Podcasts about nk news

This week's episode of the NK News Podcast looks at North Korea's decision to recall its ambassador to the U.K. just weeks after his appointment, in protest over British sanctions on the Songdowon International Children's Camp.  NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy discusses why the camp holds symbolic importance for Pyongyang, its links to Russia and Ukrainian children from Russian-controlled territories, and what the diplomatic downgrade could mean for DPRK-U.K. relations. He also examines a new Nisos investigation into a North Korean IT worker network that submitted nearly 170,000 job applications and secured more than 21,000 interviews over nine months.  Later on, Jieun Baek joins the podcast to discuss her new book “Privileged But Powerless,” which examines the lives of North Korea's elites through interviews with senior-level defectors.  She explains how diplomats, party officials and other elites can enjoy access and status while remaining vulnerable to surveillance, purges and shifting political pressures, as well as why fear and “performative loyalty” continue to shape behavior among those closest to power. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

This week, NK News CEO Chad O'Carroll and Chris Green of International Crisis Group join the podcast to discuss a Seoul court's decision to sentence former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison, finding that he orchestrated a drone operation that sought to provoke a North Korean response and create a pretext for declaring martial law. The episode also explores Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent visit to Pyongyang, the absence of denuclearization from official summit readouts, China's increasingly pragmatic approach to North Korea's nuclear status and the prospects for expanded trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.  Finally, Chad and Chris preview the upcoming West Coast Exchange, a three-day gathering of Korea watchers, diplomats, journalists, academics and policymakers. They discuss the event's emphasis on informal networking and field visits, the value of off-the-record conversations and why participants often gain as much from discussions outside the conference room as they do from the formal sessions. About the podcast: The NK News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill exclusively for NK News, covering the latest developments in and around North Korea. Each episode breaks down the week's news cycle with NK News journalists, analysts and expert guests.

On this week's episode, NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy unpacks Chinese President Xi Jinping's first visit to North Korea in seven years and what it reveals about the future of China-DPRK relations. The conversation examines the symbolism and strategic messaging behind the two-day summit, including Xi's meetings with Kim Jong Un, visits to the Sino-DPRK Friendship Tower and the Workers' Party cadre school. Shreyas also discusses why denuclearization was notably absent from official readouts and what that suggests about Beijing's evolving approach to North Korea's nuclear program. The episode also explores whether China is seeking to reassert its influence as North Korea's ties with Russia deepen, what signs to watch for regarding trade, tourism and border reopenings, and why the composition of the Chinese delegation may offer clues about Beijing's priorities.  About the podcast: The NK News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill exclusively for NK News, covering the latest developments in and around North Korea. Each episode breaks down the week's news cycle with NK News journalists, analysts and expert guests.

On this week's episode, NK News Senior Analytic Correspondent Colin Zwirko discusses a busy week of developments in North Korea. He examines Pyongyang's latest missile test of a new modular launcher and tactical cruise missile system, as well as what these weapons could mean for military planning near the inter-Korean border. He also talks about satellite imagery suggesting North Korea's Choe Hyon-class destroyer may be undergoing final testing near Nampho ahead of possible deployment. The episode also looks at signs Pyongyang may be preparing to welcome a foreign leader visit amid reports of a possible Xi Jinping trip, and at how North Korea's first large-scale solar farm aims to address energy shortages. About the podcast: The NK News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill exclusively for NK News, covering the latest developments in and around North Korea. Each episode breaks down the week's news cycle with NK News journalists, analysts and expert guests.

