Épisodes

  • Ankit Panda: North Korea’s deterrence calculus after US strikes on Iran

    Ankit Panda: North Korea’s deterrence calculus after US strikes on Iran
    Mar 3 2026
    International security expert Ankit Panda joins the podcast this week to unpack the latest U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran and what they could mean for North Korea’s deterrence thinking. The conversation covers what does and doesn’t translate to the Korean Peninsula: the impact of geography and escalation dynamics, why saturation tactics and interceptor “magazine depth” matter and the contrast between Iran’s threshold posture and North Korea’s workable nuclear deterrent. He also discusses the new five-year military plan that Kim Jong Un outlined at the Ninth Party Congress, highlighting the significance of the DPRK’s emphasis on counterspace capabilities and raising questions about its anti-satellite options. Ankit Panda is the Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 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 insights from our very own journalists.
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    24 min
  • Roundtable: What we learned from North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress

    Roundtable: What we learned from North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress
    Feb 27 2026
    In this special roundtable edition of the NK News podcast, the team sits down to discuss the results of North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress, the messaging behind the latest parade in Pyongyang and what leadership reshuffles may signal for the country’s domestic and foreign policy direction. The panel explores why this congress focused less on major course corrections and more on reinforcing Kim Jong Un’s leadership, embedding his priorities more deeply in party structures and and strengthening elite discipline. They also discuss how North Korea further hardened its stance toward South Korea, and scrutinize the congress’s relatively vague language on future weapons development. Featured in this episode are: Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim NK News Senior Analytical Correspondent Colin Zwirko NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy 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 insights from our very own journalists.
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    44 min
  • Kim Jong Un’s reelection, Kim Yo Jong’s promotion and changes at the top

    Kim Jong Un’s reelection, Kim Yo Jong’s promotion and changes at the top
    Feb 25 2026
    NK News Correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to discuss the ongoing Ninth Party Congress, which kicked off last week in Pyongyang The conversation breaks down key developments from the congress so far, including Kim Jong Un’s reappointment as general secretary of the Workers’ Party, the promotion of younger loyal cadres and the sidelining of several senior military and party officials. He also discusses Kim Yo Jong’s new but unspecified director role, the lack of major foreign policy announcements and continued emphasis on domestic economic goals tied to a new five-year plan. 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 insights from our very own journalists.
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    17 min
  • Martyn Williams: How digital tech strengthens North Korean state control

    Martyn Williams: How digital tech strengthens North Korean state control
    Feb 17 2026
    North Korea media and tech specialist Martyn Williams joins this week’s episode to discuss his trips to the inter-Korean border with NK News CEO Chad O’Carroll, which have explored how technology is reshaping control and communication in the DPRK. The conversation covers smartphones and digital infrastructure inside North Korea, including how mobile technology has expanded rapidly since the pandemic. He discusses the growing number of domestic smartphone brands, hundreds of state-approved apps and the broader 4G rollout across much of the country. Williams also examines a North Korean health app offering telemedicine features and medicine delivery, illustrating how digital tools serve both convenience and surveillance. Martyn Williams is a senior fellow for the Stimson Center’s Korea Program and 38 North. His primary interests are in North Korea’s technology, infrastructure, broadcasting system and propaganda. He previously appeared on episode 149 of the NK News podcast. 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 insights from our very own journalists.
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    45 min
  • Alec Zebrick: What 2025 taught us about North Korea’s crypto strategy

    Alec Zebrick: What 2025 taught us about North Korea’s crypto strategy
    Feb 12 2026
    Alec Zebrick of blockchain analytics company Chainalysis joins this week’s episode to break down how North Korea-linked actors are upgrading their tactics to steal cryptocurrency, why 2025 was a record year for large-scale hacks and what can be done to reduce risk. The expert explores the shift in North Korean operations toward fewer but much larger targets, as exemplified by the outsized impact of the DPRK’s Bybit heist last year. He places this in the context of state-backed actors’ preference for “high-impact” operations over the “spray-and-pray” model common among non-state cybercriminals. The discussion also covers how attack methods have evolved beyond basic phishing, as well as the continuing importance of sanctions and cross-border intelligence-sharing for stopping cybercrime. Alec Zebrick is senior manager, global services at Chainalysis. He is based in South Korea, where he leads cryptocurrency investigations for public and private clients. A former U.S. detective and secret service task force officer, he is a subject-matter expert on North Korea’s crypto operations, has investigated major DPRK-linked hacks and has briefed the U.N. Security Council. 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 insights from our very own journalists.
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    43 min
  • Epstein files, North Korean POWs and the looming Party Congress

    Epstein files, North Korean POWs and the looming Party Congress
    Feb 10 2026
    In this episode, NK News Deputy Managing Editor David Choi and Senior Analytical Correspondent Colin Zwirko discuss newly released U.S. Justice Department files that show the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein explored possible business opportunities in North Korea. The conversation then shifts to the two North Korean prisoners of war currently held in Ukraine, including the diplomatic and legal complexity around any transfer to South Korea and the likelihood that their status could become part of a wider Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange. They conclude by discussing North Korea’s announcement that it will hold the Ninth Party Congress in late February, as well as the latest on preparations for the event in Pyongyang. 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 insights from our very own journalists.
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    15 min
  • Lee Sang-sin: Why most South Koreans no longer see unification as necessary

    Lee Sang-sin: Why most South Koreans no longer see unification as necessary
    Feb 5 2026
    Lee Sang-sin of the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) returns to the podcast to discuss the results of the think tank’s annual survey, which found for the first time ever that less than half of South Korean adults think that unification with North Korea is necessary. The expert discusses how Seoul’s broad unification framework has remained largely consistent across administrations and explains KINU’s role as a think tank under the prime minister’s office, which allows it to support the Ministry of Unification while maintaining independence. The conversation then turns to North Korea’s rejection of unification and dialogue and KINU’s expanded global surveys, which show stark differences in how foreign publics view the two Koreas. Dr. Lee Sang-sin is a senior research fellow and polling expert at the Korea Institute for National Unification. He last appeared on episode 74 of the NK News podcast in June 2019. 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 insights from our very own journalists.
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    46 min
  • More Party Congress preparations, and Iran’s new envoy in North Korea

    More Party Congress preparations, and Iran’s new envoy in North Korea
    Feb 3 2026
    NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy joins this week’s episode to discuss the formal preparations for the upcoming Ninth Party Congress, including meetings where the Central Committee has elected delegates and observers, and what signs to watch for as Pyongyang moves closer to announcing an official schedule. He also talks about recent diplomatic activity in Pyongyang, focusing on Iran’s appointment of a new resident ambassador, and explains why the timing matters, Iran’s longstanding ties with both Korean capitals and the possibility that Tehran has also dispatched a military attaché. 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 insights from our very own journalists.
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    17 min