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Chad O'Carroll

@chadocl.bsky.social

Founder of NK News/NK Pro and Korea Risk Group. From London, based in Seoul. Drum and bass music aficionado.

2,768 Followers  |  139 Following  |  3,840 Posts  |  Joined: 22.08.2023
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Posts by Chad O'Carroll (@chadocl.bsky.social)

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China seizes 100 tons of frogs and scallops, possibly from North Korea A 100-ton shipment of scallops and frogs recently seized by China’s coast guard may have originated from North Korea, according to NK News analysis. The Chinese coast guard said it seized a ship carrying the Yezzo scallops and Dybowski’s frogs on Feb. 21. Twenty-seven suspects were detained and two trucks were seized in connection to […]
03.03.2026 04:22 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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North Korea has finished new facility at nuclear complex, watchdog says North Korea has completed external construction of a new facility at its main nuclear research center in Yongbyon, according to the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, while continuing to operate its nuclear reactors in support of uranium enrichment. In a statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors on Monday, Director-General […]
03.03.2026 04:22 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Ankit Panda: North Korea’s deterrence calculus after US strikes on Iran 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 […]
03.03.2026 03:25 — 👍 2    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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South Korea launches modular FTA upgrade with Singapore at 20-year mark South Korea and Singapore agreed on Monday to launch negotiations to upgrade their 2006 free trade agreement (FTA) and signed five memoranda of understanding, including cooperation on small modular reactors (SMRs), during President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to the city-state. The joint declaration marks the 20th anniversary of the ROK-Singapore FTA’s entry into force […] The post South Korea launches modular FTA upgrade with Singapore at 20-year mark appeared first on Korea Pro.
02.03.2026 23:25 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Why Khamenei’s death could spell the end of North Korea’s friendship with Iran The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after a series of U.S. and Israeli attacks over the weekend has left a void at the top of Tehran’s power structure — and taken one of North Korea’s longest-lasting international partners off the board. Khamenei’s relationship with the DPRK goes back decades, anchored by a […]
02.03.2026 10:19 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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How the Iran strikes could reshape Kim Jong Un’s calculus on US talks The U.S. turned on a dime from high-level diplomatic negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program to a full-blown military operation to take out Tehran’s leadership, an extraordinary sequence of events that could shape North Korea’s own willingness to engage in talks. For weeks, Oman had brokered talks involving Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and […] The post How the Iran strikes could reshape Kim Jong Un’s calculus on US talks appeared first on NK PRO.
02.03.2026 10:07 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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New Indonesian ambassador to North Korea takes up post in Pyongyang The new Indonesian ambassador to North Korea has arrived in Pyongyang to lead the embassy, heralding the full resumption of diplomatic activities that were suspended since the pandemic. Indonesian Ambassador to North Korea Gina Yoginda cut a ribbon at the entrance of the reopened mission and toured the facility in Pyongyang on Feb. 21, according […]
02.03.2026 09:22 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Lee urges North Korea to return to talks, rejects ‘unification by absorption’ South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urged North Korea on Sunday to return to dialogue so the two countries can “leave behind the dark past and move forward together toward a new future,” repudiating the goal of unification by force. Lee’s speech to mark March 1 Independence Movement Day came days after Pyongyang reaffirmed that […]
02.03.2026 07:28 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Kim Jong Un lauds cement factory near capital for supporting construction goals North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a key cement production plant near the capital on Sunday, stressing the facility’s role in achieving the “gigantic” construction tasks laid out at last week’s Ninth Party Congress. Kim delivered a “significant speech of encouragement” to workers at the Sangwon Cement Complex, describing them as “ardent revolutionaries” who […]
02.03.2026 07:28 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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North Korea has sent 5K containers of munitions to Russia since August: Seoul North Korea has supplied Russia with around 5,000 containers of munitions over the last six months, the ROK military has assessed, underscoring Pyongyang’s continued support for the war against Ukraine. The new shipments bring the number of containers that the DPRK has provided to roughly 33,000 as of February, up from 28,000 containers in August, […]
02.03.2026 07:28 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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UNICEF says it completed two drinking water projects in North Korea last year UNICEF completed two water supply projects to provide access to safe drinking water for over 23,000 North Koreans last year, according to an agency spokesperson. The water supply systems provide water to five schools and four health care facilities in two counties across two North Korean provinces, Eliane Luthi of UNICEF East Asia and Pacific […]
02.03.2026 06:31 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Kim Jong Un’s new five-year weapons plan keeps nukes front and center North Korea’s much-anticipated Ninth Party Congress concluded with new announcements about Kim Jong Un’s core weapons modernization plans, and while the regime offered less information than many had hoped, it still provided a good sense of Kim’s high-level priorities in the years ahead. In order to “usher in a new era of building a powerful […] The post Kim Jong Un’s new five-year weapons plan keeps nukes front and center appeared first on NK PRO.
