April 26, 2024

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James Fretwell

James Fretwell

James Fretwell is a writer based in Seoul, South Korea. He was an analyst at NK News, and he has often discussed the two Koreas in interviews on the BBC, ABC News Australia, Deutsche Welle and elsewhere.

Features

How the US and North Korea teamed up to fight a common enemy — pirates

A US destroyer answered a distress call from the DPRK’s Dai Hong Dan off the Somali coast 15 years ago

James FretwellJames FretwellNovember 1, 2022
Analysis

How a disputed sea border could trigger North and South Korea’s next big crisis

Recent artillery shootouts in the Yellow Sea harken back to deadly DPRK attacks on civilians and military in past

James FretwellJames FretwellOctober 24, 2022
Analysis

With artillery blitz, North Korea puts inter-Korean military deal in crosshairs

South Korea feels hamstrung by unilaterally adhering to deal, but scrapping it would increase the risk of conflict

James FretwellJames FretwellOctober 19, 2022
Analysis

Why China’s Party Congress is unlikely to deter North Korea from missile tests

Launches could disrupt benefactor’s big moment, but Beijing appears to be taking Pyongyang’s side on drills over US

James FretwellJames FretwellOctober 14, 2022
News

Pushing the envelope? Full Trump-Kim letters released but authenticity unclear

South Korean journal provides full text of letters for first time but tells NK News it has never seen original copies

Ethan JewellEthan Jewell | James FretwellOctober 7, 2022
Analysis

God save the Kims: How North Korea’s ruling regime came to love royal families

North Korea has criticized hereditary succession but is the only communist country to have done it twice

James FretwellJames FretwellSeptember 23, 2022
Analysis

North Korea finally wants vaccines. The question is where it will get them.

Inoculations are much needed but come too late for many who suffered through outbreak and under pandemic restrictions

James FretwellJames FretwellSeptember 12, 2022
Analysis

Yoon Suk-yeol’s plan to denuclearize North Korea isn’t so ‘audacious’ after all

Offers of aid will do little to persuade Kim Jong Un without security guarantees, something Seoul says it can’t provide

James FretwellJames FretwellAugust 17, 2022
Analysis

100,000 North Korean soldiers won’t fight in Ukraine. But a few dozen might.

The DPRK has deployed troops to foreign conflicts before, from the Vietnam War to the civil war in Syria

James FretwellJames FretwellAugust 12, 2022
Analysis

North Korea’s proclamation of COVID ‘victory’ only portends more suffering ahead

Kim regime focused on crafting propaganda wins rather than embracing solutions like vaccines that would help it open up

James FretwellJames FretwellAugust 11, 2022
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