Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, and even good night to those of you night owls out there — whatever the time is where you are, welcome to Ask a North Korean! The feature where you, NK News readers, can email in and ask your questions to North Korean writers In-hua Kim and Tae-il Shim.

Today’s question comes from Jeran, from Salt Lake City, Utah, who asks about how those from Hyesan (like In-hua) prepare and live during winter.

Hyesan, in Ryanggang province, is right at the north of the country, and winters can get incredibly cold. While spring