As one of the most isolated countries in the world, North Korea tries hard to make sure that the movement of information out of its borders is strictly controlled. The result from a journalistic perspective is that quality sources and data with which to generate news can often be thin on the ground.

Added to this, reports of the Kim regime's excesses create a news environment unlike any other. North Korea journalists, often confronted with shaky sourcing and the need to create clicks, frequently choose the path of least resistance.