Analysis
Latest NK PRO analysis related to the DPRK
Why health insurance could be coming to North Korea
DPRK has long failed to fulfill promise of free medical care, but a system of premium payments may offer limited gains
March 4, 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
March 2, 2026
Why Khamenei’s death could spell the end of North Korea’s friendship with Iran
A visit to Pyongyang helped the cleric become Tehran’s supreme leader, a role in which he based ties on opposition to US
March 2, 2026
Kim Jong Un’s new five-year weapons plan keeps nukes front and center
Counterspace goals create new risks as Party Congress pushes simultaneous development of nuclear and conventional forces
March 2, 2026
What we didn’t see at the Party Congress, from Kim Jong Un’s child to nuke power
Lack of announcements on succession, tourism opening and more underscored North Korea’s emphasis on continuity
February 27, 2026
Regional development takes center stage in North Korea’s new economic plan
Kim Jong Un shifted focus from heavy industry and farming at Party Congress, while projecting nonchalance over sanctions
February 27, 2026
At Party Congress, Kim Jong Un buries Seoul’s hopes for inter-Korean thaw
North Korea’s new five-year plan leaves no space for reconciliation, turning the screws on Lee Jae Myung’s policies
February 26, 2026
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
February 26, 2026
Expert roundup: What the Ninth Party Congress revealed about North Korea’s plans
Analysts dissect Kim Jong Un’s message to the US, strategy for countering the South and missile-less military parade
February 26, 2026
Why North Korea all but ignored Russia ties at the Ninth Party Congress
Experts say DPRK wants to send message it achieved success on its own, even as it pushes to strengthen foreign alliances
February 26, 2026
