April 20, 2024
Analysis

What McDonald’s can teach us about the North Korean economy

There are some unlikely parallels between the Golden Arches and the DPRK's nascent private sector

North Korea is a very unusual place to do business. Markets are legal, but private property is not. Individuals cannot own machinery, land, or industrial buildings. Actually, North Koreans do not even own their own houses – they just hold tenancy rights.

Yet, North Korea has a thriving private sector, and private entrepreneurs manage and finance much of what on paper are goods and services made by state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

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