Analysis & Opinion About North Korea

Kim Jong Un and Kim Ju Ae walk past a wall inscribed with names at the Taesong Mountain Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery in Pyongyang, flanked by North Korean officials, during an Aug. 14 visit marking the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation.

Kim Ju Ae’s contrasting expressions offer clues to her succession training

Yoshihiro Makino -
South Korea's National Intelligence Service briefed the National Assembly's intelligence committee on Sept. 1. Kim Ju Ae, it said, is effectively at the stage...
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farm

Puppet speech crackdown gains new legal weight from North Korea’s constitution

Lee Sang Yong, Hwang Hyun-uk -
North Korea's 2026 constitutional amendment protecting Pyongyang Cultural Language has fueled a renewed puppet speech crackdown. Schools, workplaces and neighborhood organizations have stepped up...
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unification, ministry, border, inter-Korean, south korea, permits

South Korea’s unification education is asking the wrong question about peace

Moon Dong Wook -
South Korea's Ministry of Unification will hold its first Peace Wind Week starting Sept. 11, 2026, an 11-day series of public events, including a...
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Latest North Korea News

As summer heat fades, North Korean people flock to parks in evenings

Seon Hwa -
North Korean people are flocking to parks, squares and riverbanks in the evenings now that this summer's punishing heat wave has finally broken. Many...
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school, tests, education

Elementary schools press students for fees days after fall semester starts

Lee Chae Eun -
Elementary schools in Pyongsong, South Pyongan province, began collecting money from students within days of starting the fall semester, charging fees for a Sept....
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students, school, children, education

North Korean county officials fail to sway parents of bullied disabled student

Eun Seol -
County education officials in Musan county in North Korea's North Hamgyong province visited the home of a disabled student's family this month, joining teachers...
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Kim Jong Un inspects service facilities in Pyongyang's Hwasong district Phase 4 development zone ahead of their opening, accompanied by officials including his wife Ri Sol Ju, in April 2026

North Korea touts “world-class education,” but rural skepticism persists

Kim Ji-woo -
North Korea recently held its 15th National Teachers' Congress and touted "world-class education," but people in rural areas remain skeptical that real improvement will...
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drugs, drug

North Korea’s meth prices surge as drug trafficking crackdown intensifies

Seulkee Jang -
North Korea's crackdown on drug trafficking has intensified sharply this year. The tightened enforcement has shrunk methamphetamine distribution networks, and it has driven prices...
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North Korea Market Trends

Updated 26-09-13
Exchange Rate 1 USD → KPW
Pyongyang
69,500
Sinuiju
69,510
Hyesan
69,520
Full Exchange Rate Data →
Rice Prices KPW per kg
Pyongyang
41,100
Sinuiju
41,200
Hyesan
41,400
Full Rice Price Data →

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