere, anytime,” but not if the North wasn’t serious. For this posture, progressives dismissed him as “anti-unification.” Lee concluded the South Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement, and hosted the G20 Summit. **Park Geun-hye (Term: February 2013 – March 2017)** “If you earnestly desire it, the whole universe will come to help you.” (During the 2015 Brazil Business Forum) The eldest child of Park Chung-hee, Park Geun-hye was the first woman to become president and the first president to be impeached. She often gave concise answers or strong logical speeches and was proficient in English, Chinese, Spanish and French. During her presidency, major events included the conclusion of the South Korea-China Free Trade Agreement, the closure of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, and the decision to deploy THAAD. She was impeached in March 2017 in the wake of the “Choi Soon-sil Gate” scandal, sentenced to 20 years in prison. She was pardoned by her successor, Moon Jae-in, in December 2021. The impeachment still generates considerable controversy, and there is heated debate over whether she committed crimes worthy of a 20-year sentence. North Korean defectors were shocked by the reality of a conservative president of South Korea being imprisoned. **Yoon Suk-yeol (May 2022 – April 2027)** “I am loyal (to the nation and the people) not to individuals.” (Statement made during a parliamentary audit on October 22, 2013) A former chief prosecutor under his predecessor, Moon Jae-in, Yoon is a political neophyte. Facing an opposition-dominated National Assembly, Yoon focused on foreign policy. Before Yoon, Seoul had a long-standing posture of being a junior and sometimes powerless partner in the alliance with America. Previous presidents frequently gave the impression that Korea was bullied into certain positions by the US. Yoon turned his around and declared South Korea to be a democracy that stood by like-minded countries that valued freedom and human rights. He has also sought to undo the damage to ties with Japan caused by his predecessor. Yoon has focused on strengthening trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan in politics, economy, and military affairs. He has advocated for all government officials to act as salespersons for economic development. In January 2023, he attracted a $30 billion investment from the UAE, creating a new Arab boom. **Progressive administrations** **Kim Dae-jung (February 1998 – February 2003)** “The people do not always win. But in the end, the people are the winners.” (From his autobiography) Although a liberal democrat in the American sense, Kim Dae-jung was a prominent, if not the leading, figure in South Korea’s progressive forces for a long time. He advocated inclusiveness, reconciliation, and coexistence with North Korea. He was evaluated as someone who logically presented his ideas and persuaded others. Elected when the country was near bankruptcy during the Asian financial crisis, Kim was the first opposition president, thus firming up Korea’s democracy. He also became the first Korean president to hold an inter-Korean summit when in June 2000 he went to Pyongyantg and met Kim Jong-il. The event electrified the world and earned Kim the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize. He created a peace momentum on the peninsula. It only later transpired that South Korea had paid North Korea under-the-table for the summit. Despite the promises to reduce political and military tensions and promote exchanges in the economic and cultural sectors, North Korea’s unilateral non-compliance returned relations to square one. Also noteworthy under Kim’s rule was the laying of the infrastructure which would make Korea one of the most wired countries in the world. Also, at this time the Korean cultural wave began to roll through China and Japan. **Roh Moo-hyun (February 2003 – February 2008)** **“**Because the damn Constitution prevents (the president from engaging in debate), we should give up.” (From a speech at the Participatory Government Evaluation Forum in June 2007) Roh Moo-hyun was known for his anti-authoritarianism, communication skills, and firm leadership. A former lawyer, he was also known for his passionate activism. This Roh was truly an “ordinary man.” He was the first opposition candidate to be chosen through an experimental primary system as opposed to by party leaders. As a result, his own party leaders refused to support him and even tried to have him impeached. Roh said that he wouldn’t let life in the Blue House make him forget his roots and that he would still drop by pojangmacha street bars to drink soju with regular folk, a promise he was unable to keep. Despite the failure of Kim Jong-il to visit Seoul as promised after the 2000 summit, and other warning signs of lack of North Korean interest in real reconciliation, Roh went to Pyongyang and met with Kim Jong-il. Predictably, the summit failed to achieve its stated goals due to North Korea’s unilateral non-compliance, and Roh was criticized for continuing economic support for the regime. Roh pursued a Free Trade Agreement with Washington and established e-Government. He also made some progress in the historical truth-finding project exposing past collaboration with Japanese colonial rule and crimes of previous pre-democracy administrations. After his term, Roh committed suicide after his family became targeted in a corruption probe. **Moon Jae-in (May 2017 – January 2020)** “People come first.” (Presidential campaign slogan) Moon Jae-in, fellow human rights lawyer with Roh Moo-hyun and his chief of staff, won the election following Park Geun-hye’s truncated presidency. As far as defectors were concerned, he got off to a bad start using the calligraphy, then being used by a soju brand, of a leftist activist who had been jailed for twenty years under Park Chung-hee. Also, despite his background, Moon was silent on North Korean human rights. While there is some tactical logic to pulling punches in this way – criticizing North Korea on human rights grounds is not conducive to reconciliation talks – Moon repatriated defectors accused of crimes by North Korea but not tried in any South Korean court. This was a first for a South Korean government and earned him the title of “Kim Jong-un’s spy” in North Korean defector society. Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un, attended the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and met with Moon in the Blue House, after which Moon met Kim Jong-un and announced the Panmunjom Declaration, aimed at alleviating political and military tensions and promoting exchanges. Moon visited Pyongyang and told 100,000 citizens at a stadium, “There will be no more war.” As with previous declarations, the Panmunjom Declaration became a non-event due to North Korea’s unilateral non-compliance. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Defectors%20back%20ruling%20party%20this%20time%20in%20National%20Assembly%20elections&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Defectors%20back%20ruling%20party%20this%20time%20in%20National%20Assembly%20elections https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Defectors%20back%20ruling%20party%20this%20time%20in%20National%20Assembly%20elections "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-have-no-choice-but-to-support-conservatives-in-national-assembly-elections/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Defectors%20back%20ruling%20party%20this%20time%20in%20National%20Assembly%20elections&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-have-no-choice-but-to-support-conservatives-in-national-assembly-elections/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Defectors%20back%20ruling%20party%20this%20time%20in%20National%20Assembly%20elections "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [Slaves in uniform: The secret behind North Korean’s ten-year mandatory military service](https://www.nkinsider.org/slaves-in-uniform-the-secret-behind-north-koreans-ten-year-mandatory-military-service/) **Published:** March 22, 2024 **Author:** Kim Heung-kwang **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Image-from-pdf-page-.jpg "Image from pdf page | nk insider")Around North Korea in late February, there were grand groundbreaking ceremonies for large-scale housing construction projects and new factories. The showy events kicked off this year’s ambitious plan to build 10,000 homes in Pyongyang’s Hwaseong district and open new factories in 20 cities and counties. To achieve the goal, the military has been mobilized. It has organized soldiers into 124 construction units. Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony in Songchon County, South Pyongan Province, on Feb 28, and, to show he meant business, even picked up a shovel. It was also significant that he handed unit flags to 20 leaders of the [newly established military construction teams](https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/nk_nuclear_talks/regimen-03052024084006.html). Mobilization of soldiers is understandable when civilian authorities need help dealing with natural disasters and accidents. But the routine exploitation of labor on a large scale in North Korea constitutes a clear [violation of human rights](https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/09/02/north-korea-controls-youth-through-hard-labor). What lies behind it? North Korean men and women reportedly serve from age 17 for a [mandatory five to 13 years](https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/korea-north/#military-and-security). Men do a maximum of ten years (13 years for certain specialized combat units) and women do seven. The logical explanation for this is military manpower shortage. But that is clearly not the case. According to South Korean estimates, North Korea had [approximately 1.28 million active-duty soldiers](https://www.mnd.go.kr/user/mndEN/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202307280406019810.pdf) as of December 2022, while South Korea had 555,000. This makes North Korea the fourth-largest military power in the world, surpassing even Russia. Assuming these figures are accurate, is the explanation for such large numbers of young people from such a relatively small population of 26 million indication of a pressing security threat? This is also not the case. While technically still at war as there is no Korean War peace treaty, the likelihood of war or military provocations started by South Korea is close to zero. This is something I have confirmed and become convinced of over the years since my defection to South Korea in 2004. So what is the hidden explanation? The fact is that North Korea operates according to a meticulously calculated strategy for regime survival. This strategy employs mechanisms for control, for mobilization for the economy, and for sustaining the system. If we look at these themes of how the current troublesome young generation is kept under control and how the regime ensures a steady supply of well-trained labor at minimal cost, and boosts its own vitality, we can see what lies behind the longest mandatory military service in the world. **Taming troublesome youth** The core explanation for North Korea’s long-term military service lies in the need of the dictatorship to keep young people under control. This is a serious consideration for a dictator as young adults are usually more energetic and idealistic than their parents and grandparents. While they can in any country serve as a powerful driving force for development, they can also, under certain circumstances, play a leading role in disruption leading to reform. The [April 19 Revolution](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2024/03/638_155532.html) in South Korea is a good example, where students risked their lives to stage protests that led to a change of government. Another case would be the 1989 [Tiananmen Square protests in China](https://www.amnesty.org.uk/china-1989-tiananmen-square-protests-demonstration-massacre) which were crushed with great loss of life. North Korea’s founding dictator, Kim Il-sung, found the answer to this potential threat in the form of extended military service. He took young men fresh out of high school at a time when they were forming their identity and worldview, and subjected them to a prolonged experience of communal life in the military. This achieved two things. It significantly reduced the regime’s insecurity. It also facilitated indoctrination of young men, who had no parents and siblings around to guide them in other directions. In the barracks, they learned the values of blind loyalty to the Kim dynasty, unconditional obedience to the dictator’s orders, the virtues of political life, and the suicidal-attack spirit. The objective of military service, in other words, is far more than territorial defense. It aims to thoroughly block young minds from alternative influences and instill a sense of slave-like obedience. It achieves this through intense training, labor, and loyalty competitiveness. People who go through this come to regard the nation as the supreme entity, the leader as the supreme authority, their comrades as family, and rebellion as betrayal. In his book [*Dear Leader*](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/may/26/dear-leader-review-north-korea-madness), Jang Jin-sung, a psychological warfare officer and poet before his defection, provides a unique insight into the depth of the indoctrination and how it begins early on and intensifies during military service. Like many children, Jang was filled with unwavering loyalty to the regime as a member of the Korean Children’s Union and the Kim Il-sung Socialist Patriotic Youth League. In the military, his days began with songs praising then-leader Kim Jong-il and ended with cultural education glorifying the history of the Kim dynasty and the country’s Juche ideology. **Endless supply of cheap and well-trained labor** This need to indoctrinate each new generation explains the sheer size of the military. This in turn provides a ready solution to the economic challenge the country faces. The military functions as a huge, disciplined workforce. Soldiers mobilized for construction projects and work on farms and elsewhere cost nothing. While officers and professional soldiers receive wages, conscripts get nothing. If they knew their South Korean counterparts were paid – for instance, the annual salary for a sergeant went up from KRW 1 million (USD 748) to KRW 1.25 million (USD 935) in 2024 – they would be astonished. In real terms, the South also provides funds to help soldiers in asset formation after their discharge. The monthly amount is now KRW 400,000 (USD 300). In this 2016 documentary broadcast on North Korea’s state-run Korean Central Television (KCTV), soldiers are seen working at various construction sites under harsh conditions.In a [2022 report](https://www.voakorea.com/a/6530009.html), the Seoul-based [Database Center for North Korean Human Rights](https://en.nkdb.org/) called on Pyongyang to “eliminate the dual system of people-military exploitation” and “provide adequate payment for labor.” “There is virtually no concept of salaries for soldiers,” said Choi Jeong-hoon, who was an officer in the North Korean army. “The state mocks capitalist countries saying soldiers there enlist for money. But the reality is its own soldiers envy them. “Soldiers dedicate their youth for ten years for no pay,” he said. “I was surprised when I first saw the PX store in the South Korean military after coming here. There is simply no comparison.” **Creating great vitality throughout the system** After such a prolonged period of rigorous military training and slave labor, young people have exhausted their youthful vigor by the time they are discharged. Then they find themselves facing even more unjust treatment. Instead of returning home to their parents and siblings, they are assigned to unfamiliar and especially challenging work in mines and on building sites and farms. We may evaluate this practice as a strategy to foster the vitality of the regime. It’s another instance of exploitation for political ends. But this time it is not just for ten years. It’s potentially for life. There are several positive outcomes from the regime’s point of view: social stability and integration, economic development, reinforcement of political loyalty, and the promotion of social responsibility and volunteerism. Furthermore, the deployment of discharged soldiers to challenging work sites also allows for continued surveillance and control. The former soldiers are compelled to endure and refrain from expressing any grievances about the harsh labor conditions. Although not a soldier herself, Lee Hyeon-seo in [*The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story*](https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/the-girl-with-seven-names-by-hyeonseo-lee-review/article_4bff3e99-ac82-59dc-8c64-f1c5f84e838f.html) vividly reveals how youth are coerced into arduous slave labor under the guise of military service. She recounts how her cousin, upon completing mandatory service, was not allowed to return to his hometown but instead was assigned as a laborer in one of the most difficult jobs: mining. Mines are notorious for accidents, minimal safety regulations, and high rates of respiratory diseases among workers. Working there is the fate of many former soldiers. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-heung-kwang-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/ "Kim Heung-kwang") [Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/) Heung-kwang is the representative of NK Intellectual Solidarity, an NGO based in Seoul, South Korea. Previously, he served as the chairman of the quarterly magazine North Korean Village, chairman of the board of directors of Samheung North Korean Defector Children’s School, and a policy advisory member of the Ministry of National Defense in South Korea. Before defecting to South Korea in 2004, he was a professor at the Hamheung Communist College in North Korea. He graduated from North Korea’s Kim Chaek University of Technology and received his doctorate from South Korea’s Hansae University Graduate School. [![Kim Heung-kwang](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-heung-kwang-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/ "Kim Heung-kwang") Latest posts by Kim Heung-kwang ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-heung-kwang/)) - [How shamanism and fortune-telling persist in the two Koreas](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-shamanism-and-fortune-telling-persist-in-the-two-koreas/) - May 18, 2024 - [Change in North Korea as Kim Jong-un remodels Fortress Juche](https://www.nkinsider.org/change-in-north-korea-as-kim-jong-un-remodels-fortress-juche/) - April 24, 2024 - [Kim Jong-un rejects unification out of fear of South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-rejects-unification-out-of-fear-of-south-korea/) - April 1, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Slaves%20in%20uniform%3A%20The%20secret%20behind%20North%20Korean%E2%80%99s%20ten-year%20mandatory%20military%20service&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Slaves%20in%20uniform%3A%20The%20secret%20behind%20North%20Korean%E2%80%99s%20ten-year%20mandatory%20military%20service https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Slaves%20in%20uniform%3A%20The%20secret%20behind%20North%20Korean%E2%80%99s%20ten-year%20mandatory%20military%20service "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/slaves-in-uniform-the-secret-behind-north-koreans-ten-year-mandatory-military-service/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Slaves%20in%20uniform%3A%20The%20secret%20behind%20North%20Korean%E2%80%99s%20ten-year%20mandatory%20military%20service&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/slaves-in-uniform-the-secret-behind-north-koreans-ten-year-mandatory-military-service/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Slaves%20in%20uniform%3A%20The%20secret%20behind%20North%20Korean%E2%80%99s%20ten-year%20mandatory%20military%20service "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [South Korea is making it more difficult for defectors to send money to their families](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-is-making-it-more-difficult-for-defectors-to-send-money-to-their-families/) **Published:** April 5, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Shutterstock_1754383490-scaled.jpg "Dandongchinadecember202019yaluriverbroken | nk insider")“I once cried and swore all night, praying the broker who stole my money would die. I lost all I had. After that, I borrowed money to send to my father. It broke me to think about him being ill and dying because he was penniless.” The woman, who fled as a teenager in 2009, was telling how she worked to send money to the family members she had left behind and how that process has now become more difficult. At first, she felt guilty and wanted to atone for leaving her sick father. At that time, she was studying. She worked in a factory in Gyeonggi Province during vacations. To earn extra money, after morning classes, she washed dishes in restaurants. She finally saved enough to send home. She did this in 2011 through a broker in South Korea. She didn’t trust the person, so sent just a small amount at first. The commission was 20 percent. The problems came with the second, third, and fourth times she sent money. None of it reached her father. “When I found out I had been scammed, I really lost the will to live. The broker here feigned ignorance and said the Chinese go-between didn’t deliver it properly. They probably kept it for themselves,” she said. In all, she lost over 20 million won (US$15,000). She reported it to the police officer who, as with other defectors, was personally assigned to protect and help her for the first five years. But he told her there was no legal way to get the money back. She found more reliable brokers and was eventually able to send enough so that her family members could eat and stay warm and live relatively comfortably. Her concern now is that it is becoming more difficult because of the government. Sending money to North Korea is illegal under the Foreign Exchange Transaction Act. But authorities long turned a blind eye on humanitarian grounds and because the amounts were not significant. “No one raised the issue of remittances to North Korea for decades,” said a defector named Kim. “The reason I can endure such loneliness in South Korea is that I get to hear the words, ‘My family received the money.’” But then last July [police began investigating](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68065475) defector remittances. Some media suggested the police were bent on proving themselves before the new year when the [right to investigate anti-communist cases](https://monthly.chosun.com/client/news/viw.asp?ctcd=H&nNewsNumb=202311100013#google_vignette) was to be transferred to them from the National Intelligence Service. Defectors are now anxious that the police may enforce an outright ban. Generally, brokers in the South are themselves defectors. With won remittances, they deduct a fee ([around 50 percent now](https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=7833136)) and transfer the rest to Chinese brokers who forward the remitted amount in yuan to North Korean brokers, who then deliver the funds. The government is cracking down on the grounds that the brokers are in violation of the rule that requires foreign exchange transactions to go through banks. The problem for defectors is that, with Chinese traders who deal legitimately with North Korea not willing to take the obvious risk of sending money through formal channels, there are no other options. One of their arguments is to point out that remittances to North Korea serve a greater purpose as far as South Korean interests are concerned than economic support. They have the effect of guaranteeing the ‘right to know’ of North Koreans. “Banning remittances to North Korea is like killing a chicken to scare monkeys,” said Choi, a defector in her 20s who has been living in Seoul for six years. She contrasted it with funds remitted to families by North Korea’s overseas laborers. “Foreign workers send money earned abroad without proper tax compliance. This is clearly illegal,” she said. “I understand why people here might see remittances to North Korea as a problem, but they should think more broadly. This flow of money helps us get information about North Korea. But, there is something more important. When I was in the North and received money from my mother who was in the South, it sparked in me a longing to go and taught me something basic about capitalism. This led to my defection.” Choi said that South Korea even learned of the existence of some previously unknown prisons and changed locations of others through the process of defectors sending remittances to their families. “It is evident that allowing remittances for humanitarian reasons has had the effect of bringing in information about current conditions in North Korea, including its market economy. Blocking remittances to North Korea is not desirable even from a national security standpoint,” she said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=South%20Korea%20is%20making%20it%20more%20difficult%20for%20defectors%20to%20send%20money%20to%20their%20families&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=South%20Korea%20is%20making%20it%20more%20difficult%20for%20defectors%20to%20send%20money%20to%20their%20families https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=South%20Korea%20is%20making%20it%20more%20difficult%20for%20defectors%20to%20send%20money%20to%20their%20families "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-is-making-it-more-difficult-for-defectors-to-send-money-to-their-families/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=South%20Korea%20is%20making%20it%20more%20difficult%20for%20defectors%20to%20send%20money%20to%20their%20families&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/south-korea-is-making-it-more-difficult-for-defectors-to-send-money-to-their-families/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=South%20Korea%20is%20making%20it%20more%20difficult%20for%20defectors%20to%20send%20money%20to%20their%20families "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [The Accusation: Forbidden Stories from Inside North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-accusation-forbidden-stories-from-inside-north-korea/) **Published:** July 21, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** The Accusation: Forbidden Stories from Inside North Korea by Bandi is a rare and remarkable collection of stories that expose the harsh realities of life under a totalitarian regime. Bandi, a pseudonym meaning “firefly”, is a writer who risked his life to smuggle his manuscript out of the country. His stories, based on factual situations, depict the struggles, fears, and hopes of ordinary North Koreans, who face constant surveillance, accusation, and punishment for the slightest dissent. The stories are both tragic and humorous, revealing the absurdity and cruelty of the system, as well as the resilience and dignity of the human spirit. The book is a powerful testimony of the atrocities committed by the North Korean government, and a call for action and awareness on the plight of its people. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Accusation%3A%20Forbidden%20Stories%20from%20Inside%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Accusation%3A%20Forbidden%20Stories%20from%20Inside%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Accusation%3A%20Forbidden%20Stories%20from%20Inside%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-accusation-forbidden-stories-from-inside-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Accusation%3A%20Forbidden%20Stories%20from%20Inside%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-accusation-forbidden-stories-from-inside-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Accusation%3A%20Forbidden%20Stories%20from%20Inside%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Books --- ### [Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il Fund, “Using the Dead to Exploit the Living"](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sung-kim-jong-il-fund-using-the-dead-to-exploit-the-living/) **Published:** February 25, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/0990_-_Nordkorea_2015_-_Pjongjang_-_Mausoleum_22950470746-1.jpg "0990nordkorea2015pjöngjangmausoleum22950470746 | nk insider")The bodies of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, the North Korean leaders who died in 1994 and 2011 respectively, are enshrined in the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang. The cost of preserving their embalmed bodies and maintaining the site comes from forced donations to the Kim Il Sung-Kim-Jong Il Fund under a policy instituted in November 2013. The core of the donation policy, revealed in recently obtained party documents, was that enterprises, companies, and organizations were to be awarded official certificates if they made local currency donations ranging from KPW 50 million to KPW 500 million. Those making foreign currency donations would receive a certificate if they give US$5,000 to $50,000. Interestingly, the dollar amounts that earn the donor a certificate are around one tenth the won amounts according to the current exchange rate (US$ 1 = KPW 900). The mausoleum is a five-story stone complex at the foot of Kumsusan, which is also known as Moranbong (Peony Hill), about 8 kilometers northeast of downtown Pyongyang. The total land area of the site is 3.5 million square meters, with an above-ground construction area of ​​34,100 square meters. ![an internal document of the dprk obtained by nk insider notes that on nov 13 2013 kim jong un instructed officials to award certificates to enterprises companies and organizations that donated to the kim il sung kim jong il fund](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/김일성김정일기금제-1-2-794x1024.jpg "김일성김정일기금제12 | nk insider")*An internal document of the DPRK, obtained by NK Insider, notes that on Nov. 13, 2013, Kim Jong Un instructed officials to award certificates to enterprises, companies, and organizations that donated to the Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il Fund.* Construction began in March 1973 and was completed on April 15, 1977, to commemorate Kim Il Sung’s 65th birthday. Until his death in July 1994, the building served as Kim Il Sung’s office and residence. It was known as the Kumsusan Assembly Hall, or the Presidential Palace. Ahead of the first anniversary of his death, it was repurposed as his mausoleum and renamed the Kumsusan Memorial Palace. On December 17, 2011, following the death of Kim Jong Il, the palace underwent reconstruction once again. The second floor became Kim Il Sung Hall, and the first floor was named Kim Jong Il Hall. On February 16, 2012, which would have been Kim Jong Il’s 70th birthday, the palace was given its current name. Since November 26, 2013, it has been operated and managed according to the amended [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kumsusan Palace of the Sun Law.](https://www.unilaw.go.kr/bbs/selectBoardArticle.do?bbsId=BBSMSTR_000000000021&bbsSubId=&nttId=1447&bbsTyCode=BBST01&bbsAttrbCode=BBSA02&authFlag=Y&pageIndex=3&passwordConfirmAt=&recordCountPerPage=10&searchCnd=&searchWrd=&alikeYn=&alike=&sidx=NTT_ID&sord=DESC&menuNo=3010000&upperMenuId=3000000) This law defines the palace as the “Best Shrine of Juche” and mandates its preservation for eternity. While North Korea has numerous sacred sites, they are not maintained for any religious significance. Rather, they serve to venerate Kim Il Sung, who was posthumously elevated to the position of Eternal President, and Kim Jong Il, who was similarly declared the Eternal Secretary-General of the Workers’ Party. Sacred sites include Mangyongdae, where Kim Il Sung was born, Baekdu Mountain, where Kim Jong Il was alleged to have been born, as well as battlegrounds and places where the leaders did historically significant things. All North Koreans are compelled to visit them in their respective party, youth union, or labor organizations. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Image-from-pdf-15-page-1-1024x683.jpg "Imagefrompdf15page1 | nk insider") (From the left) Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s younger sister; Jo Yong Won, deputy chief of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK); Ri Sol Ju, Kim Jong Un’s wife; Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Leader; and Pak Jong Chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, are seen visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on April 15, 2021, marking the commemoration of North Korea’s founder Kim Il Sung’s 110th birthday. Image: Rodong SinmunHowever, citizens are not obligated to go to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. Such a visit is considered a privilege and only those selected and recommended by the Party get to make one. When I went there myself, I remember thinking, “This is truly a sacred place.” The atmosphere was entirely different from battlegrounds and other historical sites. They functioned for educational purposes. But this was different. Just before entering the building, visitors receive instructions from official guides, at which moment, the excitement vanishes. The instructions conclude with a warning: “Even minor mistakes within the palace can be considered major criminal offenses, so please be especially cautious.” On my tour, as we passed through the security checkpoint, guides handed out handkerchiefs. At first, I was curious as to why. Looking back now I feel embarrassed to admit this, but I shed many tears. I also sweated a lot throughout the tour, perhaps due to nervousness. I recall the security personnel exchanging the wet handkerchiefs of women visitors for fresh ones. The Kumsusan Palace truly stands as a masterpiece, evoking awe and instilling absolute trust and reverence towards the greatness of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. It can be regarded as the paramount shrine of supreme leader indoctrination, and it is crafted as an artistic marvel for this purpose. The bodies of the two Kims appear to be in perfect condition. They look as if they are simply sleeping. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/KJL-1024x629.jpg "Kjl | nk insider") The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun holds the embalmed remains of Kim Jong Il, the late North Korean leader. Image: Rodong SinmunThis is the work of Russia’s [Center for Scientific Research and Teaching Methods in Biochemical Technologies](https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1QM2SL/) which manages the preservation of Soviet founder Valdimir Lenin and the bodies of several other communist leaders. The original embalming in Pyongyang [is said to have cost $1 million](https://www.dailynk.com/%ea%b9%80%ec%9d%bc%ec%84%b1-%ec%82%ac%ec%b2%b4%eb%b3%b4%ec%a1%b4-%eb%a7%a4%eb%85%84-80%eb%a7%8c%eb%8b%ac%eb%9f%ac-%ec%86%8c%eb%aa%a8/) with the annual treatment that is necessary to preserve the bodies [costing an estimated $450,000](https://news.tvchosun.com/mobile/svc/osmo_news_detail.html?contid=2019070690056). This budget plus fees for the maintenance of the palace used to be covered by funds raised from party dues and foreign currency earnings, according to Kim Il Guk, a defector who worked in the accounting department of office No 39 of the party before escaping to South Korea in 2015. Following Kim Jong Un’s rise to power in 2013, he said, there was a proposal from the Pyongyang Municipal Party Committee stating, “It is the rightful duty and responsibility of the offspring of the Great Leaders to care for the sacred site of the Sun where their parents rest.” This led to the establishment of the Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il Fund donation system. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Il%20Sung-Kim%20Jong%20Il%20Fund%2C%20%E2%80%9CUsing%20the%20Dead%20to%20Exploit%20the%20Living%22&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Il%20Sung-Kim%20Jong%20Il%20Fund%2C%20%E2%80%9CUsing%20the%20Dead%20to%20Exploit%20the%20Living%22 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Il%20Sung-Kim%20Jong%20Il%20Fund%2C%20%E2%80%9CUsing%20the%20Dead%20to%20Exploit%20the%20Living%22 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sung-kim-jong-il-fund-using-the-dead-to-exploit-the-living/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Il%20Sung-Kim%20Jong%20Il%20Fund%2C%20%E2%80%9CUsing%20the%20Dead%20to%20Exploit%20the%20Living%22&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-il-sung-kim-jong-il-fund-using-the-dead-to-exploit-the-living/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Il%20Sung-Kim%20Jong%20Il%20Fund%2C%20%E2%80%9CUsing%20the%20Dead%20to%20Exploit%20the%20Living%22 "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-girl-with-seven-names-a-north-korean-defectors-story/) **Published:** July 21, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** The Girl with Seven Names is a New York Times bestseller and a gripping memoir by Hyeonseo Lee, a North Korean defector who risked her life to escape the brutal regime and find freedom. Lee recounts her remarkable journey from a privileged childhood in Hyesan, a city near the Chinese border, to a harrowing odyssey across China, Laos, and South Korea, where she eventually settled and became an activist. Along the way, she faced danger, betrayal, loneliness, and loss, but also courage, resilience, and hope. Lee’s story is not only a testament to her personal strength, but also a powerful indictment of the human rights violations in North Korea. She is the first defector to speak on the main stage of TED and a speaker at the Oslo Freedom Forum hosted by the Human Rights Foundation. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about the realities of life under dictatorship and the inspiring stories of those who dare to defy it. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Girl%20with%20Seven%20Names%3A%20A%20North%20Korean%20Defector%E2%80%99s%20Story&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Girl%20with%20Seven%20Names%3A%20A%20North%20Korean%20Defector%E2%80%99s%20Story https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Girl%20with%20Seven%20Names%3A%20A%20North%20Korean%20Defector%E2%80%99s%20Story "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-girl-with-seven-names-a-north-korean-defectors-story/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Girl%20with%20Seven%20Names%3A%20A%20North%20Korean%20Defector%E2%80%99s%20Story&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-girl-with-seven-names-a-north-korean-defectors-story/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Girl%20with%20Seven%20Names%3A%20A%20North%20Korean%20Defector%E2%80%99s%20Story "Reddit") **Categories:** Books --- ### [North Korean soldiers no longer believe war propaganda](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-soldiers-no-longer-believe-war-propaganda/) **Published:** January 15, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1709294860961.jpeg "1709294860961 | nk insider")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 its will to fight waning. At the beginning of the year, [in a policy speech](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-kim-calls-change-status-south-warns-war-2024-01-15/) at the Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim openly displayed his willingness to risk war. He said the constitution should be changed to position South Korea as the “No.1 enemy nation” and “implacable foe” and that North Korea should plan to “fully occupy, pacify and absorb South Korea and incorporate it into the territory of the republic in the event of war.” Predictably, Korean Central Television showed soldiers and citizens declaring their determination to “swiftly conquer” South Korea if the Supreme Commander gave the order. However, this televised confidence is the opposite of the truth. Actual morale among the troops contradicts the government’s resolve, according to soldiers who have been stationed on the DMZ border and those who have served in the 8th Army Corps in North Pyongan Province and 9th Army Corps in North Hamgyong Province. Their testimony suggests a widespread conviction that if there was a war, their country would lose. That is because soldiers of the jangmadang market generation are far better informed about the outside world, especially regarding the United States and South Korea, than earlier generations. They have learned through South Korean and American dramas and movies about the power of the US military, and how it is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons systems. This is not a new problem for military authorities in Pyongyang. In 2013, when Kim became the Supreme Commander, internal military documents pointed out a “growing mindset of war-weariness and mental state of fear of war which must be overcome.” They stressed the need to arm soldiers with the attitude of “revolutionary warfare.” They should have an “indomitable spirit and conviction” that under Kim’s leadership North Korea’s military would be victorious. Of the 35,000 North Korean defectors to South Korea, around 3,000 served in the military. Through them, it is evident how attitudes to war have changed over the years. My generation – I was born in 1969 and served from 1985 to 1994 – is astounded by the transformation. We were instilled with the belief that victory was inevitable. We were told our forces in the Korean War repelled an invasion by the United States and South Korea and 16 other nations. July 27, when the armistice was signed in 1953, was celebrated as a “Day of Victory.” When we left home for military service, our parents told us, “Return as a unification hero.” New recruits wanted to be assigned to special forces units. Those rejected due to a low songbun (family background) or physical ineligibility often blamed their parents. Some even ran away from home. All of that has changed. Nowadays, when their children are called up to serve, parents mobilize family ties and connections, and even prepare bribes, to ensure their children are assigned to non-combatant roles, such as rearguard units, cyber units, or border guards, rather than frontline combat units. Oh Chong-song [who escaped through the Joint Security Area](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO-n-fqcV70) in Panmunjom in November 2017, said that most North Korean soldiers are aware that the United States and South Korea are overwhelmingly superior. Nobody believes the North could ever win. More to the point, they don’t believe they would personally survive if war broke out. That is not to say the North Korean military does not pose a significant threat. It is capable of provocation and inciting war. The source of the threat, however, lies in Kim’s personal sentiments and in the instability of his regime. