Marketization in North Korea: Scenarios for economic, political and social change 1/2019
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
1/2019
Marketization in North Korea:
Scenarios for economic, political
and social change
—
Ulv Hanssen & Ji-Won Song
PUBLISHED BY THE SWEDISH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS | UI.SE
Abstract This paper explores the spread of markets in North Korea and analyzes the potential for marketization to bring about change in the authoritarian state. Having evaluated four future scenarios, we conclude that a scenario of moderate change is the most likely future course for North Korea as it constitutes the least risky option for the state at a time when its means of social control are being eroded. Moderate change refers to significant economic reform aimed at utilizing the full potential of markets while trying to prevent meaningful change to the political system. If the North Korean people credit Kim Jong-un for the improvements in living standards they are currently experiencing, marketization will boost Kim’s legitimacy. Even moderate change can be a slippery slope, however, as it might strengthen the position of a generation of young market traders who are less dependent on and loyal to the state than older generations. Keywords: North Korea; marketization; political change; jangmadang; sanctions Ulv Hanssen Ji-Won Song Lecturer PhD Candidate Soka University, Japan & Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden Research Fellow, UI © 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs Language editing: Andrew Mash Cover photo: Michael Cederborg
Content Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4 The emergence of a market economy in North Korea .................................................................. 4 The North Korean state’s response to marketization.................................................................... 6 How marketization affects North Korean society ......................................................................... 8 Will marketization lead to change in North Korea? Four scenarios ............................................. 10 Return to ideological purity ......................................................................................................... 10 Radical change ............................................................................................................................ 11 No change ................................................................................................................................... 13 Moderate change ........................................................................................................................ 15 Keeping expectations in check..................................................................................................... 17 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................. 17 © 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 3
place in North Korea since the mid-1990s.
Introduction The second part analyzes the potential for
Change is happening in North Korea marketization to bring about change in
whether Kim Jong-un likes it or not. The North Korea.
rigid Stalinist economy that characterized
the country throughout the Cold War has
The emergence of a market economy in
been crumbling since the collapse of the
North Korea
communist bloc. It has gradually been
The term ‘communism’ is commonly used
replaced by a market economy, with which
to describe North Korea but there is very
the vast majority of North Koreans are now
little communist about North Korea in 2019.
engaged. This process, which is referred to
In fact, the regime has distanced itself from
as marketization below, has been driven
communism both nominally and factually.
partly by grassroots forces and partly by a
North Korea deleted all references to
state with few other options. Marketization
communism from its constitution in 2009
has had significant transformative effects
and removed the iconic portraits of Marx
on North Korean society and constitutes
and Lenin from Kim Il-sung Square in
both a threat and an opportunity for the
Pyongyang in 2012. More important than
state. It is a potential threat because it
these cosmetic changes, however, are the
weakens the state’s control over the North
structural changes it has made to its control
Korean people. As an increasingly large
economy. The state has far less control over
segment of North Korean society becomes
the economy today than it did under the
dependent on markets for survival, pressure
more strictly planned economy of the Cold
on the government to facilitate market
War-era. A mixed economy featuring
activity is bound to grow. Especially
aspects of both planning and markets
dangerous for Kim Jong-un is the gradual
gradually emerged in the 2000s. While small
emergence of a new capitalist class whose
farmers’ markets have existed at the
goals might not always be compatible with
margins of the North Korean economy
the restrictions of an authoritarian system
throughout the country’s existence, it is
and whose wealth constitutes a source of
only in the past two decades that the
power largely beyond the state’s control.
market economy superseded the planned
Thus far, the Kim regime has been
economy in importance and scale. The
successful at cajoling and coercing the new-
government retains strong control over core
rich but if state interests and capitalist
industries such as the defense industry and
interests were to conflict at some point, a
heavy industries, but production of food and
powerful capitalist class could seriously
consumer goods is mostly left to
jeopardize Kim Jong-un’s power. However,
increasingly autonomous farm collectives
if he accepts and even accommodates the
and de facto privatized state-owned
marketization process through a program of
enterprises, which largely rely on markets
moderate reform, which appears to be the
rather than the state for procurement and
approach that Kim is taking, he is likely to
sales. Their products end up in large-scale
succeed in enhancing his legitimacy and
consumer markets where private individuals
consolidating his power. Either way, change
trade in all sorts of domestic and foreign
is happening in North Korea and will
goods.
continue to happen – it is no longer a matter
of ‘if’, but rather a matter of ‘how much’ and
The emergence of a market economy has
‘how fast’.
been nothing short of spectacular.
Hundreds of large markets have sprung up
The first part of this paper describes the
all over the country and have long since
marketization process that has been taking
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairsreplaced the state as North Koreans’ main with market pricing in the industrial sector
source of subsistence (Haggard & Noland, as early as the second half of the 1980s
2010, p. 139). Markets, known as (Park, 2016). However, the turn toward
jangmadang in North Korea, are legal but more substantial marketization, which
come with a number of restrictions on what includes the participation of private citizens
it is permissible to sell. Moreover, prices are rather than just state-owned factories and
not fully fluent because local authorities, at enterprises, did not mainly occur thanks to
least on paper, determine price ceilings for reform-minded leaders. Rather, it was a
the various products that can be sold in the result of a disastrous famine in the 1990s
markets (Ward, 2018b). Vendors are which led to desperation but also increased
allowed to operate stalls inside the market creativity among people trying to survive.