Tháng 5/2026, bộ Thống Nhất Hàn Quốc, với Sách Trắng Thống nhất, lần đầu tiên đưa ra quan điểm coi quan hệ giữa Seoul và Bình Nhưỡng là « quan hệ giữa hai Nhà nước ». Chính sách trên đây của Seoul được đưa ra trong bối cảnh Bắc Triều Tiên vừa sửa đổi Hiến pháp, từ bỏ mục tiêu thống nhất và phân định rõ lãnh thổ hai miền Nam - Bắc. Theo nhiều nhà quan sát, Hàn Quốc đang bị đặt trước áp lực phải sửa đổi triệt để Hiến pháp để cải thiện quan hệ với chế độ Bắc Triều Tiên, trong bối cảnh mọi nỗ lực ngoại giao không mang lại kết quả, kể từ thất bại của thượng đỉnh Kim Jong Un – Donald Trump ở Hà Nội năm 2019. *** Đã hơn bảy thập niên kể từ chiến tranh Triều Tiên (1950-1953), đối với đông đảo người dân Hàn Quốc, hai miền Nam Bắc tuy thuộc về hai chế độ khác nhau nhưng vẫn là một nước. Chủ trương tái thống nhất hai miền cũng được ghi rõ trong Hiến pháp Đại Hàn Dân Quốc năm 1987. Đối với xã hội Bắc Triều Tiên, lý tưởng tái thống nhất nằm trong học thuyết chính thống của chế độ họ Kim. Bắc Triều Tiên từ bỏ chủ thuyết tái thống nhất:  « Một cuộc cách mạng » Việc chế độ Kim Jong Un chính thức sửa đổi Hiến pháp từ bỏ mục tiêu tái thống nhất, coi Hàn Quốc là một quốc gia nước ngoài, là một thay đổi triệt để, kết thúc chủ trương thống nhất hai miền, được chính quyền hai bên đồng thuận với Tuyên bố Chung Nam - Bắc ngày 04/07 năm 1972 (The July 4 South-North Joint Communiqué). Theo điều 2 của Hiến pháp Bắc Triều Tiên, được sửa đổi hồi tháng 3/2026, « Lãnh thổ CHDCND Triều Tiên được xác định là vùng đất giáp với CHND Trung Hoa và Liên bang Nga ở phía bắc, và Cộng hòa Triều Tiên ở phía nam, bao gồm lãnh hải và không phận được thiết lập trên cơ sở này ». Mấy dòng chữ ngắn ngủi đang mang lại một đảo lộn. Trả lời trang mạng chuyên về Bắc Triều Tiên NK News, có trụ sở tại Seoul, chuyên gia về bán đảo Triều Tiên Andrei Lankov, Đại học Kookmin, Seoul, và giám đốc nhóm chuyên gia tư vấn về bán đảo Triều Tiên Korea Risk Group, coi đó gần như là « một cuộc cách mạng »:   « Bước đầu tiên là từ tháng 12/2023, Kim Jong-un bắt đầu thay đổi giọng điệu. Ông bắt đầu nói rằng việc thống nhất, ý tưởng về sự thống nhất, là một sai lầm. Tuyên bố này gần như là cách mạng, bởi vì nó làm suy yếu một phần tính chính danh của chính lãnh đạo Bắc Triều Tiên, vốn được thừa hưởng từ cha và ông nội mình, khi nói rằng sứ mệnh của họ đã thất bại, là sai lầm. Về cơ bản, ông nói rằng những gì mà họ từng tin tưởng là sai. Trong một thời gian dài, lý tưởng thống nhất này được trình bày như một sự kiện hạnh phúc (happy event) sẽ giúp giải quyết mọi vấn đề của đất nước. Như thể đó là mục tiêu cuối cùng của lịch sử. Điều này đúng với ít nhất là ở Bắc Triều Tiên và cả ở Hàn Quốc nữa, dù ở mức độ thấp hơn. Cánh tả triệt để ở Hàn Quốc vốn rất ngưỡng mộ ý tưởng này. Họ thậm chí còn tạo ra một lý thuyết gọi là “hệ thống chia cắt” (theory of the divided system), theo đó mọi vấn đề của xã hội Hàn Quốc về cơ bản đều là các hậu quả của việc đất nước bị chia cắt. Đột nhiên vào tháng 12/2023, Kim Jong-un tuyên bố rằng điều đó sẽ không xảy ra, rằng đó là một sai lầm. Xin nhấn mạnh rằng điều ấy cũng giống như việc nói với các tín đồ Thiên Chúa giáo rằng họ không nên chờ đợi ngày Chúa tái lâm nữa. » Xóa sạch các biểu tượng hướng đến tái thống nhất tại Bắc Triều Tiên Sau tuyên bố tháng 12/2023 của lãnh đạo Bắc Triều Tiên, chế độ Bình Nhưỡng đã thực thi hàng loạt biện pháp nhằm khẳng định đoạn tuyệt với đồng thuận hai miền về tái thống nhất tồn tại từ hơn nửa thế kỷ. Ngày 15/01/2024, Kim Jong Un ra lệnh phá hủy tất cả các biểu tượng thống nhất liên Triều, bao gồm cắt đứt vĩnh viễn các tuyến đường sắt nối hai miền. Đọc thêm - Kim Jong-un đoạn tuyệt với Hàn Quốc : Cú sốc mạnh trên bán đảo Triều Tiên Ngày 22–23/1/2024, Cổng Thống nhất, tượng đài 30 mét cao ở Bình Nhưỡng tượng trưng cho nỗ lực thống nhất của hai thế hệ lãnh đạo Bắc Triều Tiên, được xây dựng năm 2001 dưới thời Kim Jong Il, bị phá hủy. Các tượng đài thống nhất khác trên toàn quốc bị phá hủy, các khẩu hiệu liên quan bị xóa bỏ. Kể từ đầu năm 2024, Bình Nhưỡng xóa bỏ các từ như « thống nhất », « hòa giải », « đồng bào » khỏi sách giáo khoa. Tháng 2/2025: Trung tâm đoàn tụ gia đình ở núi Kim Cang (Kumgang), nơi từng tổ chức các cuộc đoàn tụ cho hàng ngàn gia đình bị chia ly kể từ Chiến tranh Triều Tiên, bị phá hủy. Tháng 5/2025: Đại sảnh Thống nhất tại Bàn Môn Điếm (Panmunjom), nơi từng diễn ra các hội nghị thượng đỉnh liên Triều năm 2018, bị đổi tên. « Tái thống nhất hòa bình » : Ảo ảnh đồng sàng dị mộng Trước khi chế độ Bắc Triều Tiên cắt đứt với chủ trương tái thống nhất, đối với nhiều chuyên gia, lý tưởng này một mặt quá xa rời với thực tế, nhưng mặt khác lại được coi là điều bắt rễ sâu trong cả hai xã hội miền Nam và miền Bắc. Chuyên gia về bán đảo Triều Tiên Andrei Lankov mô tả tình trạng mâu thuẫn cao độ khi tâm lý « tái thống nhất hòa bình » là ảo ảnh đồng sàng dị mộng : « Bắc Triều Tiên, ngay từ khi thành lập, luôn xem mình là một phần của một quốc gia bị chia cắt. Lập trường chính thức của Bắc Triều Tiên luôn là chính phủ  Cộng hòa Dân chủ Nhân dân Triều Tiên là chính phủ hợp pháp duy nhất trên toàn bộ bán đảo Triều Tiên. Họ xem nhà nước, mà ta thường gọi là Hàn Quốc, chỉ là một phần lãnh thổ của nước Triều Tiên. Trong một thời gian dài, theo quan điểm đó, chính quyền Hàn Quốc không được xem là chính phủ của một nước có chủ quyền, mà chỉ là một tập đoàn phản bội được Mỹ nuôi. Điều thú vị là lập trường của Hàn Quốc về cơ bản là hình ảnh phản chiếu lập trường của miền Bắc (mirror image). Họ nói rằng CHDCND Triều Tiên thực chất không tồn tại, rằng đó là một thế lực phản quốc và về cơ bản quân đội Bắc Triều Tiên chỉ là một băng nhóm tội phạm và khủng bố, theo quan điểm chính thức. Và sớm hay muộn, Đại Hàn Dân Quốc cũng sẽ tái thống nhất đất nước, lý tưởng nhất là thông qua đàm phán hòa bình, ít nhất trên giấy tờ là như vậy. Thành thật mà nói, điều đó từ trước đến nay chẳng khác gì một ảo ảnh, hay có lẽ chỉ là một màn hỏa mù. Tôi nghĩ rằng bất kỳ một chính trị gia ở Nam hay Bắc mà thực sự tin vào điều đó thì hoặc phải cực kỳ điên rồ, hoặc rất ngây thơ. Nhưng luận điệu đó lại rất hiệu quả đối với công chúng mang tinh thần dân tộc chủ nghĩa, và chủ nghĩa dân tộc là một sức mạnh cực kỳ lớn ở cả hai miền. Đó là một phần của truyền thống có từ lâu đời. » Đọc thêm - Hòa giải Nam - Bắc Triều Tiên : Những cơ hội bị bỏ lỡ và hy vọng Chính sách « Hai