Ask A North Korean
Your chance to ask questions to North Koreans about life growing up in the DPRK
Settling in Seoul: How have you changed 10 years after escaping North Korea?
Without friends or family, one defector reached a breaking point before resolving to build a life he could be proud of
Ask a North Korean: How has DPRK society progressed over the years?
Private markets have introduced new perspectives, but the dictatorship means few place much stock on social progress
Ask a North Korean: Do teenagers deal with issues like bullying and drug use?
Juvenile delinquency appears far less common than in other countries, but this doesn’t mean DPRK youth have it better
Settling in Seoul: What is it like to speak to South Koreans about North Korea?
People in the DPRK are curious about the far wealthier South, but the interest doesn’t always go in the other direction
Ask a North Korean: How a woman’s disappearance led a family to defect
New columnist Rose writes about discovering the world via foreign media and yearning to escape a country-sized prison
Ask a North Korean: What was it like to travel abroad for the first time?
Joshua Kim writes about marveling at Incheon airport, how Vietnam reminded him of the DPRK and more
Ask a North Korean: How one soldier escaped across the heavily armed DMZ
New columnist David writes about the challenges of army life and how a South Korean leaflet convinced him to defect
Ask a North Korean: What are popular sayings and proverbs in the DPRK?
Everyday expressions offer a window into how North Koreans think and see the world
Ask a North Korean: What is it like to raise a child in the DPRK?
Mothers do the best they can for their children but face challenges ranging from poor health care to paying for school
Settling in Seoul: What was your first year like after reaching South Korea?
Some adjust faster than others to a capitalist lifestyle, even when it causes tensions with those closest to us
