Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea>Gasoline and diesel prices in North Korea have increased by at least two-fold in the past year. Why are prices increasing in North Korea when they are falling in other countries? 2023.03.02
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea> Poverty-stricken people gather in front of government and party headquarters in Yanggang Province to demand food 2023.02.21
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea>Reflecting the DPRK’s economic difficulties, special gift for Kim Jong-il’s birthday amounts to just five hours of electricity… “Kids just got sweets to eat” 2023.02.20
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea>Authorities begin recruiting poverty-stricken urban dwellers to move to farms with promises of food and housing 2023.02.16
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea>Harsh cold snap in January leads to death toll, with frozen bodies found in fields or inside mud huts…Authorities order closer monitoring of the people in response to rise in wandering people 2023.02.10
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea>Even high-level cadres mobilized to collect human feces during this year’s “manure battle”…People bring buckets with them when going to the public lavatory 2023.02.08
Society / Economy Facing an extreme cold snap, North Koreans are in the middle of a terrible war with the cold ISHIMARU Jiro 2023.01.31
Society / Economy COVID-19 <Confidential Document> With the collapse of the medical system, Kim Jong-un orders crackdown on home remedies to treat illnesses…Why? 2023.01.18
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea> The country’s medical system continues its freefall into collapse, with hospitals sending patients back home due to lack of heating 2023.01.16
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea>Why are food prices skyrocketing at the start of the new year? Anxiety over food shortages leads to hoarding and even people wandering around after falling into financial ruin 2023.01.10
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea> China hurries to intensify border security due to uptick in COVID-19 cases, ordering people to avoid going within 100 meters of border 2022.12.27
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea> Kim Jong-un regime strengthens state-run food store network to sell food at prices cheaper than markets 2022.12.23
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea>N. Koreans start their war against the cold, gathering at coal mines to pick up what they can, sometimes leading to police mobilizations… “There’s far less coal available than needed. We’ll freeze to death if this continues…” 2022.12.23
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea> The Kim regime shifts its food policy, suppressing food sales in markets while creating a state monopoly on the food supply ISHIMARU Jiro 2022.12.14
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea> Two N. Koreans caught attempting to defect arrested and possibly executed by firing squad…Government says “defections will not be forgiven” 2022.12.06
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea>RMB-KRW exchange rate sees unprecedented rise, 36% higher than 3 weeks ago…“Foreign currency has dried up now” 2022.12.01
Society / Economy COVID-19 <Interview with a N. Korean> (2) Speaking honestly about N. Korea’s poverty…“I’m angry whenever I hear about missiles and I want to live like a human being” 2022.11.29
Society / Economy <Interview with a N. Korean> (1) “It’s ridiculous that the government launches missiles while its people remain starving” 2022.11.27
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea> Government sets nighttime curfew at 6 PM..."Police arrest anyone who leaves their homes..." Why now? 2022.11.16
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea>N. Korea takes issue with high school students taking videos of kissing, dancing, fighting, and harassing the homeless 2022.11.11
Society / Economy COVID-19 <Inside N. Korea> Chinese vaccines administered to N. Koreans in cities near Chinese border, leading to high hopes about restart of trade 2022.11.06
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea> Smuggling appears to restart on the China-North Korea border…Would-be defectors are caught, and trading companies start “state-led smuggling” 2022.10.31
Society / Economy <Inside N. Korea> High school students enter farm fields to steal crops to survive…Government officials check whereabouts of students who miss class 2022.10.31