North Korea’s markets are not a revolutionary force for political change



Analysis North Korea’s markets are not a revolutionary force for political change DPRK entrepreneurs are dependent on and captive to state actors, giving them little incentive to challenge the regime Peter Ward November 1, 2022 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON A revolutionary monument in Pyongyang \| Image: NK News (Nov. 23, 2017) Some North Korea watchers have held out hope that the country’s unofficial markets, which sprang up during the famine years of the 1990s and expanded in the initial years of Kim Jong Un’s rule, might one day serve as a driver of political change. But a closer look at the realities on the ground in the DPRK and the assumptions of those who entertain such a possibility indicates that this is unlikely to be the case. An NK Pro analysis reveals that: There are roughly three different types of entrepreneurs in North Read More © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01How Assad’s downfall could expose secrets of North Korea-Syria military ties 02All the companies that participated in the Pyongyang Autumn Trade Fair 2024 03No Chinese firms joined North Korea’s latest trade fair dominated by Russia 04What defectors’ exam scores reveal about the quality of North Korean health care 05North Korean Il-76 cargo planes make rare flights to northeast coast 06From aid to academia: The status of foreign organizations in North Korea 07North Korea expanding rail access to airport near Wonsan mega resort: Imagery 08Assad’s fall deprives North Korea of a fellow pariah, but its focus is elsewhere 09How Seoul’s new L-SAM interceptor boosts defenses against North Korean missiles 10Where things stand with the diplomatic community in North Korea

Analysis

North Korea’s markets are not a revolutionary force for political change

DPRK entrepreneurs are dependent on and captive to state actors, giving them little incentive to challenge the regime

Peter Ward November 1, 2022

North Korea’s markets are not a revolutionary force for political change

A revolutionary monument in Pyongyang | Image: NK News (Nov. 23, 2017)

Some North Korea watchers have held out hope that the country’s unofficial markets, which sprang up during the famine years of the 1990s and expanded in the initial years of Kim Jong Un’s rule, might one day serve as a driver of political change.

But a closer look at the realities on the ground in the DPRK and the assumptions of those who entertain such a possibility indicates that this is unlikely to be the case.

An NK Pro analysis reveals that:

There are roughly three different types of entrepreneurs in North

01How Assad’s downfall could expose secrets of North Korea-Syria military ties
02All the companies that participated in the Pyongyang Autumn Trade Fair 2024
03No Chinese firms joined North Korea’s latest trade fair dominated by Russia
04What defectors’ exam scores reveal about the quality of North Korean health care
05North Korean Il-76 cargo planes make rare flights to northeast coast
06From aid to academia: The status of foreign organizations in North Korea
07North Korea expanding rail access to airport near Wonsan mega resort: Imagery
08Assad’s fall deprives North Korea of a fellow pariah, but its focus is elsewhere
09How Seoul’s new L-SAM interceptor boosts defenses against North Korean missiles
10Where things stand with the diplomatic community in North Korea

North Korea’s markets are not a revolutionary force for political change

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Peter Ward