Tag: defections
Onsong county mother ordered back to labor training camp
A new mother in North Hamgyong province is drawing sympathy from her neighbors as North Korean authorities have ordered her back to a labor...
North Korea orders sweeping rebuild of northern border blockade
North Korea has ordered a massive reconstruction of its northern border defenses, re-establishing landmine fields and reaffirming its strict shoot-on-sight policy against any unauthorized...
North Korean youth rush marriage for a shot at overseas work
North Korean youth in North Hamgyong province are rushing to marry in 2026 to improve their odds of winning an overseas work assignment. Authorities...
North Korea remittance broker fees jump to 50% amid crackdown
North Korean authorities have sharply intensified crackdowns on illegal money transfers made using Chinese mobile phones. Remittance brokers near the country's border say their...
Residency ID rumors spark hope for North Korean defectors in China
Rumors that China may soon issue permanent residency ID cards to North Korean defectors are spreading rapidly across the country's northeast. The rumors have...
Missing relative sinks North Korean official’s shot at working in Russia
A North Korean trade official spent months preparing for a work assignment in Russia. Then, this month, he was disqualified at the final stage...
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...
North Korean soldiers in Ukraine face forced return — a civilian...
The sky over Kyiv hung heavy and gray during the days I spent in Ukraine's capital. Standing before the outer wall of a prisoner...
North Korea orders shoot-to-kill at border, coordinates defector tracking with China
North Korea's National Intelligence Agency, the country's primary domestic intelligence agency formerly known as the Ministry of State Security, has issued sweeping new directives...
North Korean defectors in China alarmed as Kuaishou messages reach police
Chinese authorities are monitoring North Korean defectors through Kuaishou, a popular Chinese short-video and messaging platform, raising alarm among defectors hiding in China.
According to...
