Colin Zwirko
@colinzwirko.bsky.social
Analyst at NK News / NK Pro, investigations and analysis about North Korea and satellite imagery, state media, military, Kim family developments etc.
https://www.nknews.org/content_author/colin-zwirko
https://www.nknews.org/content_author/colin-zwirko
I mistakenly posted that the time between Japan's alerts on launch and splashdown was 18 mins, but it was 8 mins (12:37 and 12:45 pm), pointing more toward an SRBM launch. Developing story here www.nknews.org/2025/11/nort...
North Korea launches ballistic missile toward East Sea: JCS | NK News
This is a developing news story. Please check back for updates. North Korea launched at least one “unidentified ballistic missile” toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan) on Friday afternoon, according to ...
www.nknews.org
November 7, 2025 at 4:05 AM
I mistakenly posted that the time between Japan's alerts on launch and splashdown was 18 mins, but it was 8 mins (12:37 and 12:45 pm), pointing more toward an SRBM launch. Developing story here www.nknews.org/2025/11/nort...
The KPA 11th Corps Command HQ that KJU visited last weekend is located in Tokchon smack dab in the center of the country (39.77194° N, 126.32609° E). AKA Special Operations Forces, previously confirmed by its name Unit 630 in KJI visit report pics from Feb. 1, 2010 and Dec. 1, 2011
November 5, 2025 at 7:48 AM
The KPA 11th Corps Command HQ that KJU visited last weekend is located in Tokchon smack dab in the center of the country (39.77194° N, 126.32609° E). AKA Special Operations Forces, previously confirmed by its name Unit 630 in KJI visit report pics from Feb. 1, 2010 and Dec. 1, 2011
what's your favorite bowie song?
October 15, 2025 at 1:06 PM
what's your favorite bowie song?
North Korea held another weapons expo! Some new developments:
-Hwasong-11E (화성-11마) is a new SRBM with HGV?
-still showing large SLBM never tested. blue checkered UUV behind
-new unmanned surface vessel? likely to be in the oct10 parade
-green paint scheme drone on left
-Hwasong-11E (화성-11마) is a new SRBM with HGV?
-still showing large SLBM never tested. blue checkered UUV behind
-new unmanned surface vessel? likely to be in the oct10 parade
-green paint scheme drone on left
October 5, 2025 at 12:08 AM
North Korea held another weapons expo! Some new developments:
-Hwasong-11E (화성-11마) is a new SRBM with HGV?
-still showing large SLBM never tested. blue checkered UUV behind
-new unmanned surface vessel? likely to be in the oct10 parade
-green paint scheme drone on left
-Hwasong-11E (화성-11마) is a new SRBM with HGV?
-still showing large SLBM never tested. blue checkered UUV behind
-new unmanned surface vessel? likely to be in the oct10 parade
-green paint scheme drone on left
Ended up being that North Korea photoshopped this replica Blue House out of multiple photos
www.nknews.org/pro/north-ko...
www.nknews.org/pro/north-ko...
That Blue House mini replica was over the hills to the north, but they also built one right on these premises, noted below. Can't really tell if it's still there in today's photos bsky.app/profile/jaco...
I just noticed this building (constructed in 2022). Is it another Blue House replica sans the two wings? The main building has the same roof line and even the front portico. 1/3rd size. At an elite training complex south of Pyongyang. 38.899689° 125.943280°
September 14, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Ended up being that North Korea photoshopped this replica Blue House out of multiple photos
www.nknews.org/pro/north-ko...
www.nknews.org/pro/north-ko...
KJU at "training base No. 38" watching some sniper drills reportedly on Sept 12. I recognize that too-well-manicured hill. and those mountains. this is the 'Jindallae Guesthouse' missile test area where there's a ton of new construction going on, detailed here: www.nknews.org/pro/major-co...
September 12, 2025 at 11:39 PM
KJU at "training base No. 38" watching some sniper drills reportedly on Sept 12. I recognize that too-well-manicured hill. and those mountains. this is the 'Jindallae Guesthouse' missile test area where there's a ton of new construction going on, detailed here: www.nknews.org/pro/major-co...
First image today clearly showing full-scale military parade practice at North Korea's Mirim complex, though we've seen signs of this for months already. Looking like Oct. 10 for the parade. Read more here: www.nknews.org/pro/thousand...
