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The volunteers bringing business to North Korea | The volunteers bringing business to North Korea |
(4 months later) | |
“If I can just find a few thousand dollars, I know I can produce baguettes that people will love here.” | “If I can just find a few thousand dollars, I know I can produce baguettes that people will love here.” |
So said a participant at one of our workshops last year, talking about his dream of starting his own business. We take volunteers from all over the world to North Korea to conduct workshops on business, economic policy and law, so we run into these sorts of Koreans all the time. The DPRK is not all haircut rumours, nuclear tests and famines. | So said a participant at one of our workshops last year, talking about his dream of starting his own business. We take volunteers from all over the world to North Korea to conduct workshops on business, economic policy and law, so we run into these sorts of Koreans all the time. The DPRK is not all haircut rumours, nuclear tests and famines. |
In fact, the food situation there, while certainly poor in some areas, has improved considerably as people at all strata of society have learned about how to use markets: first for survival, then for security, and now for a growing consumer class, even comfort. | In fact, the food situation there, while certainly poor in some areas, has improved considerably as people at all strata of society have learned about how to use markets: first for survival, then for security, and now for a growing consumer class, even comfort. |
Their system is now a hybrid one, with some elements from the classic state-owned structure, but increasingly a grey area that runs on market principles. We focus on training young professionals with entrepreneurial aspirations who can start and run businesses that have a real social impact. | Their system is now a hybrid one, with some elements from the classic state-owned structure, but increasingly a grey area that runs on market principles. We focus on training young professionals with entrepreneurial aspirations who can start and run businesses that have a real social impact. |
A few times over the last dozen years the authorities have experimented with policy changes designed to make the economy work better. They are still ambivalent about these experiments, because theirs is currently a very stable system – much to the chagrin of those who think it could disappear with just a bit more pressure. But with a generation shift at the top has come a new Special Economic Zone policy: more autonomy for enterprises that once just filled quotas from the centre and more people going abroad to work or run companies. | A few times over the last dozen years the authorities have experimented with policy changes designed to make the economy work better. They are still ambivalent about these experiments, because theirs is currently a very stable system – much to the chagrin of those who think it could disappear with just a bit more pressure. But with a generation shift at the top has come a new Special Economic Zone policy: more autonomy for enterprises that once just filled quotas from the centre and more people going abroad to work or run companies. |
The economy appears to be growing and there is a degree of optimism in Pyongyang. “We’re developing,” said one young man to us last year as he tried to talk us into taking him on one of our Women in Business study trips to Singapore. (We didn’t – women only.) | |
But as much as he might feel the last couple years have been positive economically, there are still so many gaps in people's knowledge. In the last decade and in a very difficult environment, North Koreans have had to learn how running businesses on economic, rather than political or nationalist principles, works. Things that westerners might take for granted, like the basics of marketing, property rental or taxation, are in many ways still unclear to many of the people we train. | But as much as he might feel the last couple years have been positive economically, there are still so many gaps in people's knowledge. In the last decade and in a very difficult environment, North Koreans have had to learn how running businesses on economic, rather than political or nationalist principles, works. Things that westerners might take for granted, like the basics of marketing, property rental or taxation, are in many ways still unclear to many of the people we train. |
Without (or with very rare) access to the internet, they can’t fill these gaps on their own, so that’s where Choson Exchange comes in. We’ve introduced wikibooks and online courses, conducted in-country workshops, study trips and internships abroad, while also providing research and analysis to help others try to understand how the DPRK’s economy and society are changing. | Without (or with very rare) access to the internet, they can’t fill these gaps on their own, so that’s where Choson Exchange comes in. We’ve introduced wikibooks and online courses, conducted in-country workshops, study trips and internships abroad, while also providing research and analysis to help others try to understand how the DPRK’s economy and society are changing. |
One small change, soon, might be the French bread mentioned above. This may seem superficial, but is indicative of significant changes in North Korean society. Changes in the opportunities available, the social interactions people have and indeed, in the way people think. | One small change, soon, might be the French bread mentioned above. This may seem superficial, but is indicative of significant changes in North Korean society. Changes in the opportunities available, the social interactions people have and indeed, in the way people think. |
Survival is always a challenge for a small non-profit focused on the DPRK, but we hope we will be around to both see and foster these changes in the coming years. | Survival is always a challenge for a small non-profit focused on the DPRK, but we hope we will be around to both see and foster these changes in the coming years. |
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