Colin Zwirko Profile picture
Senior Analytic Correspondent @NKNewsOrg
Mar 28, 2023 7 tweets 4 min read
North Korea blurring more faces of officials. This guy seems to have been at a March 2016 nuclear device inspection with KJU (on right), but i'm not sure what his name is nknews.org/2023/03/kim-jo… @ArmsControlWonk @DaveSchmerler Also not sure what the names of these two are, though they're not blurred and the guy in the first collage is more high-profile (name may be public)
Oct 12, 2021 5 tweets 2 min read
Lots of new missile launch footage from the past few years, of tests that were only covered in still photos in state media at the time Sister and brother Kims watch a parachuter
Oct 11, 2021 11 tweets 4 min read
Wow. Hwasong-16 on stage behind Kim Jong Un at Defense 2021 meeting, more from @nknewsorg soon @nknewsorg It's got everything. Hwasong-16, 15, 14, and that new "hypersonic missile"?

A portrait of Kim Jong Un sitting in military uniform with Pak Jong Chon at his shoulder too
Oct 10, 2021 7 tweets 4 min read
I haven't seen such a long yet generic Kim Jong Un speech in years I don't think. Focused on ideology, it's just reminders of things from his speeches since the January Congress. People will nonetheless be busy studying it now, and it seems he thinks they need the reminders Context: He gave a speech at a "lecture" on Sunday Oct. 10, the 76th party foundation anniversary

Unimportant notes:
-He's exclusively worn a suit and tie (not a Mao suit) in his last 6 formal appearances, since a Sept. 2 politburo meeting
-Stage seating arrangement is awkward
Jul 7, 2021 10 tweets 5 min read
Should have confirmation on North Korea's recent leadership shakeup shortly, state media has reported that Kim Jong Un visited the Kumsusan mausoleum on the death anniversary of Kim Il Sung (July 8), but is being abnormally slow with releasing images. Stay tuned to @nknewsorg @nknewsorg Oh wow, it appears the replacement for Ri Pyong Chol has not been made yet, or that he was edited out... Image
Jul 7, 2021 10 tweets 6 min read
Previously unreleased footage of a North Korean missile test released in a new film July 3 on KCTV (of the observation bunker, not test itself)

Most likely one of the failed Hwasong-12 tests at Sinpho in April 2017. How I came to this conclusion below: First of all, no previously publicized test footage/pics match this particular bunker/scene/attire.

Narrator says it's right after the March 18, 2017 rocket engine test.

Big clue is a missile trajectory map on Kim Jong Un's desk, looked like Wonsan at first but likely Sinpho Image
Jun 5, 2021 6 tweets 4 min read
ALERT: Poor journalism from @Telegraph
Cites Korean Development Institute report, wrong pub date, no title/link, doesn't clarify it's just a paper written by one man, economist Kwon Tae-jin from GS&J, and further mistranslates/misinterprets data (p76)
kdi.re.kr/kdi_eng/public… @Telegraph completely butchered the Korean and simply made things up. Compare the full passage above, but actual article has Kwon saying WFP Global Report on Food Crises says NK is in "crisis" and countries in crisis GENERALLY see people spending most their assets on food. ImageImage
Jan 21, 2021 7 tweets 4 min read
Revisiting North Korean university participation in the Oct. 10 military parade (didn't march in the Jan. 14 parade).

Couple points on Kim Jong Il-named schools and Kim Jong Un-named school

First, some confusion about one KJI uni (1/7) Did they just rename the Kim Jong Il Politics-Military Uni 김정일정치군사대학 to Kim Jong Il Mil-Pol Uni 김정일군정대학?

@The_Daily_NK reported it's a new school hastily set up sharing campus with Kim Il Sung Military Uni in Pyongyang's Mangyongdae (2/7) dailynk.com/english/what-i…