Courtesy of STRATFOR (subscription required), an interesting analysis of North Korea’s potential as a regional crossroads in Asia: North Korea has attracted increased attention in recent weeks, less for its nuclear potential or missile tests and more for its potential as a transportation and energy corridor. On April 18, the lower house of Russia’s parliament ratified […]
Read more »Via SinoNK, a report on the new rail connection between Russia and North Korea: The DPRK’s northeast is once again the place to look for economic and political policy changes in the hermit kingdom. Since Rason Special Economic Zone’s 2009 rise in development, China has been the main investor in the borderlands. But now Russia […]
Read more »Via NK News.org, an interesting report on North Korea: Nearly all communist states tended to have a “main construction project,” an impressive undertaking where, if the newspapers were to be believed, the workers’ enthusiasm for labor produced amazing feats and whose eventual completion would bring an era of unparalleled prosperity. North Korea is no exception. […]
Read more »Water parks aplenty in frontier markets. Who says emerging markets can’t have any fun… First, via Reuters, a report on a new water park in Kabul: After the armed guards and body search at the door, it is almost easy to forget the fun is happening in ultra-conservative Afghanistan, except that all of the people […]
Read more »Via the Petersen Institute for International Economics, an interesting commentary on North Korea: Everywhere I went in Tokyo last week, Japanese officials asked me about a story that appeared in Dong-A Ilbo titled “N. Korea`s new economic system could reduce state control.” The article claims that planned reforms will turn the country off the socialist […]
Read more »Via FoxNews, a report on North Korea’s newest mega project: In this Friday Sept. 20, 2013 photo, an unfinished hotel complex stands at the bottom of a mountain slope at the ski resort construction project at North Korea’s Masik Pass. Kim Tae Yong, secretary-general of North Korea’s ski association, views the sprawling alpine landscape before […]
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