Dear Reader, I needed a good laugh after a long week of family tragedy and illness, so I turned for comfort in North Korean propaganda. I know it sounds wacky, but there’s comfort to be found in focusing on someone else’s miserable existence. I feel much better now after reading about life in the workers’ paradise. Things could always be worse. I could be goose-stepping in Pyongyang or salvaging ruined rice crops in rural Hamhyeung.
First, I tried finding North Korean news sources so I could read the news in English. Unfortunately, these web sites are all blocked here in South Korea due to the country’s National Security Law, which prohibits public displays of North Korean propaganda. You should be able to access the links below outside South Korea. Most originate in Japan, where there is a sizable population of Korean expatriates sympathetic to North Korea. Most news about North Korea in South Korea is first vetted through South Korean or western news resources. It’s debatable whether South Koreans themselves should be able to access this material directly from the source. The South Korean government currently says no. Here are some of the official North Korean sites not accessible here in South Korea:
Next, I searched for alternative news sources beyond the usual suspects, South Korean media, CNN, BBC, and other mainstream outlets. I was more interested in reading direct North Korean news quotes for a good laugh. Mainstream sites rarely quote directly from such sources. I found some relevant sites listed below. Perhaps when I move to Paraguay, I’ll be able to visit North Korean sites directly to learn more about the North Korean propaganda machine and Juche weltanschauung.
Warning: Some of the sites listed above feature offensive material, partly because North Korean propaganda is inherently aggressive and because the sites openly caricature this propaganda. Enjoy…if you dare.
I too get a kick out of N. Korean propaganda…I’ve been checking out the Korean Central News Agency for years! haha