Posts Tagged ‘trade’
How North Korea Evades Financial Sanctions
In response to North Korea’s third nuclear test in February 2013, the UN Security Council voted to tighten financial sanctions on North Korea to “prevent the provision of financial services” that could “contribute” to the North’s missile and nuclear programs. US financial sanctions dating back to September 2005 are more comprehensive [...]
Kim Jong Un’s Domestic Policy Record in His First Year: Surprisingly Good
The year 2012 started with hysterical nationwide mourning for the deceased leader Kim Jong Il. The country was gripped with the fear of abandonment, uncertainty and chaos. But, by the time 2012 came to a close, one could detect hope in the air, and new positive expectations about the future. There was also plenty of public thirst for new [...]
Garment Production in North Korea
In North Korea, there are several sectors that can be considered for trade and investment. They include agribusiness, fishing, shipbuilding, logistics, minerals, information technology, and garments. Garment processing has been one of the most successful export-related activities. Companies in the Netherlands, Germany, France, China, and South [...]
The Diminishing Returns of China’s North Korea Policy
North Korea’s economic dependence on China may have reached an all-time high, but Kim Jong Un is determined to set a course for greater political independence from Beijing. This has left China in a state that one insider has referred to as ‘desperate’ over its rocky relations with the country since Kim Jong Un came to power. But given that [...]
Will North Korea’s Plans for Foreign Investment Make It a More Prosperous Nation?
North Korea has been touting for some time that 2012 is the year it will demonstrate its credentials as a “strong and prosperous nation.” On March 17, 2012, the day after announcing its intention to launch a missile and place a satellite in orbit, the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) published new foreign investment laws for the two special [...]
Is North Korea Opening? What Might That Mean?
If we have few good answers on North Korea, then maybe we need to refine our questions. Case in point: Is North Korea opening? Articles on this theme are a hardy perennial of the field. I’ve been reading them since at least the 1980s. Back then I was writing them. After my first visit to the DPRK in 1986, one of a series of pieces [...]
