The mass media in North Korea is amongst the most strictly controlled in the world. The constitution nominally provides for freedom of speech and the press. However, the government routinely disregards these rights, and seeks to mold information at its source. A typical example of this was the death of Kim Jong Il, news of which was not divulged until two days after it occurred. Kim Jong Un, who replaced his father as the leader, has largely followed in the footsteps of both his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, and his father. However, new technologies are being made more freely available in the country. State-run media outlets are setting up websites, while mobile phone ownership in the country has escalated rapidly. "There is no country which monopolizes and controls successfully the internet and information as North Korea does," said Kang Shin-sam, an expert on North Korean technology and co-head of the International Solidarity for Freedom of Information in North Korea, a nonprofit based in South Korea. North Korea has about four million mobile-phone subscribers circa 2022—roughly one-sixth of the population and four times the number in 2012, according to an estimate by Kim Yon-ho, a senior researcher at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies.

Reporters Without Borders has consistently ranked North Korea at or near the bottom of its yearly Press Freedom Index since it was first issued in 2002. The latest report, published in 2024, puts North Korea at the 177th slot out of 180.

The state news agencies are the only outlets in North Korea.Ford; Kwon, 2008, p. 90.

Press freedom Article 67 of the North Korean Constitution protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press. In practice, however, the press is tightly controlled by the state, and the government only allows speech that supports it and the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.Savada (1994).

The late Kim Jong Il's book, The Great Teacher of Journalists, advises that "newspapers carry articles in which they unfailingly hold the president in high esteem, adore him and praise him as the great revolutionary leader." Media reports in North Korea are often one-sided and exaggerated, playing "little or no role in gathering and disseminating vital information true to facts" and providing propaganda for the regime.Chong (1995), p. 228.

All North Korean journalists are members of the Workers' Party.Freedom House Map of Press Freedom: North Korea , accessed November 30, 2008. Candidates for journalism school must not only prove themselves ideologically clean but also come from politically reliable families.The voice of North Korea. Dec 8, 2009. The World. (). Journalists who do not follow the strict laws face punishment in the form of hard labour or imprisonment, or sometimes even execution.Annual Press Freedom Index . Reporters Without Borders. Only news that favours the regime is permitted, whilst news that covers the economic and political problems in the country, or criticisms of the regime from abroad is not allowed. Domestic media and the population itself are not allowed to carry or read stories by foreign media and can be punished for doing so.

Cult of personality

The media have consistently upheld the personality cult of the Kim family since the country's formation. It frequently reported on the activities of late leader Kim Jong Il, regularly reporting on his daily activities, including "prayers" to founding leader Kim Il Sung. Previously, media would refer to Kim Jong Il as the "Dear Leader", though this was dropped in 2004. However, in January 1981, during the first few months of Kim Jong Il's entry into politics, a survey revealed economic concerns in the media, rather than upholding the cult—60% to 70% of media coverage was focused on the economy in January that year, and between January and September, 54% of editorials in the Rodong Sinmun also referred to economic problems, with only 20% on politics, 10% on reunification and 4% on foreign affairs.Shinn (1982). All indications are that this has continued under the country's third and current leader, Kim Jong-un; soon after his father's death he was acclaimed as the "Great Successor".

Approximately 90% of airtime on international news broadcasts in North Korea is propaganda spent describing the publication of works by Kim Jong Il and showing various study groups in foreign countries, to allegedly mislead the North Korean public as to the outside world's perceptions of the country.Hunter (1999), p. 22. When Kim Jong Il visited Russia in August 2001, official DPRK media reported Russians as being "awestruck" by the encounter, revering Kim Jong Il's ability to "stop the rain and make the sun come out".

Domestic and international coverage

The media is used to promote contrasting domestic and international agendas. Kim Il Sung was said to recognise its power to influence North Koreans and confuse the outside world.Quick (2003), p. 687. Often, the news is released to the international community and withheld from the domestic North Korean population, and other news is released domestically but not internationally.Oh; Hassig (2000), p. xv.

Though some international news coverage is given in DPRK media, much is ignored,"North Korean media remains silent on US attacks". Yonhap. September 12, 2001 is mentioned very briefly,U.S. in great panic . Korean Central News Agency. September 12, 2001 or is announced several days after the event, as was the case with the Ryongchon disaster in 2004.Bloomfield, Steve (April 25, 2004). How news broke in Pyongyang - silently. The Independent. Reports are also notoriously secretive. The media remained silent on domestic issues, by not reporting on economic reforms introduced by the government such as increasing wages and food prices,North Korean media silent on economic reforms. Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. August 8, 2002. rarely mentioning Kim Jong Il until his first party position in 1980Clippinger (1981). and the launching of missiles.N Korea missiles could strike South . The Times (South Africa). July 6, 2009. Restrictions on the dissemination of information do not only apply to the civilian population but North Korean officials themselves, depending on ranking.Hassig et al. (2004).

