North Korea News Podcast by NK News

This week, NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin opens the episode with a roundup of recent developments on the Korean Peninsula, including the resumption of China-North Korea passenger rail service and plans to restart flights. He also touches on the DPRK’s weekend test of multiple launch rocket systems, as well as how Russian media is portraying the North’s involvement in the Ukraine war.  missile launches, such as the tests of long-range multiple launch rocket systems, as well as the regime’s growing ties with Russia, including how the DPRK’s involvement in the Ukraine war is being portrayed by Russian media. In the second half of the episode, Peter Ward discusses his latest research on North Korea’s legal system and expanding crackdowns on a range of “unsocialist activities.” He explains how the regime balances enforcement and tolerance in the economic sphere while tightening control over information and ideology. The interview also explores broader trends under leader Kim Jong Un, including shifts in elite politics, the evolution of North Korea’s nuclear strategy and the outcome of the recent Ninth Party Congress. Peter Ward is a research fellow at the Sejong Institute. His work focuses on North Korean politics, the economy and society. He has a Ph.D. from the University of Vienna. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy and Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) Executive Director Hanna Song join this week’s episode of the NK News Podcast.  The news roundup begins with the sudden cancellation of the Pyongyang International Marathon, before turning to Seoul’s move to adopt a new term for North Korean-born residents in the South, and the Unification Ministry’s renewed push for a peace declaration and a broader “peace regime.” In the latter part of the episode, Hanna delves into NKDB’s newly released report “The Machinery Behind the Forced Repatriation of North Koreans in China,” and explains why forced repatriation remains one of the most persistent human rights concerns facing North Korean escapees. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

International security expert Ankit Panda joins the podcast this week to unpack the latest U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran and what they could mean for North Korea’s deterrence thinking. The conversation covers what does and doesn’t translate to the Korean Peninsula: the impact of geography and escalation dynamics, why saturation tactics and interceptor “magazine depth” matter and the contrast between Iran’s threshold posture and North Korea’s workable nuclear deterrent. He also discusses the new five-year military plan that Kim Jong Un outlined at the Ninth Party Congress, highlighting the significance of the DPRK’s emphasis on counterspace capabilities and raising questions about its anti-satellite options. Ankit Panda is the Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

In this special roundtable edition of the NK News podcast, the team sits down to discuss the results of North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress, the messaging behind the latest parade in Pyongyang and what leadership reshuffles may signal for the country’s domestic and foreign policy direction.  The panel explores why this congress focused less on major course corrections and more on reinforcing Kim Jong Un’s leadership, embedding his priorities more deeply in party structures  and and strengthening elite discipline. They also discuss how North Korea further hardened its stance toward South Korea, and scrutinize the congress’s relatively vague language on future weapons development. Featured in this episode are:  Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim  NK News Senior Analytical Correspondent Colin Zwirko  NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

NK News Correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to discuss the ongoing Ninth Party Congress, which kicked off last week in Pyongyang The conversation breaks down key developments from the congress so far, including Kim Jong Un’s reappointment as general secretary of the Workers’ Party, the promotion of younger loyal cadres and the sidelining of several senior military and party officials.  He also discusses Kim Yo Jong’s new but unspecified director role, the lack of major foreign policy announcements and continued emphasis on domestic economic goals tied to a new five-year plan.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

North Korea media and tech specialist Martyn Williams joins this week’s episode to discuss his trips to the inter-Korean border with NK News CEO Chad O’Carroll, which have explored how technology is reshaping control and communication in the DPRK. The conversation covers smartphones and digital infrastructure inside North Korea, including how mobile technology has expanded rapidly since the pandemic. He discusses the growing number of domestic smartphone brands, hundreds of state-approved apps and the broader 4G rollout across much of the country.  Williams also examines a North Korean health app offering telemedicine features and medicine delivery, illustrating how digital tools serve both convenience and surveillance. Martyn Williams is a senior fellow for the Stimson Center’s Korea Program and 38 North. His primary interests are in North Korea’s technology, infrastructure, broadcasting system and propaganda. He previously appeared on episode 149 of the NK News podcast. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Alec Zebrick of blockchain analytics company Chainalysis joins this week’s episode to break down how North Korea-linked actors are upgrading their tactics to steal cryptocurrency, why 2025 was a record year for large-scale hacks and what can be done to reduce risk. The expert explores the shift in North Korean operations toward fewer but much larger targets, as exemplified by the outsized impact of the DPRK’s Bybit heist last year. He places this in the context of state-backed actors’ preference for “high-impact” operations over the “spray-and-pray” model common among non-state cybercriminals. The discussion also covers how attack methods have evolved beyond basic phishing, as well as the continuing importance of sanctions and cross-border intelligence-sharing for stopping cybercrime. Alec Zebrick is senior manager, global services at Chainalysis. He is based in South Korea, where he leads cryptocurrency investigations for public and private clients. A former U.S. detective and secret service task force officer, he is a subject-matter expert on North Korea’s crypto operations, has investigated major DPRK-linked hacks and has briefed the U.N. Security Council. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

