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 »North Korea Wants To Remove Household Solar Panels, Build Community Energy Farms
June 15th, 2023
Via NK News, a report that North Korea wants to remove household solar panels and build community energy farms instead: North Korean authorities want to remove solar panels from individual homes in favor of building community solar farms, according to state media, calling the proposed system “more efficient” and “better-looking” as the country deals with […]
Read more »‘Dollarization’ of North Korean Economy, Once Vital, Now Potential Threat to Kim’s Rule
June 9th, 2023
Courtesy of The Diplomat, a look at how North Korea’s potential plan to end use of U.S. dollars and Chinese yuan would likely just cause chaos: Before fleeing North Korea in 2014, Jeon Jae-hyun kept U.S. dollars as a store of value and used Chinese yuan to make everyday purchases at markets, restaurants, and other […]
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.