James George
Political Science
19 June 2024
What Fuels North Korea’s Authoritarian Economy?
Pondering how to shut them down.
When I see Russia and North Korea coming up again, it prompts the question, how do authoritarian regimes stay afloat? How can they continue to develop advanced technologies sufficient to put the free world on guard?
I looked at Wikipedia to understand more quickly.
“The economy of North Korea is a centrally planned economy, following Juche, where the role of market allocation schemes is limited, although increasing.[11][12] As of 2024, North Korea continues its basic adherence to a centralized planned economy. With a total gross domestic product of $28.500 billion as of 2016, there has been some economic liberalization, particularly after Kim Jong Un assumed the leadership in 2012, but reports conflict over particular legislation and enactment.[13][14][15][16][17][18] Since the 1990s, informal market activity has increased, which the government has tolerated.[19] These markets are referred to as 'Jangmadang', and were formed as a result of the economic collapse during the 1990s, which made the regime unable to distribute food to its people.[20]
The collapse of the Eastern Bloc from 1989 to 1992, particularly North Korea's principal source of support, the Soviet Union, forced the North Korean economy to realign its foreign economic relations, including increased economic exchanges with South Korea. China is North Korea's largest trading partner. North Korea's ideology of Juche has resulted in the country pursuing autarky in an environment of international sanctions.[21] While the current North Korean economy is still dominated by state-owned industry and collective farms, foreign investment and corporate autonomy have increased.
North Korea had a similar GDP per capita to its neighbor South Korea from the aftermath of the Korean War until the mid-1970s,[22][23] but had a GDP per capita of less than $2,000 in the late 1990s and early 21st century. For 2018, the South Korean Bank of Korea estimated the GDP growth as −4.1%.[24] For the first time, in 2021, the South Korean Ministry of Unification estimated that the North Korean private sector outgrew the public sector.[12][25][26]"
Key Points:
North Korea relies on natural resource sales to China and Russia, among others.
“According to AI Overview, North Korea's main exports include minerals, metallurgical products, textiles, agricultural and fishery products, and armaments. Some of their most recent exports include tungsten ore, refined petroleum, ferroalloys, electricity, and molybdenum ore. North Korea's most common export destinations are China, Senegal, Nigeria, Poland, and the Netherlands.
Since Poland is a NATO nation, NATO should request that Poland curtail trade with North Korea.
Nigeria: “The United States and Nigeria enjoy strong bilateral cooperation on cultural heritage protection and preservation and signed a bilateral cultural property agreement in January 2022. Nigeria is one of only two countries in sub-Saharan Africa with a similar agreement with the United States.” Can we not ask Nigeria to curtail trade with North Korea?
“The United States and the Netherlands, whose military ties were forged during the battles of World War II, cooperate closely within NATO to support stability within Europe and across the globe. As close allies and partners, the U.S. and Dutch militaries work together at all levels of command.”
Can we not request that the Netherlands curtail trade with North Korea?
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/19/asia/north-korea-russia-putin-visit-thursday-intl-hnk/index.html
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