Kim Jong Un

Built World

Overseeing controlled reopening while deepening military ties with Russia

North Korea sealed its borders on January 23, 2020, before most countries had heard of COVID-19. For six years, the country operated in near-total isolation — trade with China collapsed by 96%, food availability dropped to levels not seen since the famine that killed hundreds of thousands in the 1990s, and not a single foreign tourist set foot in the country for four years. On March 12, 2026, a passenger train will depart Beijing for Pyongyang for the first time since that closure, carrying diplomats and businesspeople in just two carriages on a 25-hour journey through the border city of Dandong.

Updated 7 days ago

Force in Play

Leading deepening alliance with Russia

North Korea has not sent combat troops abroad since the Korean War ended in 1953. That changed in October 2024, when approximately 12,000 to 15,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia's Kursk region to fight alongside Russian forces against Ukraine. By February 2026, an estimated 6,000 of those troops have been killed or wounded—making this North Korea's third deadliest military conflict.

Updated Feb 16

Force in Play

Ordered 250% weapons production increase; sent New Year's greetings to troops fighting in Russia

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles on January 4, 2026, hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed for Beijing to meet Xi Jinping. The missiles—traveling 900-950 kilometers at 50-kilometer altitudes—were Pyongyang's first weapons test of 2026 and a clear signal to both Seoul and its Chinese patron: don't make deals without us. Just hours before the launch, Kim Jong Un visited a tactical weapons factory and ordered production capacity expanded by 250 percent to meet 2026's "anticipated requirements."

Updated Jan 4

New Capabilities

Overseeing rapid nuclear expansion, revealing nuclear submarine, and preparing for 2026 party congress with new weapons production push

North Korea has conducted over 272 missile launches since 2012, with the pace accelerating dramatically. In late December 2025, Kim Jong Un watched cruise missiles fly for nearly three hours before hitting their targets, declaring the need for 'unlimited and sustained' nuclear expansion. Days earlier, he revealed an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine under construction—potentially with Russian assistance—and oversaw tests of new anti-air missiles hitting targets at 200 km altitude. Russia is now feeding Pyongyang advanced missile and space technology in exchange for artillery shells and troops for Ukraine—obliterating what's left of international sanctions.

Updated Dec 29, 2025