December 07, 2023
Evergreen

Foreign fiction present in North Korea, though restricted

'Harry Potter,' 'Gone with the Wind,' Sidney Sheldon among favorites found north of the DMZ

With some of the tightest restrictions on information on the planet, North Korea would never be called a book lover’s paradise. But aside from the domestic propaganda that spans media from comic books to newspapers, a North Korean bookworm can hope to access a limited, but increasing selection of foreign fiction, according to sources familiar with the country.

The choices available, however, could largely depend on where they live and if they can speak a foreign language.