The North Korean leadership is pursuing foreign investment and trade in a variety of ways, through larger projects like special economic zones (SEZs) and smaller-scale policy adjustments, Bradley Babson told NK News.

Babson, a former World Bank official who serves on the Executive Committee of the National Committee for North Korea, addressed some doubts about the status of two SEZs along the North Korea-China border – Hwanggumpyeong and Wihwa Islands – in the aftermath of Jang Song Thaek’s purge. Jang’s absence, he said, is not the main issue now that North Korea is increasing foreign investment. Rather, there needs