North Korean Exports Hit Record High Since UN Sanctions Took Full Effect
December 22nd, 2023
Via The Diplomat, a look at North Korea’s exports, which overwhelmingly go to China – and rely on a single (and surprising) export category: After years of disruption from United Nations sanctions and the pandemic, North Korean exports to China surged through the first 11 months of 2023. However, North Korea’s export recovery is potentially […]
Read more »AI-Powered Satellite Analysis Unveils Economic Realities in Underdeveloped Nations
December 10th, 2023
Via Terra Daily, an interesting look at how AI-powered satellite Analysis can unveil economic disparities in underdeveloped nations: Image 2. Differences in satellite imagery and economic scores in North Korea between 2016 and 2019. Significant development was found in the Wonsan Kalma area (top), one of the tourist development zones, but no changes were observed in […]
Read more »AI Models Estimate State of Economy in North Korea
November 24th, 2023
Via Energy Daily, a report on how AI models and satellite imagery can be used to estimate the state of economy in hard-to-visit, low-resource countries such as North Korea: An international team of scientists has succeeded in using an artificial intelligence model to estimate socioeconomic situations of difficult-to-visit, information-scarce countries such as North Korea. The […]
Read more »North Korea Closing Some Diplomatic Missions: A Sign of Economic Trouble?
November 6th, 2023
Via AP News, a report that North Korea is closing some diplomatic missions in what may be a sign of its economic troubles: North Korea confirmed Friday that it’s closing some of its diplomatic missions abroad, a move that rival South Korea suspects is likely the latest sign of the North’s economic troubles amid persistent international […]
Read more »The Global Alliance of Failed States
October 17th, 2023
Via CEPA, commentary on the alliance of failed states that is threatening to disrupt the international order, but do they have the economic power or bonds of trust to challenge the free world: The visit of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un to Russia, and the possible visit of Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang, represent […]
Read more »A Crude Relationship: Russia Turns Oil Tap for North Korea Back On
June 19th, 2023
Courtesy of Bloomberg, an article on Russia’s crude relationship with North Korea: Russia has resumed sending oil to sanctions-hit North Korea for the first time since 2020, deepening cooperation between the two nations that the US claims also includes sending arms from Pyongyang to help the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine. A report released this week […]
Read more »Focusing primarily on The New Seven Sisters - the largely state owned petroleum companies from the emerging world that have become key players in the oil & gas industry as identified by Carola Hoyos, Chief Energy Correspondent for The Financial Times - but spanning other nascent opportunities around the globe that may hold potential in the years ahead, Wildcats & Black Sheep is a place for the adventurous to contemplate & evaluate the emerging markets of tomorrow.