02.03.2026 05:22 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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North Korean condemns US attacks on Iran but doesn’t mention Khamenei’s death North Korea slammed the U.S. and Israel on Sunday for launching a “war of aggression” against Iran a day earlier without mentioning Tehran’s retaliatory strikes and the death of Iran’s supreme leader. In a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesperson strongly condemned Washington and Tel Aviv’s “shameless […]
02.03.2026 04:37 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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South Korea in February 2026: A month in review and what’s ahead ABOUT MONTH IN REVIEW Every month, Korea Pro delivers an authoritative analytical review of developments in South Korea, offering comprehensive coverage of political, economic and strategic shifts that shape the peninsula. Korea Pro‘s Month in Review serves as an essential resource for policymakers, business leaders and analysts seeking to navigate South Korea’s quickly-changing dynamics and […] The post South Korea in February 2026: A month in review and what’s ahead appeared first on Korea Pro.
02.03.2026 04:25 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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South Korea on alert as Hormuz shipping disruption deepens South Korea convened an emergency interagency meeting on Sunday after commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent warnings from Iranian forces. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok instructed ministries to prioritize energy supply stability and the protection of South Korean nationals in the region, the […] The post South Korea on alert as Hormuz shipping disruption deepens appeared first on Korea Pro.
01.03.2026 23:40 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Kim Jong Un, alongside daughter, fires sniper rifles following Party Congress North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, alongside his daughter, presented key party officials and military commanders with newly developed sniper rifles following the Ninth Party Congress.  The ruling party daily Rodong Sinmun reported Saturday that members of the Political Bureau Presidium and other senior military and ruling party officials, including the leader’s sister Kim Yo […]
28.02.2026 02:16 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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29 photos show North Korea wrapping up Party Congress with extravagant parade North Korea wrapped up its weeklong Ninth Party Congress on Wednesday by reinforcing leader Kim Jong Un’s military modernization drive, formally rejecting ties with South Korea and signaling openness to talks with the U.S. only if Washington recognizes Pyongyang’s “irreversible” nuclear status. Addressing about 5,000 delegates on the last day of the event, Kim said […]
27.02.2026 11:05 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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What we didn’t see at the Party Congress, from Kim Jong Un’s child to nuke power North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress came to a close on Wednesday, culminating in a series of foreign policy, economic and military announcements that largely met expectations.  Yet for all the predictable outcomes centered on themes of continuity and consolidation, the congress was also notable for several widely anticipated developments that failed to materialize. These range […]
27.02.2026 10:08 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Google map export decision reveals South Korea’s trade risk calculus South Korea’s decision to grant Google conditional approval to export high precision map data signals that the cost of maintaining its restrictive digital sovereignty regime has increased under Washington’s reconfigured tariff enforcement framework. On Friday, the South Korean government announced it would conditionally permit the overseas transfer of 1 to 5,000 scale national base map […] The post Google map export decision reveals South Korea’s trade risk calculus appeared first on Korea Pro.