in return for payment of a relatively small Until the 1990s, North Koreans had
fee to the state. Merchants who are unable obtained food and other necessities from
or unwilling to pay this fee often sell their the state through what is known as the
products outside of the jangmadang, but public distribution system (PDS). The
such unlicensed market activity is illegal. collapse of the communist bloc had
North Korean markets are brimming with a disastrous effects on North Korea and the
wide variety of products, such as food, PDS. When Russia and China stopped
alcohol, cigarettes, medicines, soap, providing North Korea with products at
household appliances, clothing, cosmetics, subsidized ‘friendship prices’, North Korea
books, bicycles, DVDs and electronics. It is found itself unable to pay for essential
often said that the only thing you cannot products such as oil, fertilizer and spare
buy at the jangmadang is a cat’s horn – a parts. North Korea’s foreign trade plunged
North Korean way of referring to something from US$4.1 billion in 1990 to US$ 2.6
that does not exist. The products are mainly billion in 1991 and US$ 1.6 billion in 1998
Chinese but South Korean goods are (Kim, 2017, pp. 172–173). Trade relations
sometimes also present despite the fact with Russia suffered most, as the volume of
that their sale is illegal. The number of bilateral trade fell from US$ 3.5 billion in
domestically produced goods has increased 1988 (with the Soviet Union) to a mere US$
dramatically in recent years. 0.1 billion (with Russia) in 1995 (Smith,
2015, p. 188). This, combined with torrential
The website Daily NK used North Korean rain, bad harvests and perennial
undercover journalists to document the mismanagement, led to a famine that killed
existence of 387 official markets across the between three and five per cent of the
country (Park, 2017) but the real number is entire population (Haggard & Noland, 2017,
likely to be even higher. The official markets p. 6). The breakdown of the PDS compelled
are usually located in large enclosures near the authorities to allow a certain degree of
urban areas. An average official market market activity and this has since become
contains more than 1500 stalls. North increasingly institutionalized.
Korean households earn more than 60 per
cent of their income from these markets The capitalist turn in North Korea
(Kim, 2017. p. 65), and possibly much more predictably has its downsides. Corruption is
(DuMond, 2017; Kim, 2018, p.8). In reality, rampant and income inequality worse than
these markets function as a lifeline for most ever (Haggard & Noland, 2010, p. 144).
North Koreans today. Corruption is a natural effect of the market’s
many trading restrictions. Police and
There is evidence that the North Korean security officers can make good money by
government began carefully experimenting eliciting bribes from vendors in return for
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 5ignoring illegal market activities, such as reform, such as the so-called Economic
trading in illegal goods or selling goods at Management Improvement Measures
prices that exceed the permitted price introduced in 2002. This radical reform
ceilings. Most low-ranking officers in law brought state-controlled prices more in line
enforcement have little choice but to take with market values, increased salaries,
bribes, as their official salaries are partially abolished the PDS, decentralized
insufficient for survival. Through interviews state planning, gave greater autonomy to
with defectors, a study by Kim Byung-yeon state-owned enterprises, established a
(2017, pp. 188–190) found that an average more accurate exchange rate for North
North Korean household spends almost 9 Korea’s currency (the won) and sought to
per cent of its budget on bribes, which increase productivity by giving workers
makes North Korea one of the most corrupt material incentives (Gray & Lee, 2017, p.
countries in the world. Kim (2017, p. 190) 56). Legalization essentially decriminalized
estimates that bribery makes up as much as activity in which almost everyone was
6–7 per cent of the country’s GDP. engaged. It looked like North Korea was
Marketization has also created a growing finally liberalizing its economy.
gap between rich and poor. Those who lack
the entrepreneurial skills to cope with the The trend did not last, however, and
transition to capitalism are struggling. Thus, eventually Kim Jong-il changed course and
it is those who have been most dependent tried to roll back many of these measures in
on the state and the PDS who are now an effort to reinstate a more centralized
North Korean society’s biggest losers. For control economy (Haggard & Noland, 2010,
most North Koreans, however, the turn to p. 142; Lankov, 2015, pp. 122–125; Park,
capitalism has been a welcome 2009). His most infamous attempt to
development that has brought them reverse capitalism in North Korea was the
unprecedented material comforts. Even the disastrous 2009 currency reform, aimed at
spread of corruption has been a blessing for halting the emergence of a middle class.
more than a few North Koreans, as bribes The reform stipulated that all citizens had to
can increase social and geographical exchange their old won for newly printed
mobility in an otherwise rigid system. Bribes currency but the government set an upper
are used to circumvent restrictions on travel limit equivalent to about US$ 30 on how
and contraband trade. Payments to the much money could be exchanged,
right people can also get you an education effectively eliminating any savings of North
and a job that would otherwise be reserved Koreans in excess of this upper limit. The
for a member of the elite. reform also devaluated the won by making
one new won worth the equivalent of 100
The North Korean state’s response to old won. However, the government
marketization inexplicably decided that employees of
As noted above, marketization was state-run enterprises, factories and other
grudgingly accepted during the famine. Kim institutions were to remain on their old
Jong-il, who ruled North Korea from 1994 to salaries. This effectively amounted to a
2011, never fully embraced the markets and hundredfold wage increase overnight and
saw them mostly as a stop-gap measure naturally led to hyperinflation. The reform
until the economy recovered and the PDS generated enormous discontent among
could be reinstated. Nonetheless, the average North Koreans, severely damaging
markets were officially acknowledged and people’s trust in the government and
formally legalized in 2003 and he toxifying the North Korean won. As a result,
experimented with significant economic today no one saves won for fear that
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 6another government reform might render this has brought desperately needed
them worthless. North Koreans stockpile personal incentives to the agricultural and
and conduct trade in foreign currencies, industrial sectors and – at least initially –
such as the Chinese yuan and the US dollar. output increased significantly. The 2013
The North Korean government eventually harvest was the best for decades and, for
realized its mistake and issued a rare the first time since the 1980s, North Korea
apology to the people (McCurry, 2010). It almost produced enough food to feed itself
subsequently executed a senior official who (Gray & Lee, 2017, p. 62). However, food
was scapegoated for the currency reform production is reported to have fallen in 2016
failure (Branigan, 2010). and 2017 (Ward, 2018c) so the jury is still out
on the effectiveness of the reforms (cf.
