DPRK’s Increasingly Vulnerable Regime Desperate to Block Cross-Border Information Flows
North Korea has a long history of blocking and suppressing information from the outside world, so after the country finally reopened its borders about three years after the threat of COVID-19 somewhat subsided, the regime’s subsequent attempts to further stem the tide of information flows have caused concern among North Koreans and others outside the country.
South Korea Bans Dog Meat but “Sweet Meat Stew” Still Cherished in North Korea
On January 9, 2024, South Korean legislators banned the breeding and slaughter of dogs for human consumption due to various factors like shifting cultural norms and international criticism of the consumption of dog meat.
Yet for many North Koreans and older generations of South Koreans, eating boshintang (dog meat stew) during the summer is an important culinary tradition.
For generations, Koreans have eaten nutritious, reinvigorating stews like boshintang during the hot summer months to restore energy, combat fatigue, and alleviate other symptoms caused by the summer heat.
Hundreds of North Korean Defectors Repatriated by China Face Miserable Fate
Chinese authorities captured North Korean defectors fleeing from human rights abuses and forcibly sent them back to North Korea, where they often face severe repercussions.
DPRK’s Reorganized Military Automation General Bureau to Manage Integrated Computerized Command Network for Entire Armed Forces
Recently, the North Korean military appears to have promoted the “Command Automation Bureau” under the General Staff to the “Military Automation General Bureau” as a solution to establish and manage an integrated computer system for the entire armed forces in light of the new deployment of strategic units within the military.
North Korea Has Cash Cards?
“There are cash cards in North Korea?” When I tell people that there are cash cards in North Korea, they look surprised.
In fact, North Korea has had cash cards since 2005, when the North East Asia Bank (a joint bank now called the KKG Bank) issued the Sili Card, which was mainly used by foreigners and the upper class when they paid merchants.
In fact, North Korea has had cash cards since 2005, when the North East Asia Bank (a joint bank now called the KKG Bank) issued the Sili Card, which was mainly used by foreigners and the upper class when they paid merchants.
Rampant Bribery and Graft in North Korea
The international organization Transparency International publishes an annual “Corruption Perceptions Index” (CPI) to evaluate corruption in 180 countries and North Korea has consistently been ranked as one of the most corrupt nations worldwide.
Kim Jong Un Remains Engrossed in Self-Praise While His People Starve to Death
Following Kim Jong Un’s declaration in 2022 that North Korea is an “irreversible” nuclear weapons state, North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament met on September 26-27, 2023, and formally enshrined North Korea’s nuclear status in its constitution.
US-DPRK Tensions Escalate as They Support Opposing Sides in Two Dangerous Regional Conflicts
In the ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Hamas militants, North Korea has continued to criticize the US for supporting Israel. In an interview with North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister for International Organizations, Kim Son-gyong, asserted that the United States is an obstacle to international peace and security and should be expelled from the UN.
North Korean Military Will Deteriorate into a Louder but Empty Vessel
On November 20, 2023, the Korean Central News Agency reported that North Korea declared its intention to “further accelerate the establishment of war deterrence capabilities” while condemning the United States.
Likeminded Countries Should Pursue Unified Strategies to Deal with North Korea
Former South Korean National Security Office Director Kim Sung-han emphasized the need for South Korea and the U.S. to exert pressure on North Korea by forming unified strategies with like-minded countries and avoiding dependence on China.
Tokyo’s High Court Finds North Korea Legally Liable for Duping Ethnic Koreans and Japanese During Paradise on Earth Campaign
Kawasaki Eiko (81), a second-generation Zainichi Korean, and three other plaintiffs are suing the North Korean government in Japan for deceptively luring them to a life of misery in North Korea in the past.
Russia and North Korea Enter Practical Phase of Close Cooperation
On November 14, 2023, North Korean and Russian representatives met in Pyongyang for the 10th Meeting of the Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy, Science and Technology.
Russian Universities Collude with North Korean Laborers to Evade UN Sanctions
North Korea has been carrying out an extensive, state-led endeavor to send North Korean laborers to Russia using student visas obtained through corrupt partnerships with Russian universities.