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More articles by 'Sersong Han'
Ask a North Korean: How do people in the DPRK express individuality?
Fashion police hammer down the nail that sticks out, but people still find subtle ways to display their own style
Ask a North Korean: What are funerals like in the DPRK?
Most funeral services take place in people’s homes and differ in other ways from ceremonies in the South
Ask a North Korean: What do you miss about living in North Korea?
Atomization in South Korea makes it difficult to express one's feelings, whereas people in the DPRK say what they think
Ask a North Korean: What it’s like to be a boxer in the North Korean military
DPRK regards military athletes as akin to combatants in war, and the results can be fatal
Ask a North Korean: What is it like to defect across the Northern Limit Line?
One of the few defectors to escape by sea tells the story of how he and his father pulled it off
Ask a North Korean: Do North Koreans enjoy state media?
Organizations set aside time for reading newspapers, but most citizens find it tedious and overstuffed with ideology
Settling in Seoul: Where South Korea succeeds in helping new defectors
Adapting to life in an alien country is a daunting challenge, one defector says, so any assistance can go a long way
Ask a North Korean: How do you talk to friends and family back home?
Defectors from border areas can arrange calls when sending money, but it’s more difficult for those from Pyongyang
Settling in Seoul: The biggest struggles in understanding South Korean society
North Korea does not allow diversity of opinion, making liberal South Korea – especially online culture – hard to grasp
Settling in Seoul: How was the education center for new North Korean defectors?
The Hanawon resettlement facility helps new arrivals adjust to South Korean life, but not all defectors like going there