Nhà nước » của BTT gây phân hóa cao độ tại Hàn Quốc Việc chế độ Bình Nhưỡng đoạn tuyệt với chính sách thống nhất hai miền gây phân hóa sâu sắc trong chính giới Hàn Quốc. Bộ trưởng bộ Thống Nhất Hàn Quốc Chung Dong Young là người đứng ở tuyến đầu. Từ mùa hè năm ngoái, bộ trưởng Thống nhất Hàn Quốc liên tục đưa ra các phát biểu cổ vũ cho việc công nhận Bắc Triều Tiên là một quốc gia độc lập, cùng lúc không từ bỏ chủ trương thống nhất, được ghi trong Hiến pháp. Trong một hội thảo hồi tháng 9/2025, bộ trưởng Chung Dong-young nhấn mạnh « hai miền Triều Tiên là hai quốc gia riêng, xét theo luật pháp quốc tế, và chính trị quốc tế », đã gia nhập Liên Hiệp Quốc bằng con đường riêng, và điều quan trọng là « chấm dứt sự thù địch giữa hai bên ». Dân biểu Ahn Cheol Soo của đảng đối lập cánh hữu PPP cáo buộc bộ trưởng Chung Dong Yong vi phạm Hiến pháp, khi công nhận lập trường về hai nhà nước trên bán đảo Triều Tiên, vì Điều 3 của Hiến pháp Hàn Quốc định nghĩa lãnh thổ Đại Hàn Dân Quốc bao gồm toàn bộ bán đảo. Lãnh đạo nhóm dân biểu đảng PPP, Song Eon Seok, cảnh báo rằng việc công nhận hai nhà nước sẽ làm đảo lộn quy chế pháp lý của những người tị nạn Bắc Triều Tiên đang sống tại Hàn Quốc, bởi việc Hiến pháp quy định lãnh thổ Hàn Quốc bao trùm toàn bộ bán đảo cho phép công nhận mọi người dân tị nạn Bắc Triều Tiên là công dân Hàn Quốc. Đọc thêm : Vì sao Bắc Triều Tiên bỏ mục tiêu tái thống nhất với Hàn Quốc ? Về vấn đề này, bản thân nội bộ chính quyền của tổng thống Lee Jae Myung cũng phân hóa cao độ. Ngoại trưởng Cho Hyun và cố vấn An ninh Quốc gia Wi Sung Lac bác bỏ việc công nhận Bắc Triều Tiên như một nhà nước độc lập, riêng biệt. Tuy nhiên, nhiều áp lực gia tăng buộc chính quyền Hàn Quốc xem xét sửa đổi Hiến pháp, với lý do chính, là chỉ có như vậy mới có thể tái lập được đối thoại thực sự với Bình Nhưỡng. Sửa Hiến pháp để thừa nhận thực tế, để có thể đối thoại với Bắc Triều Tiên Trong một cuộc tọa đàm về chính sách đối ngoại tại Seoul, ngày 03/12/2025, giáo sư Moon Chung-in, nguyên cố vấn an ninh của tổng thống, cho rằng Hàn Quốc cần xem xét sửa đổi điều 3 và điều 4 của Hiến pháp, do việc giảm bớt quy mô cuộc tập trận Hàn–Mỹ không đủ để thay đổi lập trường của Bình Nhưỡng. Ông dự đoán chỉ khi nào Seoul bắt đầu thảo luận công khai khả năng sửa đổi điều khoản về lãnh thổ, Bình Nhưỡng mới có thể quay lại bàn đối thoại. Hàng loạt nhà nghiên cứu hàng đầu về bán đảo Triều Tiên coi việc xem xét sửa đổi Hiến pháp để công nhận hai nhà nước trên bán đảo Triều Tiên là một hướng đi nghiêm túc, và quyết định nói trên của Bình Nhưỡng không chỉ là một thay đổi về chữ nghĩa hay một thủ đoạn chính trị, mà có những nền tảng xã hội sâu xa. Chuyên gia Andrei Lankov nói đến việc thu nhập chênh lệch quá lớn giữa hai miền Nam Bắc (gấp đến gần 30 lần), khiến việc thống nhất đe dọa sự tồn vong của chế độ Bắc Triều Tiên (tỉ lệ này ước tính từ 1:2 đến 1:3 giữa hai nước Đức, trước khi tái thống nhất năm 1989). Nhà nghiên cứu Kevin Gray, giáo sư Quan hệ Quốc tế - Đại học Sussex, Anh Quốc, trong công trình công phu « Quan hệ liên Triều và sự kết thúc của chủ trương thống nhất hòa bình: một cách tiếp cận về xung đột xã hội » (tháng 3/2026), nhấn mạnh đến nghịch lý là, sự thù địch giữa hai miền càng trở nên gay gắt chính do bởi niềm tin gượng ép vào một sự thống nhất, một dân tộc chung, mỗi bên xác định bản sắc của mình bằng việc biến bên kia thành ác quỷ (« define their self-identity through demonising the other Korea »). Những trở lực: Đảng cầm quyền không đủ đa số, vai trò của liên minh Mỹ - Hàn Việc sửa đổi điều 3 và điều 4 của Hiến pháp Hàn Quốc liên quan đến lãnh thổ và mục tiêu thống nhất đang vấp phải một trở lực lớn do việc đảng cầm quyền không có đủ 2/3 số ghế trong Quốc Hội. Một dự án cải cách Hiến pháp của tổng thống Lee Jae Myung, đưa ra cách nay ít tuần, bất thành do bị đối lập tẩy chay. Đề xuất sửa đổi Hiến pháp công nhận Bắc Triều Tiên, bị đối lập cánh hữu phản đối dữ dội, thậm chí đã không được đưa ra. Giới chuyên gia về bán đảo Triều Tiên ghi nhận sự đối lập sâu sắc, trong chính giới Hàn Quốc, khó hy vọng có được thỏa hiệp, giữa hai phe - « phe tự lực » (self-reliance camp), coi đối thoại liên Triều là con đường chủ đạo dẫn đến hòa bình, trong khi « phe liên minh » (alliance camp), coi quan hệ đối tác Hàn Quốc-Hoa Kỳ là nền tảng, để đủ sức răn đe Bắc Triều Tiên (bài « Reassessing South Korea's Foreign Policy Divide Under the Lee Administration » của Lakhvinder Singh, The Diplomat). Nhà nghiên cứu Vũ Khang, Đại học Boston, Mỹ, nhấn mạnh đến vai trò của nhóm làm việc Hàn Quốc-Hoa Kỳ phối hợp về chính sách đối với Bắc Triều Tiên và Bộ Tư lệnh Liên Hiệp Quốc (UNC) tại Hàn Quốc, với nòng cốt là Mỹ, khiến chính quyền Seoul khó chủ động xác lập chính sách về Bắc Triều Tiên (« Những trở ngại trong nước đối với chính sách Triều Tiên của Lee Jae-myung », The Diplomat, tháng 1/2026). Thế nan giải chiến lược của Hàn Quốc : Bị kẹt trong quan niệm nửa thế kỉ trước  Trong thời gian gần đây, đã diễn ra một thay đổi chưa từng có kể từ hơn nửa thế kỷ nay trong quan hệ giữa hai miền Nam Bắc bán đảo Triều Tiên. Lần đầu tiên, chế độ Bình Nhưỡng sửa đổi Hiến pháp, từ bỏ mục tiêu thống nhất hai miền, khẳng định miền Bắc và miền Nam là hai quốc gia riêng biệt. Chính giới Hàn Quốc bị đặt trước áp lực phải thay đổi. Trong lúc chính quyền của tổng thống  Lee Jae-myung có nhiều nỗ lực hướng đến cải tổ triệt để chính sách với Bắc Triều Tiên, việc thay đổi Hiến pháp, để làm cơ sở pháp lý cho điều chỉnh này, đang là điều bất khả trong hiện tại, đặc biệt do bị coi là khó tương thích với liên minh Mỹ - Hàn. Vấn đề quy chế cho người tị nạn Bắc Triều Tiên cũng là một trở ngại lớn. Đọc thêm : Hiệp định Quân sự Toàn diện bị hủy và nguy cơ xung đột vũ trang liên Triều Nhiều chuyên gia, chính trị gia, nhà quan sát cảnh báo rằng, nếu tiếp tục để bị kẹt trong đòi hỏi chủ quyền và lý tưởng thống nhất như từ nửa thế kỉ trước, chính quyền Seoul và xã hội Hàn Quốc có nguy cơ rơi vào thế bị động kéo dài trong chiến lược với Bình Nhưỡng. Đây là điều đặc biệt nguy hiểm trong bối cảnh biến động địa - chính trị dữ dội, thế đối đầu giữa các đại cường Mỹ - Trung  ngày càng khó lường, xu thế chạy đua vũ trang gia tăng có thể khiến căng thẳng trên bán đảo Triều Tiên bùng phát thành xung đột, đặc biệt trong bối cảnh chế độ Bình Nhưỡng tăng cường hệ thống vũ khí hạt nhân và hạ ngưỡng sử dụng vũ khí hạt nhân.

