The government is moving to fully open North Korean media, including Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party of Korea, both online and offline, so that all citizens can access them.
In 2018, a passenger is reading the Rodong Sinmun at Pyongyang Sunan Airport. Photo by Pyongyang Performance Photo Joint Coverage Team
On the 30th, Vice Minister of Unification Kim Namjoong held a briefing at the Government Complex Seoul and stated, "We are working to make it easier for the public to access and use all North Korea-related materials." This is a follow-up measure to President Lee Jaemyung’s remarks during the Ministry of Unification’s work report on the 19th, in which he emphasized the need to open North Korean media to the public.
Previously, the government convened a consultative body of supervisory ministries for special materials and decided to reclassify North Korean media, which had been categorized as "special materials," as "general materials," the same as ordinary publications. The relevant supervisory ministries were notified of this decision on this day.
As a result, starting today, Rodong Sinmun can be accessed at more than 20 institutions in South Korea that handle the publication. These include the Unification Ministry’s North Korea Materials Center, the National Library of Korea, the National Assembly Library, some national university libraries, and the National Institute for Unification and Democracy Education.
The government also plans to open access to about 60 North Korea-related websites, including Rodong Sinmun and the Korean Central News Agency, without restriction through online channels. However, since this requires an amendment to the Information and Communications Network Act, the government will cooperate with the National Assembly moving forward.
In addition, Vice Minister Kim announced, "Starting in 2026, the Ministry of Unification will use the term 'Bukhyangmin' to improve awareness and strengthen social integration for North Korean defectors." However, regarding the opposition from some defector organizations to this change in terminology, he said, "We will explain the purpose of using 'Bukhyangmin' and will continue to listen to the opinions of Bukhyangmin individuals."
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