In this episode, NK News Deputy Managing Editor David Choi and Senior Analytical Correspondent Colin Zwirko discuss newly released U.S. Justice Department files that show the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein explored possible business opportunities in North Korea. The conversation then shifts to the two North Korean prisoners of war currently held in Ukraine, including the diplomatic and legal complexity around any transfer to South Korea and the likelihood that their status could become part of a wider Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange. They conclude by discussing North Korea’s announcement that it will hold the Ninth Party Congress in late February, as well as the latest on preparations for the event in Pyongyang. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Lee Sang-sin of the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) returns to the podcast to discuss the results of the think tank’s annual survey, which found for the first time ever that less than half of South Korean adults think that unification with North Korea is necessary. The expert discusses how Seoul’s broad unification framework has remained largely consistent across administrations and explains KINU’s role as a think tank under the prime minister’s office, which allows it to support the Ministry of Unification while maintaining independence. The conversation then turns to North Korea’s rejection of unification and dialogue and KINU’s expanded global surveys, which show stark differences in how foreign publics view the two Koreas. Dr. Lee Sang-sin is a senior research fellow and polling expert at the Korea Institute for National Unification. He last appeared on episode 74 of the NK News podcast in June 2019.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy joins this week’s episode to discuss the formal preparations for the upcoming Ninth Party Congress, including meetings where the Central Committee has elected delegates and observers, and what signs to watch for as Pyongyang moves closer to announcing an official schedule.  He also talks about recent diplomatic activity in Pyongyang, focusing on Iran’s appointment of a new resident ambassador, and explains why the timing matters, Iran’s longstanding ties with both Korean capitals and the possibility that Tehran has also dispatched a military attaché. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

In this episode, Agence France-Presse (AFP) global news editor Roland de Courson joins the podcast to discuss his photo-and-essay project — K-Scar — documenting life, memory and tourism along the inter-Korean border.  De Courson explains why he describes the border as a “scar” and reflects on how indifference, curiosity and commercialized “dark tourism” shape the way people experience the DMZ and nearby frontline sites. The conversation moves from observatories and curated attractions to quieter human stories, such as aging refugees and communities living inside civilian control zones. He also discusses how art, everyday life and even a Starbucks overlooking North Korea reveal the normalization and contradictions of the border.  Roland de Courson is a French journalist born in Madrid. He started his career in Canada and joined AFP in 1994. He is currently a global news editor in Seoul. For over two years, Roland traveled along the inter-Korean border to document his K-Scar project, which can be found online here.  About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

NK News CEO Chad O’Carroll joins the podcast this week to discuss why the Workers’ Party of Korea still hasn’t held its Ninth Congress, the lack of typical pre-event mobilization campaigns and what satellite imagery of parade preparations suggests about a possible timeline. The episode then turns to leadership dynamics in Pyongyang, including Kim Jong Un’s dismissal of a senior official during an on-the-spot inspection, before turning to revelations about both North and South Korea’s influence operations targeting a human rights advocate. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Dr. Ria Roy, a scholar of modern Korea and East Asian history, joins the podcast to discuss the differences in language between the two Koreas, including contrasts in linguistic and ideological correctness. She examines the Soviet Union’s influence on the Korean language in the DPRK and the importance of conveying information with the right tone. She also explores the use of profanity on North Korean state TV and why announcers often refer to specific groups of people in bespoke ways — whether using a motherly tone when discussing children or pausing before the name of leaders. Roy is a Kleinheinz Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and the author of the article “The Sacred Text and the Language of the Leader: ‘Cultured Language’ and the Rhetorical Turn in North Korea.” About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

