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Donald Trump’s return to the White House has dramatically reshaped Washington in just two short months, including the world of North Korea policy. But while many in the U.S. expect that Trump will return to the unfinished business of diplomacy with Kim Jong Un, few in the Beltway are willing to speak openly about the new administration’s policies or how the U.S. should approach the DPRK — apparently fearful of drawing Trump’s wrath. That’s the conclusion that several members of the NK News team drew after visiting the U.S. last week, where they had dozens of discussions with interlocutors across the U.S. government, nonprofit sector, think tanks and more. This week, three NK News journalists join the podcast to discuss their trip to New York and Washington and the unprecedented turbulence affecting the North Korea watcher community. They talk about how the administration still appears to be in “listening mode” on DPRK issues, why Pyongyang isn’t at the top of Trump’s priorities right now and what would need to happen for that to change. They also explore what their interlocutors in the U.S. wanted to know about the ongoing political chaos in South Korea, and explain why few are impressed with the current state of the U.S.-ROK alliance. This week’s podcast features the following members of the NK News team: CEO Chad O’Carroll Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy Correspondent and Korea Pro Editorial Director Jeongmin Kim 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 subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.
Russian security chief Sergei Shoigu made a surprise visit to Pyongyang on Friday to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, a trip that came as DPRK troops fight against Ukraine and the U.S. pushes peace talks to end the war. This week, NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin joins the podcast to discuss what we know about Shoigu’s brief visit and whether Kim Jong Un will attend a large-scale military parade in Moscow in May. He also talks about North Korea’s recent test of an upgraded missile defense system and Ukraine’s claim that it destroyed three DPRK self-propelled guns in Russia’s Kursk region. 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.
A White House order suspending funding for U.S. foreign assistance programs has precipitated an existential crisis for North Korean human rights organizations, likely forcing some to shutter entirely and raising concerns about other DPRK-related initiatives that rely on U.S. government support. This week, three women working in the field — Yoonhee Kim, Joanna Hosaniak and Hanna Song — join the podcast to delve into the impact of these funding cuts on NGOs, their operations and the future of human rights advocacy on North Korea. This episode features: Yoonhee Kim, program director at the National Democratic Institute Joanna Hosaniak, deputy director general of the Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights Hanna Song, executive director of the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights 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 subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.
North Korean troops have played a pivotal role in Russia’s successful counteroffensive in Kursk, shaping the lay of the land for peace negotiations and setting up a potential expansion of the DPRK’s role. NK News Managing Editor Bryan Betts joins the podcast to discuss the latest developments from the war in Ukraine and how North Korea’s participation could factor into talks. He also explores the potential impact of Trump’s move to dismantle Voice of America and Radio Free Asia on efforts to spread information to North Koreans, and the curious case of a U.S. fitness-tracking app that banned users who traveled to the DPRK. 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.
Many prominent North Korean defectors who have resettled in South Korea are known for their alignment with conservative political causes, such as the former DPRK diplomat Tae Yong-ho, activist Yeonmi Park and defector lawmaker Park Choong-kwon. But author and political commentator Joh Kyeongil has built his reputation as a defector who supports progressive stances, advocating for peace-building efforts and criticizing activist tactics like leaflet balloons. This week, Joh joins the podcast to discuss his work fostering discussion about the DPRK and how he seeks to bridge the gap between the Koreas, as well as to share about the three attempts it took him to escape North Korea. Joh Kyeongil is the founder of the Peace Agora YouTube channel and the author of "To Aoji: The Country of a Boy Who Escaped from North Korea Three Times.” He fled the DPRK as a teenager. 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 subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.
D-day is rapidly approaching for South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, with the Constitutional Court expected to rule on whether to uphold his impeachment in the next week. Whatever the court decides, it will have profound implications for not just domestic politics but also North Korea policy and peninsula security. To better understand what’s on the horizon, NK Pro recently hosted a discussion with two experts on the Koreas: Andrei Lankov, a leading authority on North Korean studies, and Jumin Lee, a U.S.-based attorney and contributing analyst at Korea Pro. The experts explore a wide range of possible scenarios, from what a Lee Jae-myung presidency would look like to how North Korea would respond to the political chaos that would unfold if Yoon returns to power. Andrei Lankov is a director at NK News and writes for the site as one of the world's leading authorities on North Korea. He is also a professor at Kookmin University. Jumin Lee is a native South Korean and a U.S. trial lawyer practicing at Los Angeles-based law firm Bird Marella. He is a contributing analyst at Korea Pro, where he provides analysis on legal and political issues, and his commentary has also been featured in domestic and international outlets. He is the author of “Why Anti-Discrimination Law?,” a book that examines proposals for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation in South Korea. This podcast was originally recorded at a Korea Risk Group event in Seoul on March 5, 2025. Jeongmin Kim, editorial director at Korea Pro and correspondent at NK News, moderated the discussion. 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.
North Korea launched “multiple unidentified ballistic missiles” toward the Yellow Sea on Monday afternoon, according to the South Korean military, hours after the U.S. and ROK kicked off large-scale springtime joint exercises. NK News Deputy Managing Editor Alannah Hill discusses the DPRK’s criticism of the U.S.-ROK Freedom Shield exercise as an “aggressive and confrontational war rehearsal.” She also talks about the ROK air force mishap that dropped bombs on a civilian area, Kim Jong Un’s inspection of the country’s first nuclear-powered missile submarine and the closure of Rason less than three weeks after its opening to non-Russian visitors. 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.
In this episode, Russian scholar and former diplomat Georgy Toloraya offers his view on the evolving dynamic between Moscow and Pyongyang, exploring how economic cooperation, military ties and geopolitical circumstances are bringing the two closer together. He talks about why this relationship is not just a marriage of convenience but rather a convergence of values, with both sides aiming to change the current world order. He also discusses the dissolution of the U.N. Panel of Experts monitoring North Korea sanctions, on which he served, and its impact on future sanctions enforcement. Georgy Toloraya is a seasoned Russian diplomat and scholar with extensive experience in Korean affairs, having served in both North and South Korea, including roles as deputy chief of mission at the Russian Embassy in Seoul. He was Russia’s representative on the U.N. Panel of Experts before it was dissolved in 2024. He currently directs Korean programs at the Institute of Economy of the Russian Academy of Sciences and serves as executive director of the Russian National Committee on BRICS Research. 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 subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s younger sister warned the U.S. that Pyongyang is “seriously considering” measures to “escalate” nuclear weapons-related actions in response to Washington sending an aircraft carrier to South Korea this week. NK News Correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to discuss the arrival of the USS Carl Vinson to the Korean Peninsula, as well as North Korea’s test of a “strategic cruise missile” and impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s final defense before the Constitutional Court. 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.
On this week’s episode, NK News Correspondent Jeongmin Kim discusses her time at the Munich Security Conference, an annual meeting on international security policy that has been held in the German city since 1963. She discusses the conference’s focus on the war in Ukraine and North Korean security threats relating to its ties with Russia. She also talks about the fallout from Washington’s backchannel talks with Moscow and concerns in South Korean circles that the Trump administration could cut a deal with Pyongyang without Seoul’s involvement. Jeongmin attended the Munich Security Conference as part of the Munich Young Leaders 2025 delegation through partial funding by the Körber-Stiftung Foundation. 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 subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.
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