27.02.2026 09:55 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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US says it’s open to talks with North Korea, responding to Party Congress The U.S. has confirmed that it is open to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions, according to Seoul’s foreign ministry, after Kim Jong Un left the door open to talks if the U.S. doesn’t insist on denuclearization. Washington “reaffirmed its openness to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions” and will “maintain close cooperation and continuous […]
27.02.2026 09:11 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Russia spent $166K to fly late envoy’s remains from North Korea, records suggest Russia spent over $160,000 on an emergency flight to North Korea days after Ambassador Alexander Matsegora’s death, official records show, suggesting the Kremlin dispatched the aircraft to repatriate the envoy’s remains. NK News was the first to report on the Dec. 13 flight by an Ilyushin Il-76TD (tail number RA-76363) belonging to Russia’s Ministry of […]
27.02.2026 09:11 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Recap: Everything that happened at North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress After months of buildup, thousands of North Korean officials descended on the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang for the Ninth Party Congress this month, endorsing leader Kim Jong Un’s policy directions for the next five years. The once-in-five-years congress of the Workers of Party of Korea (WPK) kicked off on Feb. 19 and […] The post Recap: Everything that happened at North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress appeared first on NK PRO.
27.02.2026 08:02 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Regional development takes center stage in North Korea’s new economic plan The Ninth Party Congress didn’t have much to say about North Korea’s economic plans for the next five years, but the details it did provide reveal a regime that sees no need for reforms despite shifting priorities, confident in its direction in the face of sanctions. This year’s congress was shrouded in much more mystery […] The post Regional development takes center stage in North Korea’s new economic plan appeared first on NK PRO.
27.02.2026 07:05 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Why an American once detained in North Korea wants to broadcast into the country A former American missionary who was detained in North Korea for over two years is preparing to launch a new radio station targeting the DPRK people, framing it as a response to U.S. funding cuts for cross-border broadcasting. In an interview with NK News, Kenneth Bae discussed the project’s goal of reaching North Koreans both […]
27.02.2026 04:26 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Russian Embassy’s banner controversy, Seoul-Moscow ties and shipping — Ep. 121 NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin joins this week’s episode to discuss the recent controversy around the Russian Embassy in Seoul displaying a large “Victory will be Ours” banner as the fourth anniversary of the Ukraine war approached.  The episode then pivots to a bigger question: how much Russia actually cares about South Korea. Anton […] The post Russian Embassy’s banner controversy, Seoul-Moscow ties and shipping — Ep. 121 appeared first on Korea Pro.
27.02.2026 04:14 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Roundtable: What we learned from North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress 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 […]
27.02.2026 01:35 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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South Korea’s household incomes rise but real consumption slips in 2025 South Korea’s average monthly household income rose 4.0% year-on-year to about $3,800 (5.42 million won) in the fourth quarter last year, while real income increased 1.6%, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said on Thursday. Wage income grew 3.9%, business income rose 3.0% and transfer income climbed 7.9%. Average monthly household spending increased 4.4% to […] The post South Korea’s household incomes rise but real consumption slips in 2025 appeared first on Korea Pro.
26.02.2026 23:29 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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At Party Congress, Kim Jong Un buries Seoul’s hopes for inter-Korean thaw North Korea used its highest decision-making forum this week to deliver its clearest and most forceful message yet to Seoul: Pyongyang’s policy treating South Korea as a hostile state is permanent and not open for negotiation — and President Lee Jae Myung should take the hint.  Leader Kim Jong Un declared on the final day […] The post At Party Congress, Kim Jong Un buries Seoul’s hopes for inter-Korean thaw appeared first on NK PRO.
26.02.2026 13:02 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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What to make of North Korea’s big plans from the Ninth Party Congress North Korea finally announced its plans for the next five years at the Ninth Party Congress this week, and, while details were sparse, an emboldened Pyongyang made clear there are serious conflict risks in the years ahead. At the Eighth Party Congress in Jan. 2021, the DPRK provided a detailed weapons wish list for the […] The post What to make of North Korea’s big plans from the Ninth Party Congress appeared first on NK PRO.
26.02.2026 13:02 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Expert roundup: What the Ninth Party Congress revealed about North Korea’s plans North Korea concluded its weeklong Ninth Party Congress on Wednesday by cementing leader Kim Jong Un’s ambitious military modernization agenda, permanently rejecting ties with South Korea and leaving the door open to talks with the U.S. — but only if Washington accepts Pyongyang’s “nuclear status.” Kim told some 5,000 delegates that the country’s “irreversible” nuclear […]
26.02.2026 12:17 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0