How is food and economy of North Korea?

[Place Of Space]

Some Vietnamese member here post in some thread I forgot saying that
"We in North Vietnam knows how North Korea is not really that bad as in media".

I start to want to know North Korea Economy, Culture, freedom of life and speech, and the most important: Food security and food distribution. Are they starving? Are many of North Korea too poor to afford food? I wonder how cold is North Korea. How crops could be grown at that cold weather. Do they need oil to grow crops in cold weather?

It's very hard for us to know the details of North Korea. In my own opinion, Korean's heart was seriously deeply hurt by the colonial history, Korean nowadays don't trust anyone. Before colonial history, Korean wasn't like this way. Even South Korea, it is a very advanced country, economy and technology is more advanced than most of Asian countries, but South Korean is so-called an angry people. Colonial history torture their heart always. A lot of South Korean insist on expressing patience to the North and want to help the North, but get limited feedback.

Lack trust of outside world, American's hostile and North-South divided apart, it's really a hard time for North Korean. Politics is cold, ruthless. My best wishes to Korean people.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Lack trust of outside world, American's hostile and North-South divided apart,

Any hostility the US has against North Korea is at the behest of South Korea.

There is US troops in South Korea because they want them there. If they didn't..we'd leave.

 

[Place Of Space]

Any hostility the US has against North Korea is at the behest of South Korea.

There is US troops in South Korea because they want them there. If they didn't..we'd leave.

Yes, I know. So I list the three main reasons in my opinion, these factors together make situation complicated.

If they didn't..we'd leave. I know international politics is cold and ruthless, America is super power, you actually don't need excuse. How many times Okinawa people protest and ask for remove of those military base? No one listen to them so far.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Yes, I know. So I list the three main reasons in my opinion, these factors together make situation complicated.

If they didn't..we'd leave. I know international politics is cold and ruthless, America is super power, you actually don't need excuse. How many times Okinawa people protest and ask for remove of those military base? No one listen to them so far.

The Japanese government isn't listening to them. The Japanese government wants US troops....somewhere. Unfortunately for the Okinawans the Japanese government has chosen their areas for it.

 

[Yizhi]

from my personal 'telescoping NK across border' experience...they are very much like Chinese rural areas (poor ones) in early 80s. small changes have happened and i can see colorful clothes and bicycles and occasionally motorcycles. the productivity is still rather low since they do agriculture in commune way and lack fertilizers or modern agri technology.
but my observation could be biased cause many NKers bordering China have Chinese relatives. they are poor yet rather organized and disciplined.

if we look at the historical performance of NK, when USSR was still around it was not bad. in fact some Chinese bothering NK moved migrated there in 60s and 70s (of course they must be regretting right now). they had heavy industry and in some ways more industrialized than SK.
the worst period of NK was probably 90s, speaking of bad geopolitical decision---USSR gone, US hates NK and sanctions, China busy with herself and more recently pissed off by the new NK leadership. when you are not loved by big powers and those powers are your immediate neighbors, the consequence is quite severe.

 

[Place Of Space]

from my personal 'telescoping NK across border' experience...they are very much like Chinese rural areas (poor ones) in early 80s. small changes have happened and i can see colorful clothes and bicycles and occasionally motorcycles. the productivity is still rather low since they do agriculture in commune way and lack fertilizers or modern agri technology.
but my observation could be biased cause many NKers bordering China have Chinese relatives. they are poor yet rather organized and disciplined.

Telescope North Korea? Why? Do you have relatives in North Korea?

 

[Yizhi]

Telescope North Korea? Why? Do you have relatives in North Korea?

...no, i have relatives living in a town bordering NK. we telescope there through living room window when we visited...... it was fun....