Kim Jong-un, who came to power after his Katzeff Silberstein, 2015).
father died at the end of 2011, seems to
have a more positive attitude to Implementation of the June 28 and May 30
marketization and capitalism. Rather than measures – and the fact that there are no
reversing the trend, he has accelerated it. signs of a roll back – suggest that the North
While Kim Korean state has finally come down in favor
Jong-il’s legacy was tainted by the famine, of the marketization of North Korea. If this
Kim Jong-un’s tenure has coincided with a really is the case, capitalist development
period of unprecedented wealth and social seems bound to continue. In fact, it would
freedom. Kim Jong-un seems to understand be very difficult to reverse the trend for
that he has more to gain from taking credit marketization even if there was the political
for these developments than from will to do so. The state lacks the resources
obstructing them. The increasing affluence to provide an adequate alternative to the
under Kim Jong-un has arguably made him market, and both government officials and
more popular than his father. This suggests military officers have become highly
that it is not certain that North Korean engaged in and dependent on the markets
economic liberalization will threaten the for survival. Many of them leverage their
regime; in fact, it may even consolidate it. elite privileges to engage in foreign trade,
often in cooperation with private
Perhaps realizing this, Kim Jong-un has entrepreneurs, thus blurring the distinction
initiated some significant reforms that are between the private and the official
reminiscent of the economic reforms economies (Hastings, 2016). Furthermore,
undertaken by China in the late 1970s and since the state can no longer finance its
early 1980s. The reforms, known as the June institutions, government departments,
28 measures of 2012 and the May 30 agencies and even parts of the military are
measures of 2014, have essentially now expected to be self-funded (Kim, 2018).
decollectivized the agricultural sector, The only way for most state and military
allowed farmers to keep and sell a far bigger institutions to stay in operation is therefore
share of their crops, increased the number to engage in market activities. Since they
of special economic zones and de facto have strong, vested interests in the
privatized many state-owned enterprises continuation of the markets, it is unlikely
(Gray & Lee, 2017). The latter are still that government officials would
nominally owned by the state but often run enthusiastically enforce market crackdowns
by private managers who pay a share of if such orders were to come from above.
their profits to the state – a testament to The whole state apparatus is simply too
how intertwined the private and official involved in and too economically dependent
economies have become (Ward, 2017). All on the markets to abolish them.
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 7How marketization affects North Korean empowered North Korean women by giving society them money, agency and increased Marketization has been a blessing for most opportunities. North Koreans, who are currently enjoying an unprecedented level of social freedom Women are not the only beneficiaries of the and a level of material wealth unmatched semi-legalization of market activity. since at least the 1970s. The demographic Marketization has produced a number of group that has perhaps benefited most positive effects for society as a whole, such from marketization is women. North Korea as new privately owned bus services that is in many respects a patriarchal society make domestic travel much faster and where women are expected to obey men easier than in the past, when travelers had and take care of the household. to rely on North Korea’s notoriously Traditionally, many North Korean women decrepit railroad (Ah, 2014). This had made were housewives without any formal geographically scattered markets income. During the famine in the 1990s this increasingly interconnected. A license is still lack of a formal job was an advantage. needed to leave the city or county but such While men were forced to attend their licenses are now easy to obtain through virtually non-paying jobs, women were free bribes, although Pyongyang remains off- to gather food and procure goods to barter limits for non-residents. North Koreans can or sell in makeshift markets. Women also even obtain permits to travel to China for benefited from being exempt from the trade and work. The lack of grueling 10-year military service that North interconnectedness between the various Korean men have to undergo, although regional markets inside North Korea has enlistment reportedly became mandatory been identified as a key reason why for women in 2015 (Min, 2015a). Moreover, economic change has so far failed to the government was less suspicious of translate into political change (Kim, 2018). women participating in market activities The loosening of travel restrictions and than men because it was ‘normatively improved means of transportation could accepted that it was the woman’s job to therefore be of great significance in the long provide food for the family’ (Smith, 2015, p. run. 206). These factors enabled women to a far greater extent than men to engage in Marketization has also coincided with the market activities when the state was no rapid spread of mobile phones (Choe, 2016). longer able to provide necessities for its In cooperation with an Egyptian firm, a people. In many cases women became the state-run mobile network operator, breadwinners of the family and their Koryolink, was set up in 2008. Koryolink was entrepreneurialism and thrift laid the first reserved for the elites but is now foundations for marketization in the available to anyone who can pay the rather country. Still today, the vendors in the hefty subscription fee. The number of markets are almost exclusively women. network subscribers has expanded from North Korean women’s increased access to about 10,000 in 2008 to about 3 million a money has also enabled them to flee the decade later. This is a significant number in country, which is often a very costly a country of some 25 million people. As undertaking. There was a notable increase elsewhere, the latest phone has become an in the proportion of female defectors in the important status symbol in North Korea. 2000s and in 2015 women constituted 80 per cent of all defectors (Isozaki & Sawada, The mobile network blocks international 2017, p. 193). Marketization has thus calls and internet access (a special North © 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 8
