Kim Jong-Un propaganda said to fall flat with North Korean youth

Kim Jong-Un propaganda said to fall flat with North Korean youth

Special to WorldTribune.com North Korea’s young leader appears to have a popularity problem with the country’s young residents. According to a report in the Daily NK, North Korean students “do not even consider Kim Jong-Un to be a real leader.” The report said that previous generations of schoolchildren had looked at Pyongyang’s leaders as though […]

U.S. troops mobilize near Korea’s DMZ as Kim declares ‘quasi state of war’

U.S. troops mobilize near Korea’s DMZ as Kim declares ‘quasi state of war’

Special to WorldTribune.com As North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un declared on Aug. 21 that Pyongyang was in a “quasi-state of war,” U.S. troops were seen mobilizing at a South Korean border town. “The Korean People’s Army (KPA) front-line large combined units entered into a wartime state all at once, fully armed to launch surprise operations, […]

U.S. markets Iran diplomacy in Pyongyang’s backyard: Deal ‘demonstrates our flexibility…’

U.S. markets Iran diplomacy in Pyongyang’s backyard: Deal ‘demonstrates our flexibility…’

Special to WorldTribune.com The United States proved with the recently-concluded Iran nuclear agreement that it is willing and able to be flexible on such talks, including with North Korea, a U.S. envoy said. During a visit to Seoul, South Korea on July 27, Sydney Seiler, special envoy for the now-defunct six-party talks on ending the […]

Kim Jong-Un ordered execution of farmer for turtle deaths, failure to breed lobsters

Kim Jong-Un ordered execution of farmer for turtle deaths, failure to breed lobsters

Special to WorldTribune.com North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, reportedly infuriated by what he saw during a tour of a terrapin farm near Pyongyang, is said to have ordered the manager of the farm shot to death. Sources told the Daily NK website that Kim ordered that the manager of the Taedonggang terrapin farm be executed […]

Russia’s ruble agreement gives it access to N. Korean resources, punishes U.S.

Russia’s ruble agreement gives it access to N. Korean resources, punishes U.S.

Special to WorldTribune.com By Lee Jong-Heon, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — The recent agreement between Russia and North Korea to use the rubles in all their bilateral trade has raised concerns that it would help Pyongyang dodge U.S-led international sanctions, government officials and analysts here say. In a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation […]

N. Korea failed to warn commercial airliners before firing dozens of missiles over Sea of Japan

N. Korea failed to warn commercial airliners before firing dozens of missiles over Sea of Japan

Special to WorldTribune.com East-Asia-Intel.com At least 25 short range missiles were fired on March 16 some 45 miles into the Sea of Japan from the North Korean coastal region. These firings were launched in three batches, South Korea’s defense minister said. Ten missiles were launched in the early evening. Eight more were fired around 8 […]

N. Korea announces land reforms resembling China’s in bid to ease urban food shortages

N. Korea announces land reforms resembling China’s in bid to ease urban food shortages

Special to WorldTribune.com By Lee Jong-Heon, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — North Korea has begun parceling out state-owned farmland to city laborers to address chronic food shortages in urban areas, sources here said. “The North has started to lend cooperative farmland to city workers since mid-May in an attempt to ease acute food shortage problems for urban citizens,” said […]

Report: Chinese military seeks downgrading of ’61 defense pact with N. Korea

Report: Chinese military seeks downgrading of ’61 defense pact with N. Korea

Special to WorldTribune.com By Lee Jong-Heon, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — Senior Chinese military officials have begun calling for the downgrading of military ties with North Korea arguing that Pyongyang should be seen more as a “burden” than an ally, officials here said. According to South Korea’s leading newspaper Chosun Ilbo, some Chinese military leaders have called for the […]

Calling N. Korea’s hand: Decades after Hiroshima, proliferation threat becomes real

Calling N. Korea’s hand: Decades after Hiroshima, proliferation threat becomes real

Sol W. Sanders   A bitter and unresolved struggle behind the scenes for control of North Korea, the world’s most regressive regime, is the likeliest explanation for Pyongyang’s unprecedented deluge of threats against South Korea, the U.S. and Japan. For heavy hangs the head of Kim Jong-Un, heir to the world’s only Communist monarchy, a […]

Inside man on North Korea works to keep lines of communication open

Inside man on North Korea works to keep lines of communication open

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com A dazzling array of manipulators and operators, swindlers and do-gooders and odd-balls parade across the stage of the Asian drama, some long enough for star billing, others relegated to bit roles, maybe 15 minutes or less of fame, before fading into obscurity. Get to know them a little, […]