Analysis & Opinion About North Korea

russia, photos

North Korean workers sent to Russia with no say and no destination

Lee Sang Yong, Hwang Hyun-uk -
North Korea is sending more workers to Russia in 2026, but many recruits leave without knowing their destination or their jobs. A posting to Russia...
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Thermal satellite images show Yongbyon reactors running nonstop

Bruce Songhak Chung -
North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear complex kept its key reactors and processing plants running through 2026, according to my analysis of satellite imagery. High-resolution photos...
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grasshopper market exchange rate grain

Interview: How bribery holds North Korea’s market economy together

English Language Editor -
A few years ago, two researchers - Dr. Andrew Yeo (Brookings Institution) and Dr. Justin Hastings (University of Sydney) - conducted a series of...
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Latest North Korea News

A wide aerial view of flooded rice paddies divided by raised earthen paths, with a small tractor working one field, trees and a rooftop in the foreground, and a village and hills in the distance, in Anak county, South Hwanghae province, North Korea.

Rice prices climb again in North Korea as fresh corn drives grain prices down

Seulkee Jang -
Rice prices in North Korean markets turned upward again in early October 2026, even as corn prices kept falling. The split shows how slowly...
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North Korean in Namyang

Badminton boom takes off among North Korean high school students

Eun Seol -
A badminton boom is sweeping North Korean high schools in 2026, as Musan county teenagers turn parks into free courts. Rackets and shuttlecocks once...
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Pukchang Thermal Power Complex in South Pyongan Province

North Korea’s largest power plant forces workers to pay for mandatory loyalty tours

Park Hee-soo -
Workers at North Korea’s largest power plant are fuming after being ordered on mandatory ideological tours for Party Foundation Day in 2026. The catch...
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A green bus travels along an elevated approach road leading to the New Yalu River Bridge in Dandong, China, with the bridge's white cable-stayed tower visible in the background.

New Yalu River Bridge opening sparks last-minute cargo surge on old crossing

Seon Hwa -
Chinese traders are rushing cargo across the aging Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge ahead of the New Yalu River Bridge’s expected opening on Oct. 15, 2026....
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schools, education, students

Kim Jong Un’s party orders chief secretaries to take charge of party school study

Eun Seol -
North Korea has ordered its top provincial, city and county party officials to personally lead party school study in 2026. The move tightens Kim...
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North Korea Market Trends

Updated 26-10-11
Exchange Rate 1 USD → KPW
Pyongyang
71,200
Sinuiju
71,220
Hyesan
71,230
Full Exchange Rate Data →
Rice Prices KPW per kg
Pyongyang
43,500
Sinuiju
43,700
Hyesan
43,800
Full Rice Price Data →

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