Korean intranet is available) but other forms North Korean regime is far from of technology are increasing North Koreans’ straightforward, it is undeniable that access to information from the outside outside impulses often induce critical world, especially South Korea. The thinking and behavior among North penetration of Chinese memory cards, USB Koreans in various ways. In a 2013 defector sticks, DVDs, mobile phones and computers survey, 84 per cent of respondents reported into North Korean markets has made file that South Korean dramas had influenced sharing easy. As a result, bootleg South their decision to escape North Korea (Lee & Korean movies, TV shows and music have Soo, 2013, p. 199). become widespread and extremely popular in North Korea. Although the sale or In the west, those in their 20s and 30s are consumption of foreign, and especially often referred to as millennials. In North South Korean, popular culture is forbidden, Korea they are known as the jangmadang this is becoming increasingly difficult to generation. Unlike their western control due to technological advances. counterparts, who are often stereotyped as Defector interviews indicate that 70–80 per lazy, North Korean ‘millennials’ are known cent of North Koreans regularly watch to be extremely industrious and creative. foreign movies or TV dramas (Baek, 2016, p. They went through their adolescence during 185). It is difficult to overstate the impact of the famine years of the 1990s and they are South Korean popular culture on North accustomed to making money without Korea. Inspired by their capitalist brethren relying on the state. They are therefore in the south, an increasing number of North believed to be less loyal to the state and Koreans wear flashy (by North Korean more rebellious than their parents. In a standards) clothes, dye their hair, undergo recent documentary on the jangmadang rudimentary eyelid surgery and even use generation, a North Korean defector South Korean slang when among friends. In describes them as ‘bold and audacious’, short, the influx of South Korean popular without much respect for the regime’s culture is changing how North Koreans look, social control and rules (Liberty in North talk and perhaps think (Baek, 2016). Korea, 2017). This observation is Importantly, South Korean popular culture corroborated by Baek (2016, pp. 184–185), has once and for all debunked North Korean whose study on North Korea’s ‘hidden propaganda claims of South Korean poverty revolution’ characterizes North Korean and economic inferiority. (Even the millennials as ‘capitalistic, individualistic, Pyongyang government has long since and more likely to take risks’, as well as given up making such easily falsifiable ‘significantly less loyal to the state and its claims.) North Koreans today know very leadership’. Many therefore pin their hopes well that their half of the peninsula is for change on the jangmadang generation, lagging far behind the south by almost which makes up 25 per cent of the North every metric. There are also more than Korean population (Baek, 2016, p. 183). 30,000 North Korean defectors living in Thae Yong-ho, a former deputy ambassador South Korea who can attest to the to London and one of the highest ranking enormous discrepancy in affluence. Many North Korean defectors ever, shares this defectors keep in touch with their families in hope. In an interview with Voice of America the north and even support them financially he stated that ‘If this process [of through a new system of underground marketization] continues, the country will money transfers (Lankov, 2013). Although reach a tipping point where the people the causality between exposure to foreign begin to stand up for not just their popular culture and disillusionment with the © 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 9
economic rights, but also their political This certainly sounds promising, but can
rights’ (cited in Lee, 2017). marketization really lead to political
change?
Will marketization lead to change in North Korea?
Four scenarios
The answer to this question depends on Korea: radical change, moderate change, no
what is meant by change. It is possible to change and a return to ideological purity.
envision four future courses for North
Table 1 Four scenarios for change in North Korea
Radical change Moderate change No change Return to
ideological purity
A complete Considerable The state continues Markets are
transformation of liberalization of the to fluctuate between abolished and
North Korea through economy. Some accommodating replaced with a
either improvement in civil markets and cracking planned economy
democratization, rights (mainly to down on them. The similar to that which
coup or war. facilitate market state maintains an characterized North
activity) but not in ambivalent stance Korea during the
political rights. toward markets and Cold War. Ideological
market activity. purity is emphasized.
As is evident from Table 1, ‘change’ is leaders might attempt to bring about a
treated as encompassing economic, return to the ideologically pure days of Kim
political and social change. The analysis Il-sung. This would naturally entail a return
below examines the potential for each of to a heavily planned economy with few, if
these courses against a backdrop of rapid any, market elements. This is precisely what
marketization in North Korea. The scenarios Cha (2012, p. 58) predicted at the beginning
are ordered according to our assessment of of the Kim Jong-un period. Cha speculated
the degree of probability, from least to that North Korea would attempt to return
most likely: return to ideological purity, to the Kimilsungism of the 1950s, 1960s and
radical change, no change and moderate 1970s – an era when North Korea was at its
change. most ideologically pure. Cha dubbed such
an eventuality ‘neojuche revivalism’,
Return to ideological purity referring to the country’s Cold War ideology
Marketization has likely evoked strong of juche, or self-reliance. In his New Year
displeasure among many leaders in speech on January 1, 2019, Kim Jong-un did
Pyongyang, who are worried that growing indeed stress the ‘might of the independent
individualism and materialism might socialist economy’ and a policy of making
threaten the socialist system and, by the national economy ‘Juche-oriented’,
extension, their own power. It is therefore perhaps signaling a reversion to a more
possible to imagine that North Korean
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 10closed and self-reliant economic system (Myers, 2010). Reviving the dubious ‘glory
(NK News, 2019). days’ of the 1950s and 1960s would be
impossible without economic support from
However, such a reversion would appear to an ideologically likeminded communist
be both unwise in theory and almost bloc. In the absence of heavily subsidized
impossible in practice. Reversing the imports and grants from the Soviet Union
modest economic freedoms that North and China, North Korea simply does not
Koreans have enjoyed since the mid-1990s have the means to reintroduce a fully
would be a recipe for disaster. If there is one functioning distribution system. Regression
thing that North Koreans have responded to to the ideologically pure days of Kim Il-sung
with violence, it is attempts by the state to is therefore the least likely of the four
rein in their new-found economic freedoms. scenarios.
When the government closed off the
markets to women under 50 for a brief Radical change
period in 2008, there were reports of riots in Radical change could come in many forms,
some cities (Lankov, 2015, p. 125). In 2015 a such as democratization, a coup d’état or
‘massive brawl’ between merchants and war. Since war is partly determined by the
security guards erupted at a market in actions of external forces, such a scenario is
Musan in the northeast of the country (Min, beyond the scope of this paper. We are
2015b). The incident, which led to an mainly interested here in the potential for
unknown number of fatalities, was state-driven change toward democracy and
apparently precipitated by attempts by the anti-state mobilization by grassroots or elite
security guards to confiscate certain goods forces with the aim of overthrowing the
from vendors. These and similar incidents government.