This week, NK News Correspondent Jooheon Kim joins the podcast to discuss a North Korean soccer team's rare trip to the South. The Naegohyang Women's Football Club made the journey for the AFC Women's Champions League semifinals, marking the first visit by a DPRK sports delegation in nearly eight years and the first by a North Korean soccer team in 12 years. Kim recounts the team's arrival at Incheon International Airport and explains why Seoul needed to make a special exception for the team to enter South Korea. He also discusses Naegohyang's semifinal victory over Suwon FC Women, which took place in heavy rain before more than 5,700 spectators, and the political controversy surrounding the match.  Later, Jooheon looks at Naegohyang's victory over Japan's Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the final and examines the sanctions questions raised by Naegohyang's $1 million prize money.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

This week on the NK News Podcast, Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin talks about the expanding North Korea-Russia relationship — from military pageantry in Moscow to drone training in Russia's Far East and a mysterious shipwreck off Spain's coast. Anton breaks down the significance of North Korean soldiers marching through Red Square for the first time during Russia's Victory Day parade, what their appearance says about Moscow's shifting alliances and why Kim Jong Un skipped the event despite expectations that he may eventually visit Russia again. The discussion also covers a DPRK delegation's visit to a Russian drone training facility, where officials observed UAV operations amid growing North Korean interest in battlefield drones and potential lessons from the war in Ukraine. Later, the episode turns to North Korean pharmaceutical exports to Russia, including Kumdang-5, a ginseng-based pill marketed as a cure-all remedy, and the sanctions questions raised by DPRK-made traditional medicines appearing on Russian online marketplaces. Finally, Anton walks through the still-unresolved mystery of the Ursa Major, a Russian military-linked vessel that sank off Spain in late 2024.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

This week's NK News Podcast looks at a newly revealed document that appears to show how North Korea amended its constitution to redefine relations with South Korea. Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim discusses the document's apparent removal of unification language, its new territorial clause and why Pyongyang may be keeping maritime boundaries deliberately vague. She also delves into what the changes could mean for Kim Jong Un's leadership, including the trimming of references to Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, the use of “head of state” language and constitutional wording on nuclear command delegation. Finally, she discusses how seriously to treat the unverified document, as well as why she disagrees with Seoul's reading that the text may suggest a less hostile posture. In the second half, Peter Ward joins the podcast to examine what the purported revisions suggest about life inside North Korea. He explains how the document appears to scale back state promises on food, housing, health care and taxation, while reaffirming central control over major parts of the economy. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

In this handover episode of the NK News Podcast, new host Alannah Hill sits down with longtime host Jacco Zwetsloot to look back on his time leading the show since its launch in Feb. 2018.  They revisit the podcast's first episode with Andrei Lankov, the major North Korea stories that defined that period and how the news beat changed from U.S.-DPRK summit diplomacy to today's focus on North Korea-Russia ties. Jacco reflects on some of the most memorable interviews from his roughly 400 episodes, including the extraordinary three-part interview with a U.S. citizen who entered North Korea without authorization, as well as conversations with defectors, diplomats and figures involved in U.S.-DPRK diplomacy.  The episode also takes a look ahead, with Jacco confirming he will remain involved through a monthly podcast series called North Korea Unpacked with Jacco Zwetsloot, while Alannah takes over the main hosting role and focuses on more news-related topics week by week. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

Content warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual violence. NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin kicks off the podcast this week by discussing the long-running debate over the transfer of wartime operational control, or OPCON, from the U.S. to South Korea, following comments made by U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson. He also examines growing Russia-North Korea cooperation, including a new “friendship hospital” project near the Wonsan-Kalma resort, and what it may signal about the durability of their ties beyond the war in Ukraine. In the second half of this podcast, North Korean refugee and author Eunhee Park discusses her new memoir “The Courage To Die: A North Korean Woman's Escape and Rebirth in Freedom,” which recounts her childhood in Wonsan, years living in a North Korean orphanage and her eventual escape to South Korea by way of China. She also discusses the challenges of resettling in South Korea, including facing discrimination, loneliness and the burden of adapting to a free society, as well as how writing her memoir helped her process the trauma and reclaim her identity. Eunhee Park is a North Korean refugee, public speaker and author. Her work shares a clear, first-person account of childhood in the North, escape and rebuilding a life abroad.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

NK News Correspondent Jooheon Kim kicks off the podcast this week by discussing North Korea-Japan relations, focusing on lingering tensions over the abductions issue, recent trilateral naval cooperation with Seoul and Washington, and Pyongyang's criticism of Japan's latest diplomatic Blue Book. In the second half, the scholar Sayaka Chatani joins the podcast to explore the development of pro-North Korean communities in Japan and how they came to align themselves with Pyongyang's national project. She explains the origins of Chongryon and its role as a quasi-state institution for ethnic Koreans in postwar Japan, as well as the evolution of its school system and how identity, language and community ties shaped long-term ideological connections to North Korea. Sayaka Chatani is an assistant professor in the Department of History at the National University of Singapore. She is the author of the new book “A Nation Within: North Korean Zainichi in Post-Imperial Japan.” About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim kicks off the podcast this week by discussing North Korea's positive response after Seoul expressed regret for past civilian drone incursions, only to quickly undercut hopes for inter-Korean detente with more hardline messaging and a series of missile launches. In the second half, Dr. Cathy Kang of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council — a group that advises South Korea's president on inter-Korean issues — joins the podcast to discuss how her experience growing up in Europe has shaped her perspective on Korean unification and coexistence, as well as the role of overseas Koreans in public diplomacy. She outlines how the advisory body gathers global input on North Korea policy and emphasizes the importance of maintaining dialogue and promoting peaceful coexistence. She argues that sustained engagement and cultural outreach are essential to preparing for future opportunities, despite declining interest in unification and North Korea's rejection of inter-Korean rapprochement. Dr. Cathy Kang is an advisory member at the Peaceful Unification Advisory Committee and an assistant professor at Plovdiv University. Her remarks in this episode do not represent the official position of the Presidential Unification Advisory Council. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

