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Interview with Sokeel Park, director of a research and strategy group that aids refugees from North Korea, sheds light on the lives of ordinary North Koreans. He illuminates that North Korea is becoming increasingly more capitalistic in an attempt to lessen their isolation; however, this is all happening under the nose of the North Korean government. Correction: North Korea becomes increasingly capitalistic out of necessity: occurred because the North Korean economy was failing -- North Koreans needed food so they smuggled it into the country. As a result, the North Koreans became less isolated from the outside world. A decrease in isolationism and an increase in capitalism happened independently. -thanks miles

I think that the previous comment seems to make assumptions that were not made in the actual article. The article says that due to an economic collapse, some North Koreans have been becoming more capitalistic while simultaneously they have been exposed to more out side media making them less isolated. The previous comment seems to make it seem that the increased capitalism leads to this increased isolation, which is making a inference not stated or explored in the article.

With all the focus on North Korean Politics and threats it is interesting to hear about culture and day to day life. With spreading capitalism and western influence in the millennial generation, it gives me hope that there could be change from within North Korea. Granted, the article mentions that no organized resistance exists but I believe it starts with the culture and the proliferation of ideas.

TOKYO - Government officials from Japan and North Korea held their first talks in four years on Wednesday, amid hopes that the North's new leader could be trying to reduce tensions with Japan and by extension, the United States.

I find both North Korea's political and social situations fascinating. Kim Jong-Un succeeded his father Kim Jong-Il as the "Supreme Leader of North Korea" in December of 2011, and less than a year later seems to be considering solidifying economic ties with other countries. North Korea has been notorious for its isolationism thus its miraculous that the government is willing to begin talks. It will be interesting to see what will happen In Communist North Korea as Cuba (also Communist) becomes open to US travelers for the first time in decades as long as they are with an educational group.

Let's talk about what we know about North Korea's new leader--hopeful or scary?

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for a major political which he is expected to address his increasingly tense relations with Washington and Seoul over the expansion of his nuclear and missile programs. North Korea has ramped up missile testing to a record pace this year, exploiting a divide in the United Nations Security Council by Russia's war on Ukraine. But Kim has also been struggling to improve a dysfunctional and heavily sanctioned economy made worse by pandemic border closures in recent years, an issue he may also address during the meeting at the years end.

"improve a dysfunctional and heavily sanctioned economy. . . "? we know so little about what goes on inside North Korea, but it seems pretty functionally totalitarian. See this article from 2018: https://www.npr.org/2018/10/01/652037944/photos-inside-a-north-korea-that-is-changing-but-at-its-own-pace

This is a great follow up to our discussion in class about how closed off NK might or might not be. Can any country actually maintain a wall that is impermeable to information? This suggests not. Good find, Catherine! Quotes follow: "Conventional wisdom holds that the people of North Korea are trapped in a world of rigid conformity, totalitarian discipline and complete isolation from the rest of the world. But increasingly another picture is emerging: North Koreans are far more aware of the outside world, according to evidence provided by North Korean refugees, South Korean humanitarian aid workers, Chinese traders and others. "One of the most underrated realities about North Korea is its very dynamic relationship with China, and the amount of information that flows across that border. Students; business people; it's a continuous stream of traffic," he says. With that traffic come thousands of DVDs, CDs, cellular telephones, used computers and videotapes - many of them from China and South Korea."

"NPR journalists Mary Louise Kelly and Becky Sullivan and freelance photographer David Guttenfelder were among the some 150 foreign reporters who visited North Korea last month, at the invitation of the government, to cover celebrations commemorating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Guttenfelder has taken nearly 40 reporting trips to the isolated country since 2000."

The state run public distribution system collapsed in North Korea in the 90s, forcing people to work in informal markets such as bribery. Right now, reporters asses that bribery (typically to state officials) seems to be the number one way that people are accessing their food, healthcare, shelter, and work. Due to the constant threat of possible arrest, some state officials are able to extort extra money and favors as well. Women are also being found to be more vulnerable to abuse, brokers, and traffickers.

I'm not surprised at the amount of corruption that has been uncovered. I'm mainly interested in how they are able to control the public image of the government so well. I'd like to know more about how the information about all of the North Korean government's shortcomings is kept under wraps.

See this article from 2018: "Inside A North Korea That Is Changing - But At Its Own Pace" NPR https://www.npr.org/2018/10/01/652037944/photos-inside-a-north-korea-that-is-changing-but-at-its-own-pace

North Korea continues their nuclear tests, despite other countries efforts to stop them

article details widespread starvation in north Korea. It is apparently far worse than I imagined. Many people are dying and many familys live on one meal a day. Sources come from North Koreans who have recently escaped (only real source of news from within North Korea).

"(CNN)The U.N. Security Council is set to implement "significant" punitive measures after North Korea's nuclear test and will begin working on a new resolution "immediately," a statement released by Security Council President Elbio Rosselli says. "

"Hong Kong (CNN)As world powers work to verify North Korea's claims that it has tested a hydrogen bomb, others are asking what the country's only real ally -- China -- will do. "

North Korea successfully conducted a launch of new long-range cruise missiles heating up the arms race on the Korean Peninsula. While ballistic missile launches are banned for North Korea by the UN, the firing of cruise missiles is not.

The article points out how North Korea (often perceived as an aggressor in Asia) has taken on a more cooperative role in international affairs. The focus on economic modernization, coupled with the end to planned nuclear testing signals a departure from Kim-Jong-Il's isolationism.

KERFUFFLES between the Koreas tend to involve few surprises. The latest military spat between the democratic South and the despotic North ended on August 25th after 43 hours of talks concluded with an agreement to have more. The truce bound North Korea to hardly anything.

The results of this leadership conference is positive, an improvement in relations between the North and South Koreas could be achieved.

A member of the Politburo Standing Committee, Li Zhanshu, will visit Pyongyang this week to participate in national celebrations. President Xi is likely not participating to avoid tension with the US.

Interesting response by France regarding Trumps speech and idea to "totally destroy" North Korea.

While more children are being schooled and the literacy rate is rising, MENA schools are not sufficiently preparing their students for work, especially considering the GDPs of these countries and the percent of these GDPs they are spending on education.

World leaders have reacted with anger after North Korea carried out its fifth and reportedly biggest nuclear test. The South accused the North's leader Kim Jong-un of "maniacal recklessness". China "firmly opposed" the test, Japan "protested adamantly" and the US warned of "serious consequences".

Swiss aristocrat founds boarding school for child brides in North Indian villages so that they may finish their high school education before being sent to their husbands.