(cf. Cha, 2012, pp. 452–453) suggest that
average North Koreans might be willing to It is of course possible, albeit probably
confront the ruthless authorities if their overly optimistic, to view Kim Jong-un’s
livelihoods are threatened (cf. Park, 2017, p. unexpected rapprochement and
35). If the North Korean state were to engagement with the outside world in 2018
reverse marketization and return to a fully as the beginning of a slow drift toward a
planned economy, it is not impossible that more open and democratic society. A more
the people’s discontent would spill over and democratic and market-driven North Korea
turn into overt protest and perhaps riots. would be more palatable to western
Even if Kim Jong-un were willing to take investors and could therefore serve North
that risk, a reversion to a fully planned Korea’s longstanding goal of becoming a
economy would still be almost impossible in ‘powerful and prosperous state’ (kangsong
practice. One of the main reasons why Kim taeguk).
Il-sung’s North Korea was relatively
successful was that it benefited from both However, such a turn does not appear likely.
economic and ideological support from the A democratic turn would entail a sudden
communist bloc. Kim Il-sung was adept at expansion of people’s social rights (freedom
taking advantage of Sino-Soviet rivalry, of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of
often obtaining beneficial trade deals by the press and so on). This would be a highly
threatening to switch ideological allegiance risky strategy as it would undermine the
to one side or the other (Lankov, 2015, p. oppression and fear that the system is built
21). Despite the adulation for juche and self- on and could seriously jeopardize Kim Jong-
reliance, North Korea has always been un’s power. In the words of Cha (2012, p.
highly dependent on outside assistance 447), ‘The greatest vulnerability for a regime
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 11like North Korea is when a population loses would undoubtedly be arrested and perhaps
its fear of the government. Once the fear is publicly executed as a warning to others
gone, all that is left is the anger’. This makes against further disturbances. The spread of
it very unlikely that radical change would bribery may have made it possible to get
ever be initiated by the North Korean away with minor transgressions but open
leadership. This becomes even more displays of political resistance and revolt are
evident if one considers that the official still virtually impossible. This might change
North Korean explanation for the fall of in the long term if the weakening of state
communism is ideological decay rather than power outlined below (in ‘no change’)
economic mismanagement. The state continues unabated, but for now a
narrative is that the communist countries politically motivated bottom-up revolution
succumbed to dangerous influences from seems highly unlikely.
the outside and reformed themselves to
death. The lesson that the North Korean Second, the Korean Peninsula’s divided
leadership drew from the events of the late nature has implications for the likelihood of
1980s and early 1990s is that reform is elite coups. It is true that the massive
dangerous. We should therefore not expect transfer of labor from the official to the
radical reform to emanate from above. private economy has diminished the state’s
revenues and left the ruling coalition with
It is also possible to speculate about the less money and fewer perks to dole out to
potential for a bottom-up revolution or a party and military elites in return for their
military coup. Some scholars go so far as to loyalty. In addition, this trend has been
claim that ‘it is difficult to imagine a more exacerbated by the increasingly strict
plausible alternative to a collapse or coup sanctions regime to which North Korea is
situation on the Korean peninsula’ (Richey subjected due to its missile and nuclear
et al., 2017, p. 3). Without rejecting this programs. There is of course a possibility
possibility, such scenarios are improbable at that party and military elites might turn on
present for two reasons: the state’s extreme the current leadership once the money and
brutality and North Korea’s peculiar perks they have hitherto enjoyed in
situation as the backward half of a divided exchange for their loyalty dry up. However,
nation. First, the North Korean state is still North Korea differs from other dictatorships
simply too oppressive for an Arab Spring- in one important regard: it is the backward
style uprising to take place. The magnitude half of a divided nation. This means that if
and extensive nature of North Korea’s there were to be a regime collapse leading
instruments of social control are, in the to a temporary power vacuum in North
words of Haggard and Noland (2017, p. 30), Korea, there is a considerable risk that
‘legendary’. The state controls an South Korea would seize the opportunity to
impressive surveillance network that reunify the peninsula through absorption. In
extends all the way down to neighborhood this case, most, if not all, of the party and
informers (inminban), who are responsible military elites would lose their power, and
for reporting ‘suspicious’ behavior by some could even face charges of crimes
neighbors (Tudor & Pearson, 2015, p. 121). against humanity (Nebehay, 2017). It is
Such institutions make any kind of therefore obvious that elites in the Workers’
collective action difficult to conceal, and any Party and the military have a vested interest
attempt at mass mobilization of resistance in the survival of the regime, and will
would be nipped in the bud long before it probably put up with reduced amounts of
made it to the streets. Even if a gathering of Cognac and Cuban cigars as long as they are
protestors were to take to the streets, they
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 12allowed to remain in their positions of fluctuate between accommodating and
relative privilege (Lankov, 2016b). cracking down on the markets, which has
been the case for the past 20 years? In such
More or less the same argument could be a scenario, the government would
made about North Korea’s new economic sporadically attempt to resuscitate the PDS
elite – the so-called donju. Donju means and continue to regard the markets as a
‘money masters’ and refers to the class of stop-gap measure. Reforms, if carried out,
North Korean new-rich that has amassed would be prone to sudden reversal. This
tremendous fortunes though capitalistic scenario is suggested by Buzo, who argues
enterprise over the past 20 years. The donju that as long as North Korean leaders
could potentially be a force for radical continue to value regime survival over
change due to their unrivalled economic everything else, change will be kept to an
power, but thus far they have been the absolute minimum. Buzo (2018, p. 252)
opposite. The new-rich have joined forces rejects the notion that Kim Jong-un is more
with the political elites in a bid to reform-minded than his father, and argues
consolidate their own power and maintain that the reforms seen under Kim Jong-un
the political status quo. Sometimes the are merely an attempt ‘to wring whatever
donju cooperate with the political elites can be wrought from the existing system
through business operations in which without modifying it’. Kim Jong-un, Buzo
government officials secure the necessary writes, has ‘shown strong continuity with his
licenses and the more resourceful donju father’s policies in rejecting reform options’,
take care of the commercial management. even if he has been a little less prone to
At other times they join forces in a more repress the markets than his father (Buzo,
literal sense – through marriage (Tudor & 2018, p. 247).
