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More articles by 'Peter Ward'
How North Korea’s own military-industrial complex drives defense spending
Armed forces and munitions producers compete for resources but also have a shared interest in blocking demilitarization
January 4, 2023
The tragedy of the commons: Natural resource dilemmas in North Korea
Neither the people nor the central government are incentivized to manage forests and oceans sustainably in the short run
December 5, 2022
North Korea’s markets are not a revolutionary force for political change
DPRK entrepreneurs are dependent on and captive to state actors, giving them little incentive to challenge the regime
November 1, 2022
Why North Korea’s shadow economy is not a solution to reform
Informal economic activity provides key products but has limited growth potential, while even reform is not a cure-all
October 28, 2022
China’s economic slowdown bodes ill for North Korea and denuclearization efforts
Reduced consumer demand and increased risk aversion likely to impact DPRK sectors ranging from coal exports to tourism
October 12, 2022
Kim Jong Un sets ambitious economic goals but has no real plan to achieve them
In latest speech, North Korean leader doubles down on decades-old proposals that have failed to fix incentive problems
September 13, 2022
The limits to tyranny: Why Kim Jong Un doesn’t actually have absolute power
A range of factors constrain the North Korean leader in practice, despite his supreme authority in principle
August 29, 2022
Why are foreign exchange rates soaring in North Korea?
Global inflation, signs of looming food shortages may be driving forex market in DPRK
August 19, 2022
The flaws in the Bank of Korea’s estimates of North Korean economic activity
Questionable assumptions underlie researchers’ methods and findings, as DPRK economy remains a statistical black hole
August 10, 2022
How Kim Jong Un created space for North Korean firms to set prices — with limits
Documents show DPRK leader reinstated agreed price system his father rolled back but stopped short of true free market
August 2, 2022