NK News founder Chad O'Carroll begins this week's episode by discussing the death of North Korea's longtime representative to the International Olympic Committee, a South Korean helicopter's accidental flight into the demilitarized zone during a firefighting mission and Seoul's expression of regret over civilian drone incursions. In the second half, Jonathan Cheng, the China bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, joins the podcast to discuss his new book on how Christian practice and symbolism may have influenced the development of the DPRK's leadership cult, particularly through Kim Il Sung's early exposure to Christianity in Pyongyang. He argues that while North Korea's system incorporates multiple influences, this religious dimension offers an important lens for understanding the Kim regime's structure and enduring features. Jonathan Cheng is the China bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal and was previously the Korea bureau chief, running coverage of the Korean Peninsula. He is the author of “Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult.” About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin kicks off this week's episode with a look at Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's visit to Pyongyang for a summit last week, and his potential to serve as an intermediary between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump. The conversation explores Belarus's evolving ties with the DPRK, including plans to establish an embassy in Pyongyang, expand economic cooperation and potentially allow visa-free travel for North Korean nationals.  International security expert Ankit Panda joins in the second half of the episode for a wide-ranging analysis of North Korea's military trajectory. The expert challenges assumptions about North Korea's opacity, arguing that Pyongyang often signals its intentions clearly as part of a deterrence strategy. He also examines how the country is modernizing its nuclear and conventional forces in multiple areas, including missiles, drones, naval platforms and potentially space capabilities.  Panda situates North Korea's strategy within the context of recent conflicts, particularly the ongoing war involving Iran, and draws out lessons Pyongyang may be absorbing about deterrence, preemption and long-term conflict. He also explores how advances in missile technology, drone warfare and cost asymmetry are reshaping modern warfare, with implications for the Korean Peninsula.  Ankit Panda is the Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

In this episode, Richard Hanania speaks with Peter Ward, a research fellow at the Sejong Institute. Ward studies North Korean foreign policy, political economy, human rights, and Korean security issues. He also writes for NK Pro (NK News) and has published in various academic journals. This discussion explores the structure of the North Korean state, its evolving legal system, ideological shifts, and everyday life under Kim Jong Un, including stand-up comedy, sports, pornography, religion, and the ways in which the government has allowed markets to function. The conversation spends significant time on what may be the most consequential shift ever in North Korean ideology: Kim Jong Un's abandonment of Korean reunification as a goal. For generations, reunification was the animating myth of the North Korean state. Kim has now declared South Korea a corrupted and permanently hostile country, in many ways little different from any other enemy. Ward explains why this happened and how it changes the geopolitical situation. As it turns out, there is both a more optimistic and a less benign interpretation of this change. Ward talks about the emergence of the category of “unsocialist” behavior, a concept that is increasingly used, surprisingly, to crack down on cultural deviance. What makes this paradoxical, as Hanania points out, is that the regime has simultaneously become more tolerant of markets. He asks about BR Myers' book The Cleanest Race, and whether it is correct to say that North Korea has moved away from Marxism-Leninism and toward a racialized view of the world. Perhaps the sharpest edge of the regime's legal apparatus is directed not at "hostile" foreign culture generally but at South Korean culture specifically. Ward explains the legal distinctions: disseminating South Korean cultural content carries harsher penalties than disseminating content from other officially hostile countries. A North Korean caught with American media potentially faces a less stringent punishment than one found watching a K-drama. The regime understands that South Korean culture is uniquely threatening because it comes from a society that shares the same ethnocultural background. The episode closes with the question of succession. Kim Ju Ae, Kim Jong Un's teenage daughter, looks to be his heir apparent. Ward says that whether she is the successor or not, we know that her father wants us to think she is. This at the very least tells us something about the impression the regime is trying to create internally and for the rest of the world. Yet we can only guess whether she actually is the successor, and what exactly the North Koreans believe they are communicating.LinksPeter Ward, “The Legal Regulation of Unsocialist Activities in North Korea: Over-criminalization, Political Control and Human Rights.”Peter's work at the Sejong Institute, NK Pro (NK News), and Google ScholarPeter's recent appearance on the NK News podcast Get full access to Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology at www.cspicenter.com/subscribe

NK News Correspondent Joon Ha Park opens this week's episode by discussing the first session of the new Supreme People's Assembly, which reappointed Kim Jong Un as North Korea's head of state and carried out a generational reshuffle of officials. He also discusses Pyongyang's increasingly hardline rhetoric toward South Korea and the U.S., Kim Yo Jong's rejection of Japan's latest diplomatic outreach and the optics of Kim Jong Un's daughter joining him at a recent military inspection. In the second half of the episode, former German Ambassador to North Korea Pit Heltmann reflects on his time in Pyongyang from 2018 to 2020, offering a rare look into diplomatic life inside the country and how engagement changed during the early days of the pandemic. The interview explores the challenges of diplomacy in the DPRK, the limitations on international engagement and aid projects and the factors complicating a potential reopening of the German Embassy. Pit Heltmann is a career German diplomat who served as the country's ambassador in Pyongyang from 2018-2020, making him the last resident envoy before North Korea's self-imposed COVID-19 closure. He later served as consul general in Shanghai before retiring in 2024.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

This week, NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin opens the episode with a roundup of recent developments on the Korean Peninsula, including the resumption of China-North Korea passenger rail service and plans to restart flights. He also touches on the DPRK's weekend test of multiple launch rocket systems, as well as how Russian media is portraying the North's involvement in the Ukraine war.  missile launches, such as the tests of long-range multiple launch rocket systems, as well as the regime's growing ties with Russia, including how the DPRK's involvement in the Ukraine war is being portrayed by Russian media. In the second half of the episode, Peter Ward discusses his latest research on North Korea's legal system and expanding crackdowns on a range of “unsocialist activities.” He explains how the regime balances enforcement and tolerance in the economic sphere while tightening control over information and ideology. The interview also explores broader trends under leader Kim Jong Un, including shifts in elite politics, the evolution of North Korea's nuclear strategy and the outcome of the recent Ninth Party Congress. Peter Ward is a research fellow at the Sejong Institute. His work focuses on North Korean politics, the economy and society. He has a Ph.D. from the University of Vienna. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy and Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) Executive Director Hanna Song join this week's episode of the NK News Podcast.  The news roundup begins with the sudden cancellation of the Pyongyang International Marathon, before turning to Seoul's move to adopt a new term for North Korean-born residents in the South, and the Unification Ministry's renewed push for a peace declaration and a broader “peace regime.” In the latter part of the episode, Hanna delves into NKDB's newly released report “The Machinery Behind the Forced Repatriation of North Koreans in China,” and explains why forced repatriation remains one of the most persistent human rights concerns facing North Korean escapees. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

International security expert Ankit Panda joins the podcast this week to unpack the latest U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran and what they could mean for North Korea's deterrence thinking. The conversation covers what does and doesn't translate to the Korean Peninsula: the impact of geography and escalation dynamics, why saturation tactics and interceptor “magazine depth” matter and the contrast between Iran's threshold posture and North Korea's workable nuclear deterrent. He also discusses the new five-year military plan that Kim Jong Un outlined at the Ninth Party Congress, highlighting the significance of the DPRK's emphasis on counterspace capabilities and raising questions about its anti-satellite options. Ankit Panda is the Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

