Analysis
Leading experts analyze recent events and affairs involving North Korea
Why North Korea declared unification ‘impossible,’ abandoning decades-old goal
Kim Jong Un calls Koreas separate states at war, in what experts say is major shift from viewing South as compatriots
What to make of North Korea’s upbeat plenum on its big plans for 2024
Pyongyang ditched goal of unification and braced for conflict, while celebrating progress in military and economy
Why South Korea has backed down from plans to ease ban on North Korean media
Experts say restrictions are ‘outdated’ and counter to online freedom, but likely to persist under Yoon administration
From bad to worse: Charting the breakdown of inter-Korean ties in 2023
NK News recaps developments set to spill into next year, from unanswered hotlines and border risks to North Korean nukes
How North Korea’s New Year messages use history and hardships to prop up regime
Kim Jong Un’s speeches refer to past triumphs to inspire people to persevere, but face growing skepticism from young
State media review: North Korea revs up steel production amid construction push
An in-depth analysis of upgrades to biggest steel mill, parliament plans, ‘drunken goblin’ Yoon Suk-yeol and more
3 parades, 44 missiles, 64 flights: Numbers tell the story of North Korea’s 2023
Data sheds light on the year’s biggest developments, from leader appearances and wig trade to delegation visits and more
Decoding North Korea: What 1,238 headlines reveal about the cult of Kim Jong Un
Analysis of Rodong Sinmun exposes effort to distance leader from economic problems, but credit him for political success
How North Korea’s diplomats navigate privilege and peril abroad
Staff at overseas missions enjoy more freedom than compatriots back home but must turn to illicit activities to survive
North Korean food prices show the country has not one economy, but three
Political controls inhibit integration across markets, with privileged Pyongyang more isolated from other cities
