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More articles by 'Tae-il Shim'
Ask a North Korean: How are disabled people treated in North Korea?
"You are looked down on and subject to harsh treatment if you were born with a physical disability"
Ask a North Korean: what is the healthcare system in the DPRK really like?
"How much money a patient has determines whether they live or die"
Ask a North Korean: what was life like on the construction sites at Samjiyon?
"It keeps me up at night when I think about those hungry children struggling in the cold"
Ask a North Korean: what does the leader’s New Year’s speech mean to you?
"No North Korean is looking forward to the New Year’s speech"
Ask a North Korean: why do people decide to leave North Korea?
"The majority of those that decide to leave do so because they're disenchanted by the current political situation"
Ask a North Korean: how do North Koreans prepare for war and natural disasters?
"When it comes to war-related threats, the DPRK is equipped with an anti-U.S.-terrorism strategy"
Ask a North Korean: How much do Pyongyangites know about the outside world?
"People from outside of Pyongyang, at least those in my hometown, are often more up-to-date on outside news"
Ask a North Korean: how has drug culture evolved in North Korea?
"Many are driving themselves into ruin for a momentary escape from their depressing reality"
Ask a North Korean: What impact do defectors have on North Korean society?
"The families and relatives of defectors, who were once despised, are now admired"
Ask a North Korean: What is the ‘songbun’ system like under Kim Jong Un?
"The songbun system exists in name only for many"