Pearson, 2015, p. 166). In the past it would
have been shameful for a member of the While far from implausible, this is a very
political elite to marry someone of lower pessimistic reading of current events –
status but that has changed with the albeit that given the number of past
emergence of the North Korean new-rich. disappointments in regard to change in
As in other countries, money and power North Korea, pessimism is perhaps
have a way of finding each other. Finally, warranted. It is also possible to make an
like the political and military elites, the argument that is the exact opposite of
donju have an interest in political stability. If Buzo’s claim that Kim Jong-un needs to
North Korea were to collapse and be avoid change to stay in power. Perhaps
absorbed by South Korea, the primitive avoiding change would in fact reduce his
business ventures run by the donju would chances of staying in power. In an era when
stand no chance against South Korea’s the people rely more on the markets than
mighty conglomerates (Lankov, 2016a). We they do on the state, the state may be
should therefore expect neither the political gradually losing its power. If so, this loss of
and military elites nor the donju to be the power will continue for as long as the state
instigators of political change. On the fails to adapt to changing realities and could
contrary, they may turn out to be significant eventually jeopardize the continued
veto players against any action that could existence of the political system.
lead to radical change.
How is marketization weakening the power
No change of the state? Traditionally, the North
How about the option of no change? Could Korean state has been able to demand
the government continue its tendency to absolute loyalty and obedience through
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 13three sources of power: (a) a state many of the deeply entrenched state
monopoly on the ‘legitimate’ use of force; narratives, many North Koreans learned for
(b) a monopoly on information; and (c) the first time that South Koreans did not
legitimacy that stems from the role of the live in extreme poverty, but what looked
state as provider for the people. However, like unimaginable affluence. This realization
today all of these sources that sustained the poses perhaps the greatest long-term
power of the state have been severely threat to the North Korean regime as there
weakened by marketization-related is simply no easy way to explain the
changes. discrepancy between north and south other
than the different political systems, thereby
First, while the state still has a monopoly on acknowledging the flaws of North Korean
the use of force – and does not hesitate to socialism.
use it against potential threats – the rapid
spread of corruption among law Third, the legitimacy of the state is suffering
enforcement officials now ensures that because reciprocal relations between the
there are ways to avoid punishment for people and the state have broken down.
many offenses. Consumption of foreign Until the 1990s the state provided food,
media, smuggling, unlicensed trading and housing, education and basic welfare in
illegal travel, to name a few, are crimes return for absolute loyalty and sacrifice. The
people can now get away with in return for rigidity and brutality of the state were
bribes. It is even possible to buy your way tolerable because the state gave something
out of North Korea’s dreaded prison camps. back. However, the breakdown of the PDS
Needless to say this empowers potential and the semi-privatization of many social
regime challengers as it gives them options services, such as education (Unification
for circumventing government repression. Media Group, 2018) and healthcare (Soh,
That said, the state’s monopoly on the use 2016), mean that the reciprocity that
of force is still its most effective means of sustained relations between the state and
social control, and its weakening due to the people has disappeared. The state
corruption should not be overstated. today hardly gives anything back to the
people. Official monthly salaries are the
Second, the state’s monopoly on equivalent to US$ 0.5–1.75, which makes it
information has been dramatically impossible to survive on official salaries
weakened by the emergence of outside alone. The minimum sustenance
information. Before outside information requirement for a family of three or four
began to seep into North Korea in the people is approximately US$ 15 per month
1990s, the government had the ability to (Lankov, 2015, pp. 125–127). These
control the narrative on all aspects of social unsustainable salaries force North Koreans
life. North Korea’s failures were glossed to the markets but the state still demands a
over and when they became too obvious to de facto market tax. The jangmadang
ignore they were blamed on the hostile generation have never experienced a
policies of the US. Moreover, the successes functioning socialist system and most have
of other countries, especially South Korea, never received much from the state. This
went unreported in the North Korean could diminish their sense of loyalty to the
media, which meant that North Koreans regime and its leaders. If some measure of
lacked reference points from which to reciprocity is not reinstated in relations
assess their own country’s progress. between the people and the state, the
However, as the influx of foreign legitimacy of the state will continue to
information in the 1990s began to challenge dwindle.
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 14A number of analysts argue that the status kind of change would be likely to bring
quo is untenable. Kim and Roland write that about better living standards and thus
‘the status-quo will inevitably at some point offset much of the antipathy the public
lead to a regime collapse given the great secretly harbors toward the government. It
economic weakness’ (Kim & Roland, 2012, would also arguably increase the
p. 512; cf. Frank, 2016, p. 15). Such a government’s legitimacy by bringing back
collapse scenario is certainly possible, but some degree of reciprocity between the
not inevitable. There is a chance that North state and the people.
