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More articles by 'Andrei Lankov'
Why even hawkish Yoon administration won’t ignore a North Korean peace offensive
Pyongyang can manipulate pro-engagement, anti-Japan factions with a simple olive branch to Seoul — even if it’s all talk
April 10, 2023
How North Korea’s education fever has driven a boom in private tutoring
Academic achievement is increasingly important in DPRK for success, leading parents to spend heavily on illegal lessons
March 21, 2023
How illegal North Korean farms could fend off the next famine
Private hillside fields known as ‘sotoji’ have long been a major source of sustenance but undercut reforestation efforts
March 16, 2023
North Korean threats of war are nothing new. But not all of it is empty bluster.
Kim Yo Jong’s warning about a US ‘declaration of war’ is common in DPRK bombast and shouldn’t be taken at face value
March 14, 2023
How elite North Korean women have shattered the glass ceiling under Kim Jong Un
Daughter’s frequent appearances and women in key posts showcase shifting attitudes about roles women can play
February 17, 2023
In the North Korean economy, the almighty US dollar still reigns supreme
Repeated currency reforms have eroded trust in the DPRK won, making foreign money essential for many transactions
February 7, 2023
Why North Korea mistrusts but depends on its foreign-educated elite
Pyongyang regards most who study abroad as Manchurian candidates that are fundamentally disloyal to the Kims
January 30, 2023
How the ROK’s education obsession puts North Korean defectors at a disadvantage
DPRK schooling standards lag far behind South Korea, and money can be a major obstacle to academic success
January 20, 2023
In a conflict with North Korea, the South has much more to lose
The DPRK cares little about dead soldiers, but there will be nationwide outrage in ROK if tensions turn to skirmishes
January 12, 2023
North Korea’s economic reforms were a wild success. Just ask defectors.
Regime’s aborted experiment with marketization increased food consumption, counter to pessimistic economic assessments
January 4, 2023
