Analysis
Latest NK PRO analysis related to the DPRK
North Korea betrays its economic contradictions with grain control and IP laws
At SPA, Kim Jong Un seeks to both assert control and foster growth, while projecting confidence ahead of Party Congress
September 25, 2025
North Korea is applying lessons from Ukraine war to reinforce nuclear coercion
Asymmetric weapons like drones create new vulnerabilities, sowing doubt in Seoul and Tokyo about US extended deterrence
September 23, 2025
Kim Jong Un sends his clearest signal yet that he’s ready to meet Trump again
North Korean leader’s speech ahead of Trump’s trip to APEC could set the stage for another encounter at Panmunjom
September 22, 2025
Lee Jae-myung lays out his grand vision for ‘coexistence’ with North Korea
Across 123 policy tasks, Seoul pushes for denuclearization and OPCON transfer but doesn’t commit to unification timeline
September 17, 2025
Why there won’t be need for speculation when Kim Jong Un truly names his heir
History shows signs surface quickly when North Korea settles on a successor, unlike the uncertainty around his daughter
September 17, 2025
Machinery of Juche: How Japanese tech catalyzed North Korean industry
Despite professed self-reliance, the DPRK looked to its former colonizer to scale up industries critical for military
September 11, 2025
Why skyscrapers for families of North Korean war dead could just be gilded cages
Satellite imagery suggests work underway on houses that could enhance surveillance of a politically sensitive group
September 10, 2025
Reported US Navy SEAL mission highlights risks of trying to spy on North Korea
Experts say revelations about 2019 operation could hurt US-DPRK ties, but suggest Trump could try similar measures again
September 10, 2025
Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping’s first summit in six years heralds a revival of ties
Neglect of denuclearization and sanctions suggests China is willing to overlook DPRK nukes in favor of cooperation
September 5, 2025
North Korean coverage of Kursk deployment paints a stark portrait of escalation
State media footage underscores the DPRK’s commitment to Russia’s war in Ukraine and push to test tactics and arms
September 4, 2025
