How does news get made when it comes to North Korea, one of the least accessible regimes in the world? My talk traces changes in the production of news over the past two decades. First, there are more eyes on the ground, with higher numbers of journalists, diplomats, and tourists in the country. Second, the explosive growth in the number of North Korean defectors has had a mixed impact on journalism. While the defectors’ testimonies added context, they also led to an increase in sensationalistic coverage with unverified reports of human rights abuses. Third, the 2009 introduction of cellular phones to the North Korean population has made it much easier for reporters to communicate directly with North Koreans. Taken together, the changes not only show a shift in journalistic norms, but also hint at a fundamental shift of the Pyongyang regime towards more openness.

Soomin Seo is an assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and a member of the Media and Communication Doctoral Program at Temple University in Philadelphia, USA. She received her PhD in communications at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, and studied public policy at Harvard University. Her work has appeared in publications such as Journalism Studies and Columbia Journalism Review. She is also a former journalist who worked for international news outlets.