North Koreans forced to attend war anniversary lectures
The Workers’ Party is forcing government and ordinary citizens to attend weekly lectures this month commemorating the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 to...
Phone flashlights at a concert: when a photo shows the opposite of what it seems to
At an outdoor event celebrating the 112th birthday of Kim Il-sung in April, students in the audience turned on their phone flashlights. The moment, captured...
The party struggles to rein in rebellious and wayward youth
North Koreans are considered modern-day slaves. They are led by one man, Kim Jong-un and forbidden to live or even think in ways that he,...
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...
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...
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...
North Korea tries again to rein in unsanctioned use of foreign currency
North Korea issued a fresh warning this month in what looks like its losing battle to crack down on private economic activity. Authorities on April...
Students under pressure to erase South Korea from textbooks before the school year starts
Since Kim Jong-un declared South Korea to be his implacable foe, authorities in North Korea have been issuing instructions to have all references to the...
Kim Jong-un loves his luxury cars
Kim Jong-un is a big fan of luxury cars and doesn’t let the fact that most citizens can’t secure their next meal distract him from...
What is causing North Korea’s low birth rate?
With North Korea’s fertility rate under the 2.1 needed to maintain the current population level, Kim Jong-un recently is urging mothers in the country to...
The Changing View of the Dictator’s Gifts
On the last day of school last year, parents all over North Korea dressed up and made their way to nurseries and kindergartens for a special ceremony. There their children received a gift from the leader, Kim Jong Un, of sugary sweets and other goodies.
A Gift of Rice for Lunar New Year: Propaganda versus Reality
For Lunar New Year, which falls this year on Saturday, February 10, the recently established grain sales centers (which replaced the old distribution centers), were authorized to sell 3 kilograms of rice to each household. Officials characterized this as a thoughtful gesture by the Workers’ Party. But our impression from sources in North Korea is that citizens increasingly see such things as impractical propaganda.