About the author
More articles by 'Chad O’Carroll'
North Korea in February 2026: A month in review and what’s ahead
An analytical look at the main developments from February 1 to February 28, 2026
How the Iran strikes could reshape Kim Jong Un’s calculus on US talks
Trump’s intermingling of diplomacy and military action may undermine incentives for North Korea to engage
What to make of North Korea’s big plans from the Ninth Party Congress
Kim Jong Un left only a sliver of space for dialogue, while raising the stakes with assertive nuclear posture
What to expect at North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress, from nukes to US ties
Kim Jong Un likely to consolidate military gains rather than break new ground, doubling down on Russia and anti-ROK line
North Korea in January 2026: A month in review and what’s ahead
An analytical look at the main developments from January 1 to January 31, 2026
North Korea’s parade and Party Congress prep, plus personnel purges
NK News’ Chad O’ Carroll explores why the DPRK still hasn’t held the congress, the two Koreas’ influence ops and more
Seeing the future: What to expect from North Korea in the new year
The NK News team discusses what it got wrong about 2025 and makes new predictions for 2026
North Korea in 2026: Why Kim Jong Un will bet on Putin, but still court Trump
NK Pro predicts what Pyongyang will prioritize in the year ahead, from drones and nuclear power to the war in Ukraine
Lessons from Caracas: What Kim Jong Un learned from Maduro’s stunning capture
Brazen US operation will reinforce North Korea’s faith in nuclear weapons, but could also spook it into engagement
Year-end special: A look back at the most compelling North Korea stories of 2025
NK News journalists share the stories that meant the most to them and offer insights into how they reported on the DPRK
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