In contrast, the idea of reunification of the two Koreas is a pervasive theme in the North Korean media,Hodge (2003). as is the near-constant "threat" of an "imminent attack" by the foreign countries.Pinkston (2003). In recent years, the media describes in detail satellite launches launched by the country as a sign of the DPRK's "economic prowess." The media rarely reports bad news from the country; however on one rare occasion, the press acknowledged a famine and food shortages in the 1990s.Goodkind; West (2001).

It has had a role in supporting anti-government demonstrations in South Korea; in the late 1980s, it launched a propaganda campaign urging South Koreans to "fight against the 'government' without concessions and compromise", using false claims to portray the demonstrations as fighting for communism, which, rather, were in support of liberal democracy. It continues to support South Korean anti-government groups, quoting relevant societies and unions critical of the government policy Struggle for Punishment of Lee Myung Bak "Government" Launched in S. Korea . Korean Central News Agency. July 1, 2009. and denouncing government "crackdowns", calling for freedom of expression and democracy for South Korean citizens.Campaign for Second Declaration on Situation Launched in S. Korea . Korean Central News Agency. July 5, 2009. From January 1 to June 22, 2009, North Korean media was reported to have criticised Lee Myung-bak, then-President of South Korea 1,700 times — an average of 9.9 times daily.

During the Khrushchev era of the Soviet Union when relations were tense, North Korean media would openly reprint articles critical of the USSR, often written by North Korean officials.Zhebin (1995). However, once relations between the DPRK and the Soviet Union improved, the articles would no longer appear.Kun (1967). In the following years, both North Korean and Soviet media would play down sensitive anniversaries.Zagoria (1977).

Newspapers

North Korea has 12 principal newspapers and 20 major periodicals, all published in Pyongyang.Pervis (2007), p. 22. Foreign newspapers are not sold on the streets of the capital.Marshall Cavendish Corporation; Macdonald; Stacey; Steele (2004), p. 341. Every year, North Korean press jointly publishes a New Year editorial, also broadcast by KCNA, which regularly attracts the attention of the international news media.Oh; Hassig (2000), p. 90."Chinese agency reports on North Korean New Year editorial." Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. January 1, 2004

Newspapers include:

Rodong Sinmun (Labour Daily) – (Central Committee of the WPK) Joson Inmingun (Korean People's Army Daily) Minju Choson (Democratic Korea) – government organ Rodongja Sinmun (Workers' Newspaper) The Pyongyang Times (English-language; published in the capital)

Several newspaper journalists from North Korea were secretly trained in China to covertly report on events inside North Korea. The newspapers include restricted circulation papers such as Chamgo Sinmun ‘ A newspaper exclusive to party officials briefly mentioned that Seoul and Havana had established relations; it did not assess or analyze the development’ that is an international affairs newspaper published by the Central Committee Publications Department and distributed only to party officials. November 2007 marked the first publication of the Rimjingang magazine, which is distributed secretly in North Korea and neighbouring countries. The magazine covers the economic and political situation in the country. The journalists have also provided footage of public executions to South Korean and Japanese media.

Photojournalism

Photojournalism is heavily regulated by the government. Due to the extremely limited flow of information out of the country, there is no consensus over what rules are actually in place to govern photojournalism by members of foreign press services. The government-owned Korean Central News Agency employs many photojournalists and photo editors.

North Korean leaders believe that their rules and censorship system is necessary in order to keep people under control, "to prevent the rise of criticism about the government."

Television and radio

Television broadcasting is managed by the Central Broadcasting Committee of Korea (until 2009 called Radio and Television Committee of the DPRK). Radio and TV sets in North Korea are supplied pre-tuned to North Korean stations and must be checked and registered with the police, though some North Koreans own Chinese radios which can receive foreign stations. It is prohibited to tune into foreign broadcasts. There are four major television stations: Korean Central Television, Ryongnamsan Television (former ), Kaesong Television (which targets South Korea) and (since August 15, 2015) State television is always off-air until its 5:00 pm evening news broadcast, except on weekends, which start at 6:00 am, and in emergency events, live events and national holidays. In August 2016, North Korea introduced an over-the-top streaming service known as Manbang (meaning "everywhere" or "every direction"), which carries live TV (including educational station Mansudae Television), on-demand video, and newspaper articles (from the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun) over the internet. KCTV described the service as a "respite from radio interference".