Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

A quiet revolution in North Korea
BBC News Seoul ^ | January 14, 2015 | By Stephen Evans

Posted on 01/15/2015 11:17:36 AM PST by Brad from Tennessee

A quiet revolution may be under way in North Korea.

The loud one we know about - it's been going on since the Soviet Red Army wrested the northern half of the peninsula from Japanese control in 1945. The Kim dynasty has espoused communism and shouted its merits ever since.

But now, surprisingly, it seems that capitalism is growing in the country - quietly, of course.

Kim Jong-un has looked north over the Chinese border and decided that market reforms along the lines of those allowed by his comrades in Beijing may allow the preservation of the current structure but with rising living standards.

Stage one was to realise that after the famine of the 1990s, agricultural production had to be increased. Accordingly, Kim Jong-un's father, Kim Jong-il, allowed farmers to keep part of the produce of their land. They could form teams and till soil for their own benefit. What they reap so they shall keep. The state takes some but that is the same with any state - it's called "taxation".

Stage two is now under way in what is called the "May 30 Measures" because they were passed without fanfare in May last year. . .

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News
KEYWORDS: communism; kimjongun; nkcapitalism; northkorea

1 posted on 01/15/2015 11:17:36 AM PST by Brad from Tennessee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Brad from Tennessee

They tried this in the old Soviet Union(remember ‘’glasnost’’?) and once the folks figured out how much the history had been screwed with they quickly figured out how much they’d been lied to and that was the end of that. Maybe that might happen here, who knows?


2 posted on 01/15/2015 11:25:04 AM PST by jmacusa (Liberalism defined: When mom and dad go away for the weekend and the kids are in charge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Brad from Tennessee

Maybe capitalism will catch on in America too.


3 posted on 01/15/2015 11:26:58 AM PST by hometoroost
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Brad from Tennessee

The Kim family got all references to communism and Marxism-Leninism deleted from the North Korean constitution in 1998.

What the regime is now doing is emulating the Chinese path to ensure the family’s continued rule.


4 posted on 01/15/2015 11:27:21 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Brad from Tennessee

The BBC is crazy, I keep up on news about North Korea and stuff and there is nothing there to suggest any kind of reform is actually coming.

In fact, North Korea has begun a renewed crackdown on any kind of product from South Korea.


5 posted on 01/15/2015 11:29:21 AM PST by GeronL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

Weird, but thank God the people might finally be able to eat.


6 posted on 01/15/2015 11:29:39 AM PST by St_Thomas_Aquinas ( Isaiah 22:22, Matthew 16:19, Revelation 3:7)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

I was hearing that Chia Chub is export Meth around the world in other word he is Jesse from breaking bad


7 posted on 01/15/2015 11:30:32 AM PST by SevenofNine (We are Freepers, all your media bases belong to us ,resistance is futile)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: jmacusa
They tried this in the old Soviet Union(remember ‘’glasnost’’?)

more than once

8 posted on 01/15/2015 11:37:44 AM PST by Vroomfondel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Brad from Tennessee
Another story posted today says China is establishing 'militias' to police the villages adjacent to NK after violent incidents with renegade NORK soldiers robbing and pillaging.

If the Army isn't being fed, the end is near and China may prepping an intervention.

9 posted on 01/15/2015 11:38:43 AM PST by AU72
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AU72

Very interesting...the guards have been stealing and getting payoffs by those seeking to escape the country for sometime.......and I undertood they were pretty “lean”.

China’s pulling some punches with Kim to show him who is really the boss...IMO.


10 posted on 01/15/2015 11:41:16 AM PST by caww
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

The border guards have been doing this stuff for a long while...but I have heard they are not getting fed as once was.


11 posted on 01/15/2015 11:42:24 AM PST by caww
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: jmacusa

I don’t think he is planning on opening up the society, just instituting some limited economic reforms to try to prop it up a little longer. The people will still be stuck in the prison camp, but he is going to let them grow a few potatoes for themselves in the exercise yard.


12 posted on 01/15/2015 11:44:13 AM PST by Boogieman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: caww

They aren’t accepting the bribes as often right now, I have read. Either the bribes aren’t as nice as they once seemed or they are more likely to be caught and executed.

(The government has sent their own people over the border to catch guards accepting bribes.)

There is also a special division intent on catching any black market stuff that has been very active lately.


13 posted on 01/15/2015 11:45:01 AM PST by GeronL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: caww

every year North Korea promises to “normalize rations” next year, as if rations were ever actually normal.


14 posted on 01/15/2015 11:49:22 AM PST by GeronL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Brad from Tennessee

Once again it proves that socialism only “works” at the end of a gun.


15 posted on 01/15/2015 11:51:25 AM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Good Muslims, like good Nazis or good liberals, are terrible human beings.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Brad from Tennessee

Capitalism in North Korea?

LOL!

The article claims the Norks are learning capitalism from China. China is still deeply communist. Ask any one with money in China what investments they are allowed to make.


16 posted on 01/15/2015 11:57:23 AM PST by kidd (What we have now is the federal gruberment)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kidd

bump

Many of those Chinese “corporations” are owned by government entities in part or whole. Many are shady fronts too. Not too long ago most of their factories were actually owned by the PLA!

An LA hotel was recently purchased by a Chinese company that seems to have no real history available online, not even a real website or phone numbers.


17 posted on 01/15/2015 11:59:25 AM PST by GeronL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Boogieman

Yeah, but little by little the truth will creep in.


18 posted on 01/15/2015 12:32:38 PM PST by jmacusa (Liberalism defined: When mom and dad go away for the weekend and the kids are in charge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: hometoroost

LOL. Seems like everyone gets it but our entrenched and encrusted political and academic classes.


19 posted on 01/15/2015 12:35:41 PM PST by huckfillary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson