To continue getting breaking news and the full stories from The Boston Globe, subscribe today.

The Boston Globe

Arts

ALEX BEAM

News flash from North Korea

Want to know what’s happening in Pyongyang? Just pick up the local newspaper on the Internet.

I seem to be developing a specialty of chronicling dictators and their ridiculous propaganda. A while back, I mined Fidel Castro’s silly newspaper columns, which are not published in an actual newspaper, for their unintended hilarity. More recently I spent a couple of weeks listening to China Radio International, Beijing’s answer to the BBC and the Voice of America. Imagine my delight upon learning that Rodong Sinmun, (“Newspaper of the Workers’’) the official publication of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of North Korea, had suddenly become available in English, on the internet.

Stay with the story. Get full access to BostonGlobe.com for just 99¢

Unlimited access to BostonGlobe.com for only 99¢ for the first 4 weeks. You can cancel at any time.

  • The FULL story all day: Enjoy all of the high-quality, in-depth journalism in the print edition of the Boston Globe — plus breaking news that's updated 24/7.
  • A truly reader-friendly format: It's online news that looks and reads just like the newspaper — uncluttered, uninterrupted.
  • Breakthrough technology: The responsive design automatically adapts content so it always reads perfectly on the digital device of your choice.
Get started today

BostonGlobe.comSubscriber Log In

Contact us for help