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korean%20soldiers%20no%20longer%20believe%20war%20propaganda&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korean%20soldiers%20no%20longer%20believe%20war%20propaganda https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korean%20soldiers%20no%20longer%20believe%20war%20propaganda "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-soldiers-no-longer-believe-war-propaganda/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korean%20soldiers%20no%20longer%20believe%20war%20propaganda&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-soldiers-no-longer-believe-war-propaganda/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korean%20soldiers%20no%20longer%20believe%20war%20propaganda "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [North Korean workers investigated for murder after China labor protest](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-workers-investigated-for-murder-after-china-labor-protest/) **Published:** April 1, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/shutterstock_1595747152-scaled.jpg "May2015southsearussiaproductionofcanned | nk insider")Several North Korean workers have been repatriated and remain under investigation on possible murder charges after protests at an industrial complex in China erupted in January over unpaid wages, according to employees at one of the factories involved. Violence broke out at a number of [North Korean-run clothing plants](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68226271) in Jilin Province in northeast China, with workers smashing equipment and assaulting officials. Some foreign news reports alleged the North Koreans were furious after they found that long overdue wages had been diverted to a war preparation fund. The Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun reported that 2,000 workers in the Nanping Industrial Complex in the city of Helong participated and that a North Korean manager being held hostage was [beaten to death](https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/world/asia-pacific/20240217-169463/). Three women working at a garment company in the complex, interviewed in late March, said that six male employees were identified as having led or participated in the violence and were returned in early March to North Korea, where they remain under investigation. “Regardless of any grievances, resorting to violence resulting in someone’s death necessitates legal consequences,” one of the workers said. Another said the protest erupted over “misconduct by certain officials regarding payment regulations” and that the “cadres have been investigated by the (North Korean) government and some of the unpaid wages were paid in February.” The protest does not appear to have been against the system under which the state keeps most of their earnings. They said their contracts as skilled workers, signed by their North Korean company with the Chinese firm, are for 4,800 yuan (US$664) per month, of which they receive 540 yuan (US$74). But they did confirm that they and their fellow workers are less trusting. “We normally leave most of our money with the (North Korean) company while we’re in China and collect it when we return home,” one said. “But many are now sending our wages directly to our families by bank transfer, even if it means paying a fee.” The workers, all women, spoke on condition that their names be withheld. The Nanping Industrial Complex is an industrial park with North Korean-run companies set up by the local government of Helong in Jilin Province, close to the border with North Korea. Until 2018, it was a garment plant with 300 workers, but it has now expanded into a complex with some 5,000 workers, 80 percent of whom are North Korean. Operations include semiconductor component production, electronic product assembly, metal processing, garment processing, and ceramic crafts, jointly operated and invested by Chinese and North Korean companies. The three women have been in China since 2014. They were originally sent to Shenyang in Liaoning Province by the North Korean Military Mobilization Bureau’s garment factory. They transferred to Helong in October 2022. Most North Korean workers there were relocated from other jobs in the three northeastern three provinces of China after their contracts expired, as COVID-19 restrictions still in place prevented the despatch of workers directly from North Korea itself. For the first five years, their contracted salary was 7,000 yuan (968 US dollars) per month. Of this amount, they received 600 yuan (USD 83). After 2019, when the economic crisis worsened due to COVID-19, Chinese companies reduced wages. The women said the most challenging aspect of their overseas deployment was homesickness. They said their requests to return home have been denied due to government restrictions. Some were permitted to attend funerals and for similar reasons, but since the pandemic, even that is not possible. “It feels like we’ve been sold for foreign currency,” one of the women said. To qualify for work in garment companies overseas, North Koreans must graduate from a two-year program in garment processing at a vocational college. They must also have at least three years of on-the-job experience. Those selected are typically between 23 and 25. Some younger candidates are graduates from a six-month vocational school and have just one year’s experience. These skilled workers typically reach 28 to 30 by the time they complete their five-year work contracts. Some choose to extend. The contracts of the three women expired in August 2019 and were extended for two years when the pandemic struck. When their factory was closed in November 2020 due to the pandemic, they were unable to return home and essentially trapped in China for almost three years. Then, in 2022, they were able to transfer to their current garment factory in Helong. Regarding marriage, they have different views. One said she has no interest. “My priority is making money,” she said. “I was engaged before coming to China and I called, but I’d like to settle down soon,” said another. “I don’t want to get married but I will if my parents insist,” said the third worker. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korean%20workers%20investigated%20for%20murder%20after%20China%20labor%20protest&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korean%20workers%20investigated%20for%20murder%20after%20China%20labor%20protest https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korean%20workers%20investigated%20for%20murder%20after%20China%20labor%20protest "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-workers-investigated-for-murder-after-china-labor-protest/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korean%20workers%20investigated%20for%20murder%20after%20China%20labor%20protest&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-workers-investigated-for-murder-after-china-labor-protest/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korean%20workers%20investigated%20for%20murder%20after%20China%20labor%20protest "Reddit") **Categories:** Overseas Workers --- ### [Secret police start annual propaganda performances ](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-start-annual-propaganda-performances/) **Published:** March 29, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Megaphone.jpg "Megaphone | nk insider")Propaganda teams organized by the secret police this month started touring the provinces and staging performances about attempted coups to educate the public in how to spot spies. The events, which are held on farms and in factories and various companies, focus on glorifying the greatness of Kim Jong-un. The performers enact cases such as an alleged[ assassination attempt on Kim Jong-un](https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-plot-to-kill-kim-jong-un) last year and an apparent attempt to burn down an election venue, sources in North Hamgyong Province confirmed. One defector, a lady from North Hamgyong named Han, who fled across the Tumen River in March 2019 and arrived in South Korea last December, said she saw shows that featured the role of four provincial heroes who thwarted an earlier terrorist plot against Kim’s train. Their “struggles” were portrayed in poetry and song, she said. The performers demonstrate methods for detecting espionage activities and ways to report them. The local efforts to educate ordinary people are part of a surveillance system that not only reflects the insecurity of the regime, but that is also the key to its ability to maintain rigid control. The “[Anti-Espionage Artistic Propaganda Teams](https://blog.naver.com/nkrf_blog/223257018005)” (APT) were created by the Ministry of State Security (MSS), North Korea’s dreaded secret police agency, and are managed on provincial, city and county levels. According to defectors from the MSS and APTs, provincial, city, and county MSS offices submit annual reviews in December which include themes that need to be communicated to the public. They organize the teams and prepare performances in December and January, and in March, they start touring. The teams engage in regional competitions and provincial winners go to Pyongyang for a national event. The MSS [surveillance network](https://www.amnesty.org.uk/north-korea-surveillance-state-prison-camp-internet-phone-technology) features vertical surveillance based on workplace hierarchy along with a secretive horizontal system where informers monitor workmates and neighbors for counter-revolutionary ideas and behavior. This horizontal system is organized across all social sectors and classes. The Youth League, General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea, Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea, Socialist Women’s Union of Korea, and other party and labor organizations conduct weekly, monthly and quarterly reviews of their members’ Life Review Sessions and submit reports to higher authorities. This is vertical surveillance. At the same time, informants at each level, who take oaths of secrecy, monitor the thoughts of cadres and officials and provide the secret police with daily reports. This is the horizontal system. These internal spies do not know the identity of other agents in their organizations and, in this way, also monitor each other. While these details are closely guarded, the existence of the system is known. The secret police is therefore about to instill fear and discourage “hostilities.” The APTs function to inform the public of the existence of the surveillance network. The performances include content that is not publicized, such as investigations based on reporting by the secret workplace spies. Audiences are always shocked. Eyewitnesses say they are led to feel that there is an invisible enemy in their midst and that the MSS is waging an invisible war against it. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Secret%20police%20start%20annual%20propaganda%20performances%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Secret%20police%20start%20annual%20propaganda%20performances%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Secret%20police%20start%20annual%20propaganda%20performances%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-start-annual-propaganda-performances/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Secret%20police%20start%20annual%20propaganda%20performances%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/secret-police-start-annual-propaganda-performances/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Secret%20police%20start%20annual%20propaganda%20performances%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Security --- ### [Pro-North activist group in South Korea dissolves itself](https://www.nkinsider.org/pro-north-activist-group-in-south-korea-dissolves-itself/) **Published:** March 15, 2024 **Author:** Kim Dong-sik **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KJU-3.jpg "ºÏÇÑ ¬¸ ÀüøȸÀÇ Á¾á 2024³âµµ ÅõÀï°ú¾÷ Á¦½Ã | nk insider")A prominent civic group in South Korea dedicated to reunification and with counterparts in North Korea and overseas, announced its dissolution after a general meeting in Seoul on February 17. The decision came in the wake of Kim Jong-un’s new year decision to abandon unification and redesignate the South as an enemy foreign country. This strategic shift, which overturned a founding national imperative established in 1948 by Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il-sung, threw groups in South Korea dedicated to unification into disarray. As their aim is reunification, they may have been expected to come out and strongly condemn Kim. Certainly, in the past they haven’t held back in their criticism of Seoul’s policies which they believed to be in the way of reconciliation. But the Southern Headquarters of the Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification (PKAR) quietly threw in the towel and dissolved itself. To explain this odd move, we should take a closer look at the roots of this particular group. PKAR, or Beomminryeon as it is known, was formed in August 1990. At the time, the South had become a democracy and, following the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, was pursuing a “nordpolitik” rapprochement with the communist allies of North Korea. Soviet communism was collapsing, the Germanies were reuniting and eastern European communist states turning to liberal democracy. Campus activists in Korea were protesting for reunification. Initially led by the Rev. Moon Ik-hwan, a dissident Protestant minister, who was jailed after an unapproved visit in March 1989 to North Korea, where he met with Kim Il-sung, the Southern Headquarters (ie, South Korean branch) of PKAR appears to have been directed by the North Korean regime itself. This may seem like an unreasonable echo of old anti-communist accusations against government opponents. But it was Moon himself who revealed it. In 1994, he argued that the progressives running the PKAR should replace it with something new. “Beomminryeon has become a tool of the North Korean Espionage Operations in the South,” he said. At the time, a member of another group which was in broad agreement with Moon’s organization complained to me, asking, “Why does North Korea only deal with the Southern Headquarters of the PKAR?” PKAR was in fact favored by North Korea. The reason was that the power behind it was the United Front Department (UFD) of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang. This is a department of the party’s Central Committee which is tasked with relations with South Korea. It is responsible for propaganda, espionage and the management of front organizations. I should point out that the term “unified” in its name does not refer to inter-Korean unification. Rather it refers to its umbrella function bringing together individuals and groups with different ideologies, beliefs, religions, and interests that nevertheless share a common goal. In its South Korea operations, the UFD emphasized that groups and people under its direction respect their differences in the interest of unity. It appears that the Southern Headquarters of PKAR operated according to the directives of the UFD right up to its dissolution. After his declaration, Kim ordered a restructuring of the various organizations in the North itself dealing with South Korean matters. Not least among these was the UFD and its Department of Espionage Operations in the South. The North Korean Committee for the Implementation of the June 15th Joint Declaration, the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation and the Dangun Reunification Council were all dissolved on January 12. So was the Northern Headquarters of the PKAR. This left the PKAR’s Southern Headquarters branch high and dry. “The first reason for the dissolution of the Southern Headquarters of the PKAR was that the relationship between North and South Korea has gone beyond total collapse to a state where reunification is not only impossible but the relationship has become one between two hostile belligerents,” Won Jin-wook, its secretary general wrote in [Tongil (unification) News](https://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=210067). “With the dissolution of the Northern Headquarters, the PKAR movement, which had been conducted as a tripartite solidarity between North Korea, South Korea and overseas, lost the basis for its existence,” he said. Given it was Kim Jong-un who turned hostile and belligerent, Won might have pointed out the obvious and said that PKAR’s dissolution was done under orders from Kim. The reason for this omission is rather obvious. PKAR’s mission in promoting reunification was to promote it on North Korea’s terms. At the dissolution meeting, it was decided that the activism would continue under another name. “As our main future activities, we will prioritize practical endeavors for the independence of Korean society, focusing on urgent tasks such as the abolition of the National Security Law, disbanding of the ROK-US-Japan alliance, withdrawal of US troops from South Korea, and opposition to any US-led war,” he wrote. “We will actively participate in and stand in solidarity with the movement for the impeachment of Yoon Seok-yeol.” As for the name of the new organization, “It will be provisionally called the Union of the Korean Independence Movement (KIM), and the final decision will be made when the preparatory committee is formed.” The words “reunification” and “nation” will be dropped from the name of the new organization. In this, as with other things, they seem to be toeing Kim Jong-un’s line. As the North Korean saying goes, “As the mullet (Kim Jong-un) jumps, so does the goby (PKAR).” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/ "Kim Dong-sik") [Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/) Dong-sik is the author of "No One Reported Me – the Story of an Agent from the North," and founder and director of the KAS Consultancy, an NGO based in Seoul, Korea. While in North Korea, he worked at the Department of the DPRK’s Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea focused on South Korea for 15 years. The mission of the department (대남공작부서) was to carry out various espionage activities in South Korea. During this time, he carried out two missions in the South for which he received the title of Hero of the Republic and the National Flag Medal, 1st Class. Originally coming from a construction background, he also had various other experiences in North Korea, ranging from the chairman of a youth league and the general secretary of a factory to the director of a district party, among others. He graduated from Kim Jong Il Politics and Military University in North Korea and received a doctorate in North Korean studies in South Korea. [![Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/ "Kim Dong-sik") Latest posts by Kim Dong-sik ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/)) - [Japan’s impasse over abductions. It’s the North Korean economy, stupid](https://www.nkinsider.org/japans-impasse-over-abductions-its-the-north-korean-economy-stupid/) - April 5, 2024 - [Why North Korean news media don’t report news](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korean-news-media-dont-report-news/) - March 23, 2024 - [With her Mount Paektu bloodline, there is nothing preventing Kim Ju-ae being the next leader](https://www.nkinsider.org/with-her-mount-paektu-bloodline-there-is-nothing-preventing-kim-ju-ae-being-the-next-leader/) - March 16, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Pro-North%20activist%20group%20in%20South%20Korea%20dissolves%20itself&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Pro-North%20activist%20group%20in%20South%20Korea%20dissolves%20itself https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Pro-North%20activist%20group%20in%20South%20Korea%20dissolves%20itself "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pro-north-activist-group-in-south-korea-dissolves-itself/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Pro-North%20activist%20group%20in%20South%20Korea%20dissolves%20itself&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/pro-north-activist-group-in-south-korea-dissolves-itself/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Pro-North%20activist%20group%20in%20South%20Korea%20dissolves%20itself "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [When the enemy of my enemy becomes my friend: the South Koreans who scratch Kim Jong-un's back](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-becomes-my-friend-the-south-koreans-who-scratch-kim-jong-uns-back/) **Published:** March 27, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/24030429차-촛불-대회-윤미향-1.jpg "24030429차 촛불 대회 윤미향 | nk insider")In a peculiar dynamic, North Korean media has been reporting on the activities of certain leftist lawmakers and activists in South Korea in a way that contributes to the idea that these figures are implicitly supporting the North. But the truth may be more simple. The Workers’ Party *Rodong Sinmun* newspaper reported March 14 on ongoing candlelight protests in Seoul under the headline “The momentum to impeach Yoon Suk-yeol, a US war hawk, is intensifying in South Korean society.” It covered a protest by Candlelight Action, an alliance of left-leaning civic groups, which demanded the resignation of President Yoon Suk-yeol and the appointment of a special prosecutor to look into allegations against his wife, Kim Keon-hee, as well as cessation of US-South Korea joint exercises and dissolution of the US-South Korea alliance. These all mirrored North Korea’s claims, surprising many. The current government in South Korea has taken a different approach with North Korea than its predecessor. It characterizes the policies of the Moon Jae-in administration as “pro-North Korean” and “appeasement.” The Yoon administration says its peace policy is firmly based on principles. It also is concerned to address North Korean human rights issues and issued a “[North Korean Human Rights Report](https://www.unikorea.go.kr/eng_unikorea/news/Publications/ronkhr/)” in March last year as part of that effort. Defense Minister Shin Won-shik has emphasized the firm side of Yoon’s approach, saying that [if North Korea provokes, it must be eliminated “forcefully to the end](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240101001900315).” North Korea has hit back at this stance. *Rodong Sinmun* said on March 5, 2023, “We have already warned that the so-called ‘immediate, strong, end’ principle could turn into ‘immediate death, forced death, end’ with the clamor of war hawks.” Some members of the South Korean National Assembly have echoed the North’s criticisms. One such figure is Youn Mee-hyang, the founder of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance, a comfort women support group. Youn was an Assembly seat by the Democratic Party in 2020, but was expelled from the party the following year after being convicted of embezzling donations. Since then, she has been active as an independent lawmaker and appears to be consistent in taking North Korea’s stance on issues, almost to the point of appearing like a spokesperson for the Workers’ Party. For example, Youn was part of a press conference on February 1 urging passage of a “[Special Law on Civilian Casualties in Vietnam by the Korean Military](https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2024/02/04/LM46JDMRGJBQDERQOLLF4ZNQFU/)” to investigate issues of “rape, massacre” committed by Korean troops deployed to Vietnam 60 years ago. This issue was never raised by the Vietnamese government but taken up separately by South Korean lawmakers. Her position aligns with North Korea’s narrative, not out of concern for victims, but to use them to discredit South Korea. Youn created controversy when she [attended a memorial event in Tokyo](https://news.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230905000826) in September for Koreans massacred after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. Rather than attend the event held by the pro-South Korean Mindan residents association, she chose to go to a similar event on the same day organized by the pro-North Chongryon association. Chongryon has an ugly history. It encouraged and arranged the migration to North Korea of 87,000 Korean residents and around 6,000 Japanese spouses. An estimated 10,000 of these returnees ended up in the gulag. One of its members shot and killed South Korean First Lady Yuk Young-soo during an assassination attempt on her husband, Park Chung-hee. Chongryon has long provided funds to North Korea and has been associated with kidnapping. The organization’s chairman and vice chairman were at the event with Youn. To give a sense of how this reflects on Youn, its former chairmen are buried in the Patriotic Martyrs’ Cemetery in Pyongyang. Pro-North Korean left-wing forces in South Korea have deep historical roots. Contemporary politicians and activists on the political left are referred to as the 386 Movement. This moniker echoes the Intel 386 computer processor which came out in 1985 and the “3-8-6” refers to the age when the term was created (their 30s), the time they entered university (1980s) and when they were born (1960s). ([They’ve since been rechristened “586”](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2024/03/135_293394.html)) The 386 figures started their political life in the student movement. Their opposition to the Chun Doo-hwan dictatorship expanded into hatred of its allies, mostly the United States, and admiration for its enemies, particularly North Korea. A certain portion of the South Korean student movement became adherents of [Kim Il-sung’s Juche ideology. ](https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/brief-introduction-and-assessment-juche-ideology) They later established the goal not only of democratizing South Korean society but also establishing a socialist society like North Korea’s. This involved dismantling conglomerates, withdrawing US troops and dissolving the U.S.-South Korea alliance. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Sun-sil-Lee-who-disappeared-in-October-1990.jpg "Sunsilleewhodisappearedinoctober1990 | nk insider") **North Korean operative Lee Sun-sil. (Image/ captured from youtube Channel A canvas**)Kim Jong-un’s grandfather, Kim Il-sung, the then-dictator of North Korea, welcomed this and even [dispatched spies into South Korea](https://apnews.com/general-news-4aed59586fbf4540890f08eb2988bf83) to recruit and control them. In one remarkable case, a lady named Lee Sun-sil reportedly spent ten years in the South [recruiting and training Juche followers before disappearing](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/world/asia/northern-spy-lifts-cloak-on-koreas-deadly-rivalry.html), presumably back north in 1990. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/노동신문-1.jpg "노동신문1 | nk insider") **South Korean student Lim Su-kyung meets Kim Il-sung in 1989. (Image/ Rodong Sinmun**)In 1989, the National Federation of University Students (Jeondaehyop) sent student [Lim Su-kyung to Pyongyang as its representative](https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20120611000977) to an international festival. After harsh reality struck in the 1990s with “[the Arduous March](https://www.nkeconwatch.com/category/policies/arduous-march/page/5/)” famine and the harrowing testimonies of defectors, these Juche fans in South Korea dissolved as if into thin air. However, they later entered politics and joined civic groups. With the inauguration of Moon Jae-in in 2017, they emerged in large numbers. A leading example is [Im Jong-seok,](https://www.wsj.com/articles/from-prison-to-the-presidents-office-a-former-radical-helps-shape-korean-detente-1524573686) who served as Chief Presidential Secretary. Im was the third chairman of Jeondaehyop. Arrested in 1989 and sentenced to five years for violating the National Security Law, Im was released in a special amnesty in 1993. He went on to serve as a lawmaker for a district in Seoul for eight years and then, after losing an election, became the vice-mayor of Seoul. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/문재인-행정부에서-통일부-장관을-지낸-이인영왼쪽과-대통령-비서실장을-지닌-임종석오른쪽의-당시-모습-사진-연합뉴스.jpg "문재인행정부에서통일부장관을지낸이인영왼쪽과대통령비서실장을지닌임종석오른쪽의당시모습사진연합뉴스 | nk insider") **Lee In-young (left), a former Minister of Unification, and Im Jong-seok (right), a Chief Presidential Secretary. (Image / Yonhap News Agency.**)Others such as [Lee In-young](https://www.38north.org/2020/08/afostercarter081420/), a lamaker and former Minister of Unification under Moon, and lawmaker [Song Young-gil,](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_Young-gil) a member of the National Assembly, also have backgrounds associated with the pro-North Korean faction. They hold a significant portion of seats in the National Assembly. They reject claims of being pro-North Korean, but many aspects of their statements and activities closely align with the positions of North Korea. Consider, for example, the Democratic Party position on Japan’s planned release of nuclear-contaminated water in 2023. “The international community is pouring out curses and criticisms against the actions of the Japanese authorities, which seriously threaten the safety of humanity,” *Rodong Sinmun* said in August. “Japan has crossed a line that should not be crossed,” Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung said. “The release of nuclear-contaminated water is a declaration of war against coastal nations in the Pacific. As the closest neighboring country and as South Korea is the one most affected, Japan must apologize.” Lee took this position indicating that his party knew better than the experts at International Atomic Energy Agency which, in a [report issued a month earlier](https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/iaea-finds-japans-plans-to-release-treated-water-into-the-sea-at-fukushima-consistent-with-international-safety-standards), ruled Japan’s method of release was “in line with international standards” and that the impact of the release on human health and the environment would be “negligible.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/230826-연합뉴스-더불어민주당-이재명-대표가-26일-오후-서울-프레스센터-인근에서-열린-후쿠시마-오염수-방류-반대-범국민대회-에서-관련-구호를-외치고-있다-2023826--1024x685.jpg "230826연합뉴스더불어민주당이재명대표가26일오후서울프레스센터인근에서열린후쿠시마오염수방류반대범국민대회에서관련구호를외치고있다2023826 | nk insider") **Lee Jae-myung, Democratic Party leader, rallies against the release of Fukushima water. (Image / Yonhap News**)Similarly, when [North Korea called for the cessation of the joint US-South Korea military exercises and the dismantling of the US-South Korea alliance](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240305000900315) this month, Youn Mee-hyang held a joint press conference with lawmakers and civic groups that echoed its sentiments verbatim. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/240313국회-국제-소통관-윤미향-1024x573.jpg "240313국회국제소통관윤미향 | nk insider") **Lawmaker Youn Mi-hyang calls for US-ROK military exercises to be stopped.** **(Image/ Youtube of the National Assembly’s Public Relations Office**)What are we to make of this apparent influence of North Korea on South Korean politicians and activists? Are they really pro-North Korean in the sense of knowingly acting in favor of Kim Jong-un and his regime? Are they fans of Juche and unaware that North Korea is an enemy of the country they represent? Not according to one defector who has worked with some of them as a legislative assistant. “They understand South Korea’s liberal democratic system and possess a capitalist mindset more than anyone else,” said Jo, who defected in 2002 and is now a university professor. “Their continuation of pro-North Korean rhetoric and alignment with North Korea’s claims is merely due to their need to differentiate themselves.” “They understand better than anyone else that we need to strengthen our response to North Korea and that we need to shed light on the human rights plight of North Korean citizens,” he said. “However, if they were to take that line, they would only be echoing the sentiments of the ruling party,” he said. In other words, they wouldn’t be able to attract any attention. “You need fresh ideas to capture public attention. From that perspective, there are aspects of North Korea’s claims that may feel fresh to the public, and they take advantage of that.” Jo said that from his personal experience, he found that the linking of leftist lawmakers is not significantly different from that of the ruling People Power Party. “They merely oppose for the sake of being different, regardless of whether it is right or wrong, and they end up aligning with North Korea’s claims. That is how the enemy of my enemy becomes my friend.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=When%20the%20enemy%20of%20my%20enemy%20becomes%20my%20friend%3A%20the%20South%20Koreans%20who%20scratch%20Kim%20Jong-un%27s%20back&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=When%20the%20enemy%20of%20my%20enemy%20becomes%20my%20friend%3A%20the%20South%20Koreans%20who%20scratch%20Kim%20Jong-un%27s%20back https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=When%20the%20enemy%20of%20my%20enemy%20becomes%20my%20friend%3A%20the%20South%20Koreans%20who%20scratch%20Kim%20Jong-un%27s%20back "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-becomes-my-friend-the-south-koreans-who-scratch-kim-jong-uns-back/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=When%20the%20enemy%20of%20my%20enemy%20becomes%20my%20friend%3A%20the%20South%20Koreans%20who%20scratch%20Kim%20Jong-un%27s%20back&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/when-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-becomes-my-friend-the-south-koreans-who-scratch-kim-jong-uns-back/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=When%20the%20enemy%20of%20my%20enemy%20becomes%20my%20friend%3A%20the%20South%20Koreans%20who%20scratch%20Kim%20Jong-un%27s%20back "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [Students under pressure to erase South Korea from textbooks before the school year starts](https://www.nkinsider.org/students-under-pressure-to-erase-south-korea-from-textbooks-before-the-school-year-starts/) **Published:** March 26, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/iStock-1126639440.jpg "Teenagers working at lesson in library | nk insider")Since Kim Jong-un declared South Korea to be his implacable foe, authorities in North Korea have been issuing instructions to have all references to the Korean peninsula, the Korean people, and the Republic of (South) Korea, along with mention of “national reunification,” “peace,” “separated families,” and “our people,” comprehensively air-brushed out of existence. The purge includes more poetic references to the peninsula, such as “samcheonri” (literally, 3,000 ri or Korean miles, a reference to its length) and “Paektu Halla,” after the mountains on the northern border with China and on the southernmost island of Jeju, respectively. The references are being taken out of all internal and external documents and materials and even the works and anthologies of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. Other targets are maps, songs, films, books and artwork. This frenzy of activity following Kim Jong-un’s new ideology of antagonism started in February in factories, companies, social organizations, and work units. It is especially impacting schools. According to a teacher at an upper middle school in North Pyongan Province, in a nationwide educational directive in late February, schools were ordered to rid textbooks of maps that show the whole peninsula, as well as all phrases related to national reunification, and certain photos. The directive covers all grades, from kindergartens to primary schools, lower middle schools, and upper middle schools. Especially impacted are subjects such as revolutionary history, geography and Korean history. The reason it is being done by hand is that there is no time to publish new textbooks for every grade before the new academic year begins in April. The doctored textbooks have to be fixed and submitted for school approval by the end of this month. To meet the deadline, schools across the country have established methods and deadlines for students and parents to remove phrases and pictures. They are to cut out little blank strips of paper and stick them over the offending phrases and pictures. Students and parents have to buy paper themselves at the jangmadang markets, make glue, and do the cutting and pasting. Needless to say, there is growing dissatisfaction and complaints in young families where elementary school students cannot perform the task and parents have to do it for them. The results often look grotesque as the paper strips may not match the color of the paper in the school books. Currently, North Korean textbooks are published in two types. One is made of relatively good quality white paper and the other is printed on low-quality paper that is easily torn and has a dull coloring. The good textbooks are sold at high prices in the jangmadang or at libraries targeting well-off residents, while the low-quality textbooks are distributed directly to schools. The latter books are limited and usually there are only one or two copies for each class. Last year, the Pyongyang Printing Factory produced only around 3,000 to 5,000 copies per subject. Given the worship of Kim Il-sung, his wife Kim Jong-suk, their son Kim Jong-il, and grandson and current leader, Kim Jong-un, the printworks prioritized the production of 5,000 copies of textbooks on the revolutionary activities of the dynasty. It is no wonder there were shortages in other subjects. The silver lining to this cloud is that students without textbooks don’t have to engage in the meticulous deletion project. It’s the students from well-off families and teachers in those areas who are busy at it. Thus, it is the elite that is dissatisfied, wondering why they have to engage in such a pointless activity to produce ugly textbooks with strips of paper pasted all over them. Some ask whether it is right that an individual erase the identity of a nation. What is not yet clear, the teacher said, is what the deletions mean for the actual curriculum. It is likely that topics related to Kim Jong-un will be used as replacements, but the absence of lesson plans and teaching materials poses a challenge. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Students%20under%20pressure%20to%20erase%20South%20Korea%20from%20textbooks%20before%20the%20school%20year%20starts&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Students%20under%20pressure%20to%20erase%20South%20Korea%20from%20textbooks%20before%20the%20school%20year%20starts https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Students%20under%20pressure%20to%20erase%20South%20Korea%20from%20textbooks%20before%20the%20school%20year%20starts "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/students-under-pressure-to-erase-south-korea-from-textbooks-before-the-school-year-starts/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Students%20under%20pressure%20to%20erase%20South%20Korea%20from%20textbooks%20before%20the%20school%20year%20starts&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/students-under-pressure-to-erase-south-korea-from-textbooks-before-the-school-year-starts/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Students%20under%20pressure%20to%20erase%20South%20Korea%20from%20textbooks%20before%20the%20school%20year%20starts "Reddit") **Categories:** Education --- ### [A North Korean laborer in Russia tells his story](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-laborer-in-russia-tells-his-story/) **Published:** March 21, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/shutterstock_461428621-1.jpg "Sovetskayagavanrussiajuly252016northkoreanworkers | nk insider")*The author recently interviewed a North Korean defector who,* [*despite UN sanctions*](https://www.chosun.com/english/north-korea-en/2024/02/14/7UDTOTEJHNDJ3GJCHAPIY742IY/) *which forbid North Korea dispatching laborers overseas, spent several years near St. Petersburg working on construction projects. Kang, aged 47, arrived in South Korea in December 2022. Here are his responses in full.* I worked for a North Korean construction company in Russia from 2019 to 2022. I’d like to tell my story because I think these overseas workers like me live as slaves and that people should fight against this system. I was sent to Russia as a construction worker. That’s where I encountered COVID-19. For three years, except for a quarantine period of just over a fortnight, we operated at full capacity amidst COVID-19. As forced labor is a normal part of life for us, people from all sorts of backgrounds – military officers, ordinary soldiers, actors, construction workers, teachers, IT technicians, artists – choose to work abroad. Regardless of their profession, the average worker in North Korea earns around KPW 2,000 (USD 0.22 at the market rate) a month. That’s why they are prepared to quit professional jobs and go overseas as laborers. Recently, to meet the demand for overseas workers, the regime started sending soldiers. There are two scenarios where soldiers are sent. One involves men who have served about eight years of their mandatory ten-year service and the other involves sending those who have completed their ten years. In both cases, they are sent without receiving formal discharge documents. That puts them in the vulnerable position of being recalled for military duty at any given time. To get selected for overseas work, people must pay bribes of anywhere between USD 50 and 500, depending on where they live. In Pyongyang, it’s USD 50. In the provinces, it’s USD 500 or more. For business owners, the fee is USD 10,000. Payment has to be in US dollars. > **To get selected for overseas work, people must pay bribes of anywhere between USD 50 and 500, depending on where they live.