4/9/19  
Pacific Forum |

PacNet #24: Kim Jong Un’s choice – Economic reform would be a risk well taken by North Korea
 
Economic reform would be a risk well taken by North Korea, according to Korea Society president Thomas Byrne and associate director Jonathan Corrado. In a new article for Pacific Forum PacNet, the authors content that, “Pyongyang’s leadership seems to be more attuned than ever about benefits from economic development, but so far bold action and systemic reform are missing. The cases of China and Vietnam show a path to prosperity if North Korea embraces a pluralistic communist system in which new interest groups coalesce to support reform. Such a transition would likely allow the international community—including the U.S., South Korea, Japan and the international financial institutions, including the IMF, the World Bank, ADB and even the AIIB—to help Pyongyang proceed down that road. Economic benefits from this process could change Pyongyang’s suspicious attitude towards the U.S. and the outside world.”

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