Despite the official media in North Korea not mentioning the U.S. presidential election scheduled for this Tuesday (November 5th), North Korean citizens have found out about the news through listening to foreign radio broadcasts and are feeling curious. They are privately discussing how the outcome of this election will affect the future of North Korea.
According to Radio Free Asia, although North Korean official media, including the “Rodong Sinmun,” reports on major international events, they often do not cover news related to U.S. politics, including the current presidential election. Nevertheless, North Korean citizens are still eager to understand, especially businessmen and company executives.
Several sources in Hamgyong Province, North Korea, told the radio station that some local residents learn about the U.S. presidential election through listening to foreign radio stations and are “very curious.”
A company executive in his forties revealed that he learned about the upcoming U.S. presidential election about a month ago and knew that former President Trump and current Vice President Harris were competing for the presidency. He received this information from a friend who heard it while listening to a foreign radio station.
The executive said, “Not only those who listen to the broadcasts, but also traders who frequently travel abroad, executives who attend political seminars, and executives who read ‘reference newspapers’ generally understand the situation of the U.S. presidential election.”
He mentioned that in North Korea, many ordinary citizens are curious about international affairs and the United States. “This is because they know that the United States is the richest and militarily strongest superpower on earth, playing a crucial role in the United Nations in passing sanction resolutions and designating countries that support terrorism.”
He pointed out that there is a difference of opinion among North Korean citizens on whether a Trump or Harris presidency would be more favorable for North Korea.
“People often say that the Republican Party is hardline, while the Democratic Party is moderate. On the other hand, some people say that a Republican administration is advantageous for us because in the past, economic sanctions and other restrictions on North Korea have often been lifted during Republican administrations.”
Another source said that while discussing the U.S. presidential election with a few friends over drinks, only one person was unaware of the issue.
Although North Korean media often criticizes the United States and reports negatively, he said that North Korean citizens are now very smart, knowing that North Korea’s poverty is not the fault of the United States, contrary to what the North Korean authorities claim.
“I hope that Kim Jong-un can improve relations with the United States, ease tensions, lift economic sanctions, and allow the people to live with confidence,” he said.
An official in Hamgyong Province told the radio station that ordinary North Korean citizens who have long faced food shortages are most concerned about economic recovery.
He said that the U.S. presidential election has become a “hot topic” for representatives of North Korea’s national economic and trade institutions due to its impact on the global economy. This is because they believe that North Korea’s economic situation will also change depending on who becomes the next U.S. President.
Another official in Pyongan Province said, “People engaged in large enterprises or affiliated with national trade institutions hold a glimmer of hope for the domestic economy to revive through this U.S. presidential election.”
However, he also said that the interest of ordinary North Korean citizens is not significant, “because regardless of who becomes the (U.S.) president, their lives have never improved.”