Far from home: The hidden hardships of North Korea’s overseas IT workers
Former workers tell NK Pro of grueling shifts, constant surveillance and the personal toll of separation from family
November 9, 2026
ANALYSIS & INVESTIGATIONS
North Korea remains silent for domestic audience on flurry of weapons tests
A recap of everything in state media this week, from Chinese delegation arrivals to tragedies abroad
North Korea expands warship construction project to third shipyard
Satellite imagery shows ship sections delivered from Chongjin to Rajin Shipyard as Kim Jong Un demands bigger warships
Uptick in North Korean ships at Russian port suggests coal smuggling scheme
Suspicious activity near Nakhodka points to operation to conceal illicit shipments, as bigger vessels visit Far East
What the Democratic landslide in the US midterms means for Kim Jong Un
North Korea appears to be ramping up tensions ahead of potential talks with Trump, regardless of the election result
North Korea in October 2026: A month in review and what’s ahead
An analytical look at the main developments from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31, 2026
How North Korea turned its tech talent into a global money-making machine
Former IT workers offer an exclusive look at how they rose from obscurity to infiltrate foreign companies for the regime
Kim Jong Un keeps up busy schedule amid growing inter-Korean border tensions
A recap of everything in state media, from the North Korean leader’s visit to China and a drone expo to the fall harvest
Why a spate of public disputes is déjà vu for the US-ROK alliance
Friction over OPCON, North Korea intel, the DMZ and more echo tensions from Trump’s first term, and will likely persist
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No summit, new bridge: What to make of Kim Jong Un’s unusual visit to Dandong
North Korean leader broke precedent by not meeting Xi, suggesting he increasingly needs China to achieve his goals
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High-end Chinese EVs worth up to $152K spotted in North Korean capital
Appearance of 2025 models suggest more expensive EVs are making inroads amid a surge in private car ownership
North Korea leaves citizens in the dark about tensions at inter-Korean border
A recap of everything in state media, from omitting Kim Yo Jong’s statements to coverage of unrest in France
Kim Jong Un erasing prominent symbol of predecessors’ top military rank
Removal of Generalissimo star from former leaders’ shrines aligns with push to bolster Kim’s personality cult
North Korea misses deadline to launch third naval destroyer
Imagery shows construction has ramped up on larger warships, raising possibility DPRK has reexamined destroyer program
How South Koreans weigh the costs of unification with North Korea
Research suggests citizens aren’t clear on what unification or peaceful coexistence entail, complicating policy debates
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North Korean media focuses on party anniversary, while hiding missile launches
A recap of everything in state media, from the fall harvest and a journalists’ union to a celebration of Russia ties
All the missiles and weapons at North Korea’s new ‘defense revolution’ museum
NK Pro produces floorplan of facility, finds it may be at suspected nuclear site in mountains
Why the inter-Korean border remains unmarked, despite military risks
Mine explosions have exposed a reality in which three competing maps can create confusion in the DMZ
How the DMZ blasts unfolded, from mine laying to North Korean denials
NK Pro’s timeline charts DPRK border fortifications, ROK investigation and other events around the Sept. 21 incident
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North Korean military parade training site active ahead of Oct. 10 holiday
Appearance of 400 trucks raises possibility troops will march in event, but no signs of preparations for warship launch
North Korea boasts of strong fall harvest ahead of major party anniversary
A recap of everything in state media this week, from the Workers’ Party’s founding day to mine blast denials
ANALYSIS & INVESTIGATIONS
North Korea remains silent for domestic audience on flurry of weapons tests
A recap of everything in state media this week, from Chinese delegation arrivals to tragedies abroad
North Korea expands warship construction project to third shipyard
Satellite imagery shows ship sections delivered from Chongjin to Rajin Shipyard as Kim Jong Un demands bigger warships
Uptick in North Korean ships at Russian port suggests coal smuggling scheme
Suspicious activity near Nakhodka points to operation to conceal illicit shipments, as bigger vessels visit Far East
What the Democratic landslide in the US midterms means for Kim Jong Un
North Korea appears to be ramping up tensions ahead of potential talks with Trump, regardless of the election result
LATEST ANALYSIS
- 01Far from home: The hidden hardships of North Korea’s overseas IT workers
- 02What the Democratic landslide in the US midterms means for Kim Jong Un
- 03How North Korea turned its tech talent into a global money-making machine
- 04Why a spate of public disputes is déjà vu for the US-ROK alliance
- 05No summit, new bridge: What to make of Kim Jong Un’s unusual visit to Dandong
- 06How South Koreans weigh the costs of unification with North Korea
- 07All the missiles and weapons at North Korea’s new ‘defense revolution’ museum
- 08Why the inter-Korean border remains unmarked, despite military risks
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