This week, NK News Senior Analytic Correspondent Colin Zwirko delves into the large-scale conference marking the 80th anniversary of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, attended by Kim Jong Un.  He then turns to signals surrounding the timing of the upcoming Ninth Party Congress, as well as expectations for announcements on long-term economic planning, weapons development and broader strategic priorities, potentially including inter-Korean relations. Finally, Zwiro discusses new satellite imagery showing the demolition and reconstruction of a prison facility in Sariwon, the latest in a series of detention sites undergoing similar changes since 2023. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

North Korea is closely watching the situation in Venezuela after the U.S. captured President Nicolás Maduro, shaking up one of Pyongyang’s few political friendships in the Western Hemisphere. In this episode, Gabriela Bernal and Camilo Aguirre Torrini delve into what happened in Venezuela, how North Korea has reacted in state media and what lessons Kim Jong Un may be drawing. The guests discuss why the DPRK-Venezuela relationship has been more symbolic than substantial, how sanctions and a shared anti-American ideology have shaped ties and what the future could look like if Caracas shifts further under U.S. influence. Dr. Gabriela Bernal is a North Korea analyst and non-resident fellow at the European Centre for North Korean Studies who writes on Pyongyang’s external relations and information strategy. She recently wrote an analysis for NK Pro titled “Where North Korea-Venezuela ties stand after Nicolás Maduro’s downfall.” Dr. Camilo Aguirre Torrini is a researcher whose work traces DPRK-Latin America ties and sanctions-era politics. He previously wrote a piece for 38 North titled “Can Venezuela and the DPRK Wipe the Slate Clean and Make a Fresh Start?” About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

This week, NK News correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to discuss North Korea’s new allegations that Seoul sent unmanned aerial vehicles to surveil military and other sensitive sites in Sept. 2025 and Jan. 2026. He explains the specifics of Pyongyang’s claims and the photos it released of the alleged drones, as well as South Korea’s swift denial of involvement. He also digs into Kim Yo Jong’s threat to send “civilian” drones into ROK airspace and North Korea’s history of following through on her bellicose statement. The discussion then turns to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s recent summit with President Xi Jinping of China, where the two leaders agreed to work toward restarting talks with the DPRK but made no mention of denuclearization. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

This week’s podcast features a panel discussion with NK News journalists on what to expect from North Korea in the year ahead, taking stock of what they got right about 2025 and making new predictions for 2026. The panelists discuss why DPRK leader Kim Jong Un doubled down on military development last year but didn’t end up meeting U.S. President Donald Trump. They then explain why Pyongyang will continue to bet on Russia ties in the new year but will still hedge by returning to talks with Washington. The discussion also covers the possibility that North Korea will push for nuclear energy in 2026, as well as black-swan events like missile launch disasters and information security breaches that could cause major disruptions to Pyongyang’s plans. This episode features the following members of the NK News team: Chad O’Carroll — CEO of Korea Risk Group Jeongmin Kim — Executive Director at Korea Risk Group Colin Zwirko — Senior Analytic Correspondent Shreyas Reddy — Lead Correspondent Anton Sokolin — Data Correspondent About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

This week’s podcast starts by discussing the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend and its implications for North Korea and its leader. NK News correspondent Shreyas Reddy then speaks about Pyongyang’s condemnation of the U.S. attack on its longtime ally, accusing Washington of attempting to exercise dominion over the world. He also explains why North Korea will be closely watching the U.S.’s next steps, as well as why Kim Jong Un may not be sweating a similar operation against him thanks to his ace in the hole — nuclear weapons. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.

Yong Ja Hong, a PhD candidate studying North Korean society, culture and media at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, joins the podcast to discuss the history of sports in North Korea, even before the peninsula was separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. She recalls North Korean athletes who competed on the international stage, including a track star who was briefly reunited with her South Korean father, and sheds light on how modern sports made its way into the peninsula. Hong, an NK News contributor, also talks about how basketball’s popularity took off suddenly throughout the country during Kim Jong Il’s rule and how baseball never found solid footing amongst the people. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

This week, Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim kicks off the podcast by discussing North Korea’s upcoming plans for New Year’s Day, including the possibility of a special message from leader Kim Jong Un. NK News’ Kim discusses how the DPRK leader has retreated from the tradition of delivering a dedicated New Year’s Day speech over the years, instead opting to publish personal letters to the people in the party daily or lay out his annual priorities in remarks at end-of-year party plenums. The discussion also covers North Korea’s unveiling of a purported 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine, which state media described on Christmas Day as a necessary deterrent against a nuclear submarine that the South plans to build. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insights from our very own journalists.