September 9, 2025 at 12:35 PM
First image today clearly showing full-scale military parade practice at North Korea's Mirim complex, though we've seen signs of this for months already. Looking like Oct. 10 for the parade. Read more here: www.nknews.org/pro/thousand...
This is absolutely new, hanging a Kim Jong Un portrait at an event. He's gradually centering his own cult of personality, making Kim Il Sung/Kim Jong Il mere distant past figures. First paintings/murals of himself, then his portrait at only the party cadre school, then badges only for WPK CC members
August 30, 2025 at 3:01 AM
This is absolutely new, hanging a Kim Jong Un portrait at an event. He's gradually centering his own cult of personality, making Kim Il Sung/Kim Jong Il mere distant past figures. First paintings/murals of himself, then his portrait at only the party cadre school, then badges only for WPK CC members
This part doesn't read well. I get he's saying 'I'm doing you a favor,' North Koreans do covet the benefits of the Hero of the Republic medal, but sounds more like 'nobody gave me permission but I'm taking your children, better thank me.' Makes it all about himself too
www.nknews.org/2025/08/kim-...
www.nknews.org/2025/08/kim-...
August 30, 2025 at 2:42 AM
This part doesn't read well. I get he's saying 'I'm doing you a favor,' North Koreans do covet the benefits of the Hero of the Republic medal, but sounds more like 'nobody gave me permission but I'm taking your children, better thank me.' Makes it all about himself too
www.nknews.org/2025/08/kim-...
www.nknews.org/2025/08/kim-...
North Korea continues with this intentionally vague admission of deaths fighting in their war on Ukraine and the "US-backed West." This time I count 250 portraits of dead soldiers held by families in group photos, including people I recognize from the previous event. www.nknews.org/2025/08/kim-...
Kim Jong Un again consoles families of fallen DPRK soldiers, reveals more deaths | NK News
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has held another large-scale event to console the families of soldiers who died after being deployed to fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine, in what state media descr...
www.nknews.org
August 30, 2025 at 1:14 AM
North Korea continues with this intentionally vague admission of deaths fighting in their war on Ukraine and the "US-backed West." This time I count 250 portraits of dead soldiers held by families in group photos, including people I recognize from the previous event. www.nknews.org/2025/08/kim-...
North Korea showing off their prowess in making kitschy fake gold wall decorations (Aug 13). Many are saying Trump is getting his at Home Depot but we might also want to consider this avenue to DPRK-US detente
August 28, 2025 at 5:12 AM
North Korea showing off their prowess in making kitschy fake gold wall decorations (Aug 13). Many are saying Trump is getting his at Home Depot but we might also want to consider this avenue to DPRK-US detente
The special forces drills Kim Jong Un reportedly oversaw Wednesday appear to have taken place at the KPA Unit 525 HQ south of Pyongyang. The report says the unit is directly under the KPA General Staff. They conducted the ROK Blue House raid drills in the past www.nknews.org/2025/08/kim-...
August 27, 2025 at 11:10 PM
The special forces drills Kim Jong Un reportedly oversaw Wednesday appear to have taken place at the KPA Unit 525 HQ south of Pyongyang. The report says the unit is directly under the KPA General Staff. They conducted the ROK Blue House raid drills in the past www.nknews.org/2025/08/kim-...
North Korea's big program Friday on the Russia war deployment revealed KJU initially decided to send troops to Kursk at a CMC meeting on Aug. 28 last year, just a couple weeks after Ukraine started the Kursk incursion. We hadn't seen this date before. Also very explicitly framed as fighting "the US"
August 26, 2025 at 6:04 AM
North Korea's big program Friday on the Russia war deployment revealed KJU initially decided to send troops to Kursk at a CMC meeting on Aug. 28 last year, just a couple weeks after Ukraine started the Kursk incursion. We hadn't seen this date before. Also very explicitly framed as fighting "the US"
MRW just watched my comrades shoot themselves in the head and self-detonate all over the battlefield in glorious suicides fighting Russia's war on Ukraine but made it home for the NK-pop hardened soldier battle dance concert
August 26, 2025 at 2:47 AM
MRW just watched my comrades shoot themselves in the head and self-detonate all over the battlefield in glorious suicides fighting Russia's war on Ukraine but made it home for the NK-pop hardened soldier battle dance concert
You know KJU is in a good mood when he distributes his exclusive Sonamu cigarettes and ashtrays to the room
www.nknews.org/2025/08/nort...
www.nknews.org/2025/08/nort...
