A journalist detained in North Korea – NKNews Podcast Ep. 221

North Korea News Podcast

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes had wrapped up a reporting trip in North Korea and was about to board a flight out of the country when the ordeal started. The authorities suddenly detained him and took him for questioning, demanding that he confess to crimes against the state in an interrogation that extended late into the night. This week, Wingfield-Hayes joins the podcast to share the story of his headline-grabbing detention by North Korea ahead of its Seventh Party Congress in 2016. The BBC Tokyo correspondent describes how his persistent questioning and blogging landed him in hot water, recounts the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that led to his release and reflects on how journalists can stay safe while reporting truthfully from inside the DPRK. Rupert Wingfield-Hayes (@wingcommander1) is a longtime BBC journalist who has worked as the broadcaster’s Tokyo correspondent since 2012. He previously served as a BBC correspondent in China, Russia and the Middle East. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot (@JaccoZed) exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.