North Korea's Secret Radio Signal Fades as Funding Cuts Hit

Authoritarian North Korea's access to uncensored foreign news is severely limited as major U.S. and South Korean government-funded radio broadcasters have ceased operations. Lee Si-young, who leads a small non-governmental station broadcasting into North Korea, fears this signals an abandonment of the country's 26 million residents, who risk severe punishment for tuning in. This dramatic reduction, estimated at 85% by 38 North, follows U.S. funding cuts and South Korea's policy to lower animosities.

Two large U.S. broadcasters, Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, halted their Korean-language services after U.S. President Trump signed an executive order targeting perceived liberal bias and wastefulness. South Korea's government, led by President Lee Jae Myung, also stopped cross-border broadcasts, frontline loudspeakers, and banned activist propaganda balloon launches, aiming to ease tensions with Pyongyang. This leaves smaller civil and religious organizations like FNK as the primary conduits for outside information.

Despite these setbacks, a defector-turned-lawyer launched a website and mobile app this month aimed at providing external information to North Koreans abroad, targeting students and laborers. While not aiming for uprisings, the goal is to expose North Koreans to global freedoms. However, North Korea's strict laws against foreign cultural influences, with penalties up to 10 years imprisonment, continue to be rigorously enforced, casting doubt on the long-term impact of these information campaigns.