August 21, 2025 at 1:58 AM
You know KJU is in a good mood when he distributes his exclusive Sonamu cigarettes and ashtrays to the room
www.nknews.org/2025/08/nort...
www.nknews.org/2025/08/nort...
North Korean education warns to be careful around men wearing large crosses (Russian rock musician Shaman did a concert for KJU on Friday)
August 17, 2025 at 11:54 PM
North Korean education warns to be careful around men wearing large crosses (Russian rock musician Shaman did a concert for KJU on Friday)
KJU got his own separate podium with aircon for his speech on Thursday
August 15, 2025 at 8:09 AM
KJU got his own separate podium with aircon for his speech on Thursday
Official KCNA English this morning
August 15, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Official KCNA English this morning
There are two big foreign planes in Pyongyang today, unannounced it seems, probably Russian. With the Trump-Putin meeting coming up, one begins to wonder if any immediate NK-Russia negotiations were in order..
August 7, 2025 at 12:49 PM
There are two big foreign planes in Pyongyang today, unannounced it seems, probably Russian. With the Trump-Putin meeting coming up, one begins to wonder if any immediate NK-Russia negotiations were in order..
Found that the Il-76 North Korea turned into this early warning aircraft (which isn't being used still it seems) is the one with tail number P-913, since their other two (P-912, P-914) were used during March 2024 paratrooper drills. reaired HD KCTV footage confirms this, wasn't visible at the time
July 29, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Found that the Il-76 North Korea turned into this early warning aircraft (which isn't being used still it seems) is the one with tail number P-913, since their other two (P-912, P-914) were used during March 2024 paratrooper drills. reaired HD KCTV footage confirms this, wasn't visible at the time
Reposted by Colin Zwirko
And now, the same event from the Azerbaijan Presidential press office: Ilham Aliyev, neck smoothed to the max, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s neck like a ploughed field. No love lost between dictators
July 23, 2025 at 1:28 PM
And now, the same event from the Azerbaijan Presidential press office: Ilham Aliyev, neck smoothed to the max, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s neck like a ploughed field. No love lost between dictators
Reposted by Colin Zwirko
Today in presidential neck-smoothing, a compare and contrast.
First, from the Turkmenistan government press office: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with a smooth neck, Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan with a neck like a ploughed field.
First, from the Turkmenistan government press office: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with a smooth neck, Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan with a neck like a ploughed field.
July 23, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Today in presidential neck-smoothing, a compare and contrast.
First, from the Turkmenistan government press office: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with a smooth neck, Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan with a neck like a ploughed field.
First, from the Turkmenistan government press office: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with a smooth neck, Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan with a neck like a ploughed field.
Reposted by Colin Zwirko
Turkmenistan, and a new contender emerges. This is Oguljahan Atabayeva, daughter of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and sister of President Serdar, who is being Groomed For Great Things so she qualifies for the unfeasibly smooth neck work offered by the government press office.
July 18, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Turkmenistan, and a new contender emerges. This is Oguljahan Atabayeva, daughter of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and sister of President Serdar, who is being Groomed For Great Things so she qualifies for the unfeasibly smooth neck work offered by the government press office.
Been sitting on this for a while due to low photo res, but maybe evidence pushing back timeline of North Korean-Russia weapons cooperation:
-Feb 2022 Russia invades Ukraine
-**June 2022** CMC meeting, books featuring likely Putin, KJU, weapons
-Sep 2022 US intel reportedly says Russia buying NK arms
-Feb 2022 Russia invades Ukraine
-**June 2022** CMC meeting, books featuring likely Putin, KJU, weapons
-Sep 2022 US intel reportedly says Russia buying NK arms
July 17, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Been sitting on this for a while due to low photo res, but maybe evidence pushing back timeline of North Korean-Russia weapons cooperation:
-Feb 2022 Russia invades Ukraine
-**June 2022** CMC meeting, books featuring likely Putin, KJU, weapons
-Sep 2022 US intel reportedly says Russia buying NK arms
-Feb 2022 Russia invades Ukraine
-**June 2022** CMC meeting, books featuring likely Putin, KJU, weapons
-Sep 2022 US intel reportedly says Russia buying NK arms
