Ask a North Korean: What is English-language education like in the DPRK? | NK News
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September 25, 2026Sep 25, 2026

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Ask A North Korean

Ask a North Korean: What is English-language education like in the DPRK?

An escapee writes about the materials he used to learn and how his English skills were put to the test in South Korea

“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 asks: What is it like to learn English in North Korea?

David — who was born and raised in North Korea and lived there until he defected in 2012  — writes about how he learned English in the DPRK and how teaching practices differ from those in the South.

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