Beyond Pyongyang: Regional Development, Modernization, and Inequality in North Korea

Severe economic disparities between Pyongyang and other parts of the country have the potential to fuel social tensions and undermine internal stability in North Korea. The Kim regime appears to recognize this challenge and, in recent years, has devoted significant resources to raising living standards outside the capital through initiatives such as the Rural Development Initiative and the 20×10 Regional Development Policy.

38 North has examined the socio-economic conditions in Pyongyang and two other locations—Haeju and Kim Hyong Jik County—across a range of indicators to assess their relative levels of modernization and highlight disparities among them. Join us for a discussion of these findings and their implications for North Korea’s development trajectory and for future inter-Korean relations.

This research and event are sponsored by The UniKorea Foundation.