North Korea economic situation

Leif-Eric Easley

Inserted 2 years ago

“The Kim regime needs more sources of national pride and legitimacy than military parades. So the public commemorations around its founder's birthday tried to portray an economy that is not only resilient but growing, and a society that is not only united but also modern and happy. But this does not represent a shift away from North Korea's military build-up. Kim Jong-un's stated goal of deploying tactical nuclear weapons, Kim Yo-jong's recent threats toward Seoul, and satellite imagery of tunneling activity at Punggye-ri all point to an upcoming nuclear test. Additional missile launches are also expected for honing weapons delivery systems.”

Aljazeera

Professor at Ewha University in Seoul

16 Apr 2022 6 5

Shin Jong-woo

Inserted 2 years ago

“The missile launch could also be used as a bargaining chip when the North engages in negotiations with the South's next government after the South elects a new president in March. There have been many signs of economic hardships in the North including the news that Kim Jong-un gave fish to Pyongyang residents as presents. In that respect, the missile launch is also aimed at strengthening internal solidarity among the people of North Korea.”

Koreatimes

Senior researcher at the Korea Defense and Security Forum

05 Jan 2022 5 3

Park Won-gon

Inserted 2 years ago

“The nuclear weapons program, the economy and the stability of the regime are all interconnected. If the nuclear issue doesn't get resolved, the economy doesn't get better, and that opens the possibility of disquiet and confusion in North Korea's society.”

Koreatimes

Professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University

14 Dec 2021 1 3

Kim Dong-yup

Inserted 2 years ago

“There seem to be two possibilities. First, there is a chance that North Korea launched its Pukguksong-3 SLBM from an actual submarine. The North tested it in October 2019 by launching it from a submersible test barge. The second scenario, which I think is more likely, is the test launch of a Pukguksong-4 or -5 from a test barge. The two missiles were revealed at North Korea's recent military parade. Either way, the North appears to be underscoring its military achievements to cover its economic difficulties stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and sanctions.”

Koreatimes

Professor at the University of North Korean Studies

19 Oct 2021 7 4

Eunju Choi

Inserted 2 years ago

“Kim's [Kim Jong-un] regime has paid more attention to public sentiment than any other government. Official remarks since the pandemic started suggest the government is trying hard to prevent this becoming a social issue. But if the current situation keeps going for a extended period of time, things could turn ugly.”

Aljazeera

Research fellow at Sejong Institute

14 Oct 2021 3 4

Ramon Pacheco Pardo

Inserted 2 years ago

“For ordinary North Koreans, it's a warning sign. The poorest North Koreans, who are the ones who have less access to the won, could see their standard of living deteriorate compared to those who can more freely access the currency.”

Aljazeera

Professor of international relations at King's College London

14 Oct 2021 3 3

Byung-yeon Kim

Inserted 2 years ago

“A currency normally depreciates when a country is facing troubles, but the opposite is happening in North Korea. The North may be trying to boost the won to support the economy, but continuing such attempts could end up harming the real economy even more.”

Aljazeera

Professor of economics at Seoul National University

14 Oct 2021 2 2

Leif-Eric Easley

Inserted 2 years ago

“North Korea's amped up rhetoric against scaled down US-South Korea defence exercises appears to be more about domestic politics than signalling to Washington. The Kim [Kim Jong-un] regime is shifting blame for its struggles to restart the economy after a long, self-imposed pandemic lockdown. Pyongyang is also trying to pressure South Korean presidential candidates to express differences with US policy on sanctions and denuclearisation.”

Theguardian

Professor at Ewha University in Seoul

13 Aug 2021 3 6

Linda Thomas-Greenfield

Inserted 2 years ago

“We're open to considering additional ways to facilitate humanitarian assistance, going forward as quickly as possible. It is... important to remember that sanctions did not create the humanitarian crisis.”

Asia

United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President Joe Biden

05 Aug 2021 3 4

Rodong Sinmun

Inserted 2 years ago

“The top priority issue of this year's national policy is successful farming. All citizens living in this country should provide every possible support while regarding good farming as a life-or-death matter that determines the fate of themselves and their children as well as that of their country. The guard cannot be lowered at any moment with regard to farming. Given the lessons learned from last year and in light of the importance of this year's farming, support for the agriculture sector should be provided ceaselessly until work is completed.”

Koreatimes

Article in the North Korea's official newspaper

23 Jul 2021 2 4

William Brown

Inserted 2 years ago

“The regime has lost control over corn and rice prices, which normally are capped, so there is now wild speculation in some places with prices soaring. This causes people to panic and store up grain, rather than sell it, adding to the shortages in marketplaces. Meanwhile, the government is not filling its ration obligations because it also is short of funds. One indicator that needs to be watched closely is the relationship of the price of corn to rice. As the corn price gets closer to the rice price, deprivation concerns should increase.”

Koreatimes

Former CIA analyst and member of the Korea Economic Institute of America's board of directors

27 Jun 2021 0 2

Robert Manning

Inserted 2 years ago

“By most indications, there appear to be food shortages in the range of 1.35 million to 1.5 million tons - the worst food crisis since the Great Famine of the 1990s. But it would be a mistake to just view it as a food shortage. It is not just the result of typhoons and floods, but also due to major policy failures and corruption.”

