Poor road conditions leave North Korean drivers paying for constant tire repairs
Poor road conditions across North Korea's North Hamgyong province are driving up tire costs for drivers in 2026. Cracked asphalt, deep potholes and long...
Collapse at factory-run coal mine in North Hamgyong province injures worker
A coal mine collapse in North Korea's North Hamgyong province on Sept. 12 seriously injured one worker. The accident highlights how production pressure is...
North Korean county officials fail to sway parents of bullied disabled student
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...
North Korea’s meth prices surge as drug trafficking crackdown intensifies
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...
As summer heat fades, North Korean people flock to parks in evenings
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...
North Korea touts “world-class education,” but rural skepticism persists
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...
Drone pilot arrested for secretly filming inside homes in Kaesong
A young farm worker in Kaesong has been arrested after using a pesticide-spraying drone to secretly film inside private homes in the city's Panmun...
Smartphone apps widen North Korea’s education gap
North Korean students in some regions are increasingly turning to smartphone apps to study English and Chinese in 2026. The trend is widening an...
Elementary schools press students for fees days after fall semester starts
Elementary schools in Pyongsong, South Pyongan province, began collecting money from students within days of starting the fall semester, charging fees for a Sept....
Nine youths in Chongjin face public criticism over foreign videos
North Korean authorities in Chongjin, North Hamgyong province, staged a large scale public criticism session last month targeting nine young people in their 20s...
