Chad O'Carroll
@chadocl.bsky.social
Founder of NK News/NK Pro and Korea Risk Group. From London, based in Seoul. Drum and bass music aficionado.
Usually I’m impressed by how South Korean authorities complete infrastructure upgrades at high speeds, with workers late into the night.
But what the hell is going on at Gwanghwamun station?
Not one, not two, but ALL four entrances closed on the main intersection… for months!
But what the hell is going on at Gwanghwamun station?
Not one, not two, but ALL four entrances closed on the main intersection… for months!
September 19, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Usually I’m impressed by how South Korean authorities complete infrastructure upgrades at high speeds, with workers late into the night.
But what the hell is going on at Gwanghwamun station?
Not one, not two, but ALL four entrances closed on the main intersection… for months!
But what the hell is going on at Gwanghwamun station?
Not one, not two, but ALL four entrances closed on the main intersection… for months!
On Friday I went to Gunsan Air Base in South Korea, where I saw a training exercise featuring 4X U.S. Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighters.
Later on, F-35A stealth fighters took part in the same exercises, a rare showcase of the two aircraft types.
www.nknews.org/2025/08/u-s-...
Later on, F-35A stealth fighters took part in the same exercises, a rare showcase of the two aircraft types.
www.nknews.org/2025/08/u-s-...
August 25, 2025 at 12:29 AM
On Friday I went to Gunsan Air Base in South Korea, where I saw a training exercise featuring 4X U.S. Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighters.
Later on, F-35A stealth fighters took part in the same exercises, a rare showcase of the two aircraft types.
www.nknews.org/2025/08/u-s-...
Later on, F-35A stealth fighters took part in the same exercises, a rare showcase of the two aircraft types.
www.nknews.org/2025/08/u-s-...
Influence?
KF's own documents reveal its purpose: to “create a more supportive environment for Korea and its primary interests" and “reinforce the base of support for Korea’s interests and create a supportive atmosphere for the foreign policy measures of the Korean government.”
KF's own documents reveal its purpose: to “create a more supportive environment for Korea and its primary interests" and “reinforce the base of support for Korea’s interests and create a supportive atmosphere for the foreign policy measures of the Korean government.”
July 23, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Influence?
KF's own documents reveal its purpose: to “create a more supportive environment for Korea and its primary interests" and “reinforce the base of support for Korea’s interests and create a supportive atmosphere for the foreign policy measures of the Korean government.”
KF's own documents reveal its purpose: to “create a more supportive environment for Korea and its primary interests" and “reinforce the base of support for Korea’s interests and create a supportive atmosphere for the foreign policy measures of the Korean government.”
How close is it to ROK gov?
1. KF's leadership is appointed by South Korea's political establishment.
2. Its board is selected by the foreign ministry, while its president requires ROK presidential approval.
3. Six of eight international offices operate from within Korean embassies.
1. KF's leadership is appointed by South Korea's political establishment.
2. Its board is selected by the foreign ministry, while its president requires ROK presidential approval.
3. Six of eight international offices operate from within Korean embassies.
July 23, 2025 at 9:57 AM
How close is it to ROK gov?
1. KF's leadership is appointed by South Korea's political establishment.
2. Its board is selected by the foreign ministry, while its president requires ROK presidential approval.
3. Six of eight international offices operate from within Korean embassies.
1. KF's leadership is appointed by South Korea's political establishment.
2. Its board is selected by the foreign ministry, while its president requires ROK presidential approval.
3. Six of eight international offices operate from within Korean embassies.
KF ranks #3 among foreign government funders of U.S. think tanks, above Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Canada, Japan & Taiwan. (@QuincyInst figures)
Real figure likely much higher than $9.4M - we could only obtain data from 19 of 31 organizations KF lists in its annual reports.
Real figure likely much higher than $9.4M - we could only obtain data from 19 of 31 organizations KF lists in its annual reports.
July 23, 2025 at 9:57 AM
KF ranks #3 among foreign government funders of U.S. think tanks, above Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Canada, Japan & Taiwan. (@QuincyInst figures)
Real figure likely much higher than $9.4M - we could only obtain data from 19 of 31 organizations KF lists in its annual reports.
Real figure likely much higher than $9.4M - we could only obtain data from 19 of 31 organizations KF lists in its annual reports.
