What If?
An NK News series featuring scenarios about North Korea’s future. Articles in this series draw on verified facts and rigorous analysis to explore hypothetical events in the years and decades ahead.
What if an aging North Korean passenger jet crashes with foreign travelers?
Air Koryo’s Soviet-era planes present serious safety risks, while Pyongyang could impede investigations into a disaster
What if a successful Chinese invasion of Taiwan emboldens North Korea
US inaction or defeat would leave allies feeling vulnerable, and push Seoul to take desperate measures for its defense
What if China stops sending humanitarian aid to North Korea?
DPRK faces economic calamity without trade with its biggest partner, a fact China could use to keep the peace
What if North Korea stages military drills with Russia and China?
The ‘nightmare scenario’ is plausible but there are many practical limitations to trilateral war games, experts say
What if North Korea keeps its COVID border controls for years to come?
Kim Jong Un may see little value in allowing outsiders to enter again, even if to the detriment of his people
What if South Korea gets the bomb?
Nuclear weapons would help Seoul deter North Korea but could invite devastating sanctions and undermine US-ROK alliance
What if North Korea just gave up its nukes?
The US and South Korea have no interest in invading a non-nuclear DPRK, but Kim would still clamp down on his own people
What if a satellite super constellation monitored every inch of North Korea?
AI could analyze exabytes of data to provide God-like intel on DPRK nuclear facilities, clandestine activities and more
What if North Korea hosts the World Cup?
The country already has a number of large stadiums but would need South Korean help to overhaul its infrastructure
What if North Korea stops publishing state media for international audiences?
Paranoia about leaks could compel regime to curtail access, cutting off key source of information about DPRK
