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North Korea digital TV imports see big jump
Imports of digital TV sets to North Korea are sharply higher in the first few months of this year compared to last year, according to Yonhap News. Citing data from the Korea International Trade Association, Yonhap said China shipped just under $18 million worth of digital TVs to North Korea in the first four months of…
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Pyongyang building collapse underlines North Korea’s news blockade
The revelation by North Korean state media on Sunday that Pyongyang suffered a major construction accident underlines how strong the regime’s grip on information flow remains, despite cracks appearing in recent years. The accident occurred on Tuesday, according to the domestic media reports, but the world didn’t hear anything about the incident until those first…
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US State Dept. puts out call for North Korea projects
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) put out a call Tuesday for projects aimed at human rights and democracy in North Korea. DRL will fund winning proposals with grants of up to $350,000 per organization and groups have until May 13, 2014, to complete and submit their proposals. Proposals can cover…
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Open Radio for North Korea goes off the air
Open Radio for North Korea, one of the handful of private radio stations that targets North Korea, has reportedly ended broadcasts to the country. The Seoul-based station is understood to have suspended shortwave broadcasting at the end of March after a grant from the U.S. government used to pay for the transmissions apparently ended. In…
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Voice of Korea mid-2014 schedule
North Korea’s external shortwave radio broadcaster, Voice of Korea, joins many of the world’s international broadcasters in switching to a summer frequency schedule on Sunday, March 30. Shortwave broadcasts change frequencies numerous times during the day to take advantage of atmospheric conditions that help their broadcasts can reach the intended targets. For this reason, it’s…
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DPRK organizations called out for censorship
Three of North Korea’s state security and censorship organizations have been called out by Reporters Without Borders in the organization’s latest ranking of “Enemies of the Internet.” The report was published on Wednesday, which RSF and Amnesty International have named world day against cyber censorship. The three organizations named by RSF are the Central Scientific and…
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Sochi Olympics coverage on KCTV
Every time the Olympics or World Cup come around, there’s the question of whether viewers in the DPRK will be able to see the major sporting events. Korean Central Television (조선중앙텔레비죤) often manages to air portions of the events, but only with technical assistance from other organizations. And so this year, for the Winter Olympics…
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DPRK again one from bottom on press freedom ranking
North Korea has held on to its position as the second-worst country in the world for press freedoms, according to the latest annual survey by Reporters Without Borders. The report, published on Wednesday, put North Korea at position 179. During 2013, the country was singled out for particular criticism by the group for media coverage of…
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TV Review: Educating North Korea
The BBC’s Panorama news documentary series visited The Pyongyang University of Science and Technology recently for a revealing look behind the unique school. The program, broadcast on BBC One on February 3, begins summarizing the Kim’s control over the country and its people and reminds us that Kim Jong Un recently had his uncle, Jang Song…
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‘No discernible improvement’ in DPRK human rights in 2013
Human Rights Watch says it has seen “no discernible improvement” in the human rights situation in North Korea since Kim Jong Un took power in late 2011. The verdict, which likely comes as no surprise to anyone that watches the country, was included in the New York-based group’s annual “World Report” on human rights in…
