Online News of North Korea | North Korean Newspapers | ePaper List

Media organizations in North Korea are tightly bounded by laws of the land; though the country believes in freedom of speech and expression, no media organization can publish whatever they feel like. It has to be pragmatic and for welfare of the people. Any news or views that can rouse incitement among the people of the country, are completely banned to broadcast in media or publish through news agencies. 

To manage free-flow of purified news, the government owns a news agency. The state news agency, the Korean Central News Agency, gives the only source of information for all media organizations in North Korea. Article 53 of the North Korean constitution reads that the country will follow the freedom of speech and freedom of the press. But in reality, it is the ruling party of the land to control which way the ball will swing. 

In spite of so much odds, the country has 12 (twelve) principal newspapers and more than twenty major periodicals - all are publishes from the capital Pyongyang. Interestingly, foreign newspapers are not sold in the streets or available in the street vendors.

Newspapers include:

• Rodong Sinmun (Labour Daily) - (Central Committee of the WPK)
• Joson Inmingun (Korean People's Army Daily)
• Minju Choson (Democratic Korea) - government organ
• Rodongja Sinmum (Workers' Newspaper)
• The Pyongyang Times (English-language; published in the capital)

North Korean television broadcasting is managed by the Central Broadcasting Committee of Korea. It is to be noted that the televisions and radios are sold in the market after pre-tuned to government stations and checked and verified by the state police. With the passage of time, people have started using radios having tuned in foreign broadcasts. There are four major television stations in North Korea: Korean Central TV, Mansudae Television (a cultural station only available in the capital), Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television.

Internet use is strictly restricted among the internet cafe's and hotels via satellite link. Government officials though uses internet for official purpose, the common people cannot access internet.