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More articles by 'Jin'
Ask a North Korean: How do people get where they need to go in the DPRK?
An escapee writes about trains, planes and automobiles and why the main form of transportation is one’s own two legs
Ask a North Korean: How do North Koreans spend their time?
A defector writes about daily routines and the supremacy of work, and why DPRK citizens don’t even think about hobbies
Ask a North Korean: How do North Koreans interact with nature?
An escapee writes about the devastation of the DPRK environment and why few people think about conservation
Ask A North Korean: Are there private academies and tutors in the DPRK?
North Koreans are passionate about education, and like in South Korea, a fever for private instruction has taken hold
Ask a North Korean: What did you think when you saw Kim Jong Un’s daughter?
The young girl has joined her father at multiple events, and it’s clear that she’s far from a normal North Korean child
Ask a North Korean: What is it like to be a musician in North Korea?
Artists have little say over what they perform, and they must make immense personal sacrifices to practice their craft
Ask a North Korean: What’s different about food in North and South Korea?
Most in DPRK worry about whether they can eat rather than what, but some dishes still elicit nostalgia for defectors
Ask a North Korean: Do teenagers deal with issues like bullying and drug use?
Juvenile delinquency appears far less common than in other countries, but this doesn’t mean DPRK youth have it better
Settling in Seoul: What is it like to speak to South Koreans about North Korea?
People in the DPRK are curious about the far wealthier South, but the interest doesn’t always go in the other direction
Ask a North Korean: What is it like to raise a child in the DPRK?
Mothers do the best they can for their children but face challenges ranging from poor health care to paying for school
