Brian Davis on how the US military collects intel: North Korea Unpacked
North Korea News Podcast by NK NewsShow Notes
This month, retired U.S. Army Col. Brian Davis joins North Korea Unpacked with Jacco Zwetsloot to discuss lessons from his nearly 40-year career spanning some of the most consequential periods in U.S.-DPRK relations.
He talks about how intelligence on North Korea is gathered and analyzed, how U.S. and South Korean military priorities shifted from conventional threats to nuclear and missile programs and why Pyongyang remains one of the world's most difficult intelligence targets.
Davis also reflects on the 2017 "fire and fury" period, the risks of military action against North Korea and what lessons Pyongyang may have drawn from conflicts in Ukraine, Iran and elsewhere.
He also recounts one of the most unusual episodes of his career: crossing the Military Demarcation Line at Panmunjom to help service a fax machine gifted to North Korean counterparts.
U.S. Army Col. Brian Davis is a former military intelligence officer, a role in which he analyzed DPRK military capabilities, threat environments and decision-making at an operational level.
About the podcast: North Korea Unpacked with Jacco Zwetsloot is a monthly long-form interview series from the NK News Podcast, featuring in-depth conversations with experts and specialists on North Korea.
The regular weekly NK News Podcast, hosted by Alannah Hill, continues to cover the latest developments in the North Korea news cycle.
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Editor’s note: This interview was recorded in July 2026. Some references to recent events and political developments reflect the situation at the time of recording and may differ from subsequent developments.
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