What’s behind North Korea’s coal industry push?
North Korea held the second plenary session of the ninth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea from June 20 to 22. According...
Behind Sinuiju’s brighter nights, a widening electricity divide
Electricity supply in Sinuiju, North Pyongan province, has improved somewhat in 2026 compared with last year. Neighborhoods near provincial and city party offices, the...
Satellite images reveal flooded rail line in Ryanggang province
I analyzed high-resolution satellite imagery of Paekam county, in North Korea's Ryanggang province, and found that a hydroelectric dam has flooded part of a...
North Korea revises criminal law, but old habits persist
North Korea's criminal law reform has moved through four revisions since 2021. Each one has added changes that look, on paper, like genuine gains...
North Korea revises criminal procedure law, mandates defense counsel
North Korea revised its criminal procedure law in 2022 and again in 2025. The changes shortened detention and investigation periods. They also required defense...
Pyongyang residents balk at overseas labor dispatch
Pyongyang residents are growing wary of volunteering for overseas labor dispatch in 2026, as fears of being sent near the front lines of Russia's...
Satellite imagery reveals North Korea’s transmission tower network
High-resolution satellite imagery of three transmission tower sites in North Korea — located in Gujang county, North Pyongan province; Namsan, Kaesong city; and Anak...
The Xi–Kim summit’s hidden fault lines
When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited North Korea on June 8 and 9, 2026, for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un,...
Behind Pyongyang’s showcase streets, satellite images reveal neighborhoods left behind
High-resolution satellite imagery analyzed in 2026 reveals the true condition of two long-neglected neighborhoods in central Pyongyang: Tungme-dong in Sonkyo district and Worrhyang-dong in...
Before debating how Korea unifies, Seoul needs to decide what it wants
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung recently stated that South Korea would not pursue absorption unification with North Korea. The position is being interpreted as...
