Another Songun-era agriculture project launched in Haeju
Pictured Above: The DPRK’s two most famous waterways are the Paekma-Cholsan Waterway (see here and here) and the Kaechon-Lake Thaesong Waterway. A third waterway in the Miru Plain is too recent to appear on Google Earth. According to KCNA (2012-1-26): Waterway to Be Built in South Hwanghae Province, DPRK Pyongyang, January 26 (KCNA) — A [...]
Read MoreFood distribution to resume for the first time in seven years
Institute for Far Eastern Studies (IFES) 2012-1-25 A month into Kim Jong-un’s ascension to power, it is reported that food distribution is likely to resume nationwide in North Korea. Many experts evaluate this as a symbolic measure to propagate the construction of a powerful economy and improve the lives of the people. For the North [...]
Read MorePrepare for Greece to Leave Eurozone; German Government Calls for Greece to Cede Sovereignty Over Tax and Spending Decisions to Eurozone "Budget Commissioner"; Text of the German Demands
Prepare for Greece to exit the Eurozone. Germany has made a request that in my opinion practically guarantees that outcome. The Financial Times has a pair of articles on the matter but the conclusion above is mine. German Government Calls for Greece to Cede Sovereignty to Eurozone “Budget Commissioner” Please consider Call for EU to [...]
Read MoreDo Unions Both Love and Hate Private Equity or Do the Atlantic’s Economics Reporters Have Problems With Arithmetic?
It seems more likely that the issue is the latter. The Atlantic had a column headlined: “unions hate private equity, but they love its profits.” However as the study cited in the update points out, it is not clear that limited partners, like pension funds, actually do better investing in profit equity than investing in [...]
Read MoreFood Distribution to Resume for the First Time in Seven Years
Institute for Far Eastern Studies (IFES) 2012-1-25 A month into Kim Jong-un’s ascension to power, it is reported that food distribution is likely to resume nationwide in North Korea. Many experts evaluate this as a symbolic measure to propagate the construction of a powerful economy and improve the lives of the people. For the North [...]
Read MoreKCNA: 20-day industrial output value increases over Jan 2011
According to KCNA (2012-1-25): The gross industrial output value grew 1.2 times for twenty days of January this year as against the same period last year. This is the result of the high-pitched drive waged by all the workers of the country since the first day of this year after receiving with excitement the joint [...]
Read MoreMalicious email update
I received another example of the malicious emails that appear in the mail boxes of North Korea researchers. Always be on the lookout for these attempts to hack into your computer: From: Ben Watkins [mailto:ben.watkins2@aol.com] Sent: 26 January 2012 08:15 To: [DELETED] Subject: FW:NKorea,contacts with Iran related to nuclear program in secret North Korea, contacts [...]
Read MoreUNESCO to help DPRK’s pest control efforts at ancient tombs
According to Yonhap: The U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said Tuesday it will help North Korea eradicate pests at forests near ancient tombs. The Complex of Koguryo tombs, located in the North’s cities of Pyongyang and Nampo, has some 30 individual tombs from the late period of the Koguryo Kingdom, which controlled the [...]
Read MoreGDP on Recession Track; Real GDP +2.8%, Misses Estimates; Inventory Replenishment Accounts for 1.9 Percentage Points; Five-Year Treasury Yield Hits Record Low
The headline real GDP number of 2.8% does not sound too bad until you dig beneath the surface. A full 1.9 percentages points of that 2.8% was inventory replenishment. Real GDP vs. a year ago is +1.6% and that is on a recession track as well. Five-Year Treasury Yield Hits Record Low Bloomberg reports Treasury [...]
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