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More articles by 'Seonghyeon'
Ask a North Korean: What do you make of the rise of Kim Jong Un’s daughter?
A defector says many North Koreans likely see her as a symbol of nepotism who has stolen the ‘parent of the people’
Ask a North Korean: What was it like to watch military parades in North Korea?
Defector shares why soldiers want to participate in these events and how outsiders should interpret the spectacle
Ask A North Korean: What is the function of the state run daily Rodong Sinmun?
A defector describes what he learned from reading the newspaper every day and how it differs from South Korean dailies
Ask a North Korean: What’s the biggest falsehood you’ve heard about the DPRK?
A defector writes about claims of underground North Korean churches and what faith is really like under Kim family rule
Ask a North Korean: How did you experience the seasons in the DPRK?
Each season brings new challenges, especially for farmers, as the state promotes ‘battles’ to achieve grain targets
Ask a North Korean: Does North Korea really carry out public executions?
A defector writes about witnessing someone sentenced to death and why the regime ‘kills the chicken to warn the monkey’
Ask a North Korean: What are working hours like in the DPRK?
The state frames labor as a form of war and gives workers little rest, wringing out everything it can from citizens
Ask a North Korean: What games do children play in North Korea?
A defector writes about the popularity of card, board and smartphone games and why he used to love flying kites
Ask a North Korean: Do North Koreans get tattoos?
Ink is common among older generations, but usually as a way to show loyalty rather than as a form of self-expression
Ask a North Korean: What I learned from visiting a DPRK restaurant abroad
A defector writes about his surreal meal at a North Korean restaurant in Laos and how it led him to reflect on his life
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