What Kim Jong Un’s candid admission of failure says about his economic approach



Analysis What Kim Jong Un’s candid admission of failure says about his economic approach North Korean leader has embraced self-reflection as a strategy for winning trust, while doubling down on central control Peter Ward January 2, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects a foodstuffs factory in late December. \| Image: KCNA (Dec. 21, 2024) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wrapped up 2024 with three major speeches on the state of the economy and regime policy, offering strikingly candid criticism of past failures while setting out a vision that doubles down on central control. Kim’s speeches focused on the 20×10 regional development drive launched at the start of 2024, post-disaster housing reconstruction and economic development plans for the new year. Collectively, they revealed Kim’s struggle with the problems of incentives in a centrally planned economy. His apparent skepticism of markets as a means to allocate resources and drive development means 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 01What Kim Jong Un’s candid admission of failure says about his economic approach 02Plenum leadership reshuffles preview Kim Jong Un’s priorities for new year 0312K troops, 42 flights, 1 alliance: Thriving North Korea-Russia ties in numbers 04What to make of Kim Jong Un’s plenum call for ‘most hardline’ posture toward US 05North Korea building new warship likely to be country’s largest, photos show 06Suspected North Korean drone base and factory face construction slowdown 07Lessons from chaos: What Kim Jong Un sees in an era of global turmoil 08In 2024, Kim Jong Un swaggered on the global stage like never before 09Military dominates Kim Jong Un’s attention in his busiest year in nearly decade 10How Trump’s return could transform North Korea’s quiet ties with Thailand

Analysis

What Kim Jong Un’s candid admission of failure says about his economic approach

North Korean leader has embraced self-reflection as a strategy for winning trust, while doubling down on central control

Peter Ward January 2, 2025

What Kim Jong Un’s candid admission of failure says about his economic approach

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects a foodstuffs factory in late December. | Image: KCNA (Dec. 21, 2024)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wrapped up 2024 with three major speeches on the state of the economy and regime policy, offering strikingly candid criticism of past failures while setting out a vision that doubles down on central control.

Kim’s speeches focused on the 20×10 regional development drive launched at the start of 2024, post-disaster housing reconstruction and economic development plans for the new year.

Collectively, they revealed Kim’s struggle with the problems of incentives in a centrally planned economy. His apparent skepticism of markets as a means to allocate resources and drive development means

01What Kim Jong Un’s candid admission of failure says about his economic approach
02Plenum leadership reshuffles preview Kim Jong Un’s priorities for new year
0312K troops, 42 flights, 1 alliance: Thriving North Korea-Russia ties in numbers
04What to make of Kim Jong Un’s plenum call for ‘most hardline’ posture toward US
05North Korea building new warship likely to be country’s largest, photos show
06Suspected North Korean drone base and factory face construction slowdown
07Lessons from chaos: What Kim Jong Un sees in an era of global turmoil
08In 2024, Kim Jong Un swaggered on the global stage like never before
09Military dominates Kim Jong Un’s attention in his busiest year in nearly decade
10How Trump’s return could transform North Korea’s quiet ties with Thailand

What Kim Jong Un’s candid admission of failure says about his economic approach

LATEST ANALYSIS

About the Author

Peter Ward