July 20, 2002 North Korea Ending Rationing, Diplomats Report By DON KIRK SEOUL, South Korea, July 19 — North Korea is transforming its Marxist economic policy to cope with chronic shortages, disease and starvation, according to reports reaching here. South Korean officials this week have been privately discussing the reports of a more open approach to the country's markets, wondering what the accounts mean and whether the North is really carrying out the changes that are said to have been decreed on paper, a leading economic consultant said today. "We're not sure if they've really given up their old ways,"...