korean unification studies

In the most recent Yonhap Vantage Point: Developments in North Korea (October 2007, Vol. 30, No. 10, p42) Sungwoo Kim takes an analytical look at North Korea’s trade during the period 1995 to 2005. Sungwoo Kim, a professor of economics at Boston’s Northeastern University, has written several very good analytical pieces in the past and is one of the more reliable specialists on the North Korean economy. In “North Korea’s international trade between 1995 and 2005″, Kim suggests conclusions that could be drawn from the scant trade data that exists, providing an interesting look into how the North Korean economy is evolving – or rather deteriorating. He also goes into detail about how international aid has limited North Korea’s willingness to implement any serious economic reform. The final paragraph ends on a more positive light:

North Korea enjoys several important economic advantages which are fast eroding in other countries. It has abundant natural resource (sic), topology and weather very conducive for a rapid economic growth. Most importantly, the country has 3 million intelligent labor forces (sic) willing to work even at minimum wages. Properly planned and supervised, North Korea can quickly transform its economy into a very productive economy.

An interesting read and provides an excellent comparison and companion to other studies on the North Korean economy.