The ROK government-run Korea Small Business Institute (KOSBI) is investigating ways to assist the DPRK economy in incorporating into global value chains (GVCs) and inter-Korean industrial cooperation.

In a call for third-party assistance published earlier in the month, the KOSBI argued that small and medium enterprises (SME) were likely to play a key role in future inter-Korean cooperation.

The KOSBI is asking a potential subcontractor to develop a policy for “actively supporting” the North Korean national economy, suggesting Pyongyang’s ongoing focus on light industry could be an area of cooperation.

The research will outline proposals for “concrete specialization between South and