In this special roundtable edition of the NK News podcast, the team sits down to discuss the results of North Korea's Ninth Party Congress, the messaging behind the latest parade in Pyongyang and what leadership reshuffles may signal for the country's domestic and foreign policy direction.  The panel explores why this congress focused less on major course corrections and more on reinforcing Kim Jong Un's leadership, embedding his priorities more deeply in party structures  and and strengthening elite discipline. They also discuss how North Korea further hardened its stance toward South Korea, and scrutinize the congress's relatively vague language on future weapons development. Featured in this episode are:  Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim  NK News Senior Analytical Correspondent Colin Zwirko  NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

NK News Correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to discuss the ongoing Ninth Party Congress, which kicked off last week in Pyongyang The conversation breaks down key developments from the congress so far, including Kim Jong Un's reappointment as general secretary of the Workers' Party, the promotion of younger loyal cadres and the sidelining of several senior military and party officials.  He also discusses Kim Yo Jong's new but unspecified director role, the lack of major foreign policy announcements and continued emphasis on domestic economic goals tied to a new five-year plan.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

North Korea media and tech specialist Martyn Williams joins this week's episode to discuss his trips to the inter-Korean border with NK News CEO Chad O'Carroll, which have explored how technology is reshaping control and communication in the DPRK. The conversation covers smartphones and digital infrastructure inside North Korea, including how mobile technology has expanded rapidly since the pandemic. He discusses the growing number of domestic smartphone brands, hundreds of state-approved apps and the broader 4G rollout across much of the country.  Williams also examines a North Korean health app offering telemedicine features and medicine delivery, illustrating how digital tools serve both convenience and surveillance. Martyn Williams is a senior fellow for the Stimson Center's Korea Program and 38 North. His primary interests are in North Korea's technology, infrastructure, broadcasting system and propaganda. He previously appeared on episode 149 of the NK News podcast. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

In this week's episode, NK News' Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy joins John Lee. They  discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party's landslide victory, delivering a two-thirds parliamentary supermajority that could pave the way for long-sought constitutional revisions. They delve into how uncertainty surrounding U.S. foreign policy and alliance commitments is influencing both Seoul and Tokyo as they reassess defense self-sufficiency and trilateral cooperation. The episode also covers South Korea's expanding defense partnership with Saudi Arabia, where a new memorandum of understanding signals a shift from one-off arms sales to longer-term joint research and development. The pair discuss how deeper industrial cooperation aligns with Riyadh's localization goals under Vision 2030 and Seoul's ambition to solidify its position in the Middle East, while also considering potential friction with U.S. defense exporters. Shifting to domestic politics, the episode examines contentious judicial reform proposals in South Korea's National Assembly. Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party are advancing plans to expand the Supreme Court and adjust the relationship between the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court.  The episode concludes with a look at the week ahead, including legislative maneuvering before the Lunar New Year holiday, continued developments surrounding U.S. tariff discussions and the unfolding Coupang saga.  About the podcast: The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly conversation hosted by Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim, Managing Editor John Lee and correspondent Joon Ha Park, delivering deep, clear analysis of South Korean politics, diplomacy, security, society and technology for professionals who need more than headlines. Uploaded every Friday. This episode was recorded on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. Audio edited by Alannah Hill

Alec Zebrick of blockchain analytics company Chainalysis joins this week's episode to break down how North Korea-linked actors are upgrading their tactics to steal cryptocurrency, why 2025 was a record year for large-scale hacks and what can be done to reduce risk. The expert explores the shift in North Korean operations toward fewer but much larger targets, as exemplified by the outsized impact of the DPRK's Bybit heist last year. He places this in the context of state-backed actors' preference for “high-impact” operations over the “spray-and-pray” model common among non-state cybercriminals. The discussion also covers how attack methods have evolved beyond basic phishing, as well as the continuing importance of sanctions and cross-border intelligence-sharing for stopping cybercrime. Alec Zebrick is senior manager, global services at Chainalysis. He is based in South Korea, where he leads cryptocurrency investigations for public and private clients. A former U.S. detective and secret service task force officer, he is a subject-matter expert on North Korea's crypto operations, has investigated major DPRK-linked hacks and has briefed the U.N. Security Council. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

In this episode, NK News Deputy Managing Editor David Choi and Senior Analytical Correspondent Colin Zwirko discuss newly released U.S. Justice Department files that show the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein explored possible business opportunities in North Korea. The conversation then shifts to the two North Korean prisoners of war currently held in Ukraine, including the diplomatic and legal complexity around any transfer to South Korea and the likelihood that their status could become part of a wider Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange. They conclude by discussing North Korea's announcement that it will hold the Ninth Party Congress in late February, as well as the latest on preparations for the event in Pyongyang. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Lee Sang-sin of the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) returns to the podcast to discuss the results of the think tank's annual survey, which found for the first time ever that less than half of South Korean adults think that unification with North Korea is necessary. The expert discusses how Seoul's broad unification framework has remained largely consistent across administrations and explains KINU's role as a think tank under the prime minister's office, which allows it to support the Ministry of Unification while maintaining independence. The conversation then turns to North Korea's rejection of unification and dialogue and KINU's expanded global surveys, which show stark differences in how foreign publics view the two Koreas. Dr. Lee Sang-sin is a senior research fellow and polling expert at the Korea Institute for National Unification. He last appeared on episode 74 of the NK News podcast in June 2019.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy joins this week's episode to discuss the formal preparations for the upcoming Ninth Party Congress, including meetings where the Central Committee has elected delegates and observers, and what signs to watch for as Pyongyang moves closer to announcing an official schedule.  He also talks about recent diplomatic activity in Pyongyang, focusing on Iran's appointment of a new resident ambassador, and explains why the timing matters, Iran's longstanding ties with both Korean capitals and the possibility that Tehran has also dispatched a military attaché. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

In this episode, Agence France-Presse (AFP) global news editor Roland de Courson joins the podcast to discuss his photo-and-essay project — K-Scar — documenting life, memory and tourism along the inter-Korean border.  De Courson explains why he describes the border as a “scar” and reflects on how indifference, curiosity and commercialized “dark tourism” shape the way people experience the DMZ and nearby frontline sites. The conversation moves from observatories and curated attractions to quieter human stories, such as aging refugees and communities living inside civilian control zones. He also discusses how art, everyday life and even a Starbucks overlooking North Korea reveal the normalization and contradictions of the border.  Roland de Courson is a French journalist born in Madrid. He started his career in Canada and joined AFP in 1994. He is currently a global news editor in Seoul. For over two years, Roland traveled along the inter-Korean border to document his K-Scar project, which can be found online here.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

NK News CEO Chad O'Carroll joins the podcast this week to discuss why the Workers' Party of Korea still hasn't held its Ninth Congress, the lack of typical pre-event mobilization campaigns and what satellite imagery of parade preparations suggests about a possible timeline. The episode then turns to leadership dynamics in Pyongyang, including Kim Jong Un's dismissal of a senior official during an on-the-spot inspection, before turning to revelations about both North and South Korea's influence operations targeting a human rights advocate. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Dr. Ria Roy, a scholar of modern Korea and East Asian history, joins the podcast to discuss the differences in language between the two Koreas, including contrasts in linguistic and ideological correctness. She examines the Soviet Union's influence on the Korean language in the DPRK and the importance of conveying information with the right tone. She also explores the use of profanity on North Korean state TV and why announcers often refer to specific groups of people in bespoke ways — whether using a motherly tone when discussing children or pausing before the name of leaders. Roy is a Kleinheinz Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and the author of the article “The Sacred Text and the Language of the Leader: ‘Cultured Language' and the Rhetorical Turn in North Korea.” About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

