Daily NK and the Hanhanaro Institute signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on May 23 to strengthen mutual academic exchange and cooperation. The agreement focuses on information exchange, research collaboration, and personnel exchanges in North Korea-related fields.
Through the MOU, both parties will collaborate in various areas including joint planning and hosting of academic events, joint research and information sharing, mutual exchange of research personnel, administrative and technical support for joint projects, and exchange of publications along with joint presentation of research findings. The agreement also allows for joint pursuit of other mutually recognized projects when necessary.
According to the agreement, specific details such as budget execution and task allocation required during project implementation will be determined through separate consultations, with all cooperation conducted under principles of mutual benefit and respect for each institution’s regulations.
Both parties have committed to faithfully fulfill mutual cooperation requests based on good faith principles and maintain strict confidentiality obligations to prevent leakage of non-public information obtained during collaboration. The agreement explicitly states that confidential information cannot be provided to third parties without written consent.
The agreement takes effect from May 23, 2025, and will automatically continue for the duration of both organizations’ existence unless either party requests termination.
Step towards better integrating real-time data in North Korean studies
Daily NK and the Hanhanaro Institute expect this agreement will establish a foundation for more substantial academic cooperation and dissemination of information in inter-Korean affairs and North Korean studies.
Lee Sang-yong, director of Daily NK’s AND Center, said, “This agreement is highly significant for Daily NK, given our long history of accumulating North Korea-related data, to partner with an academically rigorous organization. By combining academic credibility with our real-time reporting data, we can position ourselves as a knowledge infrastructure that makes meaningful contributions to future unification, security, and North Korea policy development.”
The Hanhanaro Institute is a non-profit private research institute established in February 2022. In 2024, with support from the Foundation for Unification and Sharing, it conducted a project on “Analysis of North Korean Civil Society and Development Strategies,” among various other North Korea-related research initiatives.
