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Analysis

Leading experts analyze recent events and affairs involving North Korea

The real danger of North Korea’s new hypersonic missile is not its speed
NK PRO

The real danger of North Korea’s new hypersonic missile is not its speed

Reentry vehicle and liquid-fuel tech stress missile defenses, and test could yield data useful for other weapons

The real danger of North Korea’s new hypersonic missile is not its speed
Ankit Panda
Ankit Panda January 10, 2022
New Chinese data law creates more headaches for ship trackers in 2022
NK PRO

New Chinese data law creates more headaches for ship trackers in 2022

The law creates a ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ card for smugglers that hide AIS data, one expert said

New Chinese data law creates more headaches for ship trackers in 2022
Ethan Jewell
Ethan Jewell January 9, 2022
Not monolithic: The need to better understand North Korea’s internal dynamics
NK PRO

Not monolithic: The need to better understand North Korea’s internal dynamics

Designing effective DPRK policies requires ditching narrative of ‘one heart and mind’ and recognizing diverse groups

Not monolithic: The need to better understand North Korea’s internal dynamics
Ruediger Frank
Ruediger Frank January 7, 2022
Top North Korean construction projects all missed 2021 deadlines amid shortages

Top North Korean construction projects all missed 2021 deadlines amid shortages

Kim Jong Un and other top officials admitted at party plenum events that annual construction goals had not been met

Top North Korean construction projects all missed 2021 deadlines amid shortages
Colin Zwirko
Colin Zwirko January 7, 2022
Destruction, theft, espionage: Ten years of cyber warfare under Kim Jong Un
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Destruction, theft, espionage: Ten years of cyber warfare under Kim Jong Un

North Korea’s leader transformed the country’s sledgehammer attacks into a relentless espionage operation

Destruction, theft, espionage: Ten years of cyber warfare under Kim Jong Un
Nils Weisensee
Nils Weisensee January 6, 2022
Back with a bang: North Korea’s missile test is a sign of things to come in 2022
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Back with a bang: North Korea’s missile test is a sign of things to come in 2022

Short-range missile launches present new challenges to existing defense systems, but Kim knows he can get away scot-free

Back with a bang: North Korea’s missile test is a sign of things to come in 2022
James Fretwell
James Fretwell January 5, 2022
4 flights, 63 defectors and 670K barrels of oil: North Korea’s 2021 in numbers
NK PRO

4 flights, 63 defectors and 670K barrels of oil: North Korea’s 2021 in numbers

Data tells the story of a year in which DPRK retreated even further inward as the COVID-19 pandemic raged on

4 flights, 63 defectors and 670K barrels of oil: North Korea’s 2021 in numbers
Ethan Jewell
Ethan Jewell January 5, 2022
A foreign media failure? Evaluating 10 years of the AP bureau in Pyongyang

A foreign media failure? Evaluating 10 years of the AP bureau in Pyongyang

Journalists and experts say access has worsened, but most insist that on-the-ground reporting remains valuable

A foreign media failure? Evaluating 10 years of the AP bureau in Pyongyang
Chad O'Carroll
Chad O'Carroll January 4, 2022
Timeline: From Kim’s plenum speech to updated plans for war with North Korea
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Timeline: From Kim’s plenum speech to updated plans for war with North Korea

NK Pro timeline charts the key events from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31

Timeline: From Kim’s plenum speech to updated plans for war with North Korea
NK Pro
NK Pro January 3, 2022
Promotions at party meeting reinforce North Korea’s focus on economic challenges
NK PRO

Promotions at party meeting reinforce North Korea’s focus on economic challenges

State media reported 45 promotions that broadly align with the country’s policy directions, albeit with some exceptions

Promotions at party meeting reinforce North Korea’s focus on economic challenges
Martin Weiser
Martin Weiser January 3, 2022