This week, NK News Senior Analytic Correspondent Colin Zwirko delves into the large-scale conference marking the 80th anniversary of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, attended by Kim Jong Un.  He then turns to signals surrounding the timing of the upcoming Ninth Party Congress, as well as expectations for announcements on long-term economic planning, weapons development and broader strategic priorities, potentially including inter-Korean relations. Finally, Zwiro discusses new satellite imagery showing the demolition and reconstruction of a prison facility in Sariwon, the latest in a series of detention sites undergoing similar changes since 2023. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

North Korea is closely watching the situation in Venezuela after the U.S. captured President Nicolás Maduro, shaking up one of Pyongyang's few political friendships in the Western Hemisphere. In this episode, Gabriela Bernal and Camilo Aguirre Torrini delve into what happened in Venezuela, how North Korea has reacted in state media and what lessons Kim Jong Un may be drawing. The guests discuss why the DPRK-Venezuela relationship has been more symbolic than substantial, how sanctions and a shared anti-American ideology have shaped ties and what the future could look like if Caracas shifts further under U.S. influence. Dr. Gabriela Bernal is a North Korea analyst and non-resident fellow at the European Centre for North Korean Studies who writes on Pyongyang's external relations and information strategy. She recently wrote an analysis for NK Pro titled “Where North Korea-Venezuela ties stand after Nicolás Maduro's downfall.” Dr. Camilo Aguirre Torrini is a researcher whose work traces DPRK-Latin America ties and sanctions-era politics. He previously wrote a piece for 38 North titled “Can Venezuela and the DPRK Wipe the Slate Clean and Make a Fresh Start?” About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

This week, NK News correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to discuss North Korea's new allegations that Seoul sent unmanned aerial vehicles to surveil military and other sensitive sites in Sept. 2025 and Jan. 2026. He explains the specifics of Pyongyang's claims and the photos it released of the alleged drones, as well as South Korea's swift denial of involvement. He also digs into Kim Yo Jong's threat to send “civilian” drones into ROK airspace and North Korea's history of following through on her bellicose statement. The discussion then turns to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's recent summit with President Xi Jinping of China, where the two leaders agreed to work toward restarting talks with the DPRK but made no mention of denuclearization. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

This week's podcast features a panel discussion with NK News journalists on what to expect from North Korea in the year ahead, taking stock of what they got right about 2025 and making new predictions for 2026. The panelists discuss why DPRK leader Kim Jong Un doubled down on military development last year but didn't end up meeting U.S. President Donald Trump. They then explain why Pyongyang will continue to bet on Russia ties in the new year but will still hedge by returning to talks with Washington. The discussion also covers the possibility that North Korea will push for nuclear energy in 2026, as well as black-swan events like missile launch disasters and information security breaches that could cause major disruptions to Pyongyang's plans. This episode features the following members of the NK News team: Chad O'Carroll — CEO of Korea Risk Group Jeongmin Kim — Executive Director at Korea Risk Group Colin Zwirko — Senior Analytic Correspondent Shreyas Reddy — Lead Correspondent Anton Sokolin — Data Correspondent About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

This week's podcast starts by discussing the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend and its implications for North Korea and its leader. NK News correspondent Shreyas Reddy then speaks about Pyongyang's condemnation of the U.S. attack on its longtime ally, accusing Washington of attempting to exercise dominion over the world. He also explains why North Korea will be closely watching the U.S.'s next steps, as well as why Kim Jong Un may not be sweating a similar operation against him thanks to his ace in the hole — nuclear weapons. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Yong Ja Hong, a PhD candidate studying North Korean society, culture and media at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, joins the podcast to discuss the history of sports in North Korea, even before the peninsula was separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. She recalls North Korean athletes who competed on the international stage, including a track star who was briefly reunited with her South Korean father, and sheds light on how modern sports made its way into the peninsula. Hong, an NK News contributor, also talks about how basketball's popularity took off suddenly throughout the country during Kim Jong Il's rule and how baseball never found solid footing amongst the people. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

This week, Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim kicks off the podcast by discussing North Korea's upcoming plans for New Year's Day, including the possibility of a special message from leader Kim Jong Un. NK News' Kim discusses how the DPRK leader has retreated from the tradition of delivering a dedicated New Year's Day speech over the years, instead opting to publish personal letters to the people in the party daily or lay out his annual priorities in remarks at end-of-year party plenums. The discussion also covers North Korea's unveiling of a purported 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine, which state media described on Christmas Day as a necessary deterrent against a nuclear submarine that the South plans to build. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

2025 was packed with news from the Korean Peninsula: new presidents assumed office in South Korea and the United States, North Korea expanded its cooperation with Russia and Pyongyang finally opened its long-awaited beach resort. In this special year-end episode, the NK News team joins the podcast to revisit their most compelling stories of the year.  NK News data correspondent Anton Sokolin, correspondents Joon Ha Park and Jooheon Kim, executive director Jeongmin Kim, founder Chad O'Carroll, lead correspondent Shreyas Reddy and senior analytic correspondent Colin Zwirko unpack their stories ranging from Russia's radioactive delivery to North Korea to Pyongyang's record-breaking crypto theft. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists. NK News subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.

This week's podcast starts by discussing the U.N. General Assembly's adoption of a resolution condemning North Korea's human rights abuses for the 21st consecutive year. NK News correspondent Jooheon Kim explains the implications of the resolution and Seoul's support, before talking about messages to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung from the families of prisoners of war and abductees trapped in North Korea. Finally, the conversation turns to Hyundai Asan's stated goal of working with North Korea to resume inter-Korean tourism projects, including the commissioning of a vessel to transport South Korean tourists to the North. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Gabe Segoine, the founder of the first surfing program in North Korea and the Christian nongovernmental organization Love North Korea Ministries, joins the podcast to discuss his experience searching for waves off the isolated country's coast and providing humanitarian aid for its people. He recalls his experience at the Chinese airport en route to North Korea, where customs authorities assumed his surfing wax was an explosive. He also discusses how authorities prevented him and his cohorts from openly discussing their faith, even inspecting their Bibles to ensure no pages were left in the country. Segoine has helped establish small humanitarian projects in North Korea and kicked off what he describes as “surfing diplomacy” in 2014. He has visited the country 19 times and is the author of “Surfing North Korea: And Other Stories from Inside.” About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists. NK News subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.