Koreatimes

Senior fellow at the Atlantic Council

27 Jun 2021 1 2

Kim Jong-un

Inserted 3 years ago

“I made up my mind to ask the WPK [Workers' Party of Korea] organizations at all levels, including its Central Committee, and the cell secretaries of the entire party to wage another more difficult Arduous March in order to relieve our people of difficulties. Our party never expects that there will be any fortuitous opportunity for us in paving the road for our people and in realizing their great aim and ideals to build socialism and communism. There is nothing we could depend on or look to.”

Koreatimes

Leader of North Korea

09 Apr 2021 3 2

Kim Jong-un

Inserted 3 years ago

“Improving the people's living standards … even in the worst-ever situation in which we have to overcome unprecedentedly numerous challenges depends on the role played by the cells, the grassroots organizations of the party.”

Aljazeera

Leader of North Korea

06 Apr 2021 0 2

Nabila Massrali

Inserted 3 years ago

“The primary responsibility for economic and social challenges facing vulnerable people in the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] rests with the policies of the DPRK government.”

Koreatimes

EU's spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy

07 Mar 2021 1 2

Robert Manning

Inserted 3 years ago

“In light of Kim Jong-un's accelerated efforts to improve his nuclear and ballistic missile programs, it makes no sense to lift any U.N. sanctions, and throw away leverage. In terms of North Korea's internal situation, Kim has done more harm with his self-imposed sanctions - closing borders, eliminating any cross-border travel, horrible economic mismanagement, shutting markets, bad policies, and refusing ROK [Republic of Korea - South Korea] medical help - than the U.N. sanctions have done. If he wants food aid, how about us giving him one million tons of food for each nuclear weapon he verifiably destroys?”

Koreatimes

Senior fellow at the Atlantic Council

07 Mar 2021 4 4

Bruce Klingner

Inserted 3 years ago

“The fault of the abysmal condition of the North people lies squarely with the regime and not on sanctions. Blaming sanctions for the dire conditions of the North Korean people diverts attention from the real reason, which is the nature and policies of the North Korean regime. Pyongyang's socialist economic policies, prioritizing defense spending over the needs of the people, resistance to foreign assistance, unwillingness to abide by previous commitments, and its self-imposed isolation are the real culprits for the devastating economic and food situation within North Korea. North Korea has rejected offers of food and assistance from the U.S., South Korea and others. Donors have been deterred by Pyongyang's resistance to the economic reforms necessary to prevent a recurrent need for assistance. Over the years, humanitarian aid groups left North Korea because the regime put constrictions on the group or on verifying the distribution of aid. Cases of inadvertent delays are addressed by a U.N. panel.”

Koreatimes

Former CIA analyst and senior researcher at the Heritage Foundation

07 Mar 2021 2 3

Kim Jong-un

Inserted 3 years ago

“The surest and fastest way to tackle the current multiple challenges facing us is to make every possible effort to strengthen our own power and our own self-reliant capacity. We intend to comprehensively analyse in depth … our experiences, lessons and the errors committed.”

Aljazeera

Leader of North Korea

06 Jan 2021 1 3

Hong Soon-jick

Inserted 3 years ago

“North Korea isn’t going to totally abandon its nuclear arms, but it could offer a freeze to seek a long-term solution. And as long as it keeps away from something provocative to draw attention, its chance of getting some economic help from outside might just improve.”

Aljazeera

North Korea researcher at Seoul National University Asia Center

30 Dec 2020 2 3

Bradley Babson

Inserted 3 years ago

“Kim Jong Un faces his most severe test of how to improve economic performance and management. It’s too early for North Korea to take a reading on how the Biden administration will relate to this situation, but the party congress at the end of January will be a critical moment that will set the stage for at least the next couple of years.”

Aljazeera

Former World Bank economist now serving on the advisory council of the Korea Economic Institute of America

30 Dec 2020 4 3

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“The nuclear weapons program, the economy and the stability of the regime are all interconnected. If the nuclear issue doesn't get resolved, the economy doesn't get better, and that opens the possibility of disquiet and confusion in North Korea's society.”

“For ordinary North Koreans, it's a warning sign. The poorest North Koreans, who are the ones who have less access to the won, could see their standard of living deteriorate compared to those who can more freely access the currency.”

“A currency normally depreciates when a country is facing troubles, but the opposite is happening in North Korea. The North may be trying to boost the won to support the economy, but continuing such attempts could end up harming the real economy even more.”

“We're open to considering additional ways to facilitate humanitarian assistance, going forward as quickly as possible. It is... important to remember that sanctions did not create the humanitarian crisis.”

“Improving the people's living standards … even in the worst-ever situation in which we have to overcome unprecedentedly numerous challenges depends on the role played by the cells, the grassroots organizations of the party.”

“The primary responsibility for economic and social challenges facing vulnerable people in the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] rests with the policies of the DPRK government.”

“The surest and fastest way to tackle the current multiple challenges facing us is to make every possible effort to strengthen our own power and our own self-reliant capacity. We intend to comprehensively analyse in depth … our experiences, lessons and the errors committed.”

“North Korea isn’t going to totally abandon its nuclear arms, but it could offer a freeze to seek a long-term solution. And as long as it keeps away from something provocative to draw attention, its chance of getting some economic help from outside might just improve.”

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