INVESTIGATION: The Korea Foundation funneled at least $9.4M to U.S. think tanks from 2019-2023 - making it one of the top global funders of American policy research in the world - while avoiding foreign agent registration requirements.
w/ @IfangBremer:
koreapro.org/2025/07/how...
w/ @IfangBremer:
koreapro.org/2025/07/how...
July 23, 2025 at 9:57 AM
INVESTIGATION: The Korea Foundation funneled at least $9.4M to U.S. think tanks from 2019-2023 - making it one of the top global funders of American policy research in the world - while avoiding foreign agent registration requirements.
w/ @IfangBremer:
koreapro.org/2025/07/how...
w/ @IfangBremer:
koreapro.org/2025/07/how...
And of course, what to expect in the month ahead (don't forget that we also do Week Ahead breakdowns every single Monday, giving more granular updates as time passes).
July 2, 2025 at 12:44 AM
And of course, what to expect in the month ahead (don't forget that we also do Week Ahead breakdowns every single Monday, giving more granular updates as time passes).
A summary of initial foreign policy developments and look at what's ahead for the ROK MOFA and related presidential office objectives:
July 2, 2025 at 12:44 AM
A summary of initial foreign policy developments and look at what's ahead for the ROK MOFA and related presidential office objectives:
Economic indicators you should be tracking closely, with potential investor opportunities. (FYI there's a business section, too, showing recent deals and developments)
July 2, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Economic indicators you should be tracking closely, with potential investor opportunities. (FYI there's a business section, too, showing recent deals and developments)
In the June edition, we have plenty of details on key cabinet nominations, senior secretaries and others, names you should know if you're tracking the political situation in South Korea under recently elected president Lee Jae-myung:
July 2, 2025 at 12:44 AM
In the June edition, we have plenty of details on key cabinet nominations, senior secretaries and others, names you should know if you're tracking the political situation in South Korea under recently elected president Lee Jae-myung:
Due warning: visiting Aegibong requires advance booking & a pre-registered vehicle. 🚗
But trust me, the profound exhibits on division, war & hopes for reunification make it SO worthwhile.
But trust me, the profound exhibits on division, war & hopes for reunification make it SO worthwhile.
April 24, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Due warning: visiting Aegibong requires advance booking & a pre-registered vehicle. 🚗
But trust me, the profound exhibits on division, war & hopes for reunification make it SO worthwhile.
But trust me, the profound exhibits on division, war & hopes for reunification make it SO worthwhile.
But let's be real, you're here for the views. 👀
Bring a zoom lens (or use their binoculars) for incredibly detailed shots of rural NK life. On a clear day, pan from NW Seoul to the adjacent NK hamlet in one go!
Bring a zoom lens (or use their binoculars) for incredibly detailed shots of rural NK life. On a clear day, pan from NW Seoul to the adjacent NK hamlet in one go!
April 24, 2025 at 6:14 AM
But let's be real, you're here for the views. 👀
Bring a zoom lens (or use their binoculars) for incredibly detailed shots of rural NK life. On a clear day, pan from NW Seoul to the adjacent NK hamlet in one go!
Bring a zoom lens (or use their binoculars) for incredibly detailed shots of rural NK life. On a clear day, pan from NW Seoul to the adjacent NK hamlet in one go!
Last stop: Aegibong Peace Ecopark & Observatory. 🌿
Perched just 1.5km from NK, it's one of the closest views you can get.
The park highlights environmental preservation & the impact of conflict on ecology.
Perched just 1.5km from NK, it's one of the closest views you can get.
The park highlights environmental preservation & the impact of conflict on ecology.
April 24, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Last stop: Aegibong Peace Ecopark & Observatory. 🌿
Perched just 1.5km from NK, it's one of the closest views you can get.
The park highlights environmental preservation & the impact of conflict on ecology.
Perched just 1.5km from NK, it's one of the closest views you can get.
The park highlights environmental preservation & the impact of conflict on ecology.
Hungry? Grab a bite at the on-site restaurant with views of NK. 🍜
And keep an ear out for propaganda broadcasts from both sides, esp if tensions are high. 📢
And keep an ear out for propaganda broadcasts from both sides, esp if tensions are high. 📢
April 24, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Hungry? Grab a bite at the on-site restaurant with views of NK. 🍜
And keep an ear out for propaganda broadcasts from both sides, esp if tensions are high. 📢
And keep an ear out for propaganda broadcasts from both sides, esp if tensions are high. 📢
But the real gem? The rooftop view. 🌄
Bring coins for binoculars (or a zoom lens) & spot NK farmers working, propaganda structures & more.
On a clear day, you might even glimpse nearby immortality towers and Kim Il Sung mosaics!
Bring coins for binoculars (or a zoom lens) & spot NK farmers working, propaganda structures & more.
On a clear day, you might even glimpse nearby immortality towers and Kim Il Sung mosaics!
April 24, 2025 at 6:14 AM
But the real gem? The rooftop view. 🌄
Bring coins for binoculars (or a zoom lens) & spot NK farmers working, propaganda structures & more.
On a clear day, you might even glimpse nearby immortality towers and Kim Il Sung mosaics!
Bring coins for binoculars (or a zoom lens) & spot NK farmers working, propaganda structures & more.
On a clear day, you might even glimpse nearby immortality towers and Kim Il Sung mosaics!
Next up: Ganghwa Peace Observatory, just 2.3km from the border.
This 5-story structure offers striking vistas of the Imjin River, fields & mtns.
Inside, exhibits detail the war, division & ongoing hardships.
This 5-story structure offers striking vistas of the Imjin River, fields & mtns.
Inside, exhibits detail the war, division & ongoing hardships.
April 24, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Next up: Ganghwa Peace Observatory, just 2.3km from the border.
This 5-story structure offers striking vistas of the Imjin River, fields & mtns.
Inside, exhibits detail the war, division & ongoing hardships.
This 5-story structure offers striking vistas of the Imjin River, fields & mtns.
Inside, exhibits detail the war, division & ongoing hardships.
Feeling peckish?
Pop by the nearby Daeryong Market, a time capsule bustling with 30K residents back in the day, including 20K NK refugees.
Sip tea ☕, explore weathered shops & step back into a surreal bygone era.
Pop by the nearby Daeryong Market, a time capsule bustling with 30K residents back in the day, including 20K NK refugees.
Sip tea ☕, explore weathered shops & step back into a surreal bygone era.
April 24, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Feeling peckish?
Pop by the nearby Daeryong Market, a time capsule bustling with 30K residents back in the day, including 20K NK refugees.
Sip tea ☕, explore weathered shops & step back into a surreal bygone era.
Pop by the nearby Daeryong Market, a time capsule bustling with 30K residents back in the day, including 20K NK refugees.
Sip tea ☕, explore weathered shops & step back into a surreal bygone era.
First stop: Gyodong Island. 🏝️
After a checkpoint & 90min drive from Seoul, you'll reach the Gyodongdo Manghyangdae observatory.
Peer through binoculars for an intimate view of North Korean houses & people just 2-6km away! 🔭
After a checkpoint & 90min drive from Seoul, you'll reach the Gyodongdo Manghyangdae observatory.
Peer through binoculars for an intimate view of North Korean houses & people just 2-6km away! 🔭
April 24, 2025 at 6:14 AM
First stop: Gyodong Island. 🏝️
After a checkpoint & 90min drive from Seoul, you'll reach the Gyodongdo Manghyangdae observatory.
Peer through binoculars for an intimate view of North Korean houses & people just 2-6km away! 🔭
After a checkpoint & 90min drive from Seoul, you'll reach the Gyodongdo Manghyangdae observatory.
Peer through binoculars for an intimate view of North Korean houses & people just 2-6km away! 🔭
Want to glimpse daily life in North Korea? Skip the scripted tours & head to the western end of the DMZ, where a few km of water separate the Koreas.
🌊 Access is tricky but very worth it.
Here's the fourth in my inter-Korean border travel series:
www.nknews.org/2025/04/up-...
🌊 Access is tricky but very worth it.
Here's the fourth in my inter-Korean border travel series:
www.nknews.org/2025/04/up-...
April 24, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Want to glimpse daily life in North Korea? Skip the scripted tours & head to the western end of the DMZ, where a few km of water separate the Koreas.
🌊 Access is tricky but very worth it.
Here's the fourth in my inter-Korean border travel series:
www.nknews.org/2025/04/up-...
🌊 Access is tricky but very worth it.
Here's the fourth in my inter-Korean border travel series:
www.nknews.org/2025/04/up-...
Anyone remember this special-edition "DOTARD" bulletin printed same-day by KCNA to showcase Kim Jong Un's wrath towards @realDonaldTrump back during the peak of 2017 US-NK tensions?
