North Korean Economy Watch - Latest Comments

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

hannouchka — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:48:29 -0000

It's all about the money, obviously. I won't be paying up to hear the US propaganda line. The DPRK propaganda on KCNA is free....

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

Piglet — Wed, 15 May 2013 02:25:08 -0000

Sure, but the 1000 dollar/year fee is extremely unrealistic. You should provide with a tiered subscription system. Keep the "pro" subscription at $1000 but please create a "light" subscription (around $100/year would be much more reasonable) with more limited access (no additional statistics, a selection of the best articles on a time-limited basis, etc.)

Re: DPRK debt

Jason Unruhe — Tue, 14 May 2013 02:08:57 -0000

That's part of what the drive for nuclear weaponry is about. Its more cost efficient to use them rather than endlessly spending on a military. Of course they'll never stop with the Son'gon, but a stock pile of nukes will allow a redistribution of resources to other sectors of the economy. This is not just a smart move for self-defense, its also an economically smart one.

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

John — Sun, 12 May 2013 04:04:29 -0000

Terrible news, NKNews is a terrible organization. They're basically a pile of slandering ignorants. You're much better than that.

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

crosspatch — Tue, 07 May 2013 05:10:27 -0000

If I were a news professional or had business interests in that part of the world, I could justify paying the fee at nkpro but as a citizen with an interest of keeping up with events in the region on a casual basis, the cost is too steep.

A compromise might be a public site that publishes content from the pro site after some period of time where your pro subscribers have had exclusive access to the material, say a month or so.

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

Neil Robinson — Sun, 05 May 2013 16:08:42 -0000

A sad day indeed.

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

Gregor Samsa — Sun, 05 May 2013 05:56:31 -0000

Good luck with this new venture. However, I find the rate of 1000 USD a year is astronomic and will not subscribe.

Shouldn't you guys try to make money from your expertise where the money actually is ... ? For instance as consultants for universities, private ventures intending to do business with DPRK, intergovernmental organizations., NGOs,...

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

brian c — Sat, 04 May 2013 12:16:48 -0000

I'm pleased you're moving on and out. I don't dispute that you have to also make money, but $1000 for a casual reader is really too much. $100 and I'd be in since I think your information and insight is fantastic. I suspect most of your readers are like me: not an investor, academic, human rights activist with a true need for this information.

It's a "nice to have" but I can live without it.

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

IK — Thu, 02 May 2013 04:01:21 -0000

I deeply respect that step, but expecting hobbyists (who propably make up the majority of the readers here) to pay 1000 $ a year is, well optimistic. Even 10% of that sum would result in panmunjom-like negotiations with my wife :-(

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

Fuersty — Wed, 01 May 2013 19:04:14 -0000

Congratulations! I'd be willing to pay for a subscription, but hopefully you angle a offering for the self-education/hobbyist market. I happen to be an computer programmer with an avocation on DPRK Economics.
I know a lot of businesses may cheapen out and choose the cheaper level inappropriately, so I understand if you don't roll something out.

If all else fails, is there a possibly for a delayed release here on the free site? Maybe 3 months after? Honestly the sources seem disparate enough that I'd be willing to deal with the delay as opposed to attempting to find/follow and aggregate myself.

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

Ali — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:30:01 -0000

I loved this blog,but understand that you need to eat too. Good luck on the new venture

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

asb — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:49:43 -0000

As some other users have commented, congratulations on the new site, but I am not sure that I can justify another paying for a paywall at this time. Truly a shame, as this site has fostered a great interest in NK as well as pointed me in the direction of countless nformation, website, books, and more.

Best of luck

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

NKObserver — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:54:35 -0000

Any idea what an individual membership will cost? I've emailed NKNews and gotten no response.

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

Matt — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:05:15 -0000

Congratulations! As a non-professional who follows North Korea, I am disappointed because I will probably not be able to pay for content, so this makes finding information more difficult for me. However, it seems like this site might help academics access information more easily because it is in one spot.

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

NKeconWatch — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:42:26 -0000

Yes, there is a fee. We have to eat too!

Re: I am joining NK News Pro

GregorSamsa — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:18:24 -0000

I wonder if (or when) readers will be subjected to a fee that would enable access to this "premium" service...

Re: Chongjin’s Wongang Beer…almost

Simon — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 10:17:00 -0000

there are not about a dozen locally brewed beers in the DPRK, there are literally dozens, if not many more. a great many restaurants and bars brew their own beer. The number quoted in the article isn't close to the reality that small brewing set-ups are quite widespread in Pyongyang and other cities too.

Re: Friday Fun: North Korean fashion

Korean Fashion — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 05:09:10 -0000

Thanks for share....

Re: Market expansion: Sinuiju

Anon — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:42:53 -0000

It would be interesting to know if this market was built before or
after Kim Jong il died (2011-12-17). This would be a powerful signal of
the intentions of Kim Jong-un’s economic team. From the available public
imagery, however, it is not possible to say at this point."

Probably before, google images are 2-3 years old.

Re: Market expansion: Sinuiju

Curtis Melvin — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:42:32 -0000

Ben, Yes. Lots going on in my life right now...

Re: Market expansion: Sinuiju

Ben — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:23:50 -0000

Do you plan to write posts about recent closing of Kaesong industrial zone?

Re: Hacking…

martienne — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 05:34:50 -0000

I guess you are not repeating the party line about torture camps, starvation and brainwashed robots quite often enough, but instead try to actually report facts once in a while. Can't have that... Did you get the IP addreses of the hacker and if so, what country were they (or their VPN) from?

Re: DPRK imports of Chinese silver surge

Ken — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 16:50:35 -0000

DailyNK suspects that the silver is to make batteries for mini-subs. http://www.dailynk.com/english...

Re: Market expansion: Sinuiju

IK — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:11:07 -0000

Talking about construction: Finally the Chongjin inner city construction project (or at least it's general layout) is up on google earth

Re: Market expansion: Sinuiju

GagHalfrunt — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 04:00:29 -0000

When did state enterprises start selling goods to market traders?