Ask a North Korean: Can North Korean couples get divorced? | NK News
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September 16, 2026Sep 16, 2026

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Ask A North Korean

Ask a North Korean: Can North Korean couples get divorced?

DPRK society has become more accepting of divorce over the years, but this hasn’t made getting one much easier

“Ask a North Korean” is an NK News series featuring interviews with and columns by North Korean defectors, most of whom left the DPRK within the last few years.

Readers may submit their questions for defectors by emailing [email protected] and including their first name and city of residence.

Today’s question is about how North Koreans perceive divorces and cohabitation.

Rose — who was born and raised in North Korea and lived there until she defected in 2019 — writes about the difficulties of obtaining a divorce in the DPRK and how couples bend the rules to avoid future problems.

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