Monthly Archives: December 2024
Between Moscow and Mar-a-Lago: N. Korea’s critical crossroads in 2025
After 37 years of studying North Korean affairs, I'm often asked how I continue to track current issues and where I get my information,...
N. Koreans forced to fund housewarming gifts after paying for flood victims’ homes
North Korean state media praises Kim Jong Un's "love for the people" as flood victims move into new homes, but locals reveal they were...
N. Korea pays farm workers in devalued currency instead of grain
North Korea has taken an unprecedented step: paying farm workers in devalued local currency instead of their usual share of crops.
A source in North...
N. Korean youth shift to low-key end-of-year celebrations as cultural restrictions tighten
North Korean youth are holding more subdued end-of-year celebrations compared to previous years, according to a source in North Hwanghae province.
The parties, scheduled between...
Patient death in Pyongyang exposes healthcare system crisis
A patient's death during a routine appendectomy in Pyongyang has sparked public discussion about the deteriorating conditions in North Korea's healthcare system. The incident,...
N. Korea intensifies crackdown on unmarried couples living together
North Korean authorities have launched an aggressive campaign against unmarried couples living together, declaring such arrangements a symptom of "decadent capitalist culture." This crackdown...
N. Korea claims major advances in anti-drone defense after joint military exercises
North Korean military and intelligence agencies have declared their recent joint electronic warfare exercises a success, strengthening their radar detection and jamming capabilities along...
N. Koreans defy ban, mine gold on rented farmland as prices soar
North Koreans are rushing to prospect for gold amid rising international prices, defying government bans through an elaborate system of bribes.
According to a source...
N. Korea arrests water park manager for alleged ‘secret leaks’ to foreigners
A manager of a foreigners' water park in Pyongyang was recently arrested by North Korea's Ministry of State Security.
According to a source in North...
In freezing coal country, North Korean women protest ‘useless’ coal collection drive
Women in North Korea's coal country are furious about being forced to scavenge for coal fragments in freezing temperatures as part of a national...