Korea will ‘muddle through’ without
substantial top-down change, as it did in the It is difficult to predict what the exact
1990s when it faced far more dire conditions content of moderate change might be, but
(Noland, 1997). Nonetheless, maintaining one possible scenario could start with
the status quo appears increasingly difficult retroactive legalization of activities that are
for the North Korean state because all three already taking place. This would mean an
of the factors that sustain its control over unequivocal legalization of market activity
the people have been weakened. The and a relaxation of restrictions on domestic
state’s ability to coerce through force has travel and assembly. Such an expansion of
been weakened by bribery, its ability to use social rights could be tolerated because it is
propaganda to justify the political system to a large extent already happening and is
has been undermined by the availability of required for economic growth. A possible
outside information and the legitimacy it next step could be legalization of activities
derived from maintaining relatively that would boost production, such as
reciprocal relations with the people has allowing North Koreans to freely choose
been shattered due to the breakdown of the their workplace. North Koreans are
PDS and the welfare system. If measures currently assigned jobs by the state. Many
are not taken to adjust to the changing of these official jobs are extremely
realities, it seems likely that the state’s unproductive due to chronic shortages of
power will continue to diminish as time necessary inputs and a lack of any incentive
passes. If left unchecked, this weakening of to work hard. (As noted above, official
state authority could reach dangerous salaries are tiny.) North Koreans who want
levels. This is not an option if the leadership to engage in private business – which is to
wants to ensure its political, and perhaps say nearly everybody – must either do so
even physical, survival. after official working hours or pay a monthly
fee to be legally absent from work. These
Moderate change absence fees can be up to 20 times the
Given the risks and problems connected absentee’s monthly wage (Lankov, 2015, p.
with both too little and too much change, 95), which means that factories and
the most sensible and likely course for the enterprises earn more from absent workers
North Korean regime appears to be one of than present workers. This is clearly an
moderate change. Moderate change would inefficient and unproductive system.
entail efforts to bolster economic growth Allowing people to choose their work freely,
through market liberalization while keeping even outside the official economy, would
political change to a minimum. In other spur a dramatic increase in North Korean
words, the North Korean state can be industrial or manufacturing productivity.
expected to act in a rational way that Such measures could form part of a
neglects neither the country’s potential for moderate reform strategy that aims to spur
economic growth, nor the means of control economic growth without posing too much
that have hitherto secured its survival. This of a threat to the political system. In the
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 15moderate change scenario, an expansion of There are always risks connected to change,
social rights is allowed only to the extent no matter how moderate. Even moderate
that these rights are conducive to a more reforms could be a slippery slope for the
effective and productive economy. In other government. Every reform constitutes a
words, social rights that are not directly new fait accompli and consequently
needed for a stronger economy, such as increases expectations for greater change in
freedom of speech, the press, religion, future. As the markets become increasingly
political participation, and so on, would institutionalized as a mainstay in the lives of
remain suppressed. ordinary North Koreans, Kim Jong-un is
likely to face constant pressure to expand
Judging from Kim Jong-un’s first six years in the rights of the people even further so that
power, this seems to be the course he has the full potential of the markets can be
chosen. This is evidenced by his enactment realized. Such pressures might start with
of the June 28 and May 30 measures demands for reforms along the lines
described above and his largely hands-off described above. Over time, however,
approach to the markets. This is a pressures may develop into more
reasonable policy line and probably the only controversial calls for private ownership and
way he can remain in power for a long a greater ability to criticize and influence
period. If Kim Jong-un is able to convince government policies that hamper the
the North Korean people that he is market economy – essentially a degree of
responsible for their newfound affluence, freedom of speech and perhaps even a
marketization might actually enhance his modicum of political representation.
popularity. Needless to say, if Kim Jong-un were to
make such allowances, it could mark the
How effective a program of moderate beginning of the end for his regime. Private
change can be under the current sanctions ownership would be a deathblow to North
regime, however, remains to be seen. UN Korea’s crippled socialist system, and
sanctions on North Korea have been in freedom of speech, no matter how limited,
place since 2006, but have increased would embolden latent regime critics to
dramatically in scope since 2016. While push the political discourse far beyond the
earlier sanctions mainly targeted military control of the state.
and luxury products, the recent rounds have
banned virtually all international trade with The big question is how far Kim Jong-un is
North Korea. As long as the sanctions willing to go to accommodate these
remain in place, reforms will have only sub- constant pressures from below. Doing
optimal results, due to the inability to nothing appears less and less like a viable
engage in international trade and attract option given the gradually deteriorating
desperately needed foreign investment. power of the state. Kim Jong-un may never
Kim Jong-un’s diplomatic overtures with succeed in reclaiming absolute control over
South Korea, China and the USA in 2018 law enforcement and information, but it is
were undoubtedly attempts to obtain entirely within his grasp to restore a degree
sanctions relief and thereby maximize the of reciprocity to relations between the
effects of his moderate reform program in North Korean state and the North Korean
the future. The success of this program is people, and thus strengthen his own
therefore partly dependent on whether the legitimacy in the eyes of the public.
sanctions are removed or stay in place. However, this can only be done through
reform. What Kim Jong-un will do in
concrete terms remains an open question,
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 16but change is no longer a matter of ‘if’, but Park, 2009), a program of moderate reform
rather of ‘how much’ and ‘how fast’. under Kim is desirable for three reasons.
