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 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
What if the UN shuts down the Panel of Experts overseeing North Korea sanctions?
China’s skepticism of sanctions could lead it to end support, eliminating a key source of information on DPRK activities
What if North Korea’s vessels become significantly harder to track?
China’s data privacy laws and friction with the West may soon make ship tracking information hard to come by in Asia
What if the US recognized North Korea as a nuclear power?
The move would open a door for better US-DPRK relations but set a damning precedent for global nonproliferation
