Economic development in North Korea remains stalled in the present day; amid factors conducive to further contraction such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy continues to struggle. In this commentary, Junghwan Lee, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Seoul National University, emphasizes the importance of inte...

Once unyielding, Japan’s stance towards North Korea has shifted towards one that is more open for dialogue. However, issues such as North Korea’s abduction of Japanese citizens remain unsolved until today. Dr. Kitae Lee, Director of Peace Research at the Korea Institute for National Unification, states that the most important factor for the imp...

While it may come as a surprise to foreigners unfamiliar with the topic of design in North Korea, North Korea has in fact cultivated its own long heritage of industrial designers who design a variety of items, ranging from stamps to brand logos. According to Hee Sun Choi, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Design at Chung-Ang University Graduat...

Sports have long been a means of amicable cooperation between the two Koreas. Although North Korea withdrew from participating in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, it had been stated in the 2018 Pyongyang Joint Declaration that two Koreas will strive to cooperate in sports competitions such as the Olympic Games and cooperate in bidding to co-host the 2032 S...

Minjok has historically referred to a group that shared history, culture, and the same ancestors that have founded the country. Upon the liberation of the Korean peninsula, Korea strived to rebuild Minjok Culture, so that it could unite the nation and remove pro-Japanese remnants and traces of feudalism. However, according to Dr. ...

How is division, in a divided country like Korea, manifest in the field of literature? Examining the history of division in the concept of national literature, this Special Report delves into the differences between the perception and forms of literature in the two Koreas and the importance of studies in this field. According to Kim Seong-su, Profe...

Art represents the times in various forms and creats tension with the reality by addressing the nature of problems in it. Then, what about North Korean art? Dr. Hong Ji-seok says that North Korean art has combined socialist content and national form, which led to the Juche (Self-Reliance) Realism, and given birth to the Joseon-pai...

North Korea refers to their music as Juche ("self-reliance") music, utilizing it as a critical tool for propagating their regime and mobilizing the public. This issue examines the origin and formation of Juche music through the analysis of Dr. Ihn-gyo Bae, who takes a conceptual and historical approach to Korean music. <...

The second July Global NK commentary, Global NK offers another analysis on the North Korea-China relations. According to Dr. Lee Sang-sook, North Korea and China use the Treaty of Friendship to deter South Korea and the U.S. from unilaterally solving problems on the Korean Peninsula. Although tension and conflicts will always exist in North Korea-C...

The development of technology not only provides convenience in life, but also has a great impact on politics and society. This Research Review introduces the unique and noteworthy study on North Korea by Dr. Eunsung Cho. In her project, Dr. Cho explores the intersection of nationalism, technology, and everyday life through a material named Vinalon....