North Korea, while maintaining the old rhetoric of “national Stalinism,” experienced the emergence and rapid growth of private enterprise – semi-legal, but nonetheless powerful.
The vast majority of rich entrepreneurs in North Korea are women running small- and medium-size businesses – workshops, eateries, kiosks and small shops. Women make up some 80% of vendors selling merchandise at marketplaces and are vastly overrepresented in the small business ownership class. Of course, owing to North Korea’s rigid patriarchy, the higher up the rung one goes in North Korea it becomes increasingly hard for women to break through, but nonetheless many are thriving in the country’s capitalist spaces.
North Korea, while maintaining the old rhetoric of “national Stalinism,” experienced the emergence and rapid growth of private enterprise – semi-legal, but nonetheless powerful.
The vast majority of rich entrepreneurs in North Korea are women running small- and medium-size businesses – workshops, eateries, kiosks and small shops. Women make up some 80% of vendors selling merchandise at marketplaces and are vastly overrepresented in the small business ownership class. Of course, owing to North Korea’s rigid patriarchy, the higher up the rung one goes in North Korea it becomes increasingly hard for women to break through, but nonetheless many are thriving in the country’s capitalist spaces.
Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks
-
Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
-
Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period
-
The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
-
Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
-
Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe
now
All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.
SHARE
COPY LINK
X
MASTODON
