KEI Contributor – William Brown

This chapter takes the perspective of North Korea’s leadership as it confronts difficult economic problems in the remaining months of 2018. The major current and potential issues are listed and…

Much is made in Western circles of North Korea’s economic dependence on China amid questions of whether and how much leverage this gives Beijing. In an end game, however, Pyongyang…

North Korea badly needs change but whether that change can and should be induced or forced from the outside is open to question. This paper proceeds from the perspective that…

By William Brown Kim Jong-un has been unusually silent about the election of Donald Trump.  Does this represent fear of how a tough new U.S. administration might react to his usual posturing or indecision as to how to proceed with his dual nuclear weapons and economic development programs?  Perhaps Kim feels his plans are progressing…

By William Brown Any hopes that last spring’s “toughest ever” UN Security Council sanctions would cripple North Korea’s economy are likely to be dashed by recently released Chinese customs data.  An August surge in Chinese exports to North Korea, up 41 percent from a low point a year ago, and a 16 percent boost in…

By William Brown The short answer is yes, but probably not the way Kim Jong-un was thinking.  An increase in the domestic use of U.S. dollars, brought on by lack of trust in the North Korean won, at last seems to be stabilizing Pyongyang’s monetary system and may be creating an environment conducive to normal…

By William Brown Second quarter trade data recently released by China, and April and May data released by other major trading countries, suggest the March 2 UN sanctions are having little impact so far on North Korea’s economy although they may be making Pyongyang even more dependent on China.  Trade with countries except China seems…