The price of prestige: When UNESCO recognition becomes a tool for tyranny
UNESCO's recent decision to inscribe North Korea's Mount Kumgang as a World Heritage site represents a deeply troubling intersection of international diplomacy and authoritarian...
North Korea’s deadly COVID lie
A damning new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies reveals the true cost of North Korea's pandemic deception—a systematic cover-up that...
The Trump-Kim ‘bromance’ myth: Policy reality vs. photo opportunities
The narrative of Donald Trump's supposed "bromance" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has become political folklore, sustained by memorable sound bites about...
Call of Duty goes Korean, maybe
The timing of Activision's rumored "Modern Warfare 사" (sa, the Korean word for "four") couldn't be more provocative. Just days after South Korea elected Lee...
Why a minerals deal with N. Korea would be dangerously naive
A recent proposal for a "minerals-for-security" deal with North Korea fundamentally misunderstands both the nature of Kim Jong Un's regime and the lessons of...
N. Korea’s naval mishap reveals both ambition and limitations
North Korea's public acknowledgment of a catastrophic destroyer launch failure this week offers a rare glimpse into both the regime's naval ambitions and its...
Fortress Pyongyang: US reassessment of N. Korea’s ability to endure conflict
The recent reassessment by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency regarding North Korea's military capabilities marks a shift in understanding the country's defensive posture. While...
Erasing unity: N. Korea’s dangerous symbolic shift
North Korea's removal of the word "unification" from its Panmunjom building represents far more than a simple name change. By renaming the "Unification Pavilion"...
Exposing reality: North Korea’s surprising new rural drama
North Korea has unveiled its first new television drama in two years, surprisingly featuring candid portrayals of official corruption and rural discontent. "A New...
Silent infiltration: Hackers on the payroll
The revelation that North Korean IT operatives have successfully infiltrated numerous Fortune 500 companies highlights a dangerous evolution in state-sponsored cyber threats. These schemes—where...
