north korea
Shirtless North Korean soldiers break bricks with their heads, lay on glass and nails for Kim Jong-un
A video of North Korean soldiers — some of them shirtless — performing extreme martial arts for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has gone viral on social media.
What’s going on: The performance, which originally aired on North Korean TV, was part of a “self-defense” military exhibition held on Monday. The rest of the event included a formal ceremony, a weapons display and flight stunts by combat pilots, according to KCNA.
North Korean soldier in shiny blue bodysuit upstages Kim Jong-un at military photo op
A photo taken of Kim Jong-un and 30 North Korean soldiers during an exhibition generated buzz on social media due to one soldier in a skin-tight blue suit.
“Captain DPRK”: In a military exhibition of weapons systems on Monday, an unidentified, blue-clad man upstaged Kim Jong-un on social media after their state military photograph was published the next day.
North Korean teens reportedly put on trial for viewing K-drama ‘Crash Landing on You’
Almost two years since its release and subsequent rise to global popularity, the K-drama “Crash Landing on You” continues to leave an impact on its fans. In North Korea, where the drama’s storyline is based, several teens caught watching the series are allegedly facing prison time among other harsher sentences. The incident, while unconfirmed, has heightened awareness of the country’s human rights atrocities after being shared in a viral video.
Seoul-based publication The Daily NK, which specializes in North Korean news that relies on a network of sources from inside the hermit kingdom, reported in late August that eight teens were put on public trial for watching and imitating the characters of various South Korean dramas including the popular “Crash Landing on You.”
Kim Jong-Un Bans Skinny Jeans, Mullets For Promoting ‘Capitalistic Culture’
North Korea is cracking down on symbols of a “capitalistic lifestyle” with its recent ban on body piercings, mullets and skinny jeans.
Stopping capitalism: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un implemented the ban following a warning from the state-run newspaper, Rodong Sinmum, that “capitalistic culture” is taking over the country and must be stopped, according to Yonhap News.
K-Pop Called Out for ‘Slave-Like Exploitation’ By North Korea
A North Korean propaganda website has accused South Korea’s K-pop industry of treating popular groups such as BTS and Blackpink like “slaves.”
“Slave-like exploitation”: In an article published on March 13, the North Korean propaganda website Arirang-Meari claimed that K-pop record labels are exploiting young artists, according to NK Economy.
North Korean Who Defected TWICE is Now Running for Councillor in the UK
A woman who fled years of starvation, torture and imminent death in North Korea is now running to be a councillor in the U.K.
Jihyun Park, 52, was chosen as the Conservative Party candidate for Holyrood ward in Bury, Greater Manchester, according to BBC News.
‘Former Gymnast’ Jumps 10-Foot Fence to Escape North Korea
A North Korean former gymnast tried to defect to South Korea by jumping over a 3-meter (10-foot) fence through the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) earlier this month.
The unidentified North Korean man in his late 20s successfully crossed over to South Korea at around 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, according to NPR.
How Comedian Simmone Park Struggled With Not Wanting to Be White, Being Accepted as an Asian
Simmone Park, like many Asians around the world, struggled with coming to terms with her dual identity as a North Korean Canadian woman.
As a speaker and standup comedian, Park had an honest and vulnerable conversation with NextShark where she opened up about her journey of overcoming racism as a child. This eventually manifested itself as internalized racism in her adult years.
Who is Kim Yo-jong and Why is Twitter Suddenly Obsessed With Her?
Many people online have suddenly developed a fascination Kim Jong-un’s 32-year-old sister, Kim Yo-jong, as rumors circulate about the North Korean leader’s health after a reported heart operation.
Unverified reports of Kim Jong-un’s health started to surface when he failed to appear at the hermit country’s important “Day of the Sun” holiday which celebrates the birthday of his grandfather Kim Il-sung, the founder and the first dictator of Communist North Korea, on April 15, according to Fox News.
South Korean Official Says Kim Jong Un is ‘Alive and Well’
Multiple reports claimed that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is either in a vegetative state or has passed away, but South Korean presidential adviser Moon Chung-in said Kim was “alive and well.”
Rumors of Kim Jong Un’s death circulated following a viral social media post from HKSTV Hong Kong Satellite Television Vice director Shijian Xingzou that cited a “very solid source.” Shijian’s post reportedly gained traction on Weibo, where she has over 15 million followers, reports International Business Times.
North Korean Defector Shares Happiness After Voting For the First Time in America
A North Korean defector recently shared his elation after voting in a U.S. election for the first time ever.
Joseph Kim, who moved to the U.S. as a refugee in 2007, cast his very first vote during Super Tuesday in Dallas.
Missing Australian Student Reportedly Arrested in North Korea
An Australian man studying at Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang, North Korea has reportedly been missing since Tuesday.
Earlier reports have originally stated that 29-year-old Alek Sigley was arrested by North Korean authorities. His family, however, has since publicly stated that they have not received any confirmation of his arrest.