The question of open reporting and conducting ‘proper’ journalism when it comes to North Korea is a dilemma every media agency must face, including one such as NK News.

When up against one of the most aggressive and oblique propaganda machines in the world, with  no on-the-ground resources it is extremely difficult to get a clear sense of what is going on in North Korea.     A large percentage of the world’s understanding of the North comes from a handful of in-country sources and defector testimonials, but these too are often unverifiable.

But in January of this year, Associated Press made