First, political stability spares the world the
Keeping expectations in check prospect of regime collapse and a full-
People should nonetheless keep their fledged domestic power struggle, which
expectations in check. The growth of most experts predict would be extremely
private markets will not necessarily entail a bloody and chaotic (Bandow, 2018; Lankov,
political revolution and the overthrow of 2018; Sokolsky & Miller, 2017). Second, it
Kim Jong-un. The possibility must be will significantly improve the living
acknowledged that economic reforms standards of ordinary North Koreans. Third,
might consolidate Kim Jong-un’s power. If although it will not lead to denuclearization,
the regime plays the propaganda card well it may turn North Korea into a more
and succeeds in keeping outside responsible nuclear-weapon state. If, and
information to a minimum, Kim Jong-un this is admittedly a big ‘if’, North Korea
may be able to sell North Korea’s modest were to be integrated into the world
but growing prosperity as the fruits of his economy as a relatively open market
brilliant economic policies. It is entirely economy, it would have a vested interest in
possible that North Korea will achieve regional stability for its own economic
significant economic growth without fully growth. The establishment of
abandoning its political system, simply by interdependent relations with the outside
learning from other East Asian nations and world would probably reduce, if not
liberalizing its economy (Lee, Kim, & Lee, altogether eliminate, North Korea’s
2009, p. 291). If Kim Jong-un were to inclination to make outrageous military
succeed in creating such a ‘developmental threats against its adversaries. The result
dictatorship’, there is reason to believe that would be a more restrained and less
this would go a long way toward satisfying menacing North Korea and, accordingly,
the population, much like similar something of a win-win-win situation for
developments satisfied the populations of the North Korean leadership, the North
China and Vietnam (Lankov, 2016b). North Korean people and the rest of the world.
Koreans do not want change because they
have a burning desire for democracy – a
concept that is still alien to the vast majority
Conclusion
The outside world can help North Korea
of the population. Rather, they want change
along but ultimately change in North Korea
because they want to live more like the
must be brought about by North Koreans
South Koreans they see in the movies: they
themselves. Although there should be no
want to eat three meals a day, they want
illusions about imminent democratization,
decent houses with round-the-clock
North Korean marketization is a cause for
electricity and running water, and they want
optimism. The spread of markets is
better opportunities for their children. If
significant not just because it improves the
Kim Jong-un can fulfill at least some of
lives of the average North Korean citizen,
these wishes and continue to facilitate
but because it chips away at the state’s
market activity through moderate reforms,
ability to control its people. As a direct
he should be able to stay in power for a long
consequence of marketization, the three
time.
cornerstones of North Korean state control
throughout the Cold War – force,
Although this may disappoint those
information and legitimacy – are withering.
analysts who regard the Kim dynasty as the
This cannot but have a detrimental effect on
root cause of North Korea’s problems (e.g.
the state’s ability to control its citizens. As
© 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 17the state grows weaker it will become more thought must be given to what can be done vulnerable to the efforts of change agents to empower them. The same amount of such as the jangmadang generation – creativity, time and effort should be disgruntled young men and women who devoted to this task as is currently being have never experienced anything other than devoted to coming up with new ways to capitalism and see the government as an punish North Korea through sanctions. Over obstacle and a leech. North Korea will not time, unyielding bottom-up pressure from be reverting to Kimilsungism anytime soon the inside is surely a far more effective so before long we will be speaking of driver of positive change than either jangmadang generations in plural. Serious sanctions or inducements from outside. © 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 18
References Ah, S. S. (2014, March 14). Servi-cha professionalizing for Kim Jong Eun era. Daily NK. Retrieved from http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk01500&num=11621. Baek, J. (2016). North Korea’s hidden revolution: How the information underground is transforming a closed society. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Bandow, D. (2018, January 3). The real North Korea disaster isn't war (but collapse). The National Interest. Retrieved at http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-skeptics/the-real-north-korea-disaster-isnt-war-collapse-23903. Branigan, T. (2010, March 18). North Korean finance chief executed for botched currency reform. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/18/north-korean-executed-currency-reform. Buzo, A. (2018) Politics and leadership in North Korea: The guerilla dynasty, second edition. London and New York: Routledge. Cha, V. (2012). The impossible state: North Korea, past and future. New York: CCC. Choe, S. H. (2016, March 26). North Koreans rely on smuggled cellphones to connect to the outside world. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/27/world/asia/north-korea-china-mobile-phones.html. DuMond, M. (2017, July 24). Paradise evaporated: Escaping the no income trap in North Korea. Retrieved from https://beyondparallel.csis.org/paradise-evaporated-escaping-no-income-trap-north-korea/. Frank, R. (2016). Economic reform during the first four years of Kim Jong-un’s rule: An analysis based on the CRE model. International Journal of Korean Unification Studies, 25(1), 1–32. Gray, K., & Lee, J. W. (2017). Following in China’s footsteps? The political economy of North Korean reform. The Pacific Review, 30(1), 51–73. Haggard, S., & Noland, M. (2017). Hard Target: Sanctions, inducements, and the case of North Korea, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Haggard, S., & Noland, M. (2010). Reform from below: Behavioral and institutional change in North Korea. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 73(2), 133–152. Hastings, J. V. (2016). A Most enterprising country: North Korea in the global economy. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Isozaki, A., & Sawada, K. (2017). Kitachōsen nyūmon: Kimu Jon Un taisei no seiji, keizai, kokusai kankei [Introduction to North Korea: The Kim Jong-un regime’s politics, economy and international relations]. Tokyo, Japan: Tōyō Keizai Shimpōsha. Kang, M. J., & Kim, S. I. (2018, January 30). Authorities initiate nationwide crackdown on Chinese products in the markets. Daily NK. Retrieved from http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?num=14973&cataId=nk01500. Katzeff Silberstein, B. (2015, June 17). Why North Korea’s supposed agricultural reforms may not actually be working after all. 38 North. Retrieved from https://www.38north.org/2015/06/bksilberstein061715/. Katzeff Silberstein, B. (2018, July 20). All politics is local, in North Korea too. FPRI. Retrieved from https://www.fpri.org/article/2018/07/all-politics-is-local-in-north-korea-too/. Kim, B. Y. (2017). Unveiling the North Korean economy: Collapse and transition. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Kim, B. Y., & Roland, G. (2012). Scenarios for a transition to a prosperous market economy in North Korea. International Economic Journal, 26(3), p. 511–539. © 2019 The Swedish Institute of International Affairs 19
You can also read
