North Korea News Podcast by NK News

Former U.S. Under Secretary of State Bonnie Jenkins joins North Korea Unpacked with Jacco Zwetsloot to discuss the growing gap between Washington’s denuclearization goals and North Korea’s expanding nuclear arsenal, the credibility of U.S. extended deterrence in South Korea and the prospects for renewed diplomacy between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. Jenkins explains why Washington remains unwilling to recognize North Korea as a nuclear-armed state despite Pyongyang’s insistence that its nuclear status is irreversible. She also explores whether interim arms control measures, such as a nuclear testing moratorium or international safety inspections, could offer a starting point for negotiations. The conversation then turns to growing doubts about U.S. security commitments in South Korea, the debate over Seoul developing its own nuclear weapons and the implications of North Korea’s deepening relationship with Russia.  Bonnie Jenkins is an American diplomat and arms control expert who served as U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She previously served as the State Department’s Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs and has worked for more than three decades on nuclear nonproliferation, disarmament and international security policy. About the podcast: North Korea Unpacked with Jacco Zwetsloot is a monthly long-form interview series from the NK News Podcast, featuring in-depth conversations with experts and specialists on North Korea. The regular weekly NK News Podcast, hosted by Alannah Hill, continues to cover the latest developments in the North Korea news cycle.

Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim joins the NK News Podcast this week to discuss Kim Jong Un’s surprise visit to China, the reopening of a long-delayed border bridge and escalating military tensions between North and South Korea. She explains why Kim’s unconventional one-day trip to Dandong signals a pragmatic approach to diplomacy focused on economic cooperation, and examines the significance of the newly opened Yalu River Bridge and what it could mean for bilateral trade. The conversation then turns to Kim Yo Jong’s recent visit to the inter-Korean border alongside senior military officials, and her threats to resume loudspeaker broadcasts toward South Korea. Kim discusses how Pyongyang is seeking to pressure Seoul into reducing warning shots that disrupt North Korean border construction, while increasingly lowering the threshold for military retaliation. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill 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.

Editor’s note: This interview was recorded in July 2026. Some references to recent events and political developments reflect the situation at the time of recording and may differ from subsequent developments. German political scientist Carlo Masala joins North Korea Unpacked with Jacco Zwetsloot to discuss his book “If Russia Wins: A Scenario,” why a Korean-style armistice may not provide a lasting solution to the war in Ukraine and what a Russian victory could mean for security on the Korean Peninsula. Masala explains why he believes the U.S. military presence has been central to maintaining deterrence in South Korea and how a withdrawal of American forces could change North Korea’s calculations. He also examines what Pyongyang is learning from Russia’s war in Ukraine, including the continued importance of troop numbers, electronic warfare and the vulnerabilities of technologically advanced militaries. The conversation then turns to the growing connections between European and Asian security, including the possibility of North Korea creating a crisis on the peninsula to divert attention from Russian or Chinese military operations elsewhere. Carlo Masala is a professor of international politics at the Bundeswehr University Munich, specializing in security policy, military strategy and international relations. About the podcast: North Korea Unpacked with Jacco Zwetsloot is a monthly long-form interview series from the NK News Podcast, featuring in-depth conversations with experts and specialists on North Korea. The regular weekly NK News Podcast, hosted by Alannah Hill, continues to cover the latest developments in the North Korea news cycle.

NK News Correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast this week to discuss his exclusive interview with Canada’s Chief of the Defense Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan on what North Korea is gaining from its military cooperation with Russia and how Canada could help South Korea prepare for emerging security threats. Park explains why North Korean troops’ growing battlefield experience in Ukraine is raising concerns among Canada and its allies, particularly as Pyongyang gains exposure to drone warfare and electronic warfare tactics. He explains Carignan’s view on how Canada could share lessons learned from training Ukrainian forces since 2015 and expand cooperation with South Korea on drones, automated systems and military exercises. The conversation then turns to North Korea’s cyber operations, including Carignan’s characterization of Pyongyang as effectively “at war” with multiple countries in cyberspace. Park discusses the challenges facing South Korea’s cyber defenses and why closer intelligence sharing between Ottawa and Seoul remains difficult despite recent agreements to strengthen their security partnership. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill 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.

Edward Goldring, senior lecturer in political science at the University of Melbourne and author of the new book “Purges: How Dictators Fight to Survive,” joins the podcast to discuss why authoritarian leaders remove senior officials and what those purges can reveal about political survival.  Goldring explains why a purge does not necessarily mean imprisonment or execution, defining it more broadly as the removal of an elite from a dictator’s inner circle. He argues that dictators generally purge elites for three main reasons: to consolidate power, punish disloyalty or scapegoat officials when leaders face pressure from below.  The conversation also looks at the reported execution of economic official Pak Nam Gi after the failed 2009 currency reform and the 2013 purge of Jang Song Thaek. Goldring discusses why dramatic purges are not always signs of strength, arguing that leaders often use them when they are still relatively weak and trying to consolidate power, and explores whether purges can actually prevent coups. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Alannah Hill 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.