For the first time, I saw roadside peddlers selling cigarettes and snacks, vendors offering to photograph tourists for a fee, and stalls, operated by neighborhood groups, serving apples and drinks. I was told about privately run restaurants, and free markets in both urban and rural areas. It is unclear if such signs are the first steps toward a version of Chinese-style reform. They seem to be driven less by formal policy changes than by economic necessity on the ground. Their emergence underscores the challenge facing Kim Jong Il.
Reform is essential to reverse the current decline.
But any real loosening of controls or opening to the world could fuel political unrest. And that, in turn, could undermine the remarkable state Kim Il Sung and his son have created. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines .