[학술논문] Economic Experimentation under Authoritarian Closure: Urban and Social Transformation in North Korea’s Rason SEZ

...downtown Rason, while building density continued to rise in the city center and its surrounding areas. Regression analysis indicates that trade volume, targeted sanctions on specific goods, and the COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced the SEZ’s development, with trade with China exerting the most substantial effect. The interview findings corroborate the satellite data and highlight concrete spatial...

[학술논문] Changes in North Korean Broadcasting: A Time-Series Analysis of Program Genres on Korean Central Television

... following the COVID-19 pandemic, current affairs programs increased sharply, ranking either first or third overall. In terms of total airtime, films naturally occupied the top position due to their longer duration, but since 2020, after the outbreak of COVID-19, news and compilation programs have overtaken films as the leading categories. These results demonstrate that the North Korean authorities...

[학술논문] Sub-regional Cooperation and Unbalanced Municipal Development in the Northern East Sea Rim: A Comparative Study of Triangle Cities on Tumen River Delta*

...sanctions on North Korea and Russia and the outbreak of COVID-19 has had an unparalleled impact on the triangle of sub-regional cooperation on the Tumen River delta. Recently the war between Russia and Ukraine has yielded security expenses and economic opportunities for China and North Korea as Russia and China and/or Russia and North Korea get close together. Even so, Rasun in North Korea still seems...

[학술논문] Key Features and Controversies of the COVID-19 Epidemic and Response in North Korea

...of deaths, 3) the reason for refusing to provide vaccines to the COVAX facility, and 4) the success of North Korea’s COVID-19 response. Conclusion: Identifying North Korea’s response, outcomes, and key controversies to the COVID-19 epidemic can provide important information not only for North Korea but also for countries with similar political and economic situations and the international community...

[학위논문] 북한당국의 인민반 기능 활용 변화상 연구 : 통제와 협력의 이중 전략

...construction projects to achieve a strong socialist state. During hardships caused by international sanctions, they played a critical role in resource mobilization to promote self-reliance. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Inminban leaders supervised lockdowns and quarantine efforts, becoming central to maintaining stability. Communal activities included caring for war veterans and promoting mutual aid among...

[해외] How North Korea Won: The Strange Triumph of Kim Jong Un

...the festive affair that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wanted it to be. Despite the fireworks, military flyover, and procession of new intercontinental missiles, Kim appeared to wipe away tears when he approached the lectern and apologized to the crowd: “My efforts and sincerity have not been sufficient enough to rid our people of the difficulties in their lives.” The COVID-19 pandemic had been tough...

[해외] A New Look at North Korea’s Economic Redistribution During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Evidence from nighttime satellite imagery indicates that the distribution of economic activity in North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK) shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic’s critical phase. The Kim regime appears to have redistributed economic activity by insulating Pyongyang, expanding agricultural production, and increasing activity in districts with nuclear and chemical facilities...

[국내] 북한의 코로나-19 방역, 김정은 그리고 ‘계몽군주’

코로나-19의 전 세계적 확산은 전염병 발발 1년이 지난 지금도 그 기세가 꺾이지 않고 있다. 비록 영국과 미국에서 백신 접종이 시작되었다는 희소식과 치료약 개발이 임박했다는 소식이 들려오지만, 여전히 코로나 바이러스의 종식까지는 상당한 시일과 고통스런 나날이 전망된다. 특히 북한의 상황은 더욱 우울할 수밖에 없다. ‘백신 민족주의’가 예견되는 상황에서 팬데믹의 피해 또한 불균등하게 지속될 것이기 때문이다. 이런 점에서 북한은 코로나 바이러스 발발 직후부터 방역에 총력전을 펼쳐왔다고 해도 과언이 아니다. 중국 우한을 중심으로 코로나 바이러스가 확산되던 1월 말 북한은 재빨리 국가비상방역체계를 선포하면서 중국과의 국경 폐쇄도 선제적으로 단행했다. 2월 북한 당국은 공식적으론 한 명의 코로나-19 감염자도 없다고...

[국내] 북한의 '간부혁명' 추진 동향 및 시사점

...will be extreme resistance from cadres. North Korea’s advocacy of the Cadre Revolution appears to have been intended to strengthen human capacity to overcome economic difficulties by strengthening cadre discipline and reorganizing the cadre staff amid the worsening policy implementation environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From June 2024, North Korea seems to be emphasizing the Cadre Revolution...

[국내] 포스트 코로나 시기 북.중 경제 관계 전망 및 한반도 정세에 미치는 영향

...폭등해야 하지만 오히려 하락하고 있다. 반대로 원화 강세 현상이 나타나고 있다. The COVID pandemic has significantly heightened the economic problems facing the North Korean economy as there is a saying that “COVID is the real sanction.” This is a global phenomenon, not limited to North Korea. North Korea responded to COVID-19 through a border blockade, but as a result, North Korea’s trade with China plunged by more than 80%. In general...