News & Media

January 20, 2025: Niklas Swanström, ISDP’s Executive Director, was interviewed by Svenska Dagbladet about the recent news of North Korean soldiers in Kursk. “I think they are preparing to send more troops to Russia,” says Niklas Swanström. Read the article here (in Swedish).

January 17, 2025: In-bum Chun, a Distinguished Military Fellow at ISDP, was interviewed by ABC News on North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia. “The North Koreans will be unaccustomed to the flatlands and the Ukrainian front, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not going to be adapting, especially if they are experiencing high casualties. It’s […]

January 17, 2025: In-bum Chun, a Distinguished Military Fellow at ISDP, was interviewed by Deutsche Welle on the question of what will happen to the North Korean prisoners of war in Ukraine. Discussions are currently underway with South Korean diplomats to outline the potential consequences of their return to North Korea. “They would be immediately […]

January 17, 2025: Niklas Swanström, ISDP’s Executive Director, was interviewed by SVT about the Chinese company PTL. Chinese company PTL has been refused permission to manufacture raw materials for electric car batteries with around 2,000 employees north of Timrå. A decision they have appealed to the government. Even a privately owned company is likely to […]

January 17, 2025: Niklas Swanström, ISDP’s Executive Director, was interviewed by Expressen about “Ikea” appearing in a North Korean propaganda video on TikTok. International media picked up Niklas Swanström’s interview with Expressen, examples are: International Business Times: ‘IKEA’ Finally Opens In North Korea—But There’s A Catch The Mirror: North Korea opens knock-off Ikea store in […]

January 15, 2025: Mats Engman, Head of the Stockholm Korea Center and a Distinguished Military Fellow at ISDP, talked about “South Korea’s democracy in crisis: How and when will the chaos end?” in Turkish TRT. South Korea faces its deepest political crisis in decades after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed declaration of martial law. With […]

January 14, 2025: Niklas Swanström, ISDP’s Executive Director, was interviewed in Studio Ett, Sveriges Radio, about the captured North Korean soldiers in Ukraine. Niklas Swanström explains that there is little information available, but it is very likely that many of the soldiers did not know clearly what they could expect of their journey to Russia. […]

January 13, 2025: Niklas Swanström, ISDP’s Executive Director, was interviewed by the Swedish Epoch Time about missile tests in North Korea and their possible significance. He highlights that North Korea’s missile tests pose a serious threat to stability in the region. He argues that the country is using the tests to develop its military technology […]

January 9, 2025: Niklas Swanström, ISDP’s Executive Director, was interviewed by Expressen about North Korean Tiktok propaganda. In a recent Tiktok video, Ikea appeared in a new shopping mall in North Korea. The shown store is no real Ikea store. Niklas Swanström says the Tiktok film is a clear example of North Korean propaganda. “Nothing […]

January 8, 2025: ISDP is delighted to welcome Go Myong Hyun as Guest Researcher at the Stockholm Korea Center in January 2025. Go Myong Hyun is a senior fellow and director of Hybrid Threat Research Center at the the Institute for National Security Strategy. While at ISDP, he will focus on hybrid threats in Northeast […]