Byung-Yeon Kim: Unveiling the North Korean Economy. Collapse and TransitionYou Kyung Byun

ASIEN – Nr. 148 (2018) pp. 120–21

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017. 329 S., 28,99 GBP

North Korea might be the most highlighted and, at the same time, the most reclusive country in the world. Nevertheless, the recent summit of U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on June 12, 2018 marks a significant change in North Korea’s international relations. Media coverage around the world expresses curiosity about the consequences of this summit and is engaged with deciphering Kim’s intentions. International relations heavily influence the economic performance of a country and the normalization of the relationship with the U.S. is not unrelated to economic benefits by North Korea. Through “Unveiling the North Korean Economy. Collapse and Transition” by Byung-Yeon Kim, we can glimpse at the recent state of the North Korean economy. However, the investigation of the North Korean economy is heavily based on indirect methods due to limited contact and statistical data. This applies to Kim’s analysis as well. Despite his precise calculation of the performance of North Korea’s economy and quantitative surveys of North Korean refugees and Chinese entrepreneurs, his analysis reflects limitations to reveal the real economic lives of the North Koreans. However, his analysis is comprehensive enough to show how dynamic the North Korean economy actually is…