About the author
More articles by 'Andrei Lankov'
Why a papal visit to North Korea doesn’t have a prayer
COVID-19 restrictions and Pyongyang’s disinterest stand in the way, but ROK ruling party hopes to gain regardless
The stop and go success of a North Korean entrepreneur
Even relatively successful people struggle to provide enough for their families in the DPRK
North Korea’s perfectly logical strategy of missile launches and dialogue
The DPRK wants sanctions relief from the US and a Democratic South Korean president and is working to see both outcomes
Nuclear weapons tempt Seoul, but the obstacles to armament are insurmountable
Despite growing North Korean threat, ROK nuclear ambitions face US opposition and risk incurring economic sanctions
The eccentric South Korean intellectual in Pyongyang’s employ
Song Du-yul acted as an enthusiastic propagandist for the regime and likely held a prominent role in the bureaucracy
The Kim regime’s failed witch hunt against magic and ‘superstition’
Shamans and fortune-tellers continue to operate in North Korea despite crackdowns and punishments
Siberian jackpot: When North Koreans paid bribes for Soviet logging jobs
DPRK loggers earned exorbitant salaries for decades, and many North Koreans still seek to strike it rich abroad
How North Korea has limited, controlled and surveilled dangerous outsiders
The recent exodus of diplomats from Pyongyang underlines the DPRK’s long-standing suspicions toward foreigners
North Korea isn’t fretting about a long COVID-19 lockdown
Chinese aid will keep regime afloat as DPRK shows little interest in a quick return to pre-pandemic life
Despite signs of crisis in North Korean leadership, regime can weather the storm
Kim Jong Un appears to be having serious health problems, but contingency measures ensure the elite can survive a crisis
