Columns
Columns on the latest North Korea issues from analysts, academics and renowned experts. Views expressed by our columnists are exclusively the authors’ own.
Iron Curtain 2.0: How North Korea has embraced Soviet-style border security
Kim Jong Un appears determined to stop cross-border movement, and history suggests the DPRK is capable of doing so
How a secret plot to assassinate North Korea’s leader spiraled out of control
South Korea enlisted criminals to seek revenge for attempt to kill president, only for plan to end in bloodshed in Seoul
Conspicuous cooperation: Why Shoigu made a show of buying arms from North Korea
Russia could have discussed weapons sales discreetly, but it chose ostentation to send a political message
Kim Yo Jong is barking at the US, but North Korea probably won’t bite
Flurry of statements is likely an attempt at verbal deterrence, not a harbinger of violence or signal DPRK seeks talks
Shocked Soviets: What embassy records reveal about North Korean market activity
Declassified archives show DPRK was a tough place to live even during era now remembered for stability
North Korea’s satellite launch showcases the growing risks of status quo
Condemning DPRK and issuing new sanctions do little to deter it from launches, raising need for new approaches
In Washington, worries of ROK nukes steal spotlight from North Korean missiles
US capital has shifted focus to trilateral pacts with Tokyo, info dissemination into DPRK — and China above all
Dandong dispatch: How COVID has reshaped the North Korea border region
Orwellian controls have made Chinese border provinces a less welcoming place for outsiders — especially DPRK defectors
North Korea rails against markets. But its policies show it can live with them.
DPRK authorities did little to curtail flourishing seafood trade for years, only to reverse course during the pandemic
How foreigners laid the groundwork for North Korea’s market revolution
Early DPRK entrepreneurs leveraged connections in Japan and China, undercutting regime’s narratives of self-sufficiency