This week's podcast kicks off with the 2003 murder case of a North Korean man in St. Petersburg, previously known as the “criminal capital” of Russia, and the unanswered questions surrounding his brutal death at the hands of a neo-Nazi group. NK News data correspondent Anton Sokolin then discusses North Korea's reaction to Russian Ambassador Alexander Matsegora's sudden death in Pyongyang, including leader Kim Jong Un's appearance at the diplomat's memorial service. Finally, Sokolin talks about the monthslong deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia's Kursk region, where they were tasked with clearing explosives left by Ukrainian troops. The DPRK troops reportedly suffered nine fatalities during the deployment, with Kim heralding them for performing their duties with valor. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Former Australian diplomat Jane Hardy joins this episode to discuss how Australia has engaged with North Korea over the past few decades, and what that experience reveals about diplomacy, deterrence and nuclear risk today.  Hardy, who spent over 30 years in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, shares insights from her work on Korean Peninsula issues during the Sunshine Policy era, including Australia's brief normalization with Pyongyang and her own visit to North Korea in 2001.  Jane Hardy is a former senior Australian diplomat who has served in seven long-term overseas missions, four at ambassador level. She also held numerous senior executive positions at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Canberra, during her 33-year career. Jane is now a senior fellow at the U.S. Studies Center, Sydney University advising the Women in the Alliance program.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists. NK News subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.

This week's episode opens with the news of the sudden death of Russia's ambassador to North Korea, Alexander Matsegora, who died at 70 on Saturday following decades of diplomatic service on the Korean Peninsula. NK News founder Chad O'Carroll then discusses his recent appearance at a high-profile press conference with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, where his question about long-detained South Korean citizens in North Korea unexpectedly became a national story.  Finally, O'Carroll reflects on his trip to the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada. He describes conversations with Western officials, Ukrainians, and journalists, expressing frustration at what he sees as a persistent lack of understanding or urgency around North Korea's role in supplying Russia during the war in Ukraine.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

This week, Dr. Joëlle Hivonnet joins the podcast to discuss her four-year tenure as the EU's deputy head in Seoul from 2016, a tumultuous era in inter-Korean relations defined by both tensions and diplomacy. Hivonnet talks about how U.S. President Donald Trump's threats against North Korea transformed into summit talks between leader Kim Jong Un, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Trump, and how those developments ushered in a period of optimism for the EU. She also challenges the notion that Europe has a limited role in the peninsula's affairs, particularly after North Korea's direct involvement in the war in Ukraine. The EU's agenda is being “totally dominated” by the Ukraine-Russia war, and North Korea's deployment of troops and munitions in support of Moscow's invasion is clear evidence that issues involving the DPRK now relate to the 27-member state organization, she said. Hivonnet, now retired, worked in EU postings for over 30 years, including in Geneva and Kathmandu. Prior to working for the EU, she was a senior lecturer at the University of Northumbria in England.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists. NK News subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.

This week, NK News senior analytic correspondent Colin Zwirko joins the podcast to discuss recent developments along the inter-Korean border, as well North Korea's latest event showcasing new air force weaponry. He begins by sharing what satellite imagery shows about the DPRK's construction projects within the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone, some of which appear to cross the Military Demarcation Line, the actual border between the two Koreas. The discussion then turns to Kangwon Province, where leader Kim Jong Un appears to be planning to build a new dam that would flood part of the North Korean side of the DMZ. Whether the project is being actively developed is unclear, though it could have serious implications for South Korea. Lastly, Zwirko gives an overview of the recent 80th anniversary of the regime's air force celebration, where it showed off a new drone and other military assets that mimic American weaponry. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

This week, Lonnie Edge of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies joins the podcast to discuss North Korea's strategies for portraying itself as a legitimate government both inside and outside its borders. According to Edge, the Kim regime has become adept at changing its narrative or policies to address crises or changes in circumstances, such as building new apartments or bolstering rhetoric against the U.S. during economic downturns. The expert also discusses why progressive South Korean presidents typically reach out to North Korea first when attempting to build inter-Korean relations, explaining that taking this sort of diplomatic initiative without guarantees is rare and reflects how many Koreans view themselves as one people. Edge is an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Interpretation and Translation at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. He holds a Ph.D. in international relations and has been the managing editor of North Korean Review for over a decade. His work spans inter-Korean relations, contemporary Korea and identity politics. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists. NK News subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.

This week, NK News correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to recap a week's worth of news from Seoul and Pyongyang, starting with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's comments about potentially scaling back joint military exercises with the U.S. to support diplomacy with North Korea. He talks about how previous progressive governments, such as the Moon Jae-in administration, downsized the joint drills in an effort to persuade the DPRK to come to the negotiating table. Park also explains Seoul's proposal for inter-Korean military talks on restoring land markers around the Military Demarcation Line, the border dividing the peninsula, to prevent an accidental clash. Seoul has accused North Korean troops of frequently crossing into the South, prompting it to fire warning shots. Finally, Park tracks North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's recent public appearances, including the inauguration of the first “modern” hospital outside of Pyongyang, and a visit to the Ministry of State Security's headquarters. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Dr. Elizabeth Campbell, a visiting scholar at Korea University's Research Institute of Korean Studies, joins the podcast to discuss all things North Korean film — from former leader Kim Jong Il's love of foreign cinema to what is arguably the country's most famous movie, “The Flower Girl.” She sheds light on the second Kim leader's reported involvement in the creation of domestic films, including the procurement of a train for a scene, and his frustration with North Korea's inability to produce Hollywood-type cinema. These films play an integral role in North Korean society, and Campbell discusses how the Kim dynasty has used them to portray itself to citizens and the rest of the world. Campbell holds a Ph.D. in North Korean studies from Korea University. Her work examines North Korea propaganda, media and culture, including personality cults and representations of North Koreans.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists. NK News subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.

This week, NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin joins the podcast to discuss Russian participation in North Korea's fall trade fair and the latest in the two sides' military cooperation over the war in Ukraine. He talks about how over a dozen Russian commercial firms hawked their electronics and foods in Pyongyang last month, as well as about Moscow's announcement that DPRK military engineers have started work in Kursk to clear “hundreds of different types of explosive devices” left by Ukrainian troops. He also explains why the Russian communist party recently awarded North Korean leader Kim Jong Un the “Lenin Prize,” tracing the history and significance of the little known award. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

This week, a former Ukrainian lawmaker and a Ukrainian military official join the podcast to discuss North Korea's support of Russian forces, and why this poses a threat to South Korea's security. Dr. Hanna Hopko, co-founder of the International Center of Ukrainian Victory, and Ukrainian National Guard Lt. Volodymyr Vernygora examine the evolving DPRK-Russia military partnership, which they say should be raising alarms throughout the international community, as well as Seoul's response. The two experts also stress that South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should boost bilateral engagements to counter these developments, while warning that North Korea's troops are obtaining something money can't always buy: battlefield experience. Hopko is a former member of Ukraine's parliament and the co-founder of the International Center of Ukrainian Victory, a nongovernmental organization seeking to mobilize international support for Kyiv's fight against Ukraine. Vernygora is a lieutenant and international cooperation officer in the 1st Corps Azov of the National Guard of Ukraine, with two decades of experience in international relations, academia, and strategic communications.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.