Daniel Pinkston, Ph.D. l Expert Advisor, KCPC In late December 2023, the Korean Workers' Party convened the 9th Enlarged Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee in Pyongyang. The meeting covered routine Party reports on politics, the economy, agriculture, and military affairs, among other topics.  However, General Secretary Kim Jong-un's plenary report included a surprising shift in the party's position on the issue of Korean unification. According to the Korean Central News  Agency,...

J.R. Kim | President, KCPC 1. Introduction For a long time, the international community, including South Korea and the United States, has frequently used human rights issues as a means to "criticize and pressure" North Korea. Focusing on the abuse of civil and political rights by the Communist regime, the international community has raised the issues focusing on condemning the undemocratic nature of the North Korean regime and called for punishment of the perpetrators. Such an approach,...

By James Khan | Member, KCPC "We don't serve Pyongyang-style raengmyon (or cold-broth noodle)," a female receptionist at the North Korea-run Ryugyong Restaurant in Dandong, dressed in a bright pink traditional Korean costume, said disdainfully. "Not for South Koreans." Following a large defection of restaurant employees in April and May 2016, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un prohibited North Korean restaurants in China from accommodating South Koreans. Earlier this year, at the start of...