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How foreigners laid the groundwork for North Korea’s market revolution
Early DPRK entrepreneurs leveraged connections in Japan and China, undercutting regime’s narratives of self-sufficiency
Despite its officially socialist orientation, North Korea is a country defined by thriving markets, and the private economy now predominantly satisfies the population's consumption needs.
Of course, this was not always the case. It’s relatively well-known that the DPRK’s market revolution triumphed in the mid-1990s, as North Koreans facing the collapse of the state distribution system and widespread famine turned to markets for food and other necessities.
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