 

[Place Of Space]

from my personal 'telescoping NK across border' experience...they are very much like Chinese rural areas (poor ones) in early 80s. small changes have happened and i can see colorful clothes and bicycles and occasionally motorcycles. the productivity is still rather low since they do agriculture in commune way and lack fertilizers or modern agri technology.
but my observation could be biased cause many NKers bordering China have Chinese relatives. they are poor yet rather organized and disciplined.

if we look at the historical performance of NK, when USSR was still around it was not bad. in fact some Chinese bothering NK moved migrated there in 60s and 70s (of course they must be regretting right now). they had heavy industry and in some ways more industrialized than SK.
the worst period of NK was probably 90s, speaking of bad geopolitical decision---USSR gone, US hates NK and sanctions, China busy with herself and more recently pissed off by the new NK leadership. when you are not loved by big powers and those powers are your immediate neighbors, the consequence is quite severe.

The graph tells me one thing: take part in the world free market economy system is very important.

...no, i have relatives living in a town bordering NK. we telescope there through living room window when we visited...... it was fun....

But we can tour to North Korea, why did you guys use telescope?

 

[Yizhi]

The graph tells me one thing: take part in the world free market economy system is very important.



But we can tour to North Korea, why did you guys use telescope?

note how NK collapsed with USSR, that's my main point. SK caught the tide then became 'four tigers'. NK not only missed it but also deteriorated during 90s, much of its old Soviet-style industry was rusting in warehouses. otherwise NK would be rather normal, something like Mongolia or Vietnam, not that rich and successful (like SK) of course.

true, but...i'm not an expert on NK (nor that interested) and i was visiting relatives as routine... besides tours are heavily formatted and very propaganda-ish. it's not daily life experience useful for serious observers. try start business with NK if one wants first hand experience...... shady and risky yet very educational. we have lots of anecdotes of how some Chinese businessmen were ripped off or bankrupted by North Koreans (gov and people alike).

 

[TaiShang]

Kim Jong-un wants to improve people's livelihoods
CNTV, February 20, 2015

The leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un, has said that improving the livelihoods of his people is the top priority of the ruling workers party.

According to the nation's official news agency, Kim Jong-un said, in a party meeting, that ensuring people have enough food to eat and clothes to wear is the party's most urgent task. He added that improving the well-being of the DPRK people was the unfulfilled wish of former leader Kim Jong-il. Kim Jong-Un urged all party members to strive for realizing this wish.

Enlarged meeting of DPRK's WPK takes place in Pyongyang
Source:Xinhua Published: 2015-2-20 11:23:54

Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Feb. 19, 2015 shows an enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) taking place in Pyongyang on Wednesday under the guidance of top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un. A resolution adopted at the meeting underscored the need to stick to and carry out the behests of late leader Kim Jong Il. (Xinhua/KCNA)

 

[Viet]

Some Vietnamese member here post in some thread I forgot saying that
"We in North Vietnam knows how North Korea is not really that bad as in media".

I start to want to know North Korea Economy, Culture, freedom of life and speech, and the most important: Food security and food distribution. Are they starving? Are many of North Korea too poor to afford food? I wonder how cold is North Korea. How crops could be grown at that cold weather. Do they need oil to grow crops in cold weather?

do you want to know how things are really in north korea?

I can recommend you this bestseller "Kim & Struppi, Ferien in Nordkorea" (holiday in north korea).
a couple, a german guy and a viet girl, visits the country as tourists and writes a book about the journey. very funny. you can buy it at amazon for 15 euro. unfortunately, it is written in german. hope you can read it, if not, let me know. the book answers many of your questions.

Kim und Struppi: Ferien in Nordkorea: Amazon.de: Christian Eisert: Bücher

 

[Donatello]

India and North Korea, two places i would want to visit in my lifetime.

 

[Viet]

If North Korea opens and reforms, it will be better than Vietnam in only 5 years.

you are too persimistic. I predict N Korea will surpass Vietnam in 5 months, and China in 10 months. more, the kimchi eaters claim you have stolen their cultures. shame on you.

 

[Edison Chen]

you are too persimistic. I predict N Korea will surpass Vietnam in 5 months, and China in 10 months. more, the kimchi eaters claim you have stolen their cultures. shame on you.

my mistake, 10 years, sry

 

[Viet]

my mistake, 10 years, sry

10 years or 10 months, who cares?