Defector Issues
Information related to North Korean defector issues
Ask A North Korean: Do North Koreans celebrate Western holidays?
A defector writes about her memories of festivities in the DPRK and her first experience of Valentine’s Day
Timeline: From North Korea’s ICBM launch to major year-end party plenum
NK Pro timeline charts the key events from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31
January 2, 2024
North Korea in December 2023: A month in review and what’s ahead
An analytical look at the main developments from December 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023
January 2, 2024
Ask a North Korean: Do North Koreans get tattoos?
Ink is common among older generations, but usually as a way to show loyalty rather than as a form of self-expression
From bad to worse: Charting the breakdown of inter-Korean ties in 2023
NK News recaps developments set to spill into next year, from unanswered hotlines and border risks to North Korean nukes
December 29, 2023
3 parades, 44 missiles, 64 flights: Numbers tell the story of North Korea’s 2023
Data sheds light on the year’s biggest developments, from leader appearances and wig trade to delegation visits and more
December 27, 2023
7 in 10 North Korean defectors struggle to make ends meet in Seoul, survey finds
Experts say prejudice and lack of support drive escapees’ economic difficulties, as their incomes lag behind ROK average
December 27, 2023
How North Korea’s diplomats navigate privilege and peril abroad
Staff at overseas missions enjoy more freedom than compatriots back home but must turn to illicit activities to survive
December 25, 2023
Ask a North Korean: Can children in the DPRK express their creativity?
David, who defected in 2012, writes about discovering the joys of self-expression through his work as a YouTuber
Lavish meals and North Korean human rights collide at Seoul’s glitzy conferences
Yoon has put human rights at center of inter-Korean policy, but activists voice unease about optics of glamorous events
December 22, 2023
