Peeking Behind Closed Curtains
VIEW EVENT DETAILSA Conversation with Katharina Zellweger
What social changes has North Korea undergone? What does daily life for the urban and rural population look like nowadays? How much information do they have about the outside world? And what role do humanitarian aid and international sanctions play?
In the light of recent signs of a shift of North Korean foreign policy, the internal situation in North Korea has gotten lost. Nevertheless, the country is undergoing deep social changes and is not as closed-off as one might think. Based on her hands-on experience and frequent in-country visits, Katharina Zellweger will put these questions into perspective by sharing some insights on everyday life in North Korea and what can be done to help the country’s citizens move forward in spite of a complex political environment.
Katharina Zellweger is a senior aid manager with over 30 years of field experience in Hong Kong, China, and North Korea. She was based in Pyongyang for five years (2006-2011) as the North Korea country director for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), an office of the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Focusing on sustainable agriculture and education exchanges, she gained a unique insight into humanitarian questions and security politics in North Korea. She currently manages the Hong Kong-based KorAid Limited, an NGO she established in 2015 to focus on serving children in institutions and people with disabilities in North Korea and in China.