ИСТИНА

The DPRK is usually vilified as being rigid or even totalitarian, while its heavily defended border is often compared to the Soviet “Iron Curtain.” However, at least one urban population center is located on the border with each neighboring country, and indeed they connect the country with the outside world. The city of Sinŭiju is unique among the others for fulfilling the function of the main “window” not only to neighboring China, but to the whole globe as well. In this paper, I would like to examine the assumption that this city has become an essential part of a trans-border agglomeration through the lens of urban studies, and investigate if this role could be a useful “clue” for better understanding this “mysterious” country.