TOYS
장난감
A Story of Resilience: The Future of North Koreans
In the last twenty years, there's been a big change in North Korea, mainly in the way markets ave grown and become a normal part of life. The regime is worried because if markets are not controlled, they might lose their power over the country's people. Before, the North Korean people had to depend on a system controlled by the government to get what they needed. The Public Distribution System was how the government kept control over the people by deciding what and how much everyone received. But now, many people have learned that they can use their own abilities and hard work to make money and get what they need, without relying on the regime’s help. The regime tried to stop this change and take back control by changing rules about money and how markets work in 2008 and 2009, but these efforts didn't work. The government can't give out as many goods as they used to through the Public Distribution System, so they're having a hard time trying to control the growing markets. Because more and more people are shopping at these markets, the North Korean regime finds themselves at a crossroads. They want to keep strict control over the economy, but they also realize that ignoring what the people want could lead to problems. This is a window of opportunity for the North Korean people. |