** My job in Russia was as a bricklayer building walls for private houses. Typically, my workmates and I would wake at 7am for breakfast and political education and start work at 8am. We often worked until around 2am, making it a 17-hour work day. We earned USD 2,000 to 3,000 a month. This payment was appropriated by company officials and the regime. We pocketed USD 100 to 200 a month. In the end, after five years, a laborer would bring home less than USD 3,000. This money was recorded in the books and amounts could be deducted for absences or decreased productivity during the five years. You might ask why don’t they defect if conditions are so bad? It is important to note that defection is not an easy option. Mostly, they fear for the safety of their family back home. Families face severe consequences for the defection of one member. Despite this, there are a few who decide to defect as a last resort – realizing they can do nothing more for their families. Even then, they find it difficult to go anywhere on their own, let alone plan how to escape. A secret policeman accompanied us even before we left North Korea. The message when we arrived in Russia was, “Don’t speak, don’t listen, don’t watch, don’t meet.” Then he confiscated our passports. > **A secret policeman accompanied us even before we left North Korea. The message when we arrived in Russia was, “Don’t speak, don’t listen, don’t watch, don’t meet.” Then he confiscated our passports.** Essentially, he forbade us from watching, listening to any foreign broadcasts, including those from Russia, and instructed us not to meet or talk to any foreigners. From the airport we were taken directly to the work site. Russian building sites are typically ringed with high fences and guarded by armed security, making it impossible to enter or exit without a pass. On the day we arrived, our construction site passes were also collected. Thus, we were trapped within a double or triple layer of surveillance and fences. The rules about no media and no talking with non-Koreans were strictly enforced. Where I was stationed, I had friends who in five years hadn’t once stepped inside a Russian shop. This strict control prevents people from defecting regardless of their grievances. North Korean citizens and overseas laborers are normal people. Where I was, workers craved access to outside information. The company deducted 2,000 rubles (USD 30) from their wages and gave it back to them as pocket money for cigarettes or liquor. They would save this money and secretly ask other foreign workers to help them buy cheap second-hand phones. When the security officer found out about this, he summoned all of us and made the man who had bought the phone smash it himself with a rock. This served the same purpose as public executions do back home and instilled fear in everyone else. Despite this, though, people continued to buy smartphones. Abuse of the overseas laborers in Russia is grave. At the company where I worked, one man named Jeon, who had health issues, was not very productive. One lunchtime, the boss approached him. “Is the rice going down your throat? Stop just thinking about eating and do your work properly,” he said, all the while hitting him over the head. Another common form of abuse is to keep the unit price hidden from workers. For example, if the payment for laying a cubic meter of bricks is 2,000 rubles, the workers are told they are to receive 1,000 rubles. One day, the boss came into the dining hall while the workers were eating and tipped over one man’s bowl and shouted, “What do you think you know if you know the unit price?” He kept on humiliating the worker for an hour. It seems that the worker mentioned to someone else that the unit price was 2,000 rubles. During my time in Russia, such incidents occurred countless times. Recent cases in China are shedding light on the fact that we basically had no rights. The Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun reported that 2,000 North Korean workers dispatched to China’s Jilin Province rioted in mid-January over unpaid wages. While I cannot confirm this report, it is likely to be true. That said, such events are rare under the North Korean regime and are unlikely to recur. Those involved will have already been dragged back to North Korea. Their punishment will be severe. Their families may have been relocated to remote areas or even sent to political prison camps, defectors say. I went to Russia to provide for my family. However, realizing that I could no longer earn money due to Kim Jong-un’s greed and the exploitation by officials and company bosses, I decided that opposing the dictatorship and fighting for the liberation of North Korea’s slaves was a hundred times more worthy way to spend my life. I was able to escape with the help of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Moscow. I am now a citizen of South Korea. I fight for the liberation of North Korean slaves. > **When we turn a blind eye to the victims of Kim Jong-un’s dictatorship, we must remember that we could also become victims of someone else’s dictatorship.** I believe that unhappiness spreads. When we turn a blind eye to others’ unhappiness, it easily spreads to us. When we fail to stand up for victims of crime, we can easily become victims ourselves. When we see disaster befall others and do nothing, we are more likely to become victims ourselves. When we turn a blind eye to the victims of Kim Jong-un’s dictatorship, we must remember that we could also become victims of someone else’s dictatorship. I think it’s my duty to disclose the facts about the slavery system of North Korea as one of the North Korean defectors who experienced it. Thank you for paying attention.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20North%20Korean%20laborer%20in%20Russia%20tells%20his%20story&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=A%20North%20Korean%20laborer%20in%20Russia%20tells%20his%20story https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=A%20North%20Korean%20laborer%20in%20Russia%20tells%20his%20story "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-laborer-in-russia-tells-his-story/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=A%20North%20Korean%20laborer%20in%20Russia%20tells%20his%20story&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-north-korean-laborer-in-russia-tells-his-story/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=A%20North%20Korean%20laborer%20in%20Russia%20tells%20his%20story "Reddit") **Categories:** Overseas Workers --- ### [North Korean Art Sold in China Violates UN Sanctions](https://www.nkinsider.org/test-post-recent-chinese-construction-suggests-expectations-for-broader-trade/) **Published:** July 23, 2023 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** Despite violating United Nations sanctions, the Associated Press (AP) reported on November 3, 2023, that North Korean artworks were being sold at an art exhibition in Beijing. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Landscape-painting.png "Landscape painting | nk insider")SEOUL – Despite violating United Nations sanctions, the Associated Press (AP) [reported](https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-sanctions-art-paintings-propaganda-china-mansudae-c60c2274ad84e675e97a07d05d48308e) on November 3, 2023, that North Korean artworks were being sold at an art exhibition in Beijing. At one art exhibition in Beijing, photographs of the Baekdusan landscape covered in snow were being sold for $2,460, and a portrait of a young woman had a price of $5,190. The AP report also mentioned that the sellers of these paintings did not attempt to hide the fact that these works had come from North Korea, despite the strict UN sanctions. The seller is affiliated with the Arirang Gallery, a self-proclaimed top North Korean art dealer in China, which also operates studios for North Korean artists on the outskirts of Beijing. The gallery was founded by Jin Zhe, an ethnic Korean who was born in the border region near North Korea. The AP journalists’ attempts to visit Arirang’s “painting base” were thwarted by security personnel. This indicates that China continues to ignore or circumvent UN sanctions despite a [March 2023 UN report](https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N23/037/94/PDF/N2303794.pdf?OpenElement) that mentioned how the Arirang Gallery has violated sanctions by selling North Korean artworks and inviting North Korean artists. In an interview with this writer, North Korean defector Jung Soon-chul alleged that China continuously violated UN sanctions by granting tourist visas to North Korean workers entering the country before North Korea sealed the border during the pandemic. The laborers worked in places such as restaurants and computer component processing factories, which underscores the extensive support that China offers to North Korea to earn foreign currency in violation of UN sanctions. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korean%20Art%20Sold%20in%20China%20Violates%20UN%20Sanctions&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korean%20Art%20Sold%20in%20China%20Violates%20UN%20Sanctions https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korean%20Art%20Sold%20in%20China%20Violates%20UN%20Sanctions "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/test-post-recent-chinese-construction-suggests-expectations-for-broader-trade/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korean%20Art%20Sold%20in%20China%20Violates%20UN%20Sanctions&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/test-post-recent-chinese-construction-suggests-expectations-for-broader-trade/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korean%20Art%20Sold%20in%20China%20Violates%20UN%20Sanctions "Reddit") **Categories:** Sanctions --- ### [Russian Universities Collude with North Korean Laborers to Evade UN Sanctions](https://www.nkinsider.org/russian-universities-collude-with-north-korean-laborers-to-evade-un-sanctions/) **Published:** November 13, 2023 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** North Korea has been carrying out an extensive, state-led endeavor to send North Korean laborers to Russia using student visas obtained through corrupt partnerships with Russian universities. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Putin-meeting-students.png "Putin meeting students | nk insider")SEOUL – North Korea has been carrying out an extensive, state-led endeavor to send North Korean laborers to Russia using student visas obtained through corrupt partnerships with Russian universities. According to information from North Korean defectors who escaped from Russia to North Korea in recent years, North Korean officials with government credentials have been going to Russia to help obtain student visas for North Korean laborers. The North Korean officials negotiate with contacts at local Russian universities to issue student visas. Using these student visas, North Korean laborers fraudulently enter Russia posing as students, and then corrupt university officials issue the laborers “certificates for practical training.” The North Korean laborers subsequently use these certificates to work at construction sites rather than engaging in actual practical training. According to a North Korean defector surnamed Kim who spoke on condition of anonymity, more than 30 laborers from his company entered Russia in this manner on at least three separate occasions. The local Russian construction companies employ North Korean laborers at a reduced cost, and the laborers use a portion of their wages to cover bribes to the corrupt university officials who helped them get the phony student visas and practical training certificates. The laborers also need to pay financial tributes to Kim Jong Un, as well as hefty fees to the North Korean officials who helped them enter the universities. Ultimately, the laborers end up with very little money in their hands. According to the defector interviewed for this article, North Korean laborers who worked in Russia for more than five years eventually returned to North Korea with little money for all their hard work. As North Korea continues to send laborers to Russia to work in pitiful conditions and earn money for the regime in violation of multiple UN security resolutions, the international community must step up the pressure on the North Korean regime and demand that enablers like Russia end these corrupt practices. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Russian%20Universities%20Collude%20with%20North%20Korean%20Laborers%20to%20Evade%20UN%20Sanctions&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Russian%20Universities%20Collude%20with%20North%20Korean%20Laborers%20to%20Evade%20UN%20Sanctions https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Russian%20Universities%20Collude%20with%20North%20Korean%20Laborers%20to%20Evade%20UN%20Sanctions "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/russian-universities-collude-with-north-korean-laborers-to-evade-un-sanctions/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Russian%20Universities%20Collude%20with%20North%20Korean%20Laborers%20to%20Evade%20UN%20Sanctions&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/russian-universities-collude-with-north-korean-laborers-to-evade-un-sanctions/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Russian%20Universities%20Collude%20with%20North%20Korean%20Laborers%20to%20Evade%20UN%20Sanctions "Reddit") **Categories:** Sanctions --- ### [North Korean defectors propose democracy activist Kim Seong-min for the National Assembly](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-defectors-propose-democracy-activist-kim-seong-min-for-the-national-assembly/) **Published:** March 20, 2024 **Author:** Anonymous **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/re_Press-conference.jpg "Repress conference | nk insider")North Korean defector organizations have issued an appeal to political parties preparing for next month’s National Assembly elections to include defectors in their line up for proportional representation seats and jointly recommended Kim Seong-min, the founder of Free North Korea Radio, as their preferred candidate. Although made to all parties, the appeal was specifically directed at the ruling People Power Party (PPP), which so far is the only party to include defectors among its lawmakers. “Within the defector community, there are warriors who have dedicated everything for the democratization of North Korea and improvement of human rights,” said Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who in 2020 became the first defector to be elected to the National Assembly. “Proportional representation seats should rightfully be given to such individuals as a matter of common sense and principle,” he said. Thae was speaking at a [press conference](https://www.mediatoday.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=316498), which he hosted on March 8 at the National Assembly with representatives from nine defector organizations. These included the [Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights](https://www.nkhr.or.kr/en/category/multimedia/) (Heo Gwang-il), the National Association of North Korean Defector Organizations ([Kim Heung-kwang](https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/N-Korea-at-crossroads/North-Korea-s-state-hackers-fund-nuclear-missile-development)), the [National Association of North Korean Defectors](https://m.monthly.chosun.com/client/mdaily/daily_view.asp?idx=14037&Newsnumb=20211114037#google_vignette) (Jang Seiul), and “[World Women Defectors’ Support Association](http://www.wunkd.com/)” (Kim Hee-yeon). The defectors were referring to the system in South Korean parliamentary elections whereby parties are allocated extra seats after the election. In the 300-seat assembly, 253 are elected positions and 47 allocated proportionally to parties according to their percentage share of the popular vote. The issue is that while the PPP chooses most candidates for proportional seats in a rational manner, the choice from among North Korean defectors is random. “In the various sectors of society, the party usually accepts recommendations or ratings made by civic organizations in the respective sector,” said Jang Seiul of the National Association of North Korean Defectors. “This would work with defectors because there are many related civic groups. But the party doesn’t consult with them at all.” [Three defectors](https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240314050737) are in fact in the line-up for proportional seats for the PPP for the election on April 10. Their selection was not directly criticized by any of the speakers. Instead, all of them endorsed [Kim Seong-min](https://www.bushcenter.org/freedom-collection/kim-seong-min-why-i-became-a-dissident) as the most suitable candidate. Kim was an army officer in North Korea and escaped in 1999 after being warned that the secret police were about to arrest him for having exchanged letters with someone overseas. In South Korea, he became a dissident activist and founded [Free North Korea Radio](https://freenorthkorearadio.org/). “Kim Seong-min is a pioneer in the North Korea human rights community,” Jang said. “He is highly respected for his passion and is seen as a model for others to follow.” Heo Gwang-il of the Citizens Alliance for North Korean Human Rights said Kim is an “unwavering warrior” and noted that when he was diagnosed six years ago with terminal cancer, he did not let up on his human rights activities. Jang called out what he called a “North-South golden spoons” practice in which defectors who are elite in North Korea ascend to high positions in South Korea. “We should stop this,” he said, adding sarcastically that if Kim Jong-un’s sister Yo-jong defected, she would be invited to join the National Assembly. North Korean defectors have been arriving in South Korea in significant numbers for over 30 years now. They experience considerable difficulties settling in. The unemployment rate is about 2.5 times higher than the average and the suicide rate is reported to be nearly three times higher. The first defector to become a lawmaker was former Kim Il Sung University professor [Cho Myung-chul](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2012/04/22/politics/Defectorturnedlawmaker-a-first-in-the-South--/2951844.html), who gained a proportional representation seat for the Saenuri Party, an earlier version of the PPP, in 2012. He was followed in 2020 by [Thae Yong-ho](https://abcnews.go.com/International/north-korean-diplomat-elected-lawmaker-south-korea/story?id=70163962), and [Ji Seong-ho](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIpBZdU71f0) for the United Future Party, which was renamed the PPP. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Anonymous](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/anonymous/ "Anonymous") [Anonymous](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/anonymous/) The author has chosen to remain anonymous. [![Anonymous](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/anonymous/ "Anonymous") Latest posts by Anonymous ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/anonymous/)) - [North Korean defectors propose democracy activist Kim Seong-min for the National Assembly](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-defectors-propose-democracy-activist-kim-seong-min-for-the-national-assembly/) - March 20, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korean%20defectors%20propose%20democracy%20activist%20Kim%20Seong-min%20for%20the%20National%20Assembly&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korean%20defectors%20propose%20democracy%20activist%20Kim%20Seong-min%20for%20the%20National%20Assembly https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korean%20defectors%20propose%20democracy%20activist%20Kim%20Seong-min%20for%20the%20National%20Assembly "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-defectors-propose-democracy-activist-kim-seong-min-for-the-national-assembly/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korean%20defectors%20propose%20democracy%20activist%20Kim%20Seong-min%20for%20the%20National%20Assembly&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-defectors-propose-democracy-activist-kim-seong-min-for-the-national-assembly/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korean%20defectors%20propose%20democracy%20activist%20Kim%20Seong-min%20for%20the%20National%20Assembly "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [With her Mount Paektu bloodline, there is nothing preventing Kim Ju-ae being the next leader](https://www.nkinsider.org/with-her-mount-paektu-bloodline-there-is-nothing-preventing-kim-ju-ae-being-the-next-leader/) **Published:** March 16, 2024 **Author:** Kim Dong-sik **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KYJ.jpg "Kyj | nk insider")The Korea Institute for National Unification, a government think tank in Seoul, has released a report saying that, considering the increased role of women within North Korea and the unique nature of the regime with its dynastic “Mount Paektu bloodline” (immediate family of Kim Il-sung), it is possible that the next supreme leader of North Korea could be a woman. Specifically, the report, entitled “[Household Life of North Korean Residents: Independence from the country and its national planning](https://www.kinu.or.kr/main/module/report/view.do?nav_code=mai1674786094&category=44&idx=125288),” identifies Kim Jong-un’s daughter, Kim Ju-ae, as a potential successor. The research, led by senior researcher Park Young-ja, was published on March 4. The report highlighted the most important condition for succession is the legitimacy of the Mount Paektu bloodline. It also noted the women in Kim Jong-un’s inner circle. His sister Kim Yo-jong, Minister of Foreign Affairs Choe Son-hui, Central Committee member and former singer Hyon Song-wol, and First Lady Ri Sol-ju underscore his “female-friendly leadership style.” “The logic that Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, or his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, cannot succeed him simply because they are women is inappropriate,” they said, claiming “While it is premature to assume that Kim Ju-ae is the fourth successor of succession, the assumption that male authoritarianism precludes a female successor needs to be reconsidered.” “Given the current patriarchal state discourse in North Korea, the changing roles of family members, and the increasing role of women in the family, the emergence of a female as Kim Jong-un’s successor is possible,” the researchers concluded. However, this argument contains contradictions. Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, also had women around him. They included his sister Kim Kyong-hui, the Deputy Prime Minister Kim Pok-sin, senior party figure Jong Kyong-hui, and his wife Ko Yong-hui, among others. They ranked even higher than the women around Kim Jong-un. And yet Kim Jong-il at other times demonstrated a strong aversion to women in leadership. For example, he significantly weakened the Korean Democratic Women’s League, the only women’s organization playing an important role in the country. Thus, the logic that the women in Kim Jong-un’s inner circle imply a female-friendly leadership is flawed. The more accurate point is that Kim Ju-ae could become the top leader despite being a woman because she carries Mount Paektu blood. In other words, whether Kim Jong-un is a female-friendly figure or not has no bearing on whether he passes power to his daughter. In addition, a pitfall that scholars and researchers studying North Korea often fall into is relying solely on drawing conclusions from surface-level observations. Since power in North Korea has been passed down from Kim Il-sung to Kim Jong-il to Kim Jong-un, and since they are all from Mount Paektu bloodline, it is assumed that the fourth successor will follow suit. While this conclusion is not incorrect, it misses the point. Succession is not guaranteed because of the three previous leaders. The crucial point is that North Korea strictly follows its own established norms in determining succession. Its “[Ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System](https://namu.wiki/w/%EB%8B%B9%EC%9D%98%20%EC%9C%A0%EC%9D%BC%EC%A0%81%EB%A0%B9%EB%8F%84%EC%B2%B4%EA%B3%84%ED%99%95%EB%A6%BD%EC%9D%98%2010%EB%8C%80%EC%9B%90%EC%B9%99)” clearly spell out the rules. The Ten Principles function like a constitution in a democracy. This is often overlooked by analysts. Established in 1974, the [Ten Principles were updated in 2013 by Kim Jong-un](https://www.nknews.org/2014/12/the-partys-10-principles-then-and-now/). They clearly set out how the succession issue is to be resolved. Article 10, Section 1 states: “We must pass down the great achievement of the Juche revolution and the Songun revolution, pioneered by the great Comrade Kim Il-sung and led by Comrades Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, from generation to generation, inheriting and completing it to the end.” Article 10, Section 2 unambiguously stipulates how the issue of succession is to be resolved: “The Party and the existence of the revolution shall be passed on forever through the Mount Paektu bloodline, and the revolutionary tradition of the Juche shall be constantly inherited and developed and its purity strictly maintained.” The North Korean interpretation of this clause is that the rule of the Kim dynasty must be perpetual. Furthermore, the tradition of appointing members of the Kim dynasty as successors (the revolutionary tradition of Juche) must be inherited and only members of the Kim dynasty must be appointed as successors in the future (strict adherence to purity). In other words, North Korea’s successor can only be a member of the Kim dynasty, and it doesn’t matter whether he is the youngest son or a woman. The point here is to emphasize that it is not secondary factors such as North Korea’s male authoritarianism that influences the decision of the fourth generation successor in North Korea, but the principles of succession as set out in the Ten Principles. In this sense, despite being a woman, Kim Ju-ae faces no obstacle becoming the fourth leader. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/ "Kim Dong-sik") [Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/) Dong-sik is the author of "No One Reported Me – the Story of an Agent from the North," and founder and director of the KAS Consultancy, an NGO based in Seoul, Korea. While in North Korea, he worked at the Department of the DPRK’s Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea focused on South Korea for 15 years. The mission of the department (대남공작부서) was to carry out various espionage activities in South Korea. During this time, he carried out two missions in the South for which he received the title of Hero of the Republic and the National Flag Medal, 1st Class. Originally coming from a construction background, he also had various other experiences in North Korea, ranging from the chairman of a youth league and the general secretary of a factory to the director of a district party, among others. He graduated from Kim Jong Il Politics and Military University in North Korea and received a doctorate in North Korean studies in South Korea. [![Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/ "Kim Dong-sik") Latest posts by Kim Dong-sik ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/)) - [Japan’s impasse over abductions. It’s the North Korean economy, stupid](https://www.nkinsider.org/japans-impasse-over-abductions-its-the-north-korean-economy-stupid/) - April 5, 2024 - [Why North Korean news media don’t report news](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korean-news-media-dont-report-news/) - March 23, 2024 - [With her Mount Paektu bloodline, there is nothing preventing Kim Ju-ae being the next leader](https://www.nkinsider.org/with-her-mount-paektu-bloodline-there-is-nothing-preventing-kim-ju-ae-being-the-next-leader/) - March 16, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=With%20her%20Mount%20Paektu%20bloodline%2C%20there%20is%20nothing%20preventing%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20being%20the%20next%20leader&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=With%20her%20Mount%20Paektu%20bloodline%2C%20there%20is%20nothing%20preventing%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20being%20the%20next%20leader https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=With%20her%20Mount%20Paektu%20bloodline%2C%20there%20is%20nothing%20preventing%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20being%20the%20next%20leader "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/with-her-mount-paektu-bloodline-there-is-nothing-preventing-kim-ju-ae-being-the-next-leader/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=With%20her%20Mount%20Paektu%20bloodline%2C%20there%20is%20nothing%20preventing%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20being%20the%20next%20leader&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/with-her-mount-paektu-bloodline-there-is-nothing-preventing-kim-ju-ae-being-the-next-leader/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=With%20her%20Mount%20Paektu%20bloodline%2C%20there%20is%20nothing%20preventing%20Kim%20Ju-ae%20being%20the%20next%20leader "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Kim Jong-un loves his luxury cars](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-loves-his-luxury-cars/) **Published:** March 13, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KJU-Putin.jpeg "Kju putin | nk insider")Kim Jong-un is a big fan of luxury cars and doesn’t let the fact that most citizens can’t secure their next meal distract him from this passion. In this regard, he is different from leaders in other countries. For one thing, they tend to use domestically produced cars if the country makes them. Yoon Suk-yeol in South Korea, for example, is driven around in a locally-made Hyundai Equus Stretch Edition. The American president uses a General Motors Cadillac. Japan’s prime minister has a Toyota Century. The official state car for Xi Jinping in China is a Hongqi L5. In Russia, Vladimir Putin uses an Aurus Senat, produced by Aurus Motors. North Korea has had an [automotive industry](https://world.kbs.co.kr/service/contents_view.htm?lang=e&board_seq=383276) since 1958. There are five carmakers, Pyeonghwa Motors, Sungri Motor Plant, Pyongyang Auto Works, Chongjin Bus Works and Kim Jong Tae Locomotive Works. But nothing they could produce would excite Kim Jong-un. His are all imported – despite UN sanctions. The image of him posturing in his luxury foreign car in front of his poor, shoeless people, while promoting hyper-nationalism captures the essential contradiction of his brand of dictatorship. In Russia in September, when Kim was visiting the Vostochny Cosmodrome spaceport in Russia, he showed interest in Putin’s car and was invited to sit in it. His delighted childlike reaction was broadcast worldwide. Putin followed up by[ sending him one](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240220000952315). The car was a “most excellent gift,” Kim’s sister, Yo-jong, enthused. “A clear sign of the close friendship between the two leaders of the DPRK and Russia.” North Korea’s media gave no details, but the Kremlin confirmed it was an Aurus. “Like many auto enthusiasts, he liked the car, and so the decision was made to present it to him as a gift,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed. The retail price for the normal Aurus Senat is between around USD 400,000 and 850,000, depending on options. The presidential version is in a different league. Putin’s exclusive Aurus is an armored vehicle that weighs 7 tons. It is capable of withstanding bomb and chemical attacks, boasting enough stability for passengers to survive even when submerged in water. The production cost is reported to be 124 billion roubles (USD 127 million). This equates to around 400,000 tons of corn in North Korea at current prices, about what it takes to feed the entire population for 40 days Transportation Department 2 of the Secretariat, on the third floor of the Central Committee building, is responsible for maintaining the Kim family’s vehicles. The garage houses hundreds of luxury Mercedes, Volkswagens and Lexuses, as well as gifts for high-ranking officials, cars for the Royal Orchestra, and the Moranbong Orchestra.Most North Koreans, of course, don’t have cars. They use *servi-cha* delivery vehicles, taxis, buses, trams, and carts and bicycles. Absent those options, they walk. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20loves%20his%20luxury%20cars&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong-un%20loves%20his%20luxury%20cars https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong-un%20loves%20his%20luxury%20cars "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-loves-his-luxury-cars/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong-un%20loves%20his%20luxury%20cars&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-loves-his-luxury-cars/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong-un%20loves%20his%20luxury%20cars "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [North Korea restructures government departments following policy shift toward South Korea ](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-restructures-government-departments-following-policy-shift-toward-south-korea/) **Published:** March 13, 2024 **Author:** Kim Dong-sik **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/iStock-1417147294-1.jpg "Battle of south and north korea print screen to pawn chess on chessboard for military conflict war concept by 3d render | nk insider")Agencies in North Korea responsible for inter-Korean affairs are being reorganized and, in some cases, closed down, following Kim Jong-un’s strategic decision in December to abandon reunification and reposition South Korea as a hostile foreign enemy. It is too early to gain a complete picture but analysts are closely following developments as the bureaucratic realignment will give a clearer indication of the intention behind the unexpected change of direction. A major indicator will be how the Central Committee’s United Front Department (UDF) is restructured. This body has been directing exchanges and dialogue, as well as propaganda and agitation directed at the South. UDF departments for North-South dialogue, exchanges, and economic cooperation are expected to either be transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or completely abolished. In the new year, [Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui began discussions with UDF head Ri Son-gwon](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/threatening-shift-north-korea-moves-redefine-relations-with-south-2024-01-04/) about this, according to KCNA. Some front organizations are expected to be closed and UDF personnel managing them reassigned or let go. The North Korean chapter of the [Pan-Korea Alliance for Reunification](https://www.chosun.com/english/north-korea-en/2024/02/02/5QVXBHFPVBBKJDGFVFREVPDR4M/), for example, was already closed in Pyongyang in January and its southern counterpart in Seoul followed suit in February. On the other hand, the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front (AINDF) is likely to continue. It is a pro-Juche group in South Korea which is banned but may have underground operatives. It operates a radio station within North Korea. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/365302138_684752983692168_2821717940303170758_n.jpg "3653021386847529836921682821717940303170758n | nk insider") The headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK (Source: Pyongyang Russian Embassy Facebook Page)If these changes go ahead, the UDF will shrink considerably. It may drop the word “united” and be renamed, as it will no longer be an umbrella organization. Or it may merge with the party’s relatively small [Cultural Exchange Bureau](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/01/09/national/northKorea/South-Korea-North-Korea-agents/20230109180331394.html). This agency recruits South Korean sympathizers and manages spies and overseas pro-North organizations such as the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan and the General Association of Koreans in China. Another possibility is that both the UDF and Cultural Exchange Bureau may be transferred and fall under the [Reconnaissance General Bureau](https://spyscape.com/article/inside-north-koreas-top-spy-agency-the-ministry-of-state-security) (RGB), the main foreign intelligence service that handles information gathering and clandestine operations worldwide. Such a move fits the redefining of South Korea as a foreign country and Kim Jong-un’s bold statements about occupying, pacifying, and taking over South Korea through a “War of Resistance,” which many analysts are interpreting as meaning unification with conventional forces backed by use of nuclear weapons. In other words, the effort is no longer to convert South Koreans to the northern cause, but to defeat an enemy country. We note that Kim Jong-un in 2009 transferred the party’s External Investigations and Intelligence Department (known as Office 35) and the Operations Department, which specialized in kidnapping foreigners, to the RGB.. There’s also an argument to be made from the personnel point of view. Two figures Kim has relied on regarding South Korea, UDF head Ri and his predecessor, Kim Yong-chol, are both former RGB heads. It is highly likely they are recommending the transfer of espionage operations aimed at South Korea to the RGB. As for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs absorbing UDF functions and personnel, it will either set up new departments covering South Korea or expand existing departments. Future strategies and policies related to the South will change and be set up and implemented as diplomatic strategies. Thus, if North and South Korea sit down for dialogue in the future, we may expect the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and not the UDF to be in charge. Besides reorganization, the bureaucracy will also be tasked with extensive revisions of party regulations, laws, documents and textbooks, not to mention place names and other things, to rid them of expressions related to unification. This will cause considerable confusion, dissatisfaction, and hardship among officials and workers. To give an immediate example, the Tongil (unification) subway station near Mansudae Hill in Pyongyang, where the main statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il stand, has had the “Tongil” removed pending renaming. It’s currently just called “Station.” North Korean citizens will be bracing for more of this kind of confusion while the bureaucracy gets its act together. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/ "Kim Dong-sik") [Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/) Dong-sik is the author of "No One Reported Me – the Story of an Agent from the North," and founder and director of the KAS Consultancy, an NGO based in Seoul, Korea. While in North Korea, he worked at the Department of the DPRK’s Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea focused on South Korea for 15 years. The mission of the department (대남공작부서) was to carry out various espionage activities in South Korea. During this time, he carried out two missions in the South for which he received the title of Hero of the Republic and the National Flag Medal, 1st Class. Originally coming from a construction background, he also had various other experiences in North Korea, ranging from the chairman of a youth league and the general secretary of a factory to the director of a district party, among others. He graduated from Kim Jong Il Politics and Military University in North Korea and received a doctorate in North Korean studies in South Korea. [![Kim Dong-sik](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/ "Kim Dong-sik") Latest posts by Kim Dong-sik ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-dong-sik/)) - [Japan’s impasse over abductions. It’s the North Korean economy, stupid](https://www.nkinsider.org/japans-impasse-over-abductions-its-the-north-korean-economy-stupid/) - April 5, 2024 - [Why North Korean news media don’t report news](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-north-korean-news-media-dont-report-news/) - March 23, 2024 - [With her Mount Paektu bloodline, there is nothing preventing Kim Ju-ae being the next leader](https://www.nkinsider.org/with-her-mount-paektu-bloodline-there-is-nothing-preventing-kim-ju-ae-being-the-next-leader/) - March 16, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korea%20restructures%20government%20departments%20following%20policy%20shift%20toward%20South%20Korea%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korea%20restructures%20government%20departments%20following%20policy%20shift%20toward%20South%20Korea%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korea%20restructures%20government%20departments%20following%20policy%20shift%20toward%20South%20Korea%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-restructures-government-departments-following-policy-shift-toward-south-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korea%20restructures%20government%20departments%20following%20policy%20shift%20toward%20South%20Korea%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-restructures-government-departments-following-policy-shift-toward-south-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korea%20restructures%20government%20departments%20following%20policy%20shift%20toward%20South%20Korea%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [There’s ideology in those blue jeans](https://www.nkinsider.org/theres-ideology-in-those-blue-jeans/) **Published:** March 5, 2024 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1709618546803.jpeg "1709618546803 | nk insider")Everyone has at least one pair of jeans. They have the distinction of being ordinary and fashionable at the same time. The designer Yves Saint Laurent said he wished he had invented them. “[They have self-expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity – all I hope for in my clothes](https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/gallery/vogue-editors-jeans),” he said. It’s a different story in North Korea. There, wearing jeans is illegal. That’s because the regime sees them as the embodiment of impure ideology. Here’s the question, then: If jeans are ideological, what kind of ideology drives a regime to ban them? Jeans were designed in 1873 as riveted denim pants for miners in California. In time, they gradually shed their workwear image and became everyday clothes for the general public. In the 1950s, they became [really popular because of movies](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/riveted-history-of-jeans-fifty-years-jeans-fashion/). Women also began wearing them. Jeans remain a beloved fashion item for men and women of all ages to this day. North Korea’s objection seems to date back to the movie “Rebel Without a Cause,” where the main character, played by James Dean, epitomizes the rebellious teenager resisting the existing order. The movie came out in 1955 but probably became popular among the children of the elite some years later. That would have been when the regime took action against jeans. The regime is so concerned about the impact of the outside that it has even executed people for watching foreign music videos and movies. The fact it imposes such extreme penalties heightens its fear of resistance, which makes it even more harsh. The regime’s dress code goes beyond simple control. It is actually regressive. According to a South Korean government report on economic and social conditions in the North, based on defector interviews and issued last month, the regime has been stressing that women should wear [“Joseon-style clothes”](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20240206065400504?input=1195m) in their everyday lives. This refers to the traditional dresses of the dynasty which ended in 1910 and which are called “hanbok” in South Korea where they are worn only on special occasions. Human nature being what it is, the spirit of resistance among North Koreans is alive and well. In contrast to the regime’s fashion sense, it doesn’t regress. A recently released educational video from North Korea shows a woman walking down a street being criticized for [wearing slippers and capri pants](https://news.tvchosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2024/01/19/2024011990129.html). Despite being just an ordinary middle-aged lady in summer clothes, she was assumed to have been expelled from Pyongyang because her calves and toes were showing. One notable feature of the video was that the woman did not appear to be intimidated by the surveillance. Nor did she act as if she herself thought there was anything wrong with her outfit. This suggests that the standards of the North Korean government do not align with the ideas of ordinary citizens. When jeans were banned, people switched to skinny jeans. When they were banned, people took to wearing shorts. Now, hot pants have become trendy. Women in North Korea typically dress up and put on makeup when they go out or when they have guests. However, young women put on hot pants or otherwise dress up at home and walk around the house. Some invite their friends over to stroll in the neighborhood in hot pants. It doesn’t mean they’re not afraid, but it does suggest that the threat of punishment is failing to suppress their desire for self-expression. Ideology is not contained in jeans or hot pants themselves. They are neutral. It’s that ideology, or a way of thinking, can be expressed through them. Even if the regime takes hot pants away, the way of thinking that makes the young woman want to wear them will find expression through other means. New, second and third versions of jeans will continue to emerge, and with them, North Korea’s reign of terror will eventually come to an end. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=There%E2%80%99s%20ideology%20in%20those%20blue%20jeans&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=There%E2%80%99s%20ideology%20in%20those%20blue%20jeans https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=There%E2%80%99s%20ideology%20in%20those%20blue%20jeans "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/theres-ideology-in-those-blue-jeans/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=There%E2%80%99s%20ideology%20in%20those%20blue%20jeans&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/theres-ideology-in-those-blue-jeans/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=There%E2%80%99s%20ideology%20in%20those%20blue%20jeans "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Private tutoring is catching on in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/private-tutoring-is-catching-on-in-north-korea/) **Published:** March 14, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/shutterstock_1304862112-1.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkoreaaug2012thefemalestudentswalking | nk insider")The American philosopher, psychologist and educator John Dewey, who advocated functional psychology and had a significant influence on the American school system, famously said that “Education is not preparation for life. Education is life itself.” I was exposed to this idea in a documentary I watched after failing a university entrance exam. That was three years after my defection to South Korea. I liked the way Dewey placed learning on the continuum of life. I was open to the idea because my desire to get into a particular university had been thwarted. I’d set my sights on that place and prepared for two and a half years. But now I thought, “I can’t get in, but I will study for the rest of my life and become an intellectual in this field, just like people who actually got accepted at the school.” I’m embarrassed now about my naivete. I was obsessed with education because I believed success in South Korea depended on getting into a good school. In those two and a half years, I needed extra tuition in many subjects. I wanted to go to a cram school for the *suneung* SAT, but I couldn’t afford it. My parents were not with me and my settlement allowance of USD 300 a month was not enough to live on, let alone cover extras. South Korea is the mecca of private education. People spend huge amounts. In fact, figures released in 2023 show they spent more of their income on this than any other people. According to one [Chinese research institute](https://news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?no=2023050408342515126), it costs 7.79 times per capita GDP to raise a child in South Korea until the age of 18. China is second at 6.9 times per capita GDP. Italy at 6.28 times and the United Kingdom at 5.25 times rank third and fourth, followed by New Zealand (4.55), Canada (4.34), Japan (4.26), the United States (4.11) and Australia (2.08 times). With the exception of China, the countries where people spend the most of their income on education are market economies. How about North Korea? It is a socialist country that advocates free public education. But in recent years, private education has emerged. According to a [2023 survey of defectors](https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230817000579) by the South Korean Ministry of Unification, the most popular subjects for extra tuition are mathematics (47.7%), art (33.8%) and English (27.7%). Interestingly, defectors who arrived between 2016 and 2020 are more likely to have paid a professional tutor for it (49.7%) than received free help from a teacher (43.5%). With teachers struggling to survive on their low salaries, many are offering private lessons. My first lessons were in the accordion. Also I was taught Japanese by a former director of the elite Red Flag Mangyongdae Revolutionary School. This man, who had been banished to our rural district for adultery, was very persuasive. He insisted that learning Japanese would be an advantage. Although I wonder how useful the first sentence I learned would have been in Tokyo: “Thank you, Great Leader Kim Jong-il, the head of state.” Four of my friends were also convinced by his eloquence and signed up for lessons. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/shutterstock_1945420993-1-1024x683.jpg "Pyongyangnorthkoreaoctober122017koreangirlplaystheaccordionatthe | nk insider") The student playing a Ryongnamsan accordian (Truba7113, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc)According to defectors from the last decade or so, the most popular language is Chinese. Indeed, some say private Chinese lessons were their “preparation for defection.” For example, one lady from Hoeryong paid for Chinese tutoring with money from her mother, who was in South Korea and who said lessons would come in handy passing through China. She spent USD 30 a month for four months. Her teachers were a woman who had lived in China and had been repatriated and a Chinese man who went in and out of North Korea on business. A man from Rason said that in 2004-2005 he was tutored in mathematics, physics and Chinese and paid 30 yuan a month for each subject. A third defector took extra math lessons on the advice of his mother, who was already in South Korea. He then spent two years in China, receiving private tutoring in preparation for the South Korean *suneung* SAT. “She thought it would be cheaper to prepare for the exam in China,” he said. He went on to study at Seoul National University. Another defector said, “In North Korea, you have to be good at science, such as math and physics, to be considered a good student. My mother, who defected, told me that I should be good at English in South Korea, so I took private English tutoring.” Yet another defector worked as a private tutor to elite kids in Pyongyang. She was paid in dollars for piano lessons. Although it is those with money and status who are benefiting from private education, we should not assume this trend signals significant change. “You can’t attend university in North Korea if you don’t have money,” said a friend who had a hard time getting into university and gave up. “They feed you in the school dormitory, but you just get two or three pieces of radish floating in soup. How can you study after eating that? In the end, whether in the North or South, you need money or strong support from parents to study. Private tutoring is a luxury.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Private%20tutoring%20is%20catching%20on%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Private%20tutoring%20is%20catching%20on%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Private%20tutoring%20is%20catching%20on%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/private-tutoring-is-catching-on-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Private%20tutoring%20is%20catching%20on%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/private-tutoring-is-catching-on-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Private%20tutoring%20is%20catching%20on%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Education --- ### [What is causing North Korea's low birth rate?](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-is-causing-north-koreas-low-birth-rate/) **Published:** March 7, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KJU-at-5yh-conference.jpg "Kju at 5yh conference | nk insider")With North Korea’s fertility rate under the 2.1 needed to maintain the current population level, Kim Jong-un recently is urging mothers in the country to do something about it. “As society develops and becomes cultured, the position and role of women grows more important and mothers’ contribution to strengthening the national power and propelling the revolution becomes greater,” Kim told the [5th National Conference of Mothers ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej7Q0jp0FRo)in Pyongyang in December. That includes having more babies, he said. The fertility rate has been falling for a number of years. According to [United Nations Population Fund](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-kim-calls-action-falling-birth-rates-2023-12-04/#:~:text=The%20United%20Nations%20Population%20Fund,the%20rate%20during%20recent%20decades.) estimates for 2023, the average number of children born to a North Korean woman was 1.8. This is still more than double South Korea’s rate of 0.78, which is the lowest in the world. But it nevertheless presents a long-term issue. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KJU-crying-1024x537.jpg "Kjucrying | nk insider")Still image of kctv footageKim, who was seen wiping tears during the conference, outlined three tasks for mothers. They should educate their children to be soldiers for the nation and be prepared to play the main role in the future, he said. Second, they should take an active part in “socialist construction.” And third, mothers should clearly understand that having many children is a patriotic duty. While the first two challenges may be possible, the third seems impossible. That is because North Koreans are not having fewer children because they want to focus on just one or two and raise them well, as in other countries. It’s because they can’t feed them. Before discussing this issue, however, we should ask if the data reported to the UN by the authorities in Pyongyang are reliable. It is reasonable to be skeptical because North Korean authorities regularly manipulate the figures. According to UN-based estimates, [the population on March 6](https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/north-korea-population/#:~:text=The%20current%20population%20of%20North,of%20the%20total%20world%20population.) stood at 26,218,915. A former local government official, who worked directly with the UN and international aid projects in the country, told me that census forms are a mix of real and fabricated data. He reckons a more accurate figure would be 18 million. There is, of course, no way to verify this. But he did confirm that the central government pressures provincial authorities to falsify numbers. This is done in an indirect manner with Pyongyang sending the data and methodology of one provincial government as a sample for the others to follow. If a province supplies accurate statistics, the central government asks for a revision in accordance with the sample provided. There are other ways. For example, the official said he knew of one occasion when UN staff conducted a field survey to check the nutritional status of children. They tested at a designated school and extrapolated the results to create figures for the province and whole country. However, of the students tested, only one-third were actually enrolled in the school. The others came from elsewhere. Even then they were short, so officials herded two or three classes into one classroom, leaving other rooms empty. When the UN inspectors tried to go to other classrooms, they were told it was not possible as they would be interrupting lessons. The same method is used when UN delegations arrive to check on malnourished elderly people, infants and children. Then, when food and supplies arrive, they are confiscated by the authorities. The first recipient of UN food, medicine and nutritional aid is the military. Second in line are the party and government (Ministry of State Security, Ministry of Defence, prosecutors, parties and administrative officials). What’s left is distributed to kindergartens and orphanages. Even there, the adults in charge embezzle what they can. Actual cash is only given to people in need when the UN inspectors are there as witnesses. Such tricks to manipulate statistics are aimed at obtaining aid from the United Nations and the international community, including food, medicine and reconstruction assistance, which the authorities then divert to military budgets. Another motive is to conceal the shortage of military manpower. The regime continues to claim it has over one million soldiers. It knows that foreign experts can derive rough estimates using the annual birth rate and the number of years of compulsory military service. Hence the numbers inflation. The population decline dates back to the 1990s. Until that time, young women were put to work on communal farms and construction sites. Then, upon marriage, they were expected to stay at home. People married young. Unmarried women were referred to as “gold” at age 23. But then at 27 they became “copper” and, when they reached 30, “scrap metal.” After giving birth, a woman would receive a ration card from her husband’s factory for each family member and use them to collect food from state-run distribution centers. Then in the 1990s, with the collapse in grain production, the rationing system broke down and people experienced severe food shortages. Even at their factories, there was no food. Families splintered, couples deserted their children. In the jangmadang markets and on the streets there were not only young [homeless kotjebi children, but also adult vagrants](https://borgenproject.org/homelessness-in-north-korea/). People shunned marriage because they were not confident they could even feed themselves, let alone babies. Poor health care has also contributed to the decline in births. In rural areas, midwives make house visits. In city centers, people have access to hospitals, but otherwise mostly give birth at home. In North Hamgyong Province, for example, the maternity wards in hospitals in the suburbs and in small districts are almost empty. Doctors do not receive food rations, and rely on patients for their livelihood. A patient who can pay for a hospital bed – with cash, or in beans, or cigarettes or even drugs – just gets a bed with a metal sheet. She has to pay for medication, disinfectant, wipes, gauze, blankets, and meals herself. Husbands and family members are expected to bring firewood and coal to keep the room warm. The chances even then are that the doctors will take it for themselves. Women in the neighborhood do their bit to help, knowing they will be helped when it’s their turn. In this way, people rally round. But, as this drab unchanging picture suggests, the country as a whole is in decline. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=What%20is%20causing%20North%20Korea%27s%20low%20birth%20rate%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=What%20is%20causing%20North%20Korea%27s%20low%20birth%20rate%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=What%20is%20causing%20North%20Korea%27s%20low%20birth%20rate%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-is-causing-north-koreas-low-birth-rate/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=What%20is%20causing%20North%20Korea%27s%20low%20birth%20rate%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/what-is-causing-north-koreas-low-birth-rate/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=What%20is%20causing%20North%20Korea%27s%20low%20birth%20rate%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Call me oppa: the changing dating culture in Kim Jong-un’s Korea ](https://www.nkinsider.org/call-me-oppa-the-changing-dating-culture-in-kim-jong-uns-korea/) **Published:** March 6, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1709737455351.jpeg "1709737455351 | nk insider")“Don’t wait for a man who’s in the military. In fact, don’t date anybody who is going to go into the military.” This is something my mother used to say when I was young whenever the topic of romance came up. She is a tall and attractive woman. I believe she had the opportunity to meet people with better backgrounds than my father. But that didn’t happen. One day just before her graduation from high school, she was on her way home when my father and his friends accosted her and surrounded her. “I like you,” he said. “I want you to wait for me until I come back from the military. If you promise, I’ll let you go home.” Mother told me she agreed, not only because she liked my father, but also because she was afraid of all those men. She went on to graduate from university and she waited for ten years until father was discharged. She married at the age of 28, which was relatively late in those days. Her friends admired her for having waited for so long. But mother herself regretted not having met other men during that time. Thanks to her, my experience was different. In 2005, in my fifth year of high school (high school was six years then), a senior visited my house. He had just taken a physical examination prior to starting military service. He was riding a wine-colored bicycle with two headlights. Back then, bicycles were a symbol of wealth. He called my name, and I went outside to see him. “I want to let you know before I go to the military that I have feelings for you,” he said. My mother’s voice ran through my head. Don’t date men going to the military. I responded without thinking, “I can’t date a man going to the military,” I said. He avoided me after that. A few days later, he left for the unit he was assigned to. A girl was there at the station to see him off. She was in his class at school and a year older than me. She reminded me of my mother. To be honest, I was very curious about relationships when I was young. I liked that he confessed his feelings for me. It wouldn’t have been that bad for us to have exchanged letters like my parents. Even after defecting and settling in South Korea, I sometimes wonder if he is okay. I regretted not dating anyone in North Korea. Where I lived in rural North Hamgyong Province, people didn’t call boyfriends “oppa” (older brother) or give them nicknames like they do in South Korea. I couldn’t imagine calling a boyfriend that. It was too South Korean. We only used “oppa” for our older brothers and cousins.We would call boyfriends “dongmu” (comrade). Couples also wouldn’t directly say “I like you” or “I love you.” One way to show they were together was to ride the same bicycle. If a girl was often seen with a boy, some people disapproved. They even said that the parents hadn’t properly raised her. There were also those who called other people’s daughters “sluts” or “obsessed with men.” As regards the dating scene in the North today, I should say that defectors aren’t always the best source of information because most of them were influenced by foreign culture in China. Their experience wasn’t typical. That said, listening to the stories of people who recently settled in South Korea, it seems that the dating style in North Korea has changed a lot. One friend in her mid-twenties said she used to call her North Korean boyfriend “oppa” instead of “dongmu.” This is a new trend and it’s a direct reflection of the influence of South Korean dramas which people watch illegally. The reason now women don’t wait for men who are doing military service is that soldiers can meet other women in the area where they serve. Waiting is a risk. Another change is that, while arranged marriages were common in the past, there is a growing perception on the part of people in such partnerships that they’ve lost out. Not being able to choose the person they really want makes them feel something is missing in their life. But the change that most surprises me is that recently there are many unmarried couples living together. “If you want to divorce, you have to go to court and pay money, but it takes a long time,” a defector friend explained. “Since they are not sure whether they’re going to eventually break up or not, couples who get on well choose to just live together. If they break up, they don’t have to go through the complicated process. A lot of people are living like this.” This phenomenon seems to also have been influenced by dramas from South Korea and other countries. However, it is also a consequence of the disappearance of the distribution system where the male head of the household was the one who received the food rations and housing. As the [traditional patriarchal culture changes](https://world.kbs.co.kr/service/contents_view.htm?lang=e&menu_cate=northkorea&id=&board_seq=441620), the regime has revised some laws. Two years ago, for example, the Youth Education Guarantee Law was amended (Article 42, Clause 4) to prohibit lavish wedding services that were a way of highlighting a family’s wealth and connections. Men used to emphasize “todae” (foundation), referring to family status, when choosing a woman, but the most popular women these days are said to be one with “Hallasan roots”. This refers to the highest mountain in South Korea and describes women or men with family members who have defected. This is quite a change. The old emphasis on background and status has been replaced by the factor that used to put a person in North Korea at the bottom of the social ladder, being [related to a defector](https://www.dailynk.com/20231124-3/). The change is because the would-be spouse probably gets sent money. Regarding these changes, a defector friend put it this way: “North Korea is probably the only place where you have to ask the government’s permission to have a relationship, even though it is a matter of the most basic human needs and emotions. As the character of these relationships change, so does the way they try to control it.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Call%20me%20oppa%3A%20the%20changing%20dating%20culture%20in%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20Korea%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Call%20me%20oppa%3A%20the%20changing%20dating%20culture%20in%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20Korea%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Call%20me%20oppa%3A%20the%20changing%20dating%20culture%20in%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20Korea%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/call-me-oppa-the-changing-dating-culture-in-kim-jong-uns-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Call%20me%20oppa%3A%20the%20changing%20dating%20culture%20in%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20Korea%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/call-me-oppa-the-changing-dating-culture-in-kim-jong-uns-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Call%20me%20oppa%3A%20the%20changing%20dating%20culture%20in%20Kim%20Jong-un%E2%80%99s%20Korea%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Enforced Silence](https://www.nkinsider.org/enforced-silence/) **Published:** January 26, 2024 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Excerpt:** "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.” **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Public-trial-2-e1706319023888.jpg "Public trial 2 | nk insider")“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.” Another common phrase in everyday life in North Korea is “The walls have ears,” which is a very important lesson during a North Korean’s upbringing because the unfiltered expression of feelings and thoughts – even from children – can cause trouble for the whole family. In one chilling example, during North Korea’s famine in the mid-to-late 1990s, a child merely told his friends that he “ate sausage as a side dish.” Someone informed the authorities, so his parents were taken to the widely feared Ministry of State Security. The authorities sought to identify the source of the sausage or the source of the money used to buy it so they could capture and punish smugglers. This incident is just one of countless disturbing examples of the regime’s surveillance of the people, which is aptly described by another long-standing North Korean expression: “When three people gather, one of them is a spy.” In that sense, the North Korean regime not only controls and suppresses the public’s freedom of expression through draconian laws, but it also uses ordinary people as spies to prevent the formation of social relationships based on trust, thereby drying up any potential seeds of public opinion. Even married couples who share a bed can’t trust each other, so there’s yet another saying reflecting North Koreans’ widespread fear and paranoia: “Don’t trust your own back.” **Totalitarian Control: Micromanaging and Manipulating Daily Life in North Korea** The North Korean regime also goes beyond monitoring the private conversations of the people to punish them for the words, titles, and accents used in conversation, and even the handwriting and spelling they use. The [Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Act](https://www.dailynk.com/20230322-5/), enacted by the authorities in January 2023, codifies the totalitarian control of the people’s language. Chapter 2 of the Law, “The Eradication of Puppet Language Decay,” prohibits the use of South Korea’s so-called “puppet language,” including names, titles, expressions, handwriting, spellings, accents, and so on. Articles 33 and 34 established a guilt-by-association system for using South Korean “puppet language,” dictating that the person using South Korean terms be subjected to social humiliation and bullying, even by their own parents. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Trial-4-scaled-e1706277362868-1024x526.jpg "Trial 4 | nk insider") Spectators are packed into the schoolyard as they witness the public trial and sentencing of dozens of those accused of accessing information from the outside world, which is strongly forbidden by the regime.Moreover, Article 35 calls for punishing violators through various measures such as a public arrest, public trial, and potentially a public execution to serve as a chilling warning to the rest of society. These severe punishments are among the nation’s harshest and were previously reserved for only the most serious offenders, such as those accused of trying to overthrow the state. Freedom of expression has become so controlled and suppressed in North Korea that anything other than following the orders of the party and the “supreme leader,” or anything beyond what is essential for survival, has become unnecessary and dangerous. One day in 1995, when I was nine years old, my teacher led me and my classmates to a terrifying public display of the regime’s brutality as I witnessed my first public execution. I can still clearly remember the white brain matter bursting out of the executed man’s head, the intestines falling out of his stomach, and the smell of blood wafting through the air. Not a single parent complained about exposing children under the age of 10 to a horrific public execution for “educational purposes.” The shock and terror I felt after seeing my first public execution were eventually replaced by a feeling of nothingness. Instead of being scared and crying due to the agonizing deaths of my fellow human beings, I could only lament seeing children excited about witnessing a “new event” in their lives: their first public execution. Over time, the regime’s relentless suppression of the freedom of expression has destroyed the people’s sense of humanity. Consequently, North Koreans have become “mute” while living under the reign of terror of the Kim family’s third-generation dictatorship. Nevertheless, I still somehow feel hopeful because the regime’s continued surveillance and increased control paradoxically means that its system is not working well. I hope that when it reaches its limit, those who are willing to “die to live” will bring about change in North Korea. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Enforced%20Silence&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Enforced%20Silence https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Enforced%20Silence "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/enforced-silence/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Enforced%20Silence&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/enforced-silence/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Enforced%20Silence "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Foreign Currency is Now the Key to North Korea’s Survival ](https://www.nkinsider.org/foreign-currency-is-now-the-key-to-north-koreas-survival/) **Published:** February 2, 2024 **Author:** Shin Yong-geon **Excerpt:** Despite being closed off from the world, politically and economically, North Korea cannot survive without foreign currency. This, of course, applies to some degree to all countries in the international trading system. But ever since the 1994-1998 famine - which North Koreans refer to as the 'Arduous March' - foreign currency earning in the country has taken on a unique character. Not only has it become the key to the country’s continued survival. But the system itself that depends on it can no longer be considered normal. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/6355318323_dc829c9599_o.jpg "6355318323dc829c9599o | nk insider")SEOUL – Despite being closed off from the world, politically and economically, North Korea cannot survive without foreign currency. This, of course, applies to some degree to all countries in the international trading system. But ever since the 1994-1998 famine – which North Koreans refer to as the ‘Arduous March’ – foreign currency earning in the country has become increasingly important. At the same time, the economic system itself has become increasingly irrational. As that is quite a bold claim, let me explain it. In contrast to other economies, the relationship between production, profit, and investment in North Korea is unbalanced. Goods are produced, for example, at very low cost. Factories are paid barely enough to cover basic material and labor costs. Any resulting profit is collected by the regime. These profits may be used to meet unrelated costs or invest in unrelated businesses – such as those run by the military in what is known as the “Second Economy.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Missiles-and-KJU-1024x678.jpg "Missiles and kju | nk insider") North Korea’s state media reported that Kim Jong Un visited a munition factory producing transporter-erector-launchers (TELs) on an unspecified date in January 2024. Image via Rodong Sinmun on January 5, 2024Thus, the system features no expansive reproduction, to use a Marxist term. In other words, there is no natural generation of other businesses and activities connected to the profit-earning business. Similarly, the distribution system does not function in the way it does in most countries. The supply of goods does not occur in response to demand but is determined by the arbitrary decisions of the state authorities. That said, there does appear to be a certain measure of supply that is determined by demand in the country today in the black markets. But these are temporary, permitted by the regime to avoid a societal crisis similar to the one experienced during the famine. It is noteworthy that, under this temporary situation, goods and services are traded at black market prices which are much higher than those set by the state. From this point of view, the market has provided the regime with a golden opportunity to generate high added value while the socialist supply system remains paralyzed. The recent focus on the development of many consumer goods factories under the guise of improving people’s quality of life is in fact a foreign currency earning strategy adopted by the regime that has come to see that cash is available in the markets. This is the essential character of the North Korean economy today. It is supposed to be a planned economy that is operated in a balanced manner, but in reality the system is completely unbalanced with most profits returned to the state coffers as “Party Funds” – ie, for use by the ruling (North) Korean Workers’ Party. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1619745194318_Kumgangsan08-1024x768.jpg "1619745194318kumgangsan08 | nk insider") North Korean workers. The slogan on the wall reads, “If you want to know my ideology, see the products I made!” Image via Foreign Trade of the DPRKForeign currency serves to determine actual value in the North Korean economy. Of course, there is a legal exchange rate. But it is so unreal that everyone ignores it. Just as there are prices set by the state and other prices set by the black market, so there is an official exchange rate and a market rate. The official rate is KPW 2.10 to one US dollar. But this is a form of political manipulation. The market rate is naturally much more volatile. We note that it has been going up over the last month. [On January 21, a market in Pyongyang reportedly traded KPW 8,400 for a dollar](https://www.dailynk.com/20240125-2/). Given such a disparity, the official rate means nothing. Traders have no choice but to go by the black market rate. This lack of reality is also apparent in the official national economic indicators. They are expressed in local currency based on official prices and exchange rates. But these are no help in evaluating actual economic activity. What is clear is that foreign currency has become the driving force of the North Korean economy to the point that “foreign currency earning” has become the overarching term for all economic activities. This concept emerged as a result of the prosperity of state-planned areas which earn foreign currency. The regime relies on various legal and illicit ways to do this. These include the export of [military weapons](https://thediplomat.com/2023/09/north-korea-ramps-up-arms-sales-to-russia-iran-syria-and-others/#:~:text=North%20Korea%20ships%20weapons%20directly,major%20export%20items%20as%20well.), hacking and the theft of[ cryptocurrencies](https://www.reuters.com/technology/blockchain-analysts-suspect-n-korea-linked-hackers-behind-70m-crypto-theft-2023-09-15/), dispatch of [workers overseas](https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-korea-government-still-earning-foreign-currency-through-overseas-workforce/), development of [IT and software industries](https://thediplomat.com/2023/01/north-korea-earns-foreign-currency-through-a-shadow-it-industry/), and normal trade with China and, to a lesser extent other countries, through front companies. Over the years, as the country’s isolation has intensified, foreign currency has become the key to its very survival. As a result, the concept has moved beyond the simple “Party Funds” and taken on greater significance. They are now known as “Revolutionary Funds.” If it is unable to secure them going forward, North Korea is likely to face a catastrophe. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Shin Yong-geon](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/shin-yong-geon/ "Shin Yong-geon") [Shin Yong-geon](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/shin-yong-geon/) Yong-geon defected from North Korea in 2020. Before his defection, he held positions in various state-run institutions in North Korea, including the military, prosecution office, state security agency, and later, the trade office. Later in his life in North Korea, he was imprisoned for creating and spreading content considered anti-regime. He managed to escape with manuscripts of his work and plans to publish them in the near future. [![Shin Yong-geon](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/shin-yong-geon/ "Shin Yong-geon") Latest posts by Shin Yong-geon ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/shin-yong-geon/)) - [Foreign Currency is Now the Key to North Korea’s Survival ](https://www.nkinsider.org/foreign-currency-is-now-the-key-to-north-koreas-survival/) - February 2, 2024 - [DPRK’s Increasingly Vulnerable Regime Desperate to Block Cross-Border Information Flows](https://www.nkinsider.org/dprks-increasingly-vulnerable-regime-desperate-to-block-cross-border-information-flows/) - January 29, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Foreign%20Currency%20is%20Now%20the%20Key%20to%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Survival%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Foreign%20Currency%20is%20Now%20the%20Key%20to%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Survival%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Foreign%20Currency%20is%20Now%20the%20Key%20to%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Survival%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/foreign-currency-is-now-the-key-to-north-koreas-survival/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Foreign%20Currency%20is%20Now%20the%20Key%20to%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Survival%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/foreign-currency-is-now-the-key-to-north-koreas-survival/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Foreign%20Currency%20is%20Now%20the%20Key%20to%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Survival%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [A Puzzling Propaganda Discrepancy: Kim Jong-un Says the “Republic of Korea” but Others Say “Gwaerae”](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-puzzling-propaganda-discrepancy-kim-jong-un-says-the-republic-of-korea-but-others-say-gwaerae/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** Ahn Chan-il **Excerpt:** South Koreans have a general idea of North Korea's official name, yet few call it the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea." In fact, many students in South Korean universities' North Korean studies courses omit the terms "people" or "democracy" when referring to North Korea. This may be intentional since North Korea is clearly not a democracy and doesn’t deserve to use that word in its official title. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Georae.jpg "Georae | nk insider")SEOUL – South Koreans have a general idea of North Korea’s official name, yet few call it the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.” In fact, many students in South Korean universities’ North Korean studies courses omit the terms “people” or “democracy” when referring to North Korea. This may be intentional since North Korea is clearly not a democracy and doesn’t deserve to use that word in its official title. In North Korea, it’s very rare for any of the country’s 25 million residents to hear South Korea called by its official name: The Republic of Korea. They may not even be familiar with the term “*Hankuk”* (a common way for South Koreans to refer to the country). Since North Korean propaganda emphasizes the illegitimacy of South Korea because it’s supposedly an imperialist puppet state, most North Koreans avoid mentioning anything about South Korea as it could lead to accusations of political crimes. In 2023, North Korea’s leadership made a puzzling shift in the terminology used for South Korea, repeatedly referring to the country as the “Republic of Korea.” Kim Yo Jong, the Vice Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea, [used the term “Republic of Korea”](https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230711000640) twice in the spring of 2023, and on July 27, during the so-called Korean War Victory Day, Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam also [used](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230720007752325) the term in his speech, leaving the participants bewildered. Finally, during the 10th Plenary Meeting of the Supreme People’s Assembly on September 27, 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un [mentioned](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/1100188.html) the “Republic of Korea” on three occasions. Yet right after that, North Korean athletes who participated in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games (September 28 to October 8) didn’t hesitate to use the derogatory term “*Gwaerae*” to refer to South Korea. In North Korean dictionaries, “Gwaerae” means “a political group of national traitors who sell out their country and people to foreign invaders, including imperialists.” The term is mainly used in North Korean propaganda to criticize South Korea. Since Kim Jong-un and other high-ranking officials had recently been referring to South Korea more respectfully by using the official name, it was surprising that North Korean reports on the women’s football quarterfinals between North and South Korea on September 30 referred to South Korea as “Gwaerae.” Both the Korean Central News Agency and Rodong Sinmun [used](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2023/10/04/DBYALIXXX5ERNPFGPWTLQ5GOW4/) the term “Gwaerae Team” instead of the usual “South Korea” when reporting the results of the game. The Korean Central Television in North Korea reported, “The match concluded with our country defeating the ‘Gwaerae Team’ by an overwhelming score of 4:1.” Even on the scoreboard at the bottom of the video featuring North Korea’s scoring highlights, “Korea vs. Gwaerae” was used. Past instances of North Korea officially referring to South Korea as “Gwaerae” on an international sports stage were rare. During the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the term “South Korea” was commonly used, and even during the Cold War, there were hardly any cases of North Korea referring to South Korea as “Gwaerae” in sports competitions. Although North Korea’s choice of terminology may seem trivial, it can actually be an important indicator of inter-Korean relations, as North Korea is highly sensitive about how South Koreans refer to North Korea. For example, during a press conference after an inter-Korean women’s football match on September 30, 2023, some South Korean journalists referred to North Korea as “the North side.” In response, the North Korean team’s coach strongly objected, saying, “We are not ‘the North side,’ but the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Don’t call us ‘North Korea.’ That’s not right. You should use the correct name.” After South Korea won an inter-Korean women’s basketball game, journalists referring to the country as “North Korea” drew protests from North Korean delegates at a press conference, who said, “We are the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea). Don’t call us ‘North Korea.’” Ultimately, North Korea’s decision to use “Gwaerae Team” right after Kim Jong-un said “The Republic of Korea” may indicate a deterioration in inter-Korean relations around that time, but the exact reasons are unclear. The frequency of the term “Gwarae” in North Korean media has increased since the conservative Yoon Seok-youl administration came to power in 2022, so it’s unclear why there was a sudden discrepancy and shift in terminology for South Korea used in North Korea in 2023. Kim Jong-un’s decision to publicly refer to the Republic of Korea is even more puzzling because using its official name implies that South Korea is a legitimate, sovereign state. That contradicts North Korean propaganda that South Korea is an illegitimate puppet state and that the North Korean regime is the only legitimate government on the Korean Peninsula. Regardless of the explanation, the North Korean people can hopefully continue to learn the truth about The Republic of Korea, which is the only Korea that deserves to use words like “Republic” or “Democratic” in its official title. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Ahn Chan-il](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/ahn-chan-il-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/ "Ahn Chan-il") [Ahn Chan-il](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/) Chan-il is the Founder and Executive Director of the World North Korea Research Center. He oversees the center’s mission to serve as a prominent think tank dedicated to North Korean studies. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Korea University, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science from Konkuk University. [![Ahn Chan-il](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/ahn-chan-il-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/ "Ahn Chan-il") Latest posts by Ahn Chan-il ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/ahn-chanil/)) - [Press Release – South Koreans rally to condemn Maduro’s election fraud in Venezuela, following in the steps of Kim Jong-un’s totalitarianism](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism/) - August 16, 2024 - [보도 자료: 김정은의 전체주의의 길을 가고 있는 베네수엘라 마두로의 부정 선거 개표 규탄 집회](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-south-koreans-rally-to-condemn-maduros-election-fraud-in-venezuela-following-in-the-steps-of-kim-jong-uns-totalitarianism-2/) - August 16, 2024 - [A Puzzling Propaganda Discrepancy: Kim Jong-un Says the “Republic of Korea” but Others Say “Gwaerae”](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-puzzling-propaganda-discrepancy-kim-jong-un-says-the-republic-of-korea-but-others-say-gwaerae/) - October 8, 2023 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20Puzzling%20Propaganda%20Discrepancy%3A%20Kim%20Jong-un%20Says%20the%20%E2%80%9CRepublic%20of%20Korea%E2%80%9D%20but%20Others%20Say%20%E2%80%9CGwaerae%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=A%20Puzzling%20Propaganda%20Discrepancy%3A%20Kim%20Jong-un%20Says%20the%20%E2%80%9CRepublic%20of%20Korea%E2%80%9D%20but%20Others%20Say%20%E2%80%9CGwaerae%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=A%20Puzzling%20Propaganda%20Discrepancy%3A%20Kim%20Jong-un%20Says%20the%20%E2%80%9CRepublic%20of%20Korea%E2%80%9D%20but%20Others%20Say%20%E2%80%9CGwaerae%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-puzzling-propaganda-discrepancy-kim-jong-un-says-the-republic-of-korea-but-others-say-gwaerae/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=A%20Puzzling%20Propaganda%20Discrepancy%3A%20Kim%20Jong-un%20Says%20the%20%E2%80%9CRepublic%20of%20Korea%E2%80%9D%20but%20Others%20Say%20%E2%80%9CGwaerae%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-puzzling-propaganda-discrepancy-kim-jong-un-says-the-republic-of-korea-but-others-say-gwaerae/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=A%20Puzzling%20Propaganda%20Discrepancy%3A%20Kim%20Jong-un%20Says%20the%20%E2%80%9CRepublic%20of%20Korea%E2%80%9D%20but%20Others%20Say%20%E2%80%9CGwaerae%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** The Koreas --- ### [A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-thousand-miles-to-freedom-my-escape-from-north-korea/) **Published:** July 21, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea by Eunsun Kim is a sobering memoir of the author’s decade-long struggle to flee from the oppressive regime of her homeland. Kim, who was only nine years old when her family was arrested and sent to a prison camp, faced starvation, slavery, torture, and separation from her loved ones. She eventually escaped to China, Mongolia, and South Korea, where she found freedom and a new life. The book is a valuable document of the human rights crimes of the Kim regime, an eye-opening glimpse into the everyday life of North Koreans, and a powerful testament to the tenacity of the human will. The book is a captivating and inspiring read for anyone interested in the personal stories of refugees, defectors, and activists. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20Thousand%20Miles%20to%20Freedom%3A%20My%20Escape%20from%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=A%20Thousand%20Miles%20to%20Freedom%3A%20My%20Escape%20from%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=A%20Thousand%20Miles%20to%20Freedom%3A%20My%20Escape%20from%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-thousand-miles-to-freedom-my-escape-from-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=A%20Thousand%20Miles%20to%20Freedom%3A%20My%20Escape%20from%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-thousand-miles-to-freedom-my-escape-from-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=A%20Thousand%20Miles%20to%20Freedom%3A%20My%20Escape%20from%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Books --- ### [The Changing View of the Dictator’s Gifts](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-changing-view-of-the-dictators-gifts/) **Published:** February 17, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Excerpt:** On the last day of school last year, parents all over North Korea dressed up and made their way to nurseries and kindergartens for a special ceremony. There their children received a gift from the leader, Kim Jong Un, of sugary sweets and other goodies. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Image-from-pdf-3-page-1.jpg "Image from pdf 3 page 1 | nk insider")SEOUL – On the last day of school last year, parents all over North Korea dressed up and made their way to nurseries and kindergartens for a special ceremony. There their children received a gift from the leader, Kim Jong Un, of sugary sweets and other goodies. Each child received 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of candy, bean candy, cookies, rice crackers and gum. The parents understood it as the annual treat for the new year. But then it was officially announced that starting this year it was a present to mark Kim’s birthday which is January 8. Kim was being especially generous so that people could enjoy some happy days from new year’s day to his birthday, the regime said. Privately, though, the parents weren’t all that impressed. For many, getting to the event wasn’t fun. Transport is limited in many areas, which meant many had to walk up to 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) to the venues. The weather in North Korea in early January can be brutal, reaching 20 C below. Then there was the gift itself. These days, people get much better quality candy from the jangmadang markets. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/signal-2024-02-17-173107_002-773x1024.jpeg "Signal20240217173107002 | nk insider") ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/signal-2024-02-17-173102_002-821x1024.jpeg "Signal20240217173102002 | nk insider") The images from sources in North Korea of gift bags of crackers, cookies, and candies from Kim Jong Un to kids to mark his January 8 birthday. The image on the left shows three kids riding what appears to be a fighter jet over a sign that reads “We are happy.”In the past, most families could enjoy the lunar new year sweets and cookies given to children. But nowadays, not so many people are having children. Some couples may have just one or even none at all. When the severe food shortages of recent decades led to the end of state rationing, people figured that having children under conditions where the state no longer guarantees survival puts families at greater risk. Low population growth has in fact become an issue. Hence the appearance of Kim himself at the [Fifth National Conference of Mothers](https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1218999673/north-korea-confronts-a-modern-day-challenge-a-declining-population) in early December where it was emphasized that a woman’s patriotic duty is to give birth and raise many children. The annual gift of sweets for kids dates back to Kim Il Sung’s reign in the 1970s. All infants, elementary school students and babies, and also pregnant women due to give birth that month, received them. Back then, the average household had three to four children, and some had as many as seven or eight. The sugary sweets impressed the people as they weren’t yet available in ordinary stores. The markets didn’t even exist. However, under Kim Jong Il the quality deteriorated. The gifts that were once carefully wrapped in boxes were now shoved into plastic bags. More water was added to the sweets which made them sticky. Sweets that didn’t contain enough butter, eggs, or sugar would puff up like bread and quickly get moldy. A few years ago, Kim Jong Un expanded the candy gifts to all youngsters, but this year only nursery and kindergarten children received them. . Funding for the leader’s gifts comes from the loyalty fund, which every household is required to contribute to. Urban residents give cash, while rural residents contribute agricultural products suitable for export, such as sweet beans. When you consider that they are required to donate 10 kilograms of beans and that they could sell this amount at the market and buy 3 kilograms of high-quality candy and cookies, the dissatisfaction becomes clear. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Changing%20View%20of%20the%20Dictator%E2%80%99s%20Gifts&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Changing%20View%20of%20the%20Dictator%E2%80%99s%20Gifts https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Changing%20View%20of%20the%20Dictator%E2%80%99s%20Gifts "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-changing-view-of-the-dictators-gifts/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Changing%20View%20of%20the%20Dictator%E2%80%99s%20Gifts&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-changing-view-of-the-dictators-gifts/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Changing%20View%20of%20the%20Dictator%E2%80%99s%20Gifts "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Speculation About Kim Ju Ae’s Succession in North Korea Is Premature and Unsubstantiated](https://www.nkinsider.org/speculation-about-kim-ju-aes-succession-in-north-korea-is-premature-and-unsubstantiated/) **Published:** January 17, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/75돐경축-민방위무력열병식-scaled.jpg "75돐경축 민방위무력열병식 | nk insider")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](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240104002700315).” 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. VIDEO CAPTION: On February 8, 2023, in Pyongyang, Kim Ju Ae holds hands with her father, Kim Jong Un, on the red carpet during a parade commemorating the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Korean People’s Army. Footage via KCTV.However, North Koreans interviewed for this article are skeptical. A North Korean Trade Ministry official who has been involved with the Workers’ Party’s special agency for earning foreign currency for more than 30 years and is familiar with the political dynamics of the country told NK Insider that predictions of Kim Ju Ae’s succession are hasty and unsubstantiated. Furthermore, in an interview with a North Korean Foreign Ministry official in China surnamed Lee on January 10, 2024, Lee rejected the prediction of Kim Ju Ae’s succession, dismissing it as an outside perspective that is out of touch with North Korea’s system of power and public sentiment. Lee argued that even if Kim Jong Un had no sons, if he nominated Kim Ju Ae to succeed him, the tradition of succession through the Paektu bloodline would vanish because North Korea’s dynastic hereditary succession is strictly son-centered. In North Korea, daughters are not commonly considered to belong to their original families once they’re married, and the mother’s side of the family is excluded from the family relation documentation section for cadre appointments. Therefore, stressing a daughter-centered hereditary succession could undermine the foundation of North Korea’s patriarchal system and leadership structure. Family members of North Korean defectors living in North Hamgyong Province, Ryanggang Province, and North Pyongan Province in North Korea also reacted skeptically to the idea of Kim Ju Ae’s potential succession in phone conversations on this topic. First, they pointed out that North Korean officials and residents do not even know Kim Ju Ae’s name yet, so it’s far too early to speculate about her potential succession. Compared to the history of Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un’s [succession schemes](https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/docs/political_succession_in_north_korea), wherein North Korea’s propaganda machine trumpeted their supposed achievements, North Korean media simply refers to Kim Ju Ae as a “beloved child,” so she should just be considered a child of the supreme leader rather than a “likely successor.” ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Kim-Jung-il-1024x545.jpg "Kim jung il | nk insider") Kim Jong Il (pictured) was groomed for 20 years and appointed to key posts before succeeding his father, Kim Il Sung, who founded North Korea. Image via KCTV.As a minor with a lack of leadership and achievements, she cannot be nominated as the successor simply because she is the child of the supreme leader. North Korean defectors also believe that Kim Jong Un and his daughter are repeatedly seen together in public and photographed by the North Korean media to convey the soft image of a loving father to the North Korean people. This portrayal of the “loving father” helps Kim Jong Un to shed his image as a nuclear addict, and reinforces Kim Jong Un’s claim that he needs nuclear weapons to protect innocent North Koreans from a supposedly threatening enemy. Ultimately, based on the nature and traditions of North Korea’s dynastic successions and Kim Ju Ae’s lack of qualifications, we can reasonably conclude that speculation about Kim Ju Ae’s succession is premature and unfounded. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Speculation%20About%20Kim%20Ju%20Ae%E2%80%99s%20Succession%20in%20North%20Korea%20Is%20Premature%20and%20Unsubstantiated&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Speculation%20About%20Kim%20Ju%20Ae%E2%80%99s%20Succession%20in%20North%20Korea%20Is%20Premature%20and%20Unsubstantiated https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Speculation%20About%20Kim%20Ju%20Ae%E2%80%99s%20Succession%20in%20North%20Korea%20Is%20Premature%20and%20Unsubstantiated "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/speculation-about-kim-ju-aes-succession-in-north-korea-is-premature-and-unsubstantiated/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Speculation%20About%20Kim%20Ju%20Ae%E2%80%99s%20Succession%20in%20North%20Korea%20Is%20Premature%20and%20Unsubstantiated&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/speculation-about-kim-ju-aes-succession-in-north-korea-is-premature-and-unsubstantiated/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Speculation%20About%20Kim%20Ju%20Ae%E2%80%99s%20Succession%20in%20North%20Korea%20Is%20Premature%20and%20Unsubstantiated "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Is Something Happening in North Korea? 6,000 Young Adults Forcibly Sent to Mines and Farms in January](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-something-happening-in-north-korea-6000-young-adults-forcibly-sent-to-mines-and-farms-in-january/) **Published:** February 11, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** Young adults are being forcibly relocated to mines and rural areas in increasing numbers, according to recent defectors and sources in North Korea. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/240202평양-탄원-2.jpg "240202평양 탄원 2 | nk insider")SEOUL – Young adults are being forcibly relocated to[ mines and rural areas](https://www.news1.kr/articles/?5307260) in increasing numbers, according to recent defectors and sources in North Korea. While the practice has been common for people convicted of crimes or who have politically suspect family background, the selection has become more widespread and random, the sources say. The trend reflects economic difficulties within North Korea as well as growing distrust among citizens towards the regime, they say. Internal exile of this sort is being characterized in the media, which is all state-controlled, as “voluntary entry” but recent defector testimony suggests it’s primarily coercive. The practice of sending people to the remote countryside or to work in mines as a form of punishment has been in evidence for decades. That is still apparent in that the targets include individuals with “bad backgrounds” – ie., descendants of those who assisted the US or South Korea during the Korean War or who committed political or economic offenses – and others in need of “cultural transformation” – ie., reeducation – due to poor participation in compulsory activities. A more recent category of victims are young adults labeled “problematic youth” for watching South Korean or foreign movies. “The selection is overseen by the chairmen of local party committees,” said a defector named Jung, 53, who arrived in South Korea in 2018. “They use it as an opportunity to include people they consider difficult or who they don’t like.” North Korea has even screened movies on this topic. “The Girl I Love” and[ “The Stem Grows from the Root”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxT4emv6HME) depict troubled youth entering mines. Other defectors confirmed the involuntary nature of relocation. “It’s strictly coercive,” said Ms. Kang, who defected in 2022. “Being selected is like being caught in a net.” Sources inside North Korea, however, say the net is getting wider and the selection more random. “The forced entry movement is nationwide,” said Kim from Pyongyang. “Many young adults in Pyongyang will be sent to rural areas.” Kim added that, while individuals marked as “lagging behind in their organizational life” or “having a bad background” would typically be included on the entry list, people now are also being randomly selected by the party committees. Rodong Sinmun, the party paper, ran a front-page story on January 31 under the title “Petition of over 6,000 young people to the main fortresses of socialist construction, embracing the grand practice of the central party in the first month of the new year.” In other words, the newspaper confirmed, more than 6,000 had been dispatched to rural areas and mines in January alone under the banner of “voluntary entry.” In addition to these young adults, the regime is currently forcing middle-aged women from various regions, including Pyongan and Yanggang provinces near the Chinese border. The trend is causing unrest among the populace, according to sources there. Even in Pyongyang, on February 2nd, more than 30 unmarried young adults were sent to mines and rural areas, with the North Korean regime describing it as “voluntary entry” and widely promoting it through TV and broadcasts. “Once sons or daughters are placed on the list to go to mines or rural areas, a sea of tears flows in their homes,” the informant Kim in Pyongyang said. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Is%20Something%20Happening%20in%20North%20Korea%3F%206%2C000%20Young%20Adults%20Forcibly%20Sent%20to%20Mines%20and%20Farms%20in%20January&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Is%20Something%20Happening%20in%20North%20Korea%3F%206%2C000%20Young%20Adults%20Forcibly%20Sent%20to%20Mines%20and%20Farms%20in%20January https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Is%20Something%20Happening%20in%20North%20Korea%3F%206%2C000%20Young%20Adults%20Forcibly%20Sent%20to%20Mines%20and%20Farms%20in%20January "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-something-happening-in-north-korea-6000-young-adults-forcibly-sent-to-mines-and-farms-in-january/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Is%20Something%20Happening%20in%20North%20Korea%3F%206%2C000%20Young%20Adults%20Forcibly%20Sent%20to%20Mines%20and%20Farms%20in%20January&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/is-something-happening-in-north-korea-6000-young-adults-forcibly-sent-to-mines-and-farms-in-january/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Is%20Something%20Happening%20in%20North%20Korea%3F%206%2C000%20Young%20Adults%20Forcibly%20Sent%20to%20Mines%20and%20Farms%20in%20January "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Provincial Governments Tap Wealthy Traders to Donate for Regional Development](https://www.nkinsider.org/provincial-governments-tap-wealthy-traders-to-donate-for-regional-development/) **Published:** February 13, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Excerpt:** Provincial governments are conducting a donation campaign targeting wealthy merchants to fund local development projects, according to sources in North Korea. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/27.jpg "27 | nk insider")SEOUL – Provincial governments are conducting a donation campaign targeting wealthy merchants to fund local development projects, according to sources in North Korea. NK Insider has spoken to residents in the northern provinces of Yanggang, North Pyongan and North Hamgyeong who say authorities there are raising money for the Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Loyalty Fund. Originally set up to raise money overseas to promote North Korea internationally, the fund in recent years has found [ways to raise money](https://www.dailynk.com/english/son-reduces-moms-jail-time-by-contributing-to-loyalty-fund/) within the country for domestic projects. The ruling Workers’ Party announced a [five-year economic plan](https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2A82KP/) last June that includes regional development. What is new this time is that the government has a specific “20×10 Regional Development” goal to build manufacturing facilities in 20 cities and counties every year for the next 10 years. More importantly, Kim Jong Un put his weight behind the regional development plan in a speech to the Supreme People’s Assembly on January 15. The fundraising drive comes after Kim criticized cadres and highlighted “[severe imbalance and huge gaps](https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/1126098)” between rural and urban areas and instructed the Central Committee members to individually be responsible for the economic development of a specific city or province. “His criticism of cadres is a way of avoiding responsibility,” said a resident of the border city of Hyesan. “But I’m still glad to see that it was decided by the Party and emphasized in the Supreme People’s Assembly to restore the rural areas.” The North’s Korean Central Broadcasting Station [reported](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JklgWAa73Ns&ab_channel=KBSNews) on February 3 that regional parties and government bodies were busy organizing teams and holding meetings to implement the 20×10 Regional Development Policy. The emerging class who have made money working in the jangmadang markets – referred to as “donju” – have become increasingly important. They are known to have intervened in the economic policies and represent a new force in trade and finance, real estate and distribution. According to many residents along the border with China, local governments have set up policies to actively make use of the donju for regional economic strategy. Rather than simply extorting funds, they offer incentives to them to invest in state enterprises. They offer management positions or otherwise make deals that appeal to them. To attract individual capital, regional governments mobilize the judicial power of the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Social Security to protect certain monopolies enjoyed by individuals, or to track, inspect, and suppress illegal funds. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/mmexport1592640630088-947x1024.jpg "Mmexport1592640630088 | nk insider") ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/mmexport1592640639865-768x1024.jpg "Mmexport1592640639865 | nk insider") NK Insider exclusively obtained the regime’s internal document entitled ‘Policy related to Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Loyalty Fund,’ published by the Provincial Ministry of People’s Security – Propaganda & Agitation Department. One part of the document instructs that in the case of donations for a factory, enterprise, or collective farm in the name of a state entity, the corresponding certificate shall be awarded in accordance with the amount given, either in KPW or USD.North Korean defectors and economists who have worked in regional industries confirm that the funds needed to implement the 20×10 plan will be shared by the central government and the regions. They expect that respective municipal Party Committees and People’s Committees will be in charge of project implementation, construction, organizational and work planning, and schedules. Local governments will receive support from the central government for areas that they are unable to manage on their own, such as human resource support planning and requests for important production equipment. It is not clear to what extent the central government will actually fund the regional projects or, indeed, whether it will actually invest at all. North Korea reportedly received $5 billion in funding and promises of full economic cooperation from Russia in exchange for weapons. This and the fact that Kim has highlighted the 20×10 plan makes citizens in the provinces hopeful. On the other hand, the news that the state is picking their pockets and looking for donations is not encouraging. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Provincial%20Governments%20Tap%20Wealthy%20Traders%20to%20Donate%20for%20Regional%20Development&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Provincial%20Governments%20Tap%20Wealthy%20Traders%20to%20Donate%20for%20Regional%20Development https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Provincial%20Governments%20Tap%20Wealthy%20Traders%20to%20Donate%20for%20Regional%20Development "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/provincial-governments-tap-wealthy-traders-to-donate-for-regional-development/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Provincial%20Governments%20Tap%20Wealthy%20Traders%20to%20Donate%20for%20Regional%20Development&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/provincial-governments-tap-wealthy-traders-to-donate-for-regional-development/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Provincial%20Governments%20Tap%20Wealthy%20Traders%20to%20Donate%20for%20Regional%20Development "Reddit") **Categories:** Economy --- ### [No Rest on Sunday for North Koreans](https://www.nkinsider.org/no-rest-on-sunday-for-north-koreans/) **Published:** February 11, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** The second Sunday of every month in North Korea is officially designated as Sports Day. People go to the workplace, but instead of doing their usual job, they engage in team sports and physical recreation. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/체육의-날.jpg "체육의 날 | nk insider")SEOUL – The second Sunday of every month in North Korea is officially designated as Sports Day. People go to the workplace, but instead of doing their usual job, they engage in team sports and physical recreation. For those who rest at the weekend, the idea of having one Sunday each month for physical activities with colleagues may seem attractive. But given the reality that there is no normal rest at the weekend and Sports Day is compulsory, it feels more like prison training. Sundays are marked in red on the calendar, denoting no work, but the concept of the day of rest began to disappear after Kim Jong Un’s father, Kim Jong Il, came to the fore. While Kim Jong Un’s grandfather, Kim Il Sung, banished all gods from North Korea, Kim Jong Il made sure nothing the gods decreed remained behind. In one form or another, the world has adopted the fourth of the Ten Commandments to remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. North Korea is the only country in the world today that ignores this sacred human right. The process began with Kim Jong Il’s proclamation of[ the Ten Principles for the Establishment of the One-Ideology System of the Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Principles_for_the_Establishment_of_a_Monolithic_Ideological_System) on April 14, 1974, the eve of the country’s main annual holiday, Kim Il Sung’s birthday. The Ten Principles fostered competition among officials for loyalty. The most noticeable feature of this competition was whether to rest or not on Sundays. Officials started to competitively schedule work on Sundays which workers were obliged to follow. The disappearance of Sunday was not complete until after the “Arduous March” famine following the death of Kim Il-sung in 1994. At first, it was gradual. The famous North Korean comedian Lee Soon-hong performed a skit titled “Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sat” on it. As dissatisfaction increased, Kim Jong Il came to the conclusion that the lack of collective ideology among the people was to blame. To foster a better spirit, he created the special day each month for group sports. North Koreans are now very negative about Sports Day. “I still feel uncomfortable thinking about it,” said Kim, who worked at a military plant in Pyongyang and who defected to the South in June last year. “The Sports Day in February 2019 was the worst.” On that day, his workplace was divided into two teams to play volleyball. Employees were exhausted and didn’t care whether their team won or lost. They just wanted to finish quickly and go home. “If someone made a mistake during the game, the officials watching would criticize the employee in front of everyone, saying that the person lacked collective spirit,” he said. To make things worse, on that day, the trams were not operating and everyone had to walk home. The tradition continues under the rule of Kim Jong Un. We can expect that the citizens’ perspective of Sports Day will become even more bitter. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=No%20Rest%20on%20Sunday%20for%20North%20Koreans&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=No%20Rest%20on%20Sunday%20for%20North%20Koreans https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=No%20Rest%20on%20Sunday%20for%20North%20Koreans "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/no-rest-on-sunday-for-north-koreans/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=No%20Rest%20on%20Sunday%20for%20North%20Koreans&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/no-rest-on-sunday-for-north-koreans/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=No%20Rest%20on%20Sunday%20for%20North%20Koreans "Reddit") **Categories:** Sports --- ### [Collecting Taxes in the Country of No Taxation ](https://www.nkinsider.org/collecting-taxes-in-the-country-of-no-taxation/) **Published:** February 10, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Excerpt:** Back in June 2018, after watching news of the summit between Kim Jong Un and then-US President Donald J. Trump on TV, a friend in my hometown had a quirky suggestion. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Naenara2.jpg "Naenara2 | nk insider")Back in June 2018, after watching news of the summit between Kim Jong Un and then-US President Donald J. Trump on TV, a friend in my hometown had a quirky suggestion. “Trump should come here and tell the North Korean people how to avoid taxes,” she told me on the phone. She was struggling as a jangmadang market trader over the various taxes she had to pay. As far as she was concerned, the first-ever meeting between the top leaders of North Korea and America was less important than the burning question of how to save on taxes. In South Korea, people are familiar with news stories about Trump and his personal tax issue. He’s well-known as a “tax saver.” When I read that he paid just $750 in [federal income taxes](https://www.bbc.com/korean/international-54321300 "federal income taxes") in 2016, I was so confused that I thought I was suffering from dyslexia. My income taxes were four times higher than his and yet he was earning a million times more than me. I must say I was kind of impressed. There’s an old saying in Korea that says, “A man who has nine envies a man who has one.” In other words, the more you have, the greedier you become. From the Korean perspective, Trump is the “greedy man with nine.” It’s obvious that the more money you make, the more you should pay in taxes. But it’s also true that tax payment can feel like a waste of the time and energy that went into earning the income. You might feel like your hard-earned money is just disappearing out of your pocket. Such feelings aside, it is of course important to fulfill your tax obligations. I say this not because I’m a law-abiding person. The reason is simple: I think a capitalist society is a better place to live than North Korea and worth supporting. My favorite theme in capitalism is the recognition of private ownership. Taxes are paid in exchange for free will and ownership, which are human rights. That is as valuable as taxes to me now because I lived without even realizing the existence of the words “human rights” for more than 20 years. This is why I keep reminding myself about “the recognition of private ownership” whenever I feel like taxes are a waste. North Korea doesn’t believe in taxation, at least not officially. It promotes itself as the only country in the world where citizens are not required to pay any types of taxes. It even has a national tax abolition day. There used to be taxation but it ended on[ April 1, 1974,](https://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=4762) with the adoption of a law by the Supreme People’s Assembly “on the complete elimination of the tax system.” However, despite this official posture, there is in fact a system of taxation. The authorities have expanded it as the economic situation has worsened. For example, a woman must pay a “market usage fee” (jangse) to be able to sell goods in the jangmadang market. The jangse fees collected from the women responsible for the economic activities for their households amounted to[ $56.8 million](https://www.fnnews.com/news/201808290942288085) in 2018. Defectors say that they believe the annual figure has since increased. The jangse fee is not calculated as a percentage of earnings. Even people who make no money have to pay it. There is even a story of a North Korean woman who[ committed suicide](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20240109063600009) because of the market fee burden. The problem is that everyone, including workers and housewives, must pay the same amount, regardless of their income or economic capability. The regime taxes the people in a variety of other ways. Since Kim Jong Un took power, the authorities have been[ securing their budgets](https://archives.kdischool.ac.kr/bitstream/11125/41639/1/DP-09.pdf) by including a “personal income payment” levied on individuals in a “miscellaneous revenues” category. They also tax electricity,[ land](https://www.spnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=67527), and real estate. The government has also raised land use fees. The state collects products from the people in a form of indirect taxation. These include cement and reinforced steel bars collected in the name of “socialist construction support.”[ Loyalty and support funds](https://www.dailynk.com/20221031-3/) are collected through the local inminban (neighborhood unit). School students of all ages are required bring rabbit skins, scrap metal, silver, copper, scratch paper and other items for use by the state. A recent new type of tax is being informally called the “corruption price.” This slang term refers to a fee paid by individual business owners to those in power in exchange for monopolizing the market. A defector who used to rent a public enterprise building and run a table tennis center in Pyongyang said he paid $300 to the enterprise every month. “I started a pool hall to make a living, but I was just sacrificing myself for others” he said, joking that he was unwittingly loyal to Kim Jong Un with his taxes. As these examples show, tax in North Korea is arbitrary. Right now, taxes from the market and fees paid by traders account for the largest portion. Women are at the center of this. As my friend the market trader told me, Kim Jong Un is the biggest beneficiary of the jangmadang market economy, and the biggest enemy of the women who work there are the taxes and the jangse market fee they have to pay for the privilege. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Collecting%20Taxes%20in%20the%20Country%20of%20No%20Taxation%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Collecting%20Taxes%20in%20the%20Country%20of%20No%20Taxation%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Collecting%20Taxes%20in%20the%20Country%20of%20No%20Taxation%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/collecting-taxes-in-the-country-of-no-taxation/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Collecting%20Taxes%20in%20the%20Country%20of%20No%20Taxation%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/collecting-taxes-in-the-country-of-no-taxation/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Collecting%20Taxes%20in%20the%20Country%20of%20No%20Taxation%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Rampant Bribery and Graft in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/rampant-bribery-and-graft-in-north-korea/) **Published:** January 8, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** 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.  **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/corruption-scaled.jpg "Corruption | nk insider")SEOUL – 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. Reports suggest that corrupt practices, often referred to as “maegwanmaejik” in North Korea, have become deeply ingrained in the country’s social fabric. Despite North Korea’s claims of promoting socialism and ensuring a good standard of living for all, the reality is quite different. The monthly salaries provided by the state are uniformly low, [ranging from the equivalent of about US$0.2-0.5 per month](https://rankingworkplace.com/%EB%B6%81%ED%95%9C-%EC%9B%94%EA%B8%89-%EB%AC%BC%EA%B0%80/). Even high-ranking officials like those in the military or the ruling party only receive around $0.5 per month. To put this into perspective, with rice priced at approximately $1 per kilogram in North Korean markets, it’s virtually impossible for North Korean citizens to make ends meet on the salaries provided by the state. North Korea legally prohibits private enterprises, leaving its citizens with limited means of income. To survive, many turn to illicit means such as bribery and graft. According to North Korean defector Choi Jung-chul, who worked as an overseas laborer in Russia and defected to South Korea in early 2023, virtually every job and government position, as well as admissions to universities or prestigious high schools, can be attained in North Korea by paying a predetermined price. The fact that such professions and positions are bought and sold in U.S. dollars rather than North Korean currency reveals the lack of confidence in the North Korean won and the North Korean economy overall. According to Choi, a $100 bribe is necessary to work as an overseas laborer, becoming a manager (a position overseeing 10 to 40 workers) at a foreign construction company requires $3,000, and being appointed as the head of an overseas laborer dispatch company costs $10,000 in “lobbying fees.” For various positions and roles in North Korea, predetermined [lobbying fees have become a common practice](https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/05/1039251) among North Korean citizens. If one aspires to be appointed as a local party official, it costs $600, and seeking employment with a reputable company or pursuing a career as a taxi driver typically involves fees ranging from $200 to $500. Becoming a 10-ton truck driver requires $500, and even securing a position as a police officer necessitates a payment of $1,000. Choi also mentioned that the fees for university and high school admissions are fixed, with popular universities like Pyongyang University of Architecture, the Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies, Pyongyang Jang Chol Gu University of Commerce, Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, and Kim Il-sung University demanding lobbying fees ranging from $4,000 to $5,000. Specialized schools focusing on nurturing artistic talents like Moranbong No. 1 Middle School require $3,000, and even less popular universities expect at least $500 in bribes. These lobbying fees are typically paid to individuals with authority over appointments, employment, or student admissions. In North Korea, government agencies and institutions oversee this system, with the Human Resource Department taking a leading role. While the party organizations may have some influence, the ultimate decision-making power lies with human resource departments. Consequently, these HR department jobs are regarded as some of the most desirable professions in North Korea, and fees for appointments in this field are also predetermined. With North Korea facing increased hardships due to UN sanctions, economic restrictions and self-imposed border closures during the pandemic, corrupt practices like “job and position trading” have continued to proliferate. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Rampant%20Bribery%20and%20Graft%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Rampant%20Bribery%20and%20Graft%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Rampant%20Bribery%20and%20Graft%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/rampant-bribery-and-graft-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Rampant%20Bribery%20and%20Graft%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/rampant-bribery-and-graft-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Rampant%20Bribery%20and%20Graft%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [A Gift of Rice for Lunar New Year: Propaganda versus Reality](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-gift-of-rice-for-lunar-new-year-propaganda-versus-reality/) **Published:** February 9, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Excerpt:** For Lunar New Year, which falls this year on Saturday, February 10, the recently established grain sales centers (which replaced the old distribution centers), were authorized to sell 3 kilograms of rice to each household. Officials characterized this as a thoughtful gesture by the Workers’ Party. But our impression from sources in North Korea is that citizens increasingly see such things as impractical propaganda. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/7-47-목탄차.webp "747목탄차 | nk insider")SEOUL – For Lunar New Year, which falls this year on Saturday, February 10, the recently established grain sales centers (which replaced the old distribution centers), were authorized to sell 3 kilograms of rice to each household. Officials characterized this as a thoughtful gesture by the Workers’ Party. But our impression from sources in North Korea is that citizens increasingly see such things as impractical propaganda. The government sets the standard ration for the working head of a household at 700 grams per day. For dependents, it is 300 grams. These amounts are charged at 5,400 won per kilogram. Extra rice is available but is priced at 6,000 won. The 3 kilograms for Lunar New Year is being sold at the regular ration rate and costs 16,200 won per household, which is a saving of 1,800 won. The authorities instruct that food be sold at low prices, but in reality, the grain sales centers are run by private individuals who often refuse to release it in defiance of an order to sell at less than the cost price. That is a particular concern now. Total grain production in a given year is determined in December. Less than a month after the latest report, the price of food rose rapidly, causing considerable anxiety among the populace. Despite this,[ at a key Workers Party meeting at the end of December](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/PYH20231231015500315), the authorities claimed there had been an overproduction of grain, suggesting that the food shortage issue would be addressed. Thus, there is a big difference between the public pronouncements and the situation experienced on the ground. Power is another challenge. Electricity is available for one hour from 6am and for one hour from 7pm. (On New Year’s Day and Kim Jong Un’s birthday on January 8, electricity was available for five hours each day). Those who can’t afford it, can’t even use candles or diesel lanterns. Elevators in apartment blocks don’t operate due to the power outages. Some residents of better-quality apartments have been collecting money to set up private generators which they run at set times. The elevator problem explains why apartments on the 10th floor and above are cheaper. Residents have to hike up and down every time they go out. In Pyongyang, apartments above the 20th floor are mainly occupied by old people. Placing elderly parents in the top floors ensures they will stay home. It is seen as a form of “parental care” by better-off families who can afford to separate place for their parents. As with electricity, so it is with drinking water. Tap water is available in the morning and evening. There are slight differences by region and between Pyongyang and provincial cities, but on average, water is available for one to two hours a day. Households living high up in high rises have difficulty with tap water because of insufficient pressure and have to haul water up from lower floors. Each apartment has a concrete water tank that can hold more than a ton of water. The taps are turned on 24 hours a day to make sure they don’t miss the moment when the water is flowing. Sometimes, when the water is supplied for more than two hours, there are stories of water in the hallways and stairwells when residents are away at work. This is not the only inconvenience caused by the lack of running water. While most people defecate outside before returning home, doing so at night presents a problem. Because of this, there is always a disgusting odor wafting around apartments in Pyongyang and the provinces. Some unscrupulous residents throw their own waste out of apartment windows instead of disposing of it in a cesspit. This leads to a lot of hustle and bustle in the mornings as people try to clean up. It is a well-known myth in Pyongyang and the provinces that if you walk under your apartment at night, you might be struck by a missile thrown by someone who can’t be bothered to walk downstairs in the dark. As this portrait suggests, for ordinary people, discomfort is evident in all areas of their lives. Kim Jong Un, meanwhile, continues to pursue military expansion, nuclear development and missile tests. The regime propagates the arrival of a new era of transformation and a new frontier of revitalization and development. But these fail to give anyone hope of a better life. Slogans such as the Great Transition Year and the Great Transformation Year have been drummed into their ears for nearly 80 years. From 1945 onward, Kim Il Sung promised people would have “rice and meat soup” and live in “silk and tile houses.” These promises continued under Kim Jong Il. But shortly after he came to power, Kim Jong Un, sang a different tune. “It is the firm determination of our party to let our people no longer have to tighten their belts but enjoy socialist wealth to the fullest,” he said. Few took him literally, but his words nevertheless raised expectations. Now, as millions worry about securing their daily food and as they see homeless people wandering around the countryside, they find little reason to hope. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20Gift%20of%20Rice%20for%20Lunar%20New%20Year%3A%20Propaganda%20versus%20Reality&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=A%20Gift%20of%20Rice%20for%20Lunar%20New%20Year%3A%20Propaganda%20versus%20Reality https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=A%20Gift%20of%20Rice%20for%20Lunar%20New%20Year%3A%20Propaganda%20versus%20Reality "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-gift-of-rice-for-lunar-new-year-propaganda-versus-reality/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=A%20Gift%20of%20Rice%20for%20Lunar%20New%20Year%3A%20Propaganda%20versus%20Reality&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/a-gift-of-rice-for-lunar-new-year-propaganda-versus-reality/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=A%20Gift%20of%20Rice%20for%20Lunar%20New%20Year%3A%20Propaganda%20versus%20Reality "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Are North Koreans Becoming Aware of the Concept of Human Rights?](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-north-koreans-becoming-aware-of-the-concept-of-human-rights/) **Published:** February 7, 2024 **Author:** Kim Eun-ju **Excerpt:** Growing up in North Korea, I was not familiar with "human rights." It wasn’t that I was just unaware of what it meant. I didn’t even know the concept existed. I hadn’t heard the phrase. This was not just ignorance on my part or among my friends and family members. I’ve found since escaping North Korea that, with the exception of a few elite defectors, none of us knew. We all lived without knowing what human rights were. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/라진.jpg "라진 | nk insider")Growing up in North Korea, I was not familiar with “human rights.” It wasn’t that I was just unaware of what it meant. I didn’t even know the concept existed. I hadn’t heard the phrase. This was not just ignorance on my part or among my friends and family members. I’ve found since escaping North Korea that, with the exception of a few elite defectors, none of us knew. We all lived without knowing what human rights were. I now see that a society where the phrase “human rights” does not exist either has such a highly developed awareness and guarantee of rights that there is no need to discuss them, or it is so restricted that even mention of them is forbidden. North Korea, it goes without saying, is an example of the latter. The abysmal situation there, where even the right to life is not secured, has been apparent for decades. But it first came to wide international attention thanks to defectors who fled the country during the famine of the 1990s. In 1996, the Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights became the first international civic group devoted to the issue. Its advocacy with the United Nations resulted in 2004 in the appointment of a Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK. It was also instrumental in the unanimous passing by the UN Human Rights Council in 2013 of a 47-nation resolution to establish a [Commission of Inquiry](https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/co-idprk/commission-inquiryon-h-rin-dprk) (COI) on North Korea. The COI’s findings in the following year documented how the North Korean regime had systematically committed widespread and serious inhumane crimes. The UN Security Council in 2015 held an official briefing for the first time on North Korea’s human rights situation rather than on its nuclear and missile programs. The UN Human Rights Office opened a Seoul office to monitor human rights in North Korea and to collect and document information to ensure accountability. Despite these developments and despite the persistent efforts of the international community and various North Korean human rights organizations, the situation for North Koreans has not improved. For example, according to the South Korean government’s [2023 Report on North Korea Human Rights](https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20230329181151504), authorities still require citizens to attend public executions. Among victims cited in testimonies were teenagers whose crime was to have watched South Korean videos, and a woman who was six months pregnant and who had committed the offense of pointing a finger at a portrait of Kim Il Sung. Undercover footage obtained by the Seoul-based SAND (South and North) Research Institute and reported by [KBS-TV](https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=7870823) shows the trial of teenagers sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for watching and distributing South Korean videos. Not only is the punishment in these examples more harsh than in the past, but the targeting of minors and pregnant women demonstrates the worsening of human rights abuses. There is, however, one bright light in this otherwise gloomy picture. That is a change of perception, not in the regime itself, but among North Koreans. [Another North Korean propaganda video obtained by SAND Research and broadcast on South Korea’s TV Chosun on January 26](https://news.tvchosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2024/01/26/2024012690155.html) suggests that a citizen may have tried to form a political party in support of liberal democracy. According to the report, the teacher took this action after being exposed to South Korean broadcasts. The narration in the video that “they were strictly judged” suggests several people must have been involved and the punishment was execution. The fact the authorities decided to publicize the case suggests they may be afraid that such dissent is spreading. By making it known and intensifying the fear of punishment, they may be trying to nip growing dissent in the bud. The fact that there is more awareness of “human rights” among North Koreans adds to the argument that resistance is building. According to many North Koreans who have defected in the last five years, there is now more understanding of individual rights among citizens than in the past. For example, a North Korean woman in her 20s who defected in 2020, told a seminar on “Human Rights Violations in the Life Cycle of North Korean Women,” organized by the Eum Research Institute in Seoul, that her father was beaten for no reason by a security official while he was under investigation and that her mother had used the phrase “human rights violation” in a letter protesting about it to the Party. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/unnamed-1024x576.jpg "Human rights | nk insider") Defectors speaking at the forum “Human Rights Violations in the Life Cycle of North Korean Women” in Seoul, South KoreaShe also said that there are people around her who say, “This is a violation of human rights,” when they encounter unfair treatment from Social Security officers or State Security officers. Another North Korean woman in her 40s (who defected in 2018) said that she was stopped on the street and asked to check her phone, and was able to get away with it by saying, “If you check it and nothing comes up, I will hold you accountable”. North Koreans, who had to do as they were told in any unreasonable situation in the past, or take a beating if they were beaten, are now taking a resistant stance to protect their rights as their human rights awareness grows. **To becoming a society with promised human rights** North Korea is no longer a society where the word “human rights” does not exist. This change is due to the efforts of North Korean human rights organizations to inform the people, continued international pressure to improve human rights, and the courage of North Koreans to risk their lives rather than be discouraged by fear. This is a tangible change after 30 years of human rights activism for North Korea, but just like the Korean saying (in both North and South), “Well begun is half done,” I hope this is a very important and meaningful first step in North Korea’s path to becoming a liberal democratic society where human rights are secured. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") [Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/) Eun-ju is a North Korean defector and the author of "A Thousand Miles to Freedom." She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eun-ju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. [![Kim Eun-ju](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-eun-ju-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/ "Kim Eun-ju") Latest posts by Kim Eun-ju ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-eun-ju/)) - [From hunger to freedom: 30 years of changing reasons to escape North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/from-hunger-to-freedom-30-years-of-changing-reasons-to-escape-north-korea/) - September 12, 2025 - [Can a female leader emerge in patriarchal North Korea?](https://www.nkinsider.org/can-a-female-leader-emerge-in-patriarchal-north-korea/) - September 7, 2025 - [Sticking your head out between the bars, What is the explanation for the new Yalu River cruise?](https://www.nkinsider.org/sticking-your-head-out-between-the-bars-what-is-the-explanation-for-the-new-yalu-river-cruise/) - August 29, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Are%20North%20Koreans%20Becoming%20Aware%20of%20the%20Concept%20of%20Human%20Rights%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Are%20North%20Koreans%20Becoming%20Aware%20of%20the%20Concept%20of%20Human%20Rights%3F https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Are%20North%20Koreans%20Becoming%20Aware%20of%20the%20Concept%20of%20Human%20Rights%3F "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-north-koreans-becoming-aware-of-the-concept-of-human-rights/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Are%20North%20Koreans%20Becoming%20Aware%20of%20the%20Concept%20of%20Human%20Rights%3F&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/are-north-koreans-becoming-aware-of-the-concept-of-human-rights/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Are%20North%20Koreans%20Becoming%20Aware%20of%20the%20Concept%20of%20Human%20Rights%3F "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [Latest Study Guides for Ideological Indoctrination ](https://www.nkinsider.org/latest-study-guides-for-ideological-indoctrination/) **Published:** February 6, 2024 **Author:** Era Seo **Excerpt:** The ruling Workers’ Party produced its annual Study Guide last month, which provides a rare window into political indoctrination and the devotion with which everyone from top officials to ordinary workers is expected to approach it. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Image-from-pdf-page-3-1.jpg "Image from pdf page 3 | nk insider")SEOUL – The ruling Workers’ Party produced its annual Study Guide last month, which provides a rare window into political indoctrination and the devotion with which everyone from top officials to ordinary workers is expected to approach it. The “Study Guide to Arm Oneself with the Idea and Spirit of the 9th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea” summarizes the new direction unveiled at the end of last year when Kim Jong Un declared, among other things, the country was no longer pursuing reunification. It comes in two slim documents, one for party members and workers (i.e., non-members) and a separate one for senior cadres. They were published by the Workers’ Party of Korea Publishing House, which falls under the Party’s Propaganda and Agitation Department. The documents are the most recent for use at the ideological study sessions, which all North Koreans are required to attend, regardless of age, occupation, or affiliation. These sessions are usually held on Saturdays at work sites, in schools, or at social organizations and typically last for up to three hours. They consist of reading, memorizing, and reciting the speeches, writings, and teachings of Kim Jong Un. Participants must produce self-criticism reports, confess mistakes, and pledge loyalty. Failure to do so can lead to criticism, humiliation, and even punishment from peers and superiors. [NK Insider exclusively obtained portions of an internal indoctrination study material titled ‘Study Guide to Arm Oneself with the Idea and Spirit of the 9th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea.’ The guide was published by The Workers’ Party of Korea Publishing House in January 2024.](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Study-Guide-to-Arm-Oneself-with-the-Idea-and-Spirit-of-the-9th-Plenary-Meeting-of-the-8th-Central-Committee-of-the-Workers-Party-of-Korea.pdf) To give a flavor of its contents, the Study Guide opens with these words from Kim Jong Un: “We must shine in 2024 with new and significant achievements through a more energized and vigorous struggle, with the confidence that we have boldly overcome the most severe and rigorous obstacle.” The copies that NK Insider obtained from Pyongyang include 23 questions, which participants at study sessions are required to learn how to respond to. We list them here in full: 1. What are the basic ideas and basic spirit of the 9th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea? 2. What made 2023 a year of great transition, a year of great change? 3. What are the factors behind our accomplishments in 2023 that we can be most proud of? 4. What achievement was more significant than exceeding last year’s grain production plan? 5. What was the biggest political accomplishment last year that can’t even be compared to a great fortune? 6. What is the practical significance of our 3-year period of struggle since the 8th Plenary Meeting? 7. What is the current direction in the operation of the Science and Technology Distribution Center? 8. What is the direction of our collective struggle? 9. What kind of a year is 2024? 10. As the risk of damage from disastrous extreme weather increases, what can we do to minimize its impact? 11. What should be the guiding principles for any business, including urban management? 12. What is our party’s decision regarding stabilizing and improving people’s lives at this time? 13. How can the agriculture sector minimize the impact of disastrous extreme weather? 14. What are the goals of mechanization of agricultural work set forth in the Agriculture Revolutionary Doctrine? 15. What should the light industry prioritize and fight for this year? 16. What are the key demands in modernizing rural industrial plants? 17. What kind of people are the true talents, and what kind of units are the priority units that the times and the revolution want? 18. What are the basics of operating a Science and Technology Distribution Center? 19. How do we induce people to have a vested interest in the development of science and technology? 20. What are the critical requirements of our party’s health policy? 21. Where do we have to target and focus our efforts in the fight against anti-socialist and unsocialist behavior? 22. What is important for the civil defense sector to be realistic in its planning and execution to complete the fight-readiness of civil defense forces? 23. What is patriotism? The study guide for the exclusive use of senior cadres includes answers to these questions, as they are required to lead study sessions. Below are some examples of the responses that citizens are required to learn. **Question 3: What are the factors behind our accomplishments in 2023 that we can be most proud of?** Response: *The heroic struggle of our Workers’ Party members, sincere workers and soldiers of the People’s Army, who have loyally upheld the Party’s ideas and leadership, and carried us to a new phase of reconstruction and development with their strong determination and bold efforts.* **Question 4: What achievement was more significant than exceeding last year’s grain production plan?** Response: *A long-standing and outdated belief in the agricultural sector, that farming is dependent on the harmony of the universe, is beginning to break down.* **Question 22: What is important for the civil defense sector to be realistic in its planning and execution to complete the fight-readiness of civil defense forces?** Response: *It is improving the level of operational command of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards’ commanders and the combat capabilities of their troops by continuously innovating training contents and methods so that they can actively and proactively deal with any combat actions of the enemy.* **Question 23: What is patriotism?** Response: *Patriotism is a spirit of thought sublimated into a feeling of love for all that one has cherished in one’s heart on the land where one was born, and a will to defend it and to make it shine endlessly. In other words, true patriotism is an eruption of the most ardent and sublime ideological feelings toward the motherland, where one does not hesitate to sacrifice one’s blood, flesh, and even one’s life to defend the national independence and sovereignty of the country.* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") [Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/) Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. [![Era Seo](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/ "Era Seo") Latest posts by Era Seo ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/era-seo/)) - [War on women’s clothing: How fashion has become a political crime](https://www.nkinsider.org/war-on-womens-clothing-how-fashion-has-become-a-political-crime/) - May 22, 2026 - [New propaganda material aims to enforce loyalty amid declining faith in leadership](https://www.nkinsider.org/new-propaganda-material-aims-to-enforce-loyalty-amid-declining-faith-in-leadership/) - February 6, 2026 - [Anti-socialist and non-socialist struggle video reveals changing lifestyles (Part 1)](https://www.nkinsider.org/anti-socialist-and-non-socialist-struggle-video-reveals-changing-lifestyles-part-1/) - February 1, 2026 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Latest%20Study%20Guides%20for%20Ideological%20Indoctrination%C2%A0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Latest%20Study%20Guides%20for%20Ideological%20Indoctrination%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Latest%20Study%20Guides%20for%20Ideological%20Indoctrination%C2%A0 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/latest-study-guides-for-ideological-indoctrination/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Latest%20Study%20Guides%20for%20Ideological%20Indoctrination%C2%A0&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/latest-study-guides-for-ideological-indoctrination/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Latest%20Study%20Guides%20for%20Ideological%20Indoctrination%C2%A0 "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [DPRK’s Increasingly Vulnerable Regime Desperate to Block Cross-Border Information Flows](https://www.nkinsider.org/dprks-increasingly-vulnerable-regime-desperate-to-block-cross-border-information-flows/) **Published:** January 29, 2024 **Author:** Shin Yong-geon **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/barbed-wire-fence-along-the-waters-of-the-North-Korea-China-border.jpg "Barbed wire fence along the waters of the north koreachina border | nk insider")SEOUL – North Korea has a long history of blocking and suppressing information from the outside world, so after the country finally reopened its borders in the middle of 2023, about three years after the threat of COVID-19 somewhat subsided, the regime’s subsequent attempts to further stem the tide of external information flows have caused concern among North Koreans and others outside the country. The current situation in North Korea suggests that the external information restrictions of the past few years have reached an unusually high level as the regime takes [increasingly harsh measures against citizens](https://www.nkinsider.org/2024/01/26/enforced-silence/ "increasingly harsh measures against citizens") accessing external information, which the regime sees as an existential threat. According to a source inside North Korea who spoke with this writer, the regime in recent years has adopted a new tactic of countering external information, namely “blocking the sources of external information right at the entry point.” This tactical change in the regime’s policy didn’t garner much attention from the international media, but it deserves more attention. Blocking sources of external information at the entry point means blocking the flow of data into North Korea through intranets, communication lines, and wavelengths, or controlling access to certain sites or servers. In taking this measure, the regime appears to aim at preventing North Koreans from accessing external information as well as blocking internal information from leaking out. In this context, the intranet network was also built independently from the international Internet network to prevent the flow of information from the rest of the world. While the regime now claims that its initial intention of blocking the flow of external information by controlling the country’s ICT infrastructure has been successful, the stark reality is that external information still finds its way into the country, which is changing the public’s perceptions of the regime and revealing more information about the outside world. The regime attributed the impact of China’s mobile communication network as one of the main causes of the growing information inflows and outflows in the North Korea-China border area, as well as in-person interactions with Chinese people, including smugglers. Therefore, the regime has begun taking more intensive measures in recent years to “block the inflow of external information at the entry point” (i.e. the border areas). **The Regime Has Been Cracking Down in Ryanggang Province, Where Information and Defectors Flow Across the Border** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Ryanggang-Province-and-its-capital-Hyesan-e1706539373357-1024x752.png "Ryanggang province and its capital hyesan | nk insider") The area highlighted above shows Ryanggang Province and its capital, Hyesan, along the border with China. Image via Google MapsThe area of greatest concern to the regime is Ryanggang Province due to its geographical advantages of mountainous areas for fleeing defectors to hide and a narrow section of the Yalu River that’s easier to cross into China. The provincial capital, Hyesan, is a commercial hub and a porous border area for external information inflows and defection routes. Since Ryanggang Province has had among the highest number of past and current defection attempts, as well as significant exposure to external information flows due to the direct influence of defectors, the regime has monitored the citizens of Ryanggang more intensively compared to inland provinces. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Hyesan_from_changbai.jpg "Hyesanfromchangbai | nk insider") Hyesan seen across the Yalu River from Changbai, China. Image via WikipediaAccording to the same source, as a practical measure, on February 27, 2021, Order No. 0023 of the Leader of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) was issued: “On Proceeding with the Construction of Border Barriers.” The first areas to be designated were Kim Jong Suk County, Kim Hyong Jik County, Pochon County, Taehongdan County, and Samjiyon City, which are all located in Ryanggang Province and were the so-called “doldrums” with the highest potential for contact with the outside world. Following Order No. 0023, a number of regional institutions, as well as troops from the North Korean Army’s 7th Corps, were ordered to construct a physical blockade with walls and barbed wire fences as a “buffer zone” in the name of preventing the spread of the coronavirus. It is noteworthy that some key residential areas of North Korea’s border with China are now fenced with two to three layers of barbed wire, people are prohibited from coming and going, and key areas of China’s border with North Korea also have new fences. In addition, North Korea has reportedly used the COVID-19 lockdown as an opportunity to conduct raids on a massive scale to detect and incinerate Chinese cell phones. Based on reports from an internal source in North Korea, the crackdown consists of severe legal sanctions and public announcements intended to induce confessions. Consequently, there were so many victims, and “over 90% of Chinese cell phones were confiscated,” the source added. **The Ongoing Battle Over Information in North Korea** The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which is one of the most heavily militarized borders in the world, divides the Korean Peninsula roughly along the 38th parallel, and North Korea’s east and west coasts are sealed off by high-voltage wire fences. In that sense, the recent border fence construction and enhanced border security have effectively put the entire country behind bars. While the reality on the ground is grim at the moment, on the flip side, it’s a clear sign that the regime feels increasingly insecure due to the people’s growing awareness of the outside world and yearning for freedom. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Shin Yong-geon](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/shin-yong-geon/ "Shin Yong-geon") [Shin Yong-geon](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/shin-yong-geon/) Yong-geon defected from North Korea in 2020. Before his defection, he held positions in various state-run institutions in North Korea, including the military, prosecution office, state security agency, and later, the trade office. Later in his life in North Korea, he was imprisoned for creating and spreading content considered anti-regime. He managed to escape with manuscripts of his work and plans to publish them in the near future. [![Shin Yong-geon](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_1-1-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/shin-yong-geon/ "Shin Yong-geon") Latest posts by Shin Yong-geon ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/shin-yong-geon/)) - [Foreign Currency is Now the Key to North Korea’s Survival ](https://www.nkinsider.org/foreign-currency-is-now-the-key-to-north-koreas-survival/) - February 2, 2024 - [DPRK’s Increasingly Vulnerable Regime Desperate to Block Cross-Border Information Flows](https://www.nkinsider.org/dprks-increasingly-vulnerable-regime-desperate-to-block-cross-border-information-flows/) - January 29, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=DPRK%E2%80%99s%20Increasingly%20Vulnerable%20Regime%20Desperate%20to%20Block%20Cross-Border%20Information%20Flows&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=DPRK%E2%80%99s%20Increasingly%20Vulnerable%20Regime%20Desperate%20to%20Block%20Cross-Border%20Information%20Flows https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=DPRK%E2%80%99s%20Increasingly%20Vulnerable%20Regime%20Desperate%20to%20Block%20Cross-Border%20Information%20Flows "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/dprks-increasingly-vulnerable-regime-desperate-to-block-cross-border-information-flows/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=DPRK%E2%80%99s%20Increasingly%20Vulnerable%20Regime%20Desperate%20to%20Block%20Cross-Border%20Information%20Flows&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/dprks-increasingly-vulnerable-regime-desperate-to-block-cross-border-information-flows/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=DPRK%E2%80%99s%20Increasingly%20Vulnerable%20Regime%20Desperate%20to%20Block%20Cross-Border%20Information%20Flows "Reddit") **Categories:** Society --- ### [Tokyo’s High Court Finds North Korea Legally Liable for Duping Ethnic Koreans and Japanese During Paradise on Earth Campaign](https://www.nkinsider.org/tokyos-high-court-finds-north-korea-legally-liable-for-duping-ethnic-koreans-and-japanese-during-paradise-on-earth-campaign/) **Published:** November 18, 2023 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** Kawasaki Eiko (81), a second-generation Zainichi Korean, and three other plaintiffs are suing the North Korean government in Japan for deceptively luring them to a life of misery in North Korea in the past. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Strange-Paradise-scaled.jpg "Strange paradise | nk insider")SEOUL – Kawasaki Eiko (81), a second-generation [Zainichi Korean](https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/docs/koreans_in_japan), and three other plaintiffs are suing the North Korean government in Japan for deceptively luring them to a life of misery in North Korea in the past. From 1959-1984, the North Korean government carried out a scheme to lure ethnic Koreans in Japan to resettle in North Korea with promises of free health care, a good education, good jobs, and other benefits of North Korea’s purported “paradise.” Yet according to [the plaintiffs and others](https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20231030/p2g/00m/0na/048000c) who claim they were duped, those were false promises, and to their horror, they were forced to live and work in miserable conditions without being allowed to leave the country. After decades of suffering, Eiko Kawasaki managed to escape from North Korea and eventually returned to Japan in 2003. In 2018, Kawasaki and four other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court seeking 100 million yen (about $700,000) each in compensation for “illegal solicitation and detainment.” In its ruling in March 2022, the Tokyo District Court acknowledged that the plaintiffs had been lured to North Korea due to false information from the North Korean regime and Chongryon, a pro-North Korean organization in Japan with ties to the North Korean government. However, the court ruled that the statute of limitations had expired and that Japanese courts do not have jurisdiction since the plaintiffs suffered outside of Japan. Four of the plaintiffs appealed the decision to the Tokyo High Court, arguing that Japanese courts have jurisdiction in this case because North Korea’s deceptions occurred while they were living in Japan and ultimately tricked them into leaving. In the Tokyo High Court’s ruling on November 30, 2023, presiding Judge Daniguchi Sono sided with the plaintiffs, stating, “North Korea’s actions should be viewed as a continuous illegal act, and the jurisdiction over the infringements caused by this entire illegal act lies with the Japanese court.” As a result, the case was sent back to the Tokyo District Court. Kawasaki Eiko’s legal team maintains that even in the initial trial, the damages suffered by the plaintiffs were acknowledged, and as North Korea refuses to participate in the trial, the issue of jurisdiction – the central point of contention – has been resolved. Kawasaki Eiko, the representative of the group [‘Modu Moija,’](https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2020/03/19/North-Korea-defector-seeks-justice-for-wrongful-repatriation/2491584588369/) stated, “If we win, we will not only seize North Korean assets within Japan but also file a lawsuit against Chongryon (the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan).” Expressing hope for a favorable outcome, Kawasaki remarked, “Confronting North Korea head-on feels refreshing.” Approximately 93,000 ethnic Korean residents in Japan and their relatives [joined North Korea’s resettlement program](https://apnews.com/article/japan-north-korea-eca9df70fc42f40ca105419797d115f7) from 1959-1984, which also emphasized that resettled Koreans could live among other Koreans without enduring the discrimination they often faced in Japan. Testimonies from defectors reveal that the resettled Zainichi Koreans in North Korea actually faced oppression and discrimination, and were often called derogatory terms like “jjaekki” or “jaepo” because they had lived in Japan. Resettled Zainichi Koreans are viewed so suspiciously in North Korea that they are essentially treated as spies, struggling to survive, and unable to escape their circumstances. According to North Korean defector Kim Jeil, whom this writer interviewed, “Unless they have relatives in high positions within the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), Zainichi Koreans must live in local areas under constant surveillance.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Tokyo%E2%80%99s%20High%20Court%20Finds%20North%20Korea%20Legally%20Liable%20for%20Duping%20Ethnic%20Koreans%20and%20Japanese%20During%20Paradise%20on%20Earth%20Campaign&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Tokyo%E2%80%99s%20High%20Court%20Finds%20North%20Korea%20Legally%20Liable%20for%20Duping%20Ethnic%20Koreans%20and%20Japanese%20During%20Paradise%20on%20Earth%20Campaign https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Tokyo%E2%80%99s%20High%20Court%20Finds%20North%20Korea%20Legally%20Liable%20for%20Duping%20Ethnic%20Koreans%20and%20Japanese%20During%20Paradise%20on%20Earth%20Campaign "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/tokyos-high-court-finds-north-korea-legally-liable-for-duping-ethnic-koreans-and-japanese-during-paradise-on-earth-campaign/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Tokyo%E2%80%99s%20High%20Court%20Finds%20North%20Korea%20Legally%20Liable%20for%20Duping%20Ethnic%20Koreans%20and%20Japanese%20During%20Paradise%20on%20Earth%20Campaign&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/tokyos-high-court-finds-north-korea-legally-liable-for-duping-ethnic-koreans-and-japanese-during-paradise-on-earth-campaign/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Tokyo%E2%80%99s%20High%20Court%20Finds%20North%20Korea%20Legally%20Liable%20for%20Duping%20Ethnic%20Koreans%20and%20Japanese%20During%20Paradise%20on%20Earth%20Campaign "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [US-DPRK Tensions Escalate as They Support Opposing Sides in Two Dangerous Regional Conflicts](https://www.nkinsider.org/us-dprk-tensions-escalate-as-they-support-opposing-sides-in-two-dangerous-regional-conflicts/) **Published:** December 11, 2023 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** In the ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Hamas militants, North Korea has continued to criticize the US for supporting Israel. In an interview with North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister for International Organizations, Kim Son-gyong, asserted that the United States is an obstacle to international peace and security and should be expelled from the UN. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/NK-VFM.png "Nk vfm | nk insider")SEOUL – In the ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Hamas militants, North Korea has continued to criticize the US for supporting Israel. In an interview with North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister for International Organizations, Kim Son-gyong, [asserted](http://www.kcna.kp/kp/article/q/1fd0ccc4baea491ee7e901f839c0d94d.kcmsf) that the United States is an obstacle to international peace and security and should be expelled from the UN. In particular, he criticized the US for vetoing a proposed UN resolution for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza after Hamas launched a surprise attack in Israel that killed about 1,400 Israelis. The Israeli military’s counterattack has led to thousands of deaths in Gaza, so Kim [criticized the US for “double standards”](https://www.reuters.com/world/north-korea-condemns-us-veto-gaza-ceasefire-call-un-2023-12-10/) since the US condemned North Korea’s November 2023 satellite launch even though it didn’t kill anyone. Adding to the criticism, North Korea’s “Korean Jurists Committee” accused the US of war crimes due to its military support of Israel, and [argued ](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231103005700315#:~:text=SEOUL%2C%20Nov.,against%20the%20militant%20group%20Hamas.)that the US should be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court. **North Korea’s support for Hamas** North Korea has supported Hamas in their fight against Israel. The country has also been accused of providing arms to the militant group, which North Korea has denied. However, a Hamas video and weapons seized by Israel show [evidence to the contrary](https://www.timesofisrael.com/evidence-shows-hamas-likely-used-north-korean-weapons-in-attack-on-israel/#:~:text=Hamas%20terrorists%20likely%20fired%20North,that%20rules%20the%20Gaza%20Strip), as Hamas militants apparently used North Korean F-7 rocket-propelled grenades to attack Israel. N.R. Jenzen-Jones, a weapons expert who works as the director of the consultancy Armament Research Services, [said](https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-north-korea-weapons-703e33663ea299f920d0d14039adfbb8) “North Korea has long supported Palestinian militant groups, and North Korean arms have previously been documented amongst interdicted supplies.” A senior Hamas official also [called North Korea an ally](https://www.memri.org/reports/senior-hamas-official-ali-baraka-reports-kim-jong-uns-support-hamas-unlike-iran-north-korea) that might eventually launch an attack on the US. North Korea and the US are now supporting opposite sides in two dangerous regional conflicts: the Russia-Ukraine War and Israel’s war against Hamas. As tensions continue to rise, the dangers of an escalating arms race are increasing rapidly. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=US-DPRK%20Tensions%20Escalate%20as%20They%20Support%20Opposing%20Sides%20in%20Two%20Dangerous%20Regional%20Conflicts&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=US-DPRK%20Tensions%20Escalate%20as%20They%20Support%20Opposing%20Sides%20in%20Two%20Dangerous%20Regional%20Conflicts https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=US-DPRK%20Tensions%20Escalate%20as%20They%20Support%20Opposing%20Sides%20in%20Two%20Dangerous%20Regional%20Conflicts "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/us-dprk-tensions-escalate-as-they-support-opposing-sides-in-two-dangerous-regional-conflicts/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=US-DPRK%20Tensions%20Escalate%20as%20They%20Support%20Opposing%20Sides%20in%20Two%20Dangerous%20Regional%20Conflicts&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/us-dprk-tensions-escalate-as-they-support-opposing-sides-in-two-dangerous-regional-conflicts/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=US-DPRK%20Tensions%20Escalate%20as%20They%20Support%20Opposing%20Sides%20in%20Two%20Dangerous%20Regional%20Conflicts "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Kim Jong Un Remains Engrossed in Self-Praise While His People Starve to Death](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-remains-engrossed-in-self-praise-while-his-people-starve-to-death/) **Published:** January 8, 2024 **Author:** Zane Han **Excerpt:** Following Kim Jong Un’s declaration in 2022 that North Korea is an “irreversible” nuclear weapons state, North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament met on September 26-27, 2023, and formally enshrined North Korea’s nuclear status in its constitution. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/김정민-브이로그Kim-Jeong-mins-vlog-.png.png "김정민브이로그kimjeongminsvlog Png | nk insider")SEOUL – Following Kim Jong Un’s declaration in 2022 that North Korea is an “irreversible” nuclear weapons state, North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament met on September 26-27, 2023, and formally enshrined North Korea’s nuclear status in its constitution. Kim Jong Un was reappointed as the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, and called for the country to [“push ahead with the work for exponentially boosting the production of nuclear weapons and diversifying the nuclear strike means”](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-parliament-amends-constitution-enshrine-nuclear-policy-kcna-2023-09-27/) due to threats from the US and its allies. The announcements were apparently part of the regime’s ongoing strategy to shift attention away from economic hardships exacerbated by the pandemic and emphasize North Korea’s supposed military prowess, alleged threats from hostile foreign powers, and bolstered relationship with Russia. The North Korean Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, praised North Korea’s missile launches and other military developments “showcasing our historical journey of victory,” which reiterates the ongoing struggle and sacrifices that have been required to develop military capabilities to protect the people. This recycled propaganda narrative is unlikely to resonate with most North Koreans who have been suffering greatly since the pandemic began. North Korean defector Kang Sang-wook, who arrived in South Korea in July 2022 and now studies at Sogang University in Seoul, stated in an interview with this writer that the dire situation in North Korea during the pandemic was the worst he had ever seen. According to his account, North Korea’s severe internal problems were exacerbated by Kim Jong Un’s “Zero COVID” border blockade, which caused a significant shortage of daily necessities in markets that the vast majority of North Koreans rely on. Moreover, the regime has tightened control over market activities in various regions, leading to a surge in discontent among the population. However, Kim Jong Un has continued to focus on strengthening his authoritarian regime using various means of control, including focusing on events, political gatherings, and more. Responding to questions from this writer about North Korean media broadcasts related to Kim Jong Un’s recent purported achievements, Kang Sang-wook expressed deep concern, stating, “It is truly pitiful to see the lives of North Korean citizens starving to death while Kim Jong Un is entirely consumed by self-praise.” - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") [Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/) Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK's Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. [![Zane Han](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/ "Zane Han") Latest posts by Zane Han ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/zane-han/)) - [Defectors and activists urge Canada to do more for North Korean asylum-seekers](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-and-activists-urge-canada-to-do-more-for-north-korean-asylum-seekers/) - October 17, 2024 - [Obstacles to divorce force couples to live double lives](https://www.nkinsider.org/obstacles-to-divorce-force-couples-to-live-double-lives/) - September 30, 2024 - [Defectors accuse South Korean politician opposing unification of being a spy](https://www.nkinsider.org/defectors-accuse-south-korean-politician-opposing-unification-of-being-a-spy/) - September 26, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Kim%20Jong%20Un%20Remains%20Engrossed%20in%20Self-Praise%20While%20His%20People%20Starve%20to%20Death&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Kim%20Jong%20Un%20Remains%20Engrossed%20in%20Self-Praise%20While%20His%20People%20Starve%20to%20Death https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Kim%20Jong%20Un%20Remains%20Engrossed%20in%20Self-Praise%20While%20His%20People%20Starve%20to%20Death "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-remains-engrossed-in-self-praise-while-his-people-starve-to-death/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Kim%20Jong%20Un%20Remains%20Engrossed%20in%20Self-Praise%20While%20His%20People%20Starve%20to%20Death&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/kim-jong-un-remains-engrossed-in-self-praise-while-his-people-starve-to-death/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Kim%20Jong%20Un%20Remains%20Engrossed%20in%20Self-Praise%20While%20His%20People%20Starve%20to%20Death "Reddit") **Categories:** Politics --- ### [DPRK’s Reorganized Military Automation General Bureau to Manage Integrated Computerized Command Network for Entire Armed Forces](https://www.nkinsider.org/dprks-reorganized-military-automation-general-bureau-to-manage-integrated-computerized-command-network-for-entire-armed-forces/) **Published:** January 16, 2024 **Author:** Jang Seiul **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/JPG-1.png "Jpg1 | nk insider")SEOUL – Recently, the North Korean military appears to have promoted the “[Command Automation Bureau](https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=1807090)” 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. On January 4, 2024, the writer spoke with a source surnamed Choi, a researcher working for the joint development of the industrial robotics program at the Ministry of External Economic Relations-affiliated Sulsong Trading Company in Shenyang, China. The source said that the Command Automation Bureau under the General Staff was restructured into the Military Automation General Bureau in November 2023 following a decision by the Party Central Military Commission, and the process of expanding the organization commenced. Unlike the former Command Automation Bureau, the reorganized Military Automation General Bureau means that the command management area has been expanded and strengthened to integrally install and manage the computerized command network for the entire armed forces. This not only includes the subordinate armed forces, military commands, and units under the General Staff, but also the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of State Security, Ministry of Social Security, Supreme Guard Command, Strategic Force Command, Reconnaissance General Bureau, and Civil Defense Force. In the decision, the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Worker’s Party of Korea ordered that the modernization and automation of the armed forces be completed at the most advanced level. It also ordered that the Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) and automatic warning system be completed in the shortest possible time to meet the needs of modern warfare in information and electronic areas. To this end, the task of training and deploying 30,000 intelligence commanders and automated forces by 2025 to acquire an aspect of the General Bureau and play a crucial role in the automation, computerization, and modernization of the entire armed forces was presented. The Automation General Bureau said it aims to complete the operational command computer network system with the Supreme Command and all military command units during this winter training period, and it is currently being piloted. The North Korean military has been laying [military-grade fiber optic cables](http://fcs.news/View.aspx?No=2793547) since 2021 to complete its computerization and command automation system. According to local correspondents in North Korea, all of North Korea’s defense corps (1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th) have been connected to the division and brigade command, and other command units are nearing completion in their respective military garrisons. The expansion to the Automation General Bureau of the North Korean military means that the automation department, which has been limited to the General Staff headquarters and subordinate commands, will be expanded to division and brigade units to expand the military’s information and electronic warfare capabilities against the U.S.-ROK alliance. It is also believed that the intention is to improve the military’s overall cyberwarfare capabilities by transferring the experience and know-how of cyberattacks on enemy forces conducted by the 121st Reconnaissance General Bureau to a larger force. To implement the decision of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Worker’s Party of Korea to expand and reorganize the Military Automation General Bureau, the Ministry of Defence’s Military Mobilization General Bureau is expected to recruit more university graduates majoring in computer science into the military starting this year. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") [Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/) For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People's Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. [![Jang Seiul](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/jang-seiul-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/ "Jang Seiul") Latest posts by Jang Seiul ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/jang-seiul/)) - [How do North Korean workers in China and Russia see South Korea’s impeachment crisis?](https://www.nkinsider.org/how-do-north-korean-workers-in-china-and-russia-see-south-koreas-impeachment-crisis/) - March 20, 2025 - [Changing preferences for military service, Strategic Force Command is the most popular](https://www.nkinsider.org/changing-preferences-for-military-service-strategic-force-command-is-the-most-popular/) - March 15, 2025 - [North Korea is still hiding deployment of troops to Russia from the people](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korea-is-still-hiding-deployment-of-troops-to-russia-from-the-people/) - March 10, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=DPRK%E2%80%99s%20Reorganized%20Military%20Automation%20General%20Bureau%20to%20Manage%20Integrated%20Computerized%20Command%20Network%20for%20Entire%20Armed%20Forces&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=DPRK%E2%80%99s%20Reorganized%20Military%20Automation%20General%20Bureau%20to%20Manage%20Integrated%20Computerized%20Command%20Network%20for%20Entire%20Armed%20Forces https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=DPRK%E2%80%99s%20Reorganized%20Military%20Automation%20General%20Bureau%20to%20Manage%20Integrated%20Computerized%20Command%20Network%20for%20Entire%20Armed%20Forces "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/dprks-reorganized-military-automation-general-bureau-to-manage-integrated-computerized-command-network-for-entire-armed-forces/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=DPRK%E2%80%99s%20Reorganized%20Military%20Automation%20General%20Bureau%20to%20Manage%20Integrated%20Computerized%20Command%20Network%20for%20Entire%20Armed%20Forces&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/dprks-reorganized-military-automation-general-bureau-to-manage-integrated-computerized-command-network-for-entire-armed-forces/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=DPRK%E2%80%99s%20Reorganized%20Military%20Automation%20General%20Bureau%20to%20Manage%20Integrated%20Computerized%20Command%20Network%20for%20Entire%20Armed%20Forces "Reddit") **Categories:** Military --- ### [Striving Toward the Depoliticization of North Korean Human Rights](https://www.nkinsider.org/striving-toward-the-depoliticization-of-north-korean-human-rights/) **Published:** January 9, 2024 **Author:** Lee Jia **Excerpt:** “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?” **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Balloon-scaled.jpg "Balloon | nk insider")*Editor’s note: NK Insider is committed to publishing diverse perspectives from a variety of writers. The views of the writers don’t necessarily reflect the views of the NK Insider staff.* “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?” These were the words of a South Korean man who works as an essay tutor in Daechi-dong, a district known as South Korea’s “Mecca of Education,” so I was disappointed that he didn’t have a more informed and nuanced perspective. His comment underscored the issue of the politicization of North Korean human rights and the challenges of depoliticizing them. Some liberal South Korean politicians such as former President Moon Jae-in have made efforts to improve relations with North Korea through measures such as bilateral summits, but the motivations and results have been questionable. It’s upsetting when South Korean politicians and others ignore or downplay North Korea’s human rights violations, so during that conversation, I decided to give that tutor a piece of my mind. “You don’t know much about North Korea. You don’t want to know about human rights in North Korea, or maybe you have misconceptions about the North Korean regime.” He became angry when I tried to tell him about some South Koreans’ disregard for North Korean human rights issues, but I decided not to argue with him because his flippant remark about flying to North Korea to discuss human rights was absurd. Almost everyone knows that speaking out about human rights inside North Korea leads to severe punishments such as imprisonment or even execution. Unfortunately, he also claimed that North Korean human rights are one of the factors dividing the country. Supposedly, those who talk about North Korean human rights are “misguided” individuals who are merely “scarecrows of the conservative governments in South Korea and the United States.” In the Republic of Korea, people can think freely, but they shouldn’t ignore the suffering of the North Korean people just because they may have negative perceptions of North Korean defectors or positive views of the North Korean regime. Some people believe that mentioning North Korean human rights is an indiscriminate attack on North Korea or does not contribute to peace between North and South Korea. Others believe supporting North Korean human rights or criticzing the North Korean regime is an indirect way to criticize some left-wing politicians – like former President Moon Jae-in – who have tried to improve relations with North Korea by downplaying or ignoring North Korean human rights and atrocities committed by the North Korean regime. Thus, some North Korean human rights activists and North Korean defectors were opposed to various policies implemented by the Moon Jae-in administration, especially the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors. According to the North Korea Strategy Center’s [report](https://www.sisaweekly.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=39158) “Budget Execution Status on Repatriation in the 5 Years of the Moon Jae-in Government,” there were 74 North Koreans who crossed the Military Demarcation Line into South Korea in 20 separate cases – 55 were repatriated while 19 were allowed to remain in South Korea. It’s extremely risky and challenging for North Koreans to flee the country, so when the lucky few are fortunate enough to make it all the way to the border of South Korea, they should never be sent back against their will. It’s well known that North Koreans who attempt to escape and fail will face severe punishments such as torture and forced labor in prison camps. Furthermore, in June 2020, Kim Yo-jong, the Deputy Department Director of the Publicity and Information Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea, demanded that South Korea prevent the dissemination of leaflets in North Korea by defector groups in South Korea. Bowing to North Korea’s demands, the [Moon Jae-in administration created the Anti-North Korea Leaflet Law ](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/12/17/south-koreas-new-anti-leaflet-law-sparks-backlash-washington/) in December 2020. This put shackles on human rights organizations such as those led by North Korean defector Park Sang-hak, who sends leaflets and other materials via balloons into North Korea to inform North Koreans about important truths that the regime tries to conceal. The law, widely referred to as the “[law created due to Kim Yo-jong’s demands](https://www.chosun.com/politics/north_korea/2023/10/17/BOZVIU6ZARD3JCO35RZSQ3SEHA/),” revealed the fragility of the North Korean regime, which feels threatened and reacts with hostility merely due to leaflets revealing basic truths to the North Korean people. In regard to both of these pivotal issues – repatriating North Koreans who are attempting to flee, and sending leaflets into North Korea – the Moon administration and other left-wing lawmakers in South Korea seem to prioritize placating the North Korean regime instead of standing up for North Korean human rights. After enduring human rights violations in North Korea and eventually escaping, I know firsthand what the North Korean regime is capable of, so I shudder when I think about the suffering that North Koreans endure. I implore everyone, especially those in South Korea, to depoliticize North Korean human rights because human rights should never be up for debate or used for any political purposes. People across the political spectrum must stand together in solidarity to show the North Korean regime and the world that the North Korean people must be treated with dignity and respect. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") [Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/) Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. [![Lee Jia](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_a-4-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/ "Lee Jia") Latest posts by Lee Jia ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/lee-jia/)) - [Why is the government changing the official way of referring to defectors?](https://www.nkinsider.org/why-is-the-government-changing-the-official-way-of-referring-to-defectors/) - February 1, 2026 - [Proposal to amend Article 3 of the ROK Constitution is a flawed effort to accommodate North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/proposal-to-amend-article-3-of-the-rok-constitution-is-a-flawed-effort-to-accommodate-north-korea/) - December 17, 2025 - [North Korea’s embrace of the two-state theory a political death sentence for defectors](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-koreas-embrace-of-the-two-state-theory-a-political-death-sentence-for-defectors/) - July 14, 2025 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Striving%20Toward%20the%20Depoliticization%20of%20North%20Korean%20Human%20Rights&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Striving%20Toward%20the%20Depoliticization%20of%20North%20Korean%20Human%20Rights https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Striving%20Toward%20the%20Depoliticization%20of%20North%20Korean%20Human%20Rights "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/striving-toward-the-depoliticization-of-north-korean-human-rights/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Striving%20Toward%20the%20Depoliticization%20of%20North%20Korean%20Human%20Rights&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/striving-toward-the-depoliticization-of-north-korean-human-rights/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Striving%20Toward%20the%20Depoliticization%20of%20North%20Korean%20Human%20Rights "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [The Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-aquariums-of-pyongyang-ten-years-in-the-north-korean-gulag/) **Published:** July 21, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** The Aquariums of Pyongyang by Kang Chol-Hwan is a harrowing memoir of the author’s ten years in a North Korean prison camp. Kang was only nine years old when he and his family were arrested and sent to Yodok, where they faced starvation, torture, and executions. Kang reveals the brutal reality of life under a totalitarian regime, as well as the courage and resilience of the human spirit. The book is a powerful testimony of the atrocities committed by the North Korean government, and a call for action and awareness on the plight of its people. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Aquariums%20of%20Pyongyang%3A%20Ten%20Years%20in%20the%20North%20Korean%20Gulag&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Aquariums%20of%20Pyongyang%3A%20Ten%20Years%20in%20the%20North%20Korean%20Gulag https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Aquariums%20of%20Pyongyang%3A%20Ten%20Years%20in%20the%20North%20Korean%20Gulag "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-aquariums-of-pyongyang-ten-years-in-the-north-korean-gulag/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Aquariums%20of%20Pyongyang%3A%20Ten%20Years%20in%20the%20North%20Korean%20Gulag&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-aquariums-of-pyongyang-ten-years-in-the-north-korean-gulag/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Aquariums%20of%20Pyongyang%3A%20Ten%20Years%20in%20the%20North%20Korean%20Gulag "Reddit") **Categories:** Books --- ### [In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/in-order-to-live-a-north-korean-girls-journey-to-freedom/) **Published:** July 21, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park is a stunning memoir of a young woman who escaped from the oppressive regime of North Korea. Park recounts her childhood of hunger, fear, and indoctrination, and her perilous journey to freedom through China, Mongolia, and South Korea. Along the way, she faced unimaginable horrors, such as being sold into sex slavery, losing her father to cancer, and being separated from her sister for years. The book is a testament to Park’s courage, resilience, and hope, as well as a call to action for the world to pay attention to the human rights violations in North Korea. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=In%20Order%20to%20Live%3A%20A%20North%20Korean%20Girl%27s%20Journey%20to%20Freedom&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=In%20Order%20to%20Live%3A%20A%20North%20Korean%20Girl%27s%20Journey%20to%20Freedom https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=In%20Order%20to%20Live%3A%20A%20North%20Korean%20Girl%27s%20Journey%20to%20Freedom "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/in-order-to-live-a-north-korean-girls-journey-to-freedom/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=In%20Order%20to%20Live%3A%20A%20North%20Korean%20Girl%27s%20Journey%20to%20Freedom&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/in-order-to-live-a-north-korean-girls-journey-to-freedom/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=In%20Order%20to%20Live%3A%20A%20North%20Korean%20Girl%27s%20Journey%20to%20Freedom "Reddit") **Categories:** Books --- ### [The Hard Road Out: One Woman’s Escape From North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-hard-road-out-one-womans-escape-from-north-korea/) **Published:** July 21, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** The Hard Road Out: One Woman’s Escape From North Korea by Jihyun Park is a riveting memoir that recounts the author’s incredible journey of survival and resilience. Park escaped from North Korea twice, facing starvation, slavery, torture, and separation from her loved ones. She eventually made it to Mongolia, where she was granted asylum and reunited with her son. The book is a candid and courageous account of the horrors of life under a totalitarian regime, as well as the power of hope and human dignity. Park’s story is not only a personal testimony, but also a call for action and awareness on the plight of North Korean refugees. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in human rights, geopolitics, and the human spirit. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Hard%20Road%20Out%3A%20One%20Woman%E2%80%99s%20Escape%20From%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Hard%20Road%20Out%3A%20One%20Woman%E2%80%99s%20Escape%20From%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Hard%20Road%20Out%3A%20One%20Woman%E2%80%99s%20Escape%20From%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-hard-road-out-one-womans-escape-from-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Hard%20Road%20Out%3A%20One%20Woman%E2%80%99s%20Escape%20From%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-hard-road-out-one-womans-escape-from-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Hard%20Road%20Out%3A%20One%20Woman%E2%80%99s%20Escape%20From%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Books --- ### [“I’m Ashamed of My Mom”](https://www.nkinsider.org/im-ashamed-of-my-mom/) **Published:** August 17, 2023 **Author:** Cho Ui-seong **Excerpt:** "I'm ashamed of my mom!" shouted an elementary school daughter to her mother, who was about to meet her homeroom teacher. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/UNITV-scaled.jpg "Unitv | nk insider")“I’m ashamed of my mom!” shouted an elementary school daughter to her mother, who was about to meet her homeroom teacher. The child, burdened with the lingering stigma of her North Korean-born mother, uttered words that would leave lasting scars on both their souls. Those heartbreaking words had been stirring within the child’s young heart, and they finally erupted in a shameful outburst. Due to the stigmatization of North Korean defectors in South Korea, the defectors often try to conceal their identities and blend into South Korean society. When two North Korean defectors were surveyed in May 2018 by Yonsei University’s “Friends of Unification,” one of them concealed their North Korean roots. There are also some North Korean defectors who find it more comfortable to introduce themselves as Korean-Chinese (ethnically Korean people from China) in the workplace. Some South Koreans are also reluctant to reveal that they are dating a North Korean defector. It has been about 15 years since North Korean defectors began to find their place in South Korean society, so younger generations with at least one North Korean-born parent are starting to grapple with the complexities of their identities and sources of shame as they grow up in South Korea. Why is this the case? The answer is multifaceted. They may be haunted by the grim images of North Korea’s dictatorships, nuclear weapons, persistent food shortages, recurring famines, and widespread poverty. Others are traumatized by their harrowing experiences during the defection process, or ashamed about the negative perceptions that may arise due to various mistakes made during the resettlement process in South Korea. All of these factors have undoubtedly influenced how North Korean defectors are viewed, especially in South Korea, where North Korean defectors are frequently perceived as less polished individuals. Some South Koreans become bewildered when they encounter North Korean defectors who don’t fit this stereotype, and they often say, “You don’t seem like a North Korean defector at all!” I still find it hard to determine whether this is a compliment or an insult. That kind of “common perception” has painted a portrait of North Korean defectors that’s thickly coated with society’s expectations and desires. In this portrait, there is resentment toward their impoverished compatriots, empty phrases like “Unification First” or “Bridge to Unification,” and even suspicions of spies and communists. A bold signature in crimson ink is affixed to the lower left corner of this portrait, and it constantly sends a message to society: “This is what North Korean defectors are like.” However, after examining this “common” portrait more closely, people will soon realize how unreasonable it is. Assuming that all North Korean defectors have the same characteristics simply because North Korea is their homeland is overly simplistic and misleading. Sadly, some North Korean defectors and their children have accepted this distorted image as their self-portrait and strive to distance themselves from it, like the girl who uttered, “I’m ashamed of my mom!” Perhaps this cry is the struggle of a young soul who doesn’t want to face the glaring Scarlet Letter of that image. As a North Korean defector, I feel like I can never truly escape from the stereotypes and negative perceptions of North Koreans, yet I believe my generation of North Korean defectors has a responsibility to heal not only ourselves but also the wounded souls of our children. To accomplish this challenging and pivotal endeavor, we have to address the fundamental reasons that North Korean defectors have become a source of shame. **Our Twisted Narratives** North Korean defectors have many stories to tell. News related to North Korean defectors is produced in almost real-time, and the harrowing defection stories of those who escaped hell are translated into multiple languages, while long-running TV entertainment programs share the stories of North Korean women. However, the narratives of North Korean defectors in South Korean society are distorted. These narratives can be divided into two categories. One category is the scenario presented by the North Korean government, labeling them as “traitors or betrayers,” and the other is the widely accepted “escape from hell” narrative promoted by South Korea and the international community. In both cases, the image of North Korean defectors has been distorted by being contracted or expanded, with no room for the more nuanced portrayal of North Korean defectors as ordinary human beings. North Korea’s regime depicts North Korean defectors as inhuman “traitors to the nation” and “socialist betrayers” who have abandoned their parents, siblings, and homeland in a heartless manner. Even excluding the sensationalized propaganda, terms like “parents, siblings, and homeland” are enough to burden North Korean defectors with guilt. This strategy by the North Korean government seems to have found some traction among certain segments of South Korean society. But is it really so? Who would willingly risk their lives to leave behind their parents, siblings, and homeland with no hope of ever meeting them again? All North Korean defectors are survivors of a shipwreck, and the captain of this shipwreck is well-known to the readers. The story of North Korean defectors is not the commonly propagated story of an “escape from a wicked empire,” it’s a victorious struggle of common people tossed into the merciless waves of fate, a story of survival. Is this really a shameful story? Perhaps some of us are still ensnared by the North Korean regime’s brainwashing. There is another, more serious aspect to this story. How does the media portray North Korean defectors? What kinds of stories and information are available in entertainment and news sources, including the comments section of news articles? You can find assassins, murderers, spies, victims of human trafficking, beggars, and lawless individuals who engage in illegal protests and violent acts. You can also find the invincible heroes of escape stories who emerge from the gates of hell and North Korean women who are eternally grateful to be in the Republic of Korea. The North Korean defectors portrayed there say what the audience wants to hear. The audience’s expectations, disappointments, and anger serve as excellent control mechanisms to keep the participants in the dynamic drama of the capitalist media world from straying too far. As a result, North Korean defectors who encounter these fragmented images through the media internalize the shame the media portrays, and we can even become averse to well-received entertainment programs related to North Korean defectors. We have been sprinkling our self-image with ink without owning our story, turning it into mere curiosity or entertainment fodder for the media. Now is the time for us to transform our shame into pride by creating and sharing our own stories. Through these stories, we should reveal our true selves, including our joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness. We should talk about our strengths and weaknesses, pride and shame, our lives in the past, and our hopes for the future. To achieve this, we all need to become storytellers for ourselves, our children, and for a better world. It doesn’t matter if our stories are rough around the edges; as long as it’s a relatable human story, it’s enough. Let’s start with our own stories if we don’t know what to talk about. Let’s openly reminisce about our hometown, even if it was a small hill; at least it’s where our memories are etched. Let’s share stories about the small creek by our hometown where the sound of water was soothing, and let’s tell the story of our struggles and triumphs in life’s trials and tribulations. Rather than accepting the “shameful stories” created by society, let’s work toward a day when our children, raised on the authentic tales of life that their parents shared, can proudly say, “My mom is amazing!” Following in their parents’ footsteps, they will grow up to write their own stories that may sometimes be rugged but filled with the harshness and beauty of life, sometimes moving, and always genuine. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Cho Ui-seong](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/cho-ui-seong/ "Cho Ui-seong") [Cho Ui-seong](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/cho-ui-seong/) Ul-seong is a North Korean defector living in Seoul, South Korea. With a background in electronic engineering from North Korea and studies in cultural anthropology in South Korea, he embodies a unique intersection of knowledge and experiences. [![Cho Ui-seong](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/anonymous_2-1-2.