A friend was given it upon arrival in Pyongyang airport!
A friend was given it upon arrival in Pyongyang airport!
April 22, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Anyone remember this special-edition "DOTARD" bulletin printed same-day by KCNA to showcase Kim Jong Un's wrath towards @realDonaldTrump back during the peak of 2017 US-NK tensions?
A friend was given it upon arrival in Pyongyang airport!
A friend was given it upon arrival in Pyongyang airport!
Dear KBS Korea please stop sending me demands to pay 70 won (0.048 cents USD).
You’ve sent multiple letters now which would cost much higher than the debt you claim I owe.
I don’t have a TV and don’t watch KBS, so please try and retrieve the 0.048 cents from someone else.
You’ve sent multiple letters now which would cost much higher than the debt you claim I owe.
I don’t have a TV and don’t watch KBS, so please try and retrieve the 0.048 cents from someone else.
April 3, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Dear KBS Korea please stop sending me demands to pay 70 won (0.048 cents USD).
You’ve sent multiple letters now which would cost much higher than the debt you claim I owe.
I don’t have a TV and don’t watch KBS, so please try and retrieve the 0.048 cents from someone else.
You’ve sent multiple letters now which would cost much higher than the debt you claim I owe.
I don’t have a TV and don’t watch KBS, so please try and retrieve the 0.048 cents from someone else.
We'll be in NYC then DC from Friday March 14 with several key team members: Jeongmin Kim, Colin Zwirko, Shreyas Reddy and Melanie Ivey.
If you'd like to meet, consider attending one of our public events. Or DM me and we can arrange something bilaterally!
Thanks.
If you'd like to meet, consider attending one of our public events. Or DM me and we can arrange something bilaterally!
Thanks.
March 10, 2025 at 2:30 PM
We'll be in NYC then DC from Friday March 14 with several key team members: Jeongmin Kim, Colin Zwirko, Shreyas Reddy and Melanie Ivey.
If you'd like to meet, consider attending one of our public events. Or DM me and we can arrange something bilaterally!
Thanks.
If you'd like to meet, consider attending one of our public events. Or DM me and we can arrange something bilaterally!
Thanks.
Nope, @nknewsorg does NOT receive grants or donations from NED. We have never been funded by them.
@Junotane your article is wrong.
@Junotane your article is wrong.
February 24, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Nope, @nknewsorg does NOT receive grants or donations from NED. We have never been funded by them.
@Junotane your article is wrong.
@Junotane your article is wrong.
Have we reached peak K-Culture? Join us for an exclusive dinner talk with Professor Sohn Jie-ae to find out!
Discover the future of South Korean soft power—from BTS to Parasite—and explore its next chapter in global entertainment and diplomacy.
Tickets: events.koreapro.org
Discover the future of South Korean soft power—from BTS to Parasite—and explore its next chapter in global entertainment and diplomacy.
Tickets: events.koreapro.org
February 24, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Have we reached peak K-Culture? Join us for an exclusive dinner talk with Professor Sohn Jie-ae to find out!
Discover the future of South Korean soft power—from BTS to Parasite—and explore its next chapter in global entertainment and diplomacy.
Tickets: events.koreapro.org
Discover the future of South Korean soft power—from BTS to Parasite—and explore its next chapter in global entertainment and diplomacy.
Tickets: events.koreapro.org
Yes, then no, on a return of Western tourists to North Korea.
This was my Jan. prediction for how the resumption of tourism would unfold in 2025.
Guess what's happened? Western tourists began prepping to goto Rason and the DPRK gov changed its mind.
www.nknews.org/2025/02/wes...
This was my Jan. prediction for how the resumption of tourism would unfold in 2025.
Guess what's happened? Western tourists began prepping to goto Rason and the DPRK gov changed its mind.
www.nknews.org/2025/02/wes...
February 10, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Yes, then no, on a return of Western tourists to North Korea.
This was my Jan. prediction for how the resumption of tourism would unfold in 2025.
Guess what's happened? Western tourists began prepping to goto Rason and the DPRK gov changed its mind.
www.nknews.org/2025/02/wes...
This was my Jan. prediction for how the resumption of tourism would unfold in 2025.
Guess what's happened? Western tourists began prepping to goto Rason and the DPRK gov changed its mind.
www.nknews.org/2025/02/wes...