March 29, 2024
Analysis

The North’s history of stagnant development

Moving past a model that distrusted foreign ideas may be key to future success

In the third year of the Kim Jong Un era, the DPRK’s domestic propaganda has been amplifying a recurring theme: scientific and technological innovation as a fast track to economic development.

The first visit marking Kim Jong Un’s reappearance after a long absence from public view was to one of the new residential complexes built for scientists, and a look at DPRK media reveals that innovation in IT and science is celebrated on a regular basis.

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