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/cho-ui-seong/ "Cho Ui-seong") Latest posts by Cho Ui-seong ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/cho-ui-seong/)) - [“I’m Ashamed of My Mom”](https://www.nkinsider.org/im-ashamed-of-my-mom/) - August 17, 2023 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99m%20Ashamed%20of%20My%20Mom%E2%80%9D&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99m%20Ashamed%20of%20My%20Mom%E2%80%9D https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99m%20Ashamed%20of%20My%20Mom%E2%80%9D "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/im-ashamed-of-my-mom/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99m%20Ashamed%20of%20My%20Mom%E2%80%9D&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/im-ashamed-of-my-mom/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99m%20Ashamed%20of%20My%20Mom%E2%80%9D "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [The Hidden Tragedy of North Korea’s Camp 16](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-hidden-tragedy-of-camp-16-and-its-destination/) **Published:** January 9, 2024 **Author:** Kang Chol-hwan **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Punggye-ri_Nuclear_Test_Site.jpg "Punggyerinucleartestsite | nk insider")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. When North Korean defectors finally start learning about the real history of the world by reading history books instead of North Korean propaganda, we are horrified by historical atrocities like Nazi concentration and extermination camps, but we are also hopeful because these dark periods eventually came to an end. How long must we wait until North Koreans can awaken from our nightmare? One of the North Korean regime’s most ignominious crimes is the decades-long operation of political prison camps, where anyone who dares to defy the regime can be imprisoned indefinitely with their families. I was detained in the Yodok political prison camp in South Hamgyong Province for approximately ten years between 1977 and 1987. The Yodok camp was the only special zone among the 12 political prison camps in North Korea at the time where release was possible. Due to my atrocious experiences there, I decided to dedicate the remainder of my life to shedding light on North Korea’s human rights abuses. Satellite imagery revealed that the dismantling of the Yodok camp began in 2018, and it is now reported to be in the final stages of demolition. Its notoriety for human rights abuses likely made it difficult for Kim Jong-un to withstand international condemnation and pressure, ultimately leading to its closure. However, it’s deeply unsettling that the political prisoners from Yodok were merely relocated to another veritable hell, “Camp 16” in Hwaseong, North Gyeongsang Province. Camp 16 is a massive 560 km2 prison camp, making it North Korea’s largest. Thousands of prisoners are forced to work constantly under harsh conditions, and some have [suffered unspeakable atrocities](https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2013/12/new-satellite-images-show-scale-north-korea-s-repressive-prison-camps-2013/) including digging their own graves, being beaten to death by guards, rapes, and public executions. To make matters worse, Camp 16 is also located near the Punggye-ri nuclear testing area, where numerous nuclear tests have [exposed those in the area to dangerous levels of radiation](https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2023/02/21/North-Korea-radiation-nuclear-test-Punggye-ri-TJWG/9491676975342/). Due to the North Korean regime’s opacity, it’s often quite difficult to verify information about what’s happening inside the country, but two North Korean sources have alleged that prisoners from Camp 16 have been forcibly mobilized to carry out dangerous work. One source living in North Korea [alleged in a 2016 Daily NK article](https://www.dailynk.com/english/camp-16-prisoners-forced-to-bear-b/) that Camp 16 prisoners were forced to excavate tunnels and do construction work. Prisoners were chosen for this work due to the need for secrecy and control before a nuclear test, and they were considered expendable. “These prisoners are forced to endure relentless, excruciatingly arduous labor only to eventually die from exposure to radiation, their bodies dumped in a restricted area as part of nuclear waste disposal,” the source added. The other source was former political prison camp guard Ahn Myeong-cheol, who escaped to South Korea and [testified ](https://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/06/03/2009060300829.html)in 1994 that from the early 1990s, young political prisoners from camps in Hoeryong, Jongsong, and Hwasong were taken to an underground construction site at Mt. Mantap, just south of Camp 16. At that time, no one knew that this place was going to be a nuclear test site, or why they were taken there and did not return. It’s no coincidence that the regime built Camp 16 right near the nuclear test site. To this day, there’s no evidence that ordinary North Korean residents were ever mobilized for underground tunnel construction at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, so it’s highly likely that untold numbers of political prisoners have suffered and died as disposable slaves for North Korea’s nuclear program. For all of his heinous crimes, Kim Jong-un must be brought to justice by the International Criminal Court (ICC). - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kang Chol-hwan](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kang-cheol-hwan.jpeg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kang-chol-hwan/ "Kang Chol-hwan") [Kang Chol-hwan](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kang-chol-hwan/) Chol-hwan is a North Korean defector and the author of "The Aquariums of Pyongyang". Born in Pyongyang, North Korea, he was sent to and spent ten years in Yodok Concentration Camp following the purge of his grandfather. After escaping to South Korea, he exposed North Korean political prison camps to the world. In 2007, Cholhwan founded the North Korean Strategy Center to help bring about democratization in North Korea through the dissemination of external information and improved human rights. He graduated from Hanyang University and previously worked as a journalist specializing in North Korean affairs at Chosun Ilbo. [![Kang Chol-hwan](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kang-cheol-hwan.jpeg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kang-chol-hwan/ "Kang Chol-hwan") Latest posts by Kang Chol-hwan ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kang-chol-hwan/)) - [The Hidden Tragedy of North Korea’s Camp 16](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-hidden-tragedy-of-camp-16-and-its-destination/) - January 9, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Hidden%20Tragedy%20of%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Camp%2016&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=The%20Hidden%20Tragedy%20of%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Camp%2016 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=The%20Hidden%20Tragedy%20of%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Camp%2016 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-hidden-tragedy-of-camp-16-and-its-destination/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=The%20Hidden%20Tragedy%20of%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Camp%2016&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/the-hidden-tragedy-of-camp-16-and-its-destination/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=The%20Hidden%20Tragedy%20of%20North%20Korea%E2%80%99s%20Camp%2016 "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [North Korean Nuclear Doctrine Unveiled](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-nuclear-doctrine-unveiled/) **Published:** January 15, 2024 **Author:** Kim Kwang-jin **Excerpt:** 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. **Content:** ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/50122_91532_1681387691.jpg "50122915321681387691 | nk insider")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. At the [9th plenary meeting](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-koreas-kim-orders-military-accelerate-war-preparations-kcna-2023-12-27/) of the 8th central committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea on December 27, 2023, Kim Jong Un abandoned North Korea’s “Three Principles of Reunification” of “sovereignty, peace, and national unity,” which had been in place for more than 70 years and implied that the North wouldn’t attack the South with its nuclear weapons. Marking a significant departure from that policy, Kim Jong Un declared an armed reunification policy toward South Korea, boldly stating that he could “subdue the entire territory” through North Korea’s military capabilities, which include the use of nuclear force. This bold declaration unveiled the objective that North Korea has been pursuing through its nuclear weapons program: using its “nuclear sword” to expel the US from the Korean Peninsula and reunify with South Korea through nuclear force. ![](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Kim-with-nuke.png "Kim with nuke | nk insider") North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun released this photo on September 3, 2017, stating that Kim Jong-un provided local guidance on the “nuclear weapon weaponization project.” The sign posted behind it says “nuclear warhead (hydrogen bomb)” of North Korea’s long-range ballistic missile “Hwasong-14.”**Emphasizing the DPRK’s nukes as offensive weapons, not deterrents or bargaining chips** North Korea’s nuclear program is not a new issue. It has been on and off for decades, with many countries involved. The Six-Party Talks and the historic US-North Korea summit in 2018 are examples in point. Previously, many people thought North Korea pursued its nuclear weapons program as bargaining chips and to protect the country from the military threat of the United States, the DPRK’s powerful archenemy armed to the teeth with nukes. Accordingly, many politicians and North Korea experts [believed](https://sgp.fas.org/crs/nuke/R45033.pdf) that North Korea continuously used its growing nuclear capabilities to bring the U.S. and other countries to the negotiating table to extract various types of concessions. Therefore, the main policy prescriptions to deal with the North’s nuclear threats included security guarantees and economic compensation in exchange for the North to give up its nuclear program. Now, the situation has changed because the North’s new purpose for developing nuclear weapons has been unveiled through the revelation of the North Korean Nuclear Doctrine. North Korea needs a “nuclear sword” to drive the US – its archenemy and an obstacle to reunification – off the Korean Peninsula to achieve armed reunification with nuclear weapons under the North’s leadership. **From “unifying as one people” to targeting an enemy for destruction** This new nuclear doctrine directly contradicts the North’s previous “good nuclear policy,” which stated that nuclear weapons must only protect the country against its imperialistic adversaries and must never be used against fellow Koreans in the South. This contradiction began when Kim Jong Un and Kim Yo Jong, a powerful member of the DPRK’s State Affairs Commission, began to [publicly refer to the “Republic of Korea”](https://www.nkinsider.org/campaign-2024biden-is-set-to-speak-in-south-carolina-while-republicans-crisscross-iowa/) last year, meaning South Korea is currently considered a different country that North Korea can now attack. North Korea’s new nuclear policy has been interpreted in various ways, including psychological warfare, a tactic to create confusion, North Korea’s abandonment of unification, or a continuation of the DPRK’s existing reunification policy. Regardless, it’s increasingly clear that South Korea is no longer viewed as a partner for eventual reunification, but a “belligerent country” to be destroyed. This means that ultimately, South Korea must have the power to overwhelm North Korea with nuclear weapons, either on its own or in conjunction with the United States. Without its own powerful nuclear deterrent, South Korea risks a nuclear attack from the North. It’s time to abandon the illusion of safety from the North’s nuclear threats and acknowledge that North Korea will never give up its nuclear weapons. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![Kim Kwang-jin](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-kwang-jin-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-kwang-jin/ "Kim Kwang-jin") [Kim Kwang-jin](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-kwang-jin/) Kwang-jin is a former insider of North Korea's secretive regime. Before his defection, Kim worked for North Korea's overseas banking operations in Singapore. Since his defection, he has dedicated his life to exposing the underhanded financial practices of the North Korean government. He currently serves as the director of the Center for North Korea Human Rights of the Institute for National Security Strategy in Seoul, Korea. [![Kim Kwang-jin](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/kim-kwang-jin-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-kwang-jin/ "Kim Kwang-jin") Latest posts by Kim Kwang-jin ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/kim-kwang-jin/)) - [North Korean Nuclear Doctrine Unveiled](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-nuclear-doctrine-unveiled/) - January 15, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=North%20Korean%20Nuclear%20Doctrine%20Unveiled&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=North%20Korean%20Nuclear%20Doctrine%20Unveiled https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=North%20Korean%20Nuclear%20Doctrine%20Unveiled "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-nuclear-doctrine-unveiled/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=North%20Korean%20Nuclear%20Doctrine%20Unveiled&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/north-korean-nuclear-doctrine-unveiled/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=North%20Korean%20Nuclear%20Doctrine%20Unveiled "Reddit") **Categories:** Opinion & Analysis --- ### [One Pastor’s Rescue Mission](https://www.nkinsider.org/one-pastors-rescue-mission/) **Published:** July 21, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Excerpt:** Pastor Seungeun Kim is a prominent Korean human rights activist and leader of a modern-day underground railroad. He passionately serves North Korean defectors and works tirelessly on their behalf, rescuing and helping them become self-sufficient. **Content:** Pastor Seungeun Kim is a prominent Korean human rights activist and leader of a modern-day underground railroad. He passionately serves North Korean defectors and works tirelessly on their behalf, rescuing and helping them become self-sufficient. He spoke at the 2023 Oslo Freedom Forum hosted by Human Rights Foundation. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=One%20Pastor%E2%80%99s%20Rescue%20Mission&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=One%20Pastor%E2%80%99s%20Rescue%20Mission https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=One%20Pastor%E2%80%99s%20Rescue%20Mission "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/one-pastors-rescue-mission/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=One%20Pastor%E2%80%99s%20Rescue%20Mission&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/one-pastors-rescue-mission/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=One%20Pastor%E2%80%99s%20Rescue%20Mission "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Inside the Kim Regime | Thae Yong-Ho | 2019](https://www.nkinsider.org/inside-the-kim-regime-thae-yong-ho-2019/) **Published:** July 23, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Excerpt:** Thae Yong-ho lived a privileged life in North Korea as the deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom. But in 2016, he risked everything to defect with his family to find freedom. He is the highest-ranking North Korean to ever escape and one of the fiercest voices against the Kim Jong-un regime today. Watch him at the 2019 Oslo Freedom Forum, where he talks about testifying before governments and the world about how we can end the atrocities committed by the regime. **Content:** Thae Yong-ho lived a privileged life in North Korea as the deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom. But in 2016, he risked everything to defect with his family to find freedom. He is the highest-ranking North Korean to ever escape and one of the fiercest voices against the Kim Jong-un regime today. Watch him at the 2019 Oslo Freedom Forum, where he talks about testifying before governments and the world about how we can end the atrocities committed by the regime. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Inside%20the%20Kim%20Regime%20%7C%20Thae%20Yong-Ho%20%7C%202019&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Inside%20the%20Kim%20Regime%20%7C%20Thae%20Yong-Ho%20%7C%202019 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Inside%20the%20Kim%20Regime%20%7C%20Thae%20Yong-Ho%20%7C%202019 "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/inside-the-kim-regime-thae-yong-ho-2019/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Inside%20the%20Kim%20Regime%20%7C%20Thae%20Yong-Ho%20%7C%202019&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/inside-the-kim-regime-thae-yong-ho-2019/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Inside%20the%20Kim%20Regime%20%7C%20Thae%20Yong-Ho%20%7C%202019 "Reddit") **Categories:** Human Rights --- ### [Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/nothing-to-envy-ordinary-lives-in-north-korea/) **Published:** July 22, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea is a gripping and eye-opening book by journalist Barbara Demick, who interviewed over 100 defectors from the secretive and oppressive regime. The book focuses on the stories of six ordinary people from the city of Chongjin, who endured the hardships of famine, political repression, and social isolation, while also experiencing love, family, and dreams. Demick vividly portrays the realities of life under the Kim dynasty, as well as the courage and resilience of those who escaped. Nothing to Envy is a powerful and moving account of a country that is often misunderstood and misrepresented by the outside world. - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Nothing%20to%20Envy%3A%20Ordinary%20Lives%20in%20North%20Korea&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "X")[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Linkedin")[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Facebook")[](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=Nothing%20to%20Envy%3A%20Ordinary%20Lives%20in%20North%20Korea https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Whatsapp")[](https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&text=Nothing%20to%20Envy%3A%20Ordinary%20Lives%20in%20North%20Korea "Telegram")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/nothing-to-envy-ordinary-lives-in-north-korea/ "Facebook Messenger")[](https://social-plugins.line.me/lineit/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Line")[](https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&su=Nothing%20to%20Envy%3A%20Ordinary%20Lives%20in%20North%20Korea&body=Link:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Google Gmail")[](https://www.nkinsider.org/nothing-to-envy-ordinary-lives-in-north-korea/ "Copy Link")[](https://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&partner=a2a "PrintFriendly")[](https://www.instagram.com/ "Instagram")[](https://story.kakao.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875 "Kakao")[](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nkinsider.org%2Fwp-cron.php%3Fdoing_wp_cron%3D1784285178.4456279277801513671875&title=Nothing%20to%20Envy%3A%20Ordinary%20Lives%20in%20North%20Korea "Reddit") **Categories:** Books --- ## Pages ### [About Us](https://www.nkinsider.org/about/) **Published:** July 21, 2023 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** **NK INSIDER** NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. NKIN aims to foster a nuanced understanding of the region and contribute to a global dialogue on one of the world’s most enigmatic nations. NK Insider operates as the Human Rights Foundation’s in-house news entity, founded by North Korean defector and HRF’s Director of the Korea Desk [Seongmin Lee](https://hrf.org/member/seongmin-lee/). The views and opinions expressed in these articles are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Human Rights Foundation. For questions or media inquiries, please contact us at . Please note that for live interviews, you may need to arrange an interpreter, as most of our writers are Korean speakers. **OUR TEAM** **Ahn** **Chan-il, Writer** Chanil is a North Korean defector and the Founder and Executive Director of the World North Korea Research Center. He oversees the center’s mission to serve as a prominent think tank dedicated to North Korean studies. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Korea University, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science from Konkuk University. ****Era**** **Seo (alias), Writer** Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world’s most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society. **Jang** **Seiul, Writer** For ten years, Seiul served in the North Korean People’s Army (KPA), including the 9th Corps. After completing his military service, he taught mathematics at Cheongjin Mining and Metallurgy University. In 2008, he defected to South Korea, where he founded the National Association of North Korean Defectors, an NGO that aims to promote democratization in North Korea and improve human rights. He majored in computer technology at Pyongyang University of Automation, a top state institution known for cyber training and producing hackers for the KPA. **Jang Mi (Rose), Writer** Born in Chongjin in 1990, Jang Mi was not a studious child, but under her mother’s influence, she graduated from high school and went on to university to take math and science. She worked as a wedding video editor for seven years until her defection in 2019. **Kang **Chol-hwan**, Writer** Cholhwan is a North Korean defector and the author of ‘*The Aquariums of Pyongyang*.’ Born in Pyongyang, North Korea, he was sent to and spent ten years in Yodok Concentration Camp following the purge of his grandfather. After escaping to South Korea, he exposed North Korean political prison camps to the world. In 2007, Cholhwan founded the North Korean Strategy Center to help bring about democratization in North Korea through the dissemination of external information and improved human rights. He graduated from Hanyang University and previously worked as a journalist specializing in North Korean affairs at Chosun Ilbo. **Kim Yumi, Writer** Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@[KimYumiTV.](https://www.youtube.com/@KimYumiTV/videos "KimYumiTV.")” **Kim Dong-sik, Writer** Dongsik is the author of “No One Reported Me – the Story of an Agent from the North” and founder and director of the KAS Consultancy, an NGO based in Seoul, Korea. While in North Korea, he worked at the Department of the DPRK’s Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea focused on South Korea for 15 years. The mission of the department (대남공작부서) was to carry out various espionage activities in South Korea. During this time, he carried out two missions in the South for which he received the title of Hero of the Republic and the National Flag Medal, 1st Class. Originally coming from a construction background, he also had various other experiences in North Korea, ranging from the chairman of a youth league and the general secretary of a factory to the director of a district party, among others. He graduated from Kim Jong Il Politics and Military University in North Korea and received a doctorate in North Korean studies in South Korea. **Kim Se-won, Writer** Sewon is the North Korean-born founder and CEO of NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korea. Drawing on his personal experience living there, he strives for transparency and accuracy in reporting, working to inform readers worldwide about the realities of North Korea. **Kim **Eun-ju**, Writer** Eunju is a North Korean defector and the author of *‘A Thousand Miles to Freedom.’* She currently works as a social cooperation officer and researcher at the EUM Research Institute, contributing regularly to research on North Korea and defectors. Eunju holds a master’s degree in sociology from Korea University. **Kim** **Heung-kwang, Writer** Heungkwang is the representative of NK Intellectual Solidarity, an NGO based in Seoul, South Korea. Previously, he served as the chairman of the quarterly magazine *North Korean Village*, chairman of the board of directors of Samheung North Korean Defector Children’s School, and a policy advisory member of the Ministry of National Defense in South Korea. Before defecting to South Korea in 2004, he was a professor at the Hamheung Communist College in North Korea. He graduated from North Korea’s Kim Chaek University of Technology and received his doctorate from South Korea’s Hansae University Graduate School. **Kim** **Kwang-jin, Writer** Kwangjin is a former insider of North Korea’s secretive regime. Before his defection, Kim worked for North Korea’s overseas banking operations in Singapore. Since his defection, he has dedicated his life to exposing the underhanded financial practices of the North Korean government. He currently serves as the director of the Center for North Korea Human Rights of the Institute for National Security Strategy in Seoul, Korea. **Lee** **Jia(alias), Writer** Jia defected from North Korea in search of basic freedoms, including the right to travel and freely express herself. Her identity as a North Korean has given her a sense of responsibility to represent the voices of her family and hometown friends and is also the reason she has chosen to work as a journalist. **Shin** **Yong-geon (alias), Writer** Yonggeon defected from North Korea in 2020. Before his defection, he held positions in various state-run institutions in North Korea, including the military, prosecution office, state security agency, and later, the trade office. Later in his life in North Korea, he was imprisoned for creating and spreading content considered anti-regime. He managed to escape with manuscripts of his work and plans to publish them in the near future. **Zane **Han** (alias), Writer** Zane is a defector from North Korea. Before defecting in 2022, he worked at a state-run North Korean company based in Russia. Prior to his assignment in Russia, he had worked at the external affairs department of a company affiliated with the DPRK’s Escort Bureau. He graduated from Pyongyang University of Architecture. \* \* \* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Weekly Newsletter](https://www.nkinsider.org/newsletter/) **Published:** April 19, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** Welcome to NK Insider’s weekly newsletter! Join our community dedicated to exploring the Korean Peninsula’s complexities with insights directly from North Koreans. Please leave this field empty**Start your week with NK Insider as reported by North Koreans!** Thanks for subscribing! Please check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. --- - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Opportunities at NKIN](https://www.nkinsider.org/opportunities-at-nkin/) **Published:** December 25, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** - [\[INTERNSHIP\] Social Media/Content Manager – 2025](https://www.nkinsider.org/application-for-social-media-and-content-publication-internship/) December 2, 2024 By NK Insider - [\[INTERNSHIP\] Social Media/Content Manager – 2024](https://www.nkinsider.org/internship-opportunity-2025/) May 11, 2024 By NK Insider - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Opportunities](https://www.nkinsider.org/5731-2/) **Published:** April 24, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** - [\[INTERNSHIP\] Social Media/Content Manager – 2025](https://www.nkinsider.org/application-for-social-media-and-content-publication-internship/) December 2, 2024 By NK Insider - [\[INTERNSHIP\] Social Media/Content Manager – 2024](https://www.nkinsider.org/internship-opportunity-2025/) May 11, 2024 By NK Insider - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Submit Article](https://www.nkinsider.org/submit-article/) **Published:** April 23, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** Thank you for your interest in getting your article published on NK Insider. Due to the demand from people interested in sharing their views on various issues related to the Korean peninsula, we have created this secure form. While we can’t guarantee the publication of every article we receive, our team reads every article submitted. Here is what the general process looks like: - **Step 1:** You submit your article for our review using the form below. - **Step 2:** Within five business days of the submission, our team will reach out to you regarding the next steps. (If you don’t hear from us within this time frame, please feel free to submit it to other newspapers.) If you have any questions, please contact us through [the contact form](https://www.nkinsider.org/contact/ "the contact form"). Best, The NK Insider Team *Note: Articles can be submitted either in English or Korean.* **Submission form** Name \* Email \* Phone What is the name of your organization, if applicable? Please provide your organization's website, if applicable. What is your occupation or position? \* Please list your social media accounts or blogs, if applicable. Has this article been published elsewhere? Please choose one option. \*No.Yes. Why do you want to publish this article on NK Insider? \* Article subject \* What is your article about? \*0 / 500 Please provide a short article description in 1-2 sentences. (This will help us understand and explain your article in a concise manner) \* Please check all relevant boxes. \*I’d like to receive compensation for my articleI don’t need compensation but would like to get my article publishedI can provide additional information regarding my article in case NK Insider requests it If you seek compensation, please provide the desired amount below. Upload your article file. (PDF files are accepted, with a max size of 10 MB per file. You can upload up to 5 files.) \*Drag and Drop (or) [Choose Files](#) In case your article is published on NK Insider, we kindly request that you provide a short bio to accompany it, so our readers will know who the author is. If you prefer to publish the article anonymously, you may leave this section blank. Optionally, if you'd like to include a profile picture in your bio, please upload an image with dimensions between 150×150 pixels and 300×300 pixels. (JPEG, JPG, JPE, and PNG files are accepted.)Choose FileNo file chosenDelete uploaded file How did you hear about NK Insider? Please choose one option. \*X, formerly TwitterLinkedInFacebookInstagramGoogleOthers Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?0 / 500 Agree \*The information provided in this form is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Agree \*I agree with the [privacy policy](https://www.nkinsider.org/privacy-policy-for-nk-insider/) and [terms and conditions](https://www.nkinsider.org/terms-and-conditions-for-nk-insider/). Submit[Save as Draft](# "Fill in form fields before saving it as a draft") \* \* \* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Contact Form](https://www.nkinsider.org/contact/) **Published:** April 21, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** You may use the form below to contact us. Name \* Email Address \* Phone Number Message \*0 / 1000 Upload file (PDF, JPEG, JPG, JPE, and PNG files are accepted, with a max size of 10 MB per file. You can upload up to 5 files.)Drag and Drop (or) [Choose Files](#) Agree \*Yes, I agree with the [privacy policy](https://www.nkinsider.org/privacy-policy-for-nk-insider/) and [terms and conditions](https://www.nkinsider.org/terms-and-conditions-for-nk-insider/). Send Message[Save as Draft](# "Fill in form fields before saving it as a draft") Please do not fill in this field. \* \* \* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Your article has been successfully submitted.](https://www.nkinsider.org/your-article-has-been-successfully-received/) **Published:** April 23, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** Our team will read your article and reach out to you if the article is considered for publication. If there is no reply from us within five business days of the submission, please feel free to send your work to other newspapers. Thank you, The NK Insider Team - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Submission form](https://www.nkinsider.org/submit-article-2/) **Published:** April 27, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** \[usp\_visitor\] Please [log in](https://www.nkinsider.org/log-in/?loggedout=true&wp_lang=en_US) to send the post! \[/usp\_visitor\] \[usp\_member\] \[usp\_form id=”submit”\] \[/usp\_member\] - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Your message has been successfully submitted.](https://www.nkinsider.org/your-message-has-been-received/) **Published:** April 22, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** Thank you for contacting us, we will be in touch shortly. Best, The NK Insider Team - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Your application has been submitted.](https://www.nkinsider.org/your-application-has-been-submitted/) **Published:** April 22, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** Thank you for your interest and application. We’ll contact you if there are any questions. Best, The NK Insider Team - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Data Deletion](https://www.nkinsider.org/data-deletion-information/) **Published:** April 16, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** At NK Insider, we are committed to protecting your privacy and providing you with control over your personal data. If you wish to request the deletion of your data from our platform, please follow the guidelines below: **Data deletion requests** You can request the deletion of your data by contacting us directly at . Please provide sufficient information to identify your account or data that you want to be deleted. We will process your request promptly in accordance with applicable data protection laws. **Types of data we delete** We delete personal information that we no longer need for the purposes for which it was collected or as required by law. This may include account information, preferences, and any other data associated with your use of NK Insider. **Retention period** We retain your data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in our Privacy Policy or as required by law. Upon fulfilling your deletion request, we will securely delete or anonymize your data from our systems. **Contact us** If you have any questions or concerns regarding data deletion or our privacy practices, please contact us at contact@nkinsider.org or via the [contact form](https://www.nkinsider.org/contact/). You can also send written inquiries to our address: Human Rights Foundation, 350 5th Ave #6500, New York, NY 10118, United States We value your privacy and strive to uphold the highest standards of data protection. Thank you for choosing NK Insider. \* \* \* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Privacy Policy](https://www.nkinsider.org/privacy-policy-for-nk-insider/) **Published:** April 16, 2024 **Author:** NK Insider **Content:** Last updated: April 22, 2024 Welcome to NK Insider. Your privacy is critically important to us. It is NK Insider’s policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect while operating our website. This Privacy Policy applies to www.nkinsider.org (hereinafter, “us”, “we”, or “NK Insider”). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting personally identifiable information you may provide to us through the website. We have adopted this privacy policy to explain what information may be collected on our Website, how we use this information, and under what circumstances we may disclose the information to third parties. This Privacy Policy applies only to information we collect through the website and does not apply to our collection of information from other sources. This privacy policy, together with the Terms and Conditions posted on our Website, sets forth the general rules and policies governing your use of our website. Depending on your activities when visiting our website, you may be required to agree to additional terms and conditions. **Website Visitors** Like most website operators, NK Insider collects non-personally identifying information of the sort that web browsers and servers typically make available, such as the browser type, language preference, referring site, and the date and time of each visitor request. NK Insider’s purpose in collecting non-personally identifying information is to better understand how NK Insider’s visitors use its website. **Personally-Identifying Information** Certain visitors to NK Insider’s websites choose to interact with NK Insider in ways that require NK Insider to gather personally identifying information. The amount and type of information that NK Insider gathers depend on the nature of the interaction. For example, we ask visitors who sign up for newsletters and/or provide a username and email address or log in through their social media accounts, if visitors want to leave comments for any posts published on the site. **Security** The security of your personal information is important to us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. **Advertisements** Ads appearing on our website may be delivered to users by advertising partners, who may set cookies. These cookies allow the ad server to recognize your computer each time they send you an online advertisement to compile information about you or others who use your computer. This information allows ad networks to, among other things, deliver targeted advertisements that they believe will be of most interest to you. **Links To External Sites** Our publication content may contain links to external sites that are not operated by us. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third-party’s site. We strongly advise you to review the privacy policy and terms and conditions of every site you visit. **Aggregated Statistics** NK Insider may collect statistics about the behavior of visitors to its website. NK Insider may display this information publicly or provide it to others. However, NK Insider does not disclose your personally identifying information. **Cookies** To enrich and perfect your online experience, NK Insider uses “Cookies”, similar technologies and services provided by others to display personalized content, appropriate advertising, and store your preferences on your computer. **Privacy Policy Changes** Although most changes are likely to be minor, NK Insider may change its privacy policy from time to time, and at NK Insider’s sole discretion. NK Insider encourages visitors to frequently check this page for any changes to its privacy policy. **Contact Information** If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy, please reach out to us via the [contact form](https://www.nkinsider.org/contact/ "contact form") or the email at , or mail us at the following address: Human Rights Foundation 350 5th Ave #6500 New York, NY 10118 United States \* \* \* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [Terms and Conditions](https://www.nkinsider.org/terms-and-conditions-for-nk-insider/) **Published:** April 16, 2024 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** These terms and conditions were last updated on April 22, 2024. Welcome to NK Insider, your source for in-depth news and analysis about North Korea presented by North Korean defectors. The following terms and conditions apply to www.nkinsider.org (hereinafter, “us”, “we”, or “NK Insider”). By using the NK Insider website and any associated services, you agree to abide by the following terms and conditions. If you do not agree to these terms, please refrain from using our website. **Purpose and Permission** NK Insider provides information and analysis on North Korea for personal, educational, and research purposes. Some content on NK Insider may be accessible without any restrictions, while other content may require permission to access. **Intellectual Property** All content, including articles, opinions, analysis, images, and media on NK Insider, is our intellectual property unless otherwise stated. Unauthorized use of our content is a violation of our copyright and other intellectual property rights. **Sharing and Fair Use** You may share our content under “fair use” guidelines, provided you attribute NK Insider as the source and include a link back to our website. Any other use of our content requires written approval from us. **Prohibited Activities and Legal Compliance** You agree not to engage in any activities that may harm the functionality, integrity, or security of NK Insider, its content, or other users. This includes but is not limited to: - Attempting to gain unauthorized access to the website or its systems. - Introducing malicious software, viruses, or any other harmful code. - Tampering with or disrupting the normal operation of the website. - Engaging in any form of hacking, cracking, or unauthorized data access. - Violating any applicable laws or regulations related to online conduct or cybersecurity. Violation of these terms may result in the termination of your access to NK Insider and may lead to legal consequences under relevant laws and regulations. **Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability** We do not provide warranties regarding the suitability of our materials for any specific purpose. Users access our content at their own risk, and we are not liable for any losses incurred. We may update our terms periodically, and continued use of NK Insider constitutes acceptance of these updates. **Compliance and Contact** Users are expected to comply with our terms and conditions. If you have any questions about our terms and conditions, please reach out to us via the [contact form](https://www.nkinsider.org/contact/ "contact form") or email at . Notices can be sent to Human Rights Foundation, 350 5th Ave #6500 New York, NY 10118, United States. By using NK Insider, you acknowledge and agree to these terms and conditions. Thank you for being a part of our community dedicated to understanding North Korea and its complexities. \* \* \* - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ## MailPoet Page ### [MailPoet Page](https://www.nkinsider.org/?mailpoet_page=captcha) **Published:** December 18, 2024 **Author:** **Content:** \[mailpoet\_page\] - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ### [MailPoet Page](https://www.nkinsider.org/?mailpoet_page=subscriptions) **Published:** July 21, 2023 **Author:** Seongmin Lee **Content:** \[mailpoet\_page\] - [About](#abh_about) - [Latest Posts](#abh_posts) [ ![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") [NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/) NK Insider (NKIN) is an online news platform offering unique perspectives on North Korea, primarily from North Korean defectors, with occasional contributions from others. [![NK Insider](https://www.nkinsider.org/wp-content/uploads/gravatar/nk-in_small-logo_black-1-1.jpg)](https://www.nkinsider.org/ "NK Insider") Latest posts by NK Insider ([see all](https://www.nkinsider.org/author/2075fc66f5afe3be777d3b6a8301115359ac1c9c/)) - [Reinvigorating Global Engagement on Human Rights in North Korea: The 2025 NK Insider Forum](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum/) - October 29, 2025 - [북한인권에 대한 국제적 참여의 재도약: 2025 NK 인사이더 포럼](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release-reinvigorating-global-engagement-on-human-rights-in-north-korea-the-2025-nk-insider-forum-korean/) - October 29, 2025 - [HRF hosts inaugural NK Insider Forum in Seoul, South Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-hosts-inaugural-nk-insider-forum-in-seoul-south-korea/) - December 23, 2024 --- ## Categories ### [Politics](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/politics/) --- ### [Economy](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/economy/) --- ### [Society](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/society/) --- ### [Culture](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/culture/) --- ### [Science & Tech](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/science/) --- ### [Education](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/education/) --- ### [Human Rights](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/human-rights/) --- ### [Military](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/military/) --- ### [Books](https://www.nkinsider.org/books/) --- ### [Opinion & Analysis](https://www.nkinsider.org/opinion/) --- ### [Sports](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/sports/) --- ### [Articles](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/) --- ### [The Koreas](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/the-koreas/) --- ### [Flash Drives for Freedom](https://www.nkinsider.org/flash-drives-for-freedom/) --- ### [Overseas Workers](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/overseas-workers/) --- ### [Sanctions](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/sanctions/) --- ### [Security](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/security/) --- ### [Russia](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/russia/) --- ### [United States](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/united-states/) --- ### [️](https://www.nkinsider.org/opportunities/) --- ### [Movies](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/movies/) --- ### [World](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/world/) --- ### [Guest Contributor](https://www.nkinsider.org/guest-contributor/) --- ### [Health](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/health/) --- ### [Natural Disaster](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/natural-disaster/) --- ### [HRF Grants](https://www.nkinsider.org/hrf-grants/) --- ### [Press Release](https://www.nkinsider.org/press-release/) --- ### [Oslo Scholars](https://www.nkinsider.org/oslo-scholars/) --- ### [News Briefing](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/briefing/) --- ### [Journalism](https://www.nkinsider.org/articles/journalism/) --- ## Tags ### [North Korea](https://www.nkinsider.org/tag/north-korea/) --- ### [cell phones](https://www.nkinsider.org/tag/cell-phones/) --- ### [Post office](https://www.nkinsider.org/tag/post-office/) --- ### [communication](https://www.nkinsider.org/tag/communication/) --- ### [cheshinso](https://www.nkinsider.org/tag/cheshinso/) ---