About the Author

Colin Zwirko
Colin Zwirko is a Senior Analytic Correspondent for NK News based in Seoul. Follow him on Twitter @ColinZwirko.
Last week, a group of Russian diplomats and their families made international headlines as they left North Korea via a hand-pushed rail trolley — a journey that some media described as “grueling” or a possible sign of poor DPRK-Russia relations.
Now, one Russian diplomat who took that North Korean trolley is reportedly pushing back against criticism of the DPRK, calling the trip a “big adventure" and an "epic journey for the kids” on board.