The early 1990s can be seen as a turning point in the history of the Yanbian area in general and its relations with North Korea in particular. Many different, if somewhat related, events produced these changes.
First of all, Chinese market reforms began to bare fruit. Thus, the area began to grow richer and richer. For decades, North Koreans lived better than their (often literal) brethren in Yanbian. But this ceased to be the case by the mid-1980s, and since the early 1990s the gap between North Korea and Yanbian has grown rapidly.
Second
The early 1990s can be seen as a turning point in the history of the Yanbian area in general and its relations with North Korea in particular. Many different, if somewhat related, events produced these changes.
First of all, Chinese market reforms began to bare fruit. Thus, the area began to grow richer and richer. For decades, North Koreans lived better than their (often literal) brethren in Yanbian. But this ceased to be the case by the mid-1980s, and since the early 1990s the gap between North Korea and Yanbian has grown rapidly.
Andrei Lankov is a Director at NK News and writes exclusively for the site as one of the world's leading authorities on North Korea. A graduate of Leningrad State University, he attended Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung University from 1984-5 - an experience you can read about here. In addition to his writing, he is also a Professor at Kookmin University.