Activists resume balloon launches aimed at reclusive North Korea
Fighters for Free North Korea (FFNK) has resumed sending informational leaflets to North Korea. Park Sang-hak, a North Korean defector and activist who leads the...
Kim Jong-un and the campaign of coerced adulation
Congratulations, your congratulatory message is on TV. In North Korea, where the leadership never seems to tire of being congratulated, there's a tradition of showcasing...
Defectors and the search for happiness
"Are you happy? Is life in South Korea more satisfying than in North Korea?" Ninety percent of the people I meet for the first time...
Companies in China prepare to employ more North Korean workers
Companies in China are reportedly preparing to employ North Korean workers. Firms in the Chinese border city of Dandong, across the Yalu River from the...
Animation films and the shaping of violent children
When defectors from North Korea see kids’ animation movies in South Korea for the first time, they’re usually in for a shock. They’re nothing like...
Why there is no Parents’ Day in North Korea
Wednesday is eobeoi (parents) day in South Korea, where it is a national holiday. Established on May 8, 1973, it is a time for people...
China resumes forcible repatriation of defectors
China last month returned a large number of refugees to North Korea against their will, according to news reports based on activists, brokers and family...
5-jang 6-ki: What a North Korean woman needs for her dowry
I love Pride and Prejudice so much that I've watched it dozens of times. It gets praised a lot for the wonderful story and beautiful...
A North Korean defector’s quest for freedom at 2024 College Freedom Forum
On April 8, College Freedom Forum (CFF) brought together brave and inspiring activists at Stanford University to highlight some of the most pressing human rights...
The achievements and limitations of Yoon Suk-yeol’s North Korean human rights
The current administration of Yoon Suk-yeol in South Korea has done more than any of its predecessors to stand up for the human rights of...
North Korea’s film industry has trouble staying afloat
The once thriving movie industry in North Korea seems to be stagnating. When a new war blockbuster, 72 Hours, was screened this month in theaters...
Change in North Korea as Kim Jong-un remodels Fortress Juche
The colossal ideological fortress of Juche has stood firm for a long time as the cornerstone of North Korea's pursuit of revolution and defense against...
“Loyalty is a form of business marketing”
Recent defectors from North Korea are different from the earlier generation who have settled in South Korea in one notable aspect. That is, that they...