The August issue examines new research methods developed to address the persistent scarcity of reliable information and official statistics on North Korea. The Special Interview with Kwon Man-hak, President of the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), ranges from the role, objectivity, and independence of government-funded research institutes to North Korea’s “hostile two-state” doctrine and practical avenues toward peaceful coexistence, including functional and humanitarian cooperation. The Trends and Analysis section brings together four studies: one reviews the methodological strengths and limitations of North Korean defector surveys; another combines documentary, media, and satellite information to assess land reclamation projects; a third uses text mining to distinguish propaganda narratives from substantive policy emphasis; and the last draws on historical evidence to examine socioeconomic differences between northern and southern Korea before division.