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Strategic Value, but Limited Prospects: North Korea’s Cement Industry
(Source: Rodong Sinmun) In recent months, Kim Jong Un has focused significant attention on the cement industry; he specifically highlighted it in his speech to the Eighth Party Congress in January and...
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North Korea’s “Anti-Capitalist” Crackdown: Old Roots but New Vigor
A major crackdown is currently underway in North Korea to root out foreign culture, primarily from South Korea, as well as “capitalist tendencies,” including corruption.[1] The roots of the campaign go...
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The North Korean Economy in 2021 and 2022: Muddling Through With Few Options
(Source: KCNA) What was the state of the North Korean economy in 2021, and where is it headed in 2022? The Central Committee plenary report published by North Korea on the first day of the year...
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How Global Is the North Korean Economy?
North Korea may be one of the most autarkic economies in the world, but it is far from isolated from global fluctuations. Market price data suggests that North Korea faces much more volatile...
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Why We Know Even Less Than Usual About North Korea’s Food Situation
(Source: KCNA) Even in a normal year, North Korea’s food situation would be difficult to parse. This year, however, it is more trying than usual, largely due to the North Korean government’s response...
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North Korean Market Prices Suggest Serious Food Shortages
Recently, the BBC became one of few global outlets to succeed in interviewing ordinary North Koreans inside the country about the food situation, and the picture they painted is dire: starvation, empty...
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What Do Weapons Sales to Russia Mean for North Korea’s Economy?
Source: KCNA North Korea’s ties with Russia are in their steepest upswing since the Cold War. On Wednesday, September 13, Kim Jong Un held a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two are...
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What’s Up with North Korea’s Skyrocketing Exchange Rates?
In recent months, foreign exchange rates in North Korea have surged in ways that intuitively make little sense. The Korean People’s won (KPW), the country’s domestic currency, now trades at 16,100 to...
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