c/world · by Cosmonaut@lemmy.today · 71d

The World’s Most Surprising Economic Success Story Is…North Korea

https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/north-korea-economy-success-e80f7062?mod=e2tw

-28 points · 16 comments · view on lemmy.world

16 Comments

adespoton@lemmy.ca · 18 pts · 71d (3 replies)

“The regime is wealthier than ever” is a low bar considering most of the citizens did, and still do, live in poverty. Those at the top? They’re getting as rich as oligarchs everywhere.

Cosmonaut@lemmy.today · -15 pts · 71d (2 replies)

did you even read the article?

"Last year, North Korea built 10,000 new homes in Pyongyang—more than either Los Angeles or Chicago. "

"South Korean think tank reports, with titles like “Sanctions Don’t Show in Satellite Imagery,” point to evidence that North Korea’s claimed economic progress isn’t mere propaganda"

"Vessel activity has surged at North Korea’s oil-storage facilities, which are being expanded. Many parking lots are more packed. North Korea now shines roughly three times as bright at night as it did five years ago, according to another report"

"Over the past year, North Korea has completed major construction projects that had stalled for years, including Pyongyang’s largest hospital, a greenhouse complex bigger than New York’s Central Park and a new beach-resort compound"

and much more, please read instead of spreading liberal lies

rimu@piefed.social · 7 pts · 71d (1 reply)

The article also says

North Korea’s economy expanded 3.7% in 2024, its fastest rate in eight years

and

Let's see how things go once the Ukraine war ends and they can't profiteer off throwing their people into a meat grinder any more.

Cosmonaut@lemmy.today · -9 pts · 71d

first dip is due to increased sanctions, second due to covid. I am hopeful they will find other ways to bypass the inhumane barbaric sanctions

A_norny_mousse@piefed.zip · 16 pts · 71d (1 reply)

Even if this were true: yet another proof that "economic success" is not a good measure for how well a country is doing.

Also, the article is aware of how North Korea is making money, right? Right?!

(Mostly illegal hacking, recently also selling cannon fodder)

Cosmonaut@lemmy.today · -14 pts · 71d

Yes, they mention it. How a country sanctioned this hard supposed to make money?

KarnaSubarna@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 70d (1 reply)

But today is not 1st April.

Cosmonaut@lemmy.today · -4 pts · 70d

Because this is truth

Buffalox@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 70d (3 replies)

Diners can pay through a mobile QR-code system.

Being impressed that they have almost 2 decades old technology is kind of telling of how bad it is. Smartphones today can be had as low as $50! Not really a sign of wealth or progress to have 20 year old technology that has now become dirt cheap.
I also bet the reason for the popularity of smartphones is that the infrastructure building a wireless network is way way cheaper today than to build an old fashioned wired phone network that everybody can access.

Last year, North Korea built 10,000 new homes in Pyongyang—more than either Los Angeles or Chicago.

Being impressed that the regime builds a crazy amount of housing in the capital city is probably based on ignorance.
For instance Romania did the same under Nicolae Ceaușescu, and then forced people to move to that.
This is probably simply prestige projects by the regime, to try to force a development that makes the country appear more modern, without having the actual economic development necessary for the change in infrastructure. At least that's what it usually is when dictators make these kinds of projects. People are merely moved from poverty in one place to poverty in another place.

North Korea didn’t turn around its economy by itself. The Kim regime fortified its energy supply and access to construction materials by sending munitions and more than 15,000 troops to the Russian front lines in the Ukraine war.

And

Many of Kim’s army of cyber thieves live in China, where they can more freely connect to the internet and operate without fear of arrest by outside authorities.

So the 2 main sources of income for North Korea are based on crimes and one of them is even only temporary.
This is not a success story, as there is nothing sustainable in this so called impressive economic development.

Outside the capital city, North Korea remains poor, with nearly half of its 26 million residents malnourished,

That's strange, if they can go to a diner, and use a smartphone to pay through a QR code system. /s
The truth is that North Korea remains extremely poor, but the regime continues with prestige projects that mostly benefit the rich in North Korea. And in North Korea rich apparently means being able to afford a smartphone, and being able to eat every day.

Cosmonaut@lemmy.today · -5 pts · 70d (2 replies)

Being impressed that they have almost 2 decades old technology is kind of telling of how bad it is. Smartphones today can be had as low as $50! Not really a sign of wealth or progress to have 20 year old technology that has now become dirt cheap.

Are you factoring in the most rigorous sanctions on any state ever just to pursue sovereignty?

This is probably simply prestige projects by the regime, to try to force a development that makes the country appear more modern

So libshits like homeless people rather than homes because muh "regime forcing people in homes!! regime bad!!". Do you understand how crazy you sound? not to mention your premise is entirely false

So the 2 main sources of income for North Korea are based on crimes and one of them is even only temporary. This is not a success story, as there is nothing sustainable in this so called impressive economic development.

