Daily NK

North Korean donju convert apartments into duplexes to shelter wealth from state seizure

North Korean donju in Hyesan are converting stacked apartments into private duplexes and installing CCTV cameras.
The Diplomat

What is Happening to North Korea’s Jangmadang Free Markets?

For decades, the black market economy has been a lifeline for North Korean citizens. It enabled them to trade goods and services in ways that both ensured their survival while offering some a chance ...
Daily NK

North Korean street food finds market across the border in China

Ethnic Chinese traders in North Korea are selling Chongjin soy meat and fried tofu in China, boosting vendors amid a ...
UPI

A North Korean spring: evaluating the likelihood of political change in the hermit kingdom

Dec. 31 (UPI) --Executive director's note: This paper is extracted from Mathew Ha's ongoing Ph.D. research. Abstract This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the overall social and political ...
Human Rights Watch

North Korea: Unrelenting Repression, Hunger, Inequality

(Bangkok) –In 2025, the North Korean government increased surveillance, information controls, and restrictions on market activity despite deepening food insecurity and inequality, Human Rights Watch ...
The Diplomat

Assessing North Korea’s New Economic Five-Year Plan

In this photo provided by North Korean state media, Kim Jong Un gives a speech at the concluding session of the Ninth Party Congress, Feb. 24, 2026. Credit: KCNA North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress ...