Why North Koreans envy the Chinese so much | NK News
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September 28, 2026Sep 28, 2026

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Ask A North Korean

Why North Koreans envy the Chinese so much

Envy of improved living standards, not the old alliance, drives their sentiment toward neighbors

Every week we ask a North Korean your questions, giving you the chance to learn more about the country we know so little about.

This week Jenny in Sydney asks:

What do people in North Korea think about their neighbors in China?

What do the North Korean people think of China? My guess is that more people in North Korea would praise China than would criticize it. It is not that North Koreans admire China’s leading role in the history of communism or anything else political. They do not know that much about Chinese history anyway.

They think highly of