Its totally justifiable because of the sanctions. DPRK will flourish and you will keep coping with your epstienite propaganda

That’s strange, if they can go to a diner, and use a smartphone to pay through a QR code system. /s

Do you know how many people outside of the western periphary capitalist countries are malnourished? much much more

The truth is that North Korea remains extremely poor, but the regime continues with prestige projects that mostly benefit the rich in North Korea. And in North Korea rich apparently means being able to afford a smartphone, and being able to eat every day.

Did epstien told you that? there is no rich in NK, its party elite and normal people, party elite may have slightly higher living standards but its nothing in comparison to how billionaires and leaders live compared to normal people in capitalist world. Also the biggest reason for under development of north korea are the sanctions and the brutal korean war in which america invaded the DPRK killing its 12-15% population and destroying almost all of its industries. While simultaneously sanctioning them, DPRK is doing good despite these and they will improve drastically in next decade while you imperialist libshits will cry.

Buffalox@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 70d (1 reply)

Are you factoring in the most rigorous sanctions

China is a major ally to North Korea, and obviously Russia is too. Why wouldn't it be enough trade to have access to the biggest global market in the world (China), and the market with the most natural resources too (Russia).
North Korea has plenty access to trade, this is not like Cuba or even Iran. North Korea has constantly threatened surrounding countries including Japan. Cuba hasn't and even Iran didn't threaten their neighbors more than than they were threatened by their neighbors. Iran actually made an agreement with USA and EU. North Korea never wanted to even negotiate, except for easing the famine caused by extreme North Korean incompetence.

Do you understand how crazy you sound? not to mention your premise is entirely false

When you are starving in the province, it doesn't help that prestige apartments are built in the city. We have seen other dictators do this too, and it does NOT improve living conditions, on the contrary it is spending resources in a way that doesn't benefit either the people or the country. If you can't afford food, chances are you can't afford to rent an apartment in the city either.

Do you know how many people outside of the western periphary capitalist countries are malnourished? much much more

No other country has had so consistently repeated famines as North Korea, just look at South Korea, and you can see how a better managed country with almost the exact same geographic conditions and trade opportunities can work. If you can't see the difference in how badly North Korea is managed compared to every other country in the world, then you are blind to reality.

Did epstien told you that?

Are you insane or a child? How is Epstein in any way relevant to this?

which america invaded the DPRK killing its 12-15% population

First of all, the peace agreement was entered in 1953 after 3 years of war. Not so long after the communists took over in China in 1949. China has moved on and recovered after the WW2 occupation by Japan and the civil war after. North Korea has had 73 years to recover, but is arguably worse today than they were 73 years ago.
To continue to blame "the west" three quarters of a century after is insane, and a willful act of denying reality.

There is absolutely nothing good about North Korea, and the North Korean regime has no excuses for how bad it is.
The people however, are probably mostly innocent victims to circumstances that are very hard for them to change.
Why don't you consider the plight of the malnourished and oppressed people of North Korea? Instead of defending a regime that is among the very worst and most cruel and brutal in the world?

Cosmonaut@lemmy.today · -3 pts · 56d

because russia and china doesnt get anything viable out of trade from NK.

North Korea never wanted to even negotiate

Propaganda.

famine caused by extreme North Korean incompetence.

By sanctions.

When you are starving in the province

you made this up

No other country has had so consistently repeated famines as North Korea

when did they had last famine and what are the sources of those famines? lot of people starve in africa and south asia

exact same geographic conditions and trade opportunities can work

you are genuinely insane. SK is a shithole nation where everything is owned by corpos extremely misogynist society literally built on american imperialist money.

How is Epstein in any way relevant to this?

Because epstien hated every communist every, like you.

but is arguably worse today than they were 73 years ago

not really, another lie, china never faced sanctions like NK

and a willful act of denying reality.

why west is afraid of lifting sanctions

There is absolutely nothing good about North Korea

they are anti america.

probably mostly innocent victims to circumstances that are very hard for them to change

circumstances created by west

Why don’t you consider the plight of the malnourished and oppressed people of North Korea

I do thats why I loathe the west and its sanctions

Instead of defending a regime that is among the very worst and most cruel and brutal in the world?

not really

Meat_Of_Nan@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 70d (2 replies)

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Cosmonaut@lemmy.today · -6 pts · 70d (1 reply)

Deaths like that are heavily over exaggerated and west has alot of political prisoners so dont take moral high ground, west kills more people easily so shut the fuck up ig

I bet the billionaire cock feels good in your throat, doesnt it

Meat_Of_Nan@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 70d

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EvergreenGuru@lemmy.world · -4 pts · 71d (1 reply)

Juche might be the greatest political philosophy of the 21st century.

Cosmonaut@lemmy.today · -5 pts · 71d

Cosmonaut@lemmy.today · -12 pts · 71d