Question About The Koreas' Economies

[llowry61]

Well, if you believe what the NK press says, they have the greatest economy not just on the planet but in the universe.

Here is what Pyongyang press said about Kim Jung Il's golf acumen in 1994 which BTW was verified by his 17 bodyguards.

"Kim Jong Il Shot 38-Under His First Time Playing Golf, including 11 Holes-in-One" and we thought Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus were all that.

 

[Skeet 028]

The SKs are doing well. They also had some really good troops at least in the past. NK has had a starving economy for decades...I know NKs people don't get an awful lot of information about the south...but I am sure they realize their economic status is in the toilet..There are bad things about that though. Severe poverty breeds warfare. It has happened over and over...and over. From the time Hitler took over he went on a rebuilding spree...and they did a great job...until the money ran out...the only way out of their problems was to go take what others had,,,I am afraid the same thing may come to pass in the 2 Korea's...again. For the most part communist economies suck...even Russia's...except the war preparations industry. BTW I have Samsung items...and have considered buying a Korean vehicle...but not EV

 

[yaktamer]

The South Korean conglomerate LG is currently building a $5.5 BILLION electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant a few miles from my house.

 

[ACORN]

I remember an older satellite photo was taken of both Koreas at night...South Korea was lit up all over the country like a Macy's Day parade...North Korea was dark all the way from the DMZ north.

Here ya go!

 

[DWalt]

I see in the news this morning that North Korea is bombarding South Korea with filth. Sending balloons loaded with NK's human waste across the border into the south.

 

[swsig]

I see in the news this morning that North Korea is bombarding South Korea with filth. Sending balloons loaded with NK's human waste across the border into the south.

That's what happens when your country doesn't have plumbing.

 

[Kevin J.]

I was stationed at Osan ROK 1977-1981. The North was starving and only survived with Soviet support. Once the Soviet Union collapsed the Chinese took over most of the aid. And as I was told is was mainly because they didn't want millions of North Koreans trying to flood their border.

Economically the goal of ROK is to pass Japan. Although not there yet they are closing. Japan is the world's third-largest economy, with a GDP per capita of $39,286. South Korea, the world's 11th largest economy, has slowly caught up with its neighbor over the past two decades, reaching a GDP per capita of $31,362.

Will the Korean Economy Outgrow Japan's? - InvestAsian

 

[Kevin J.]

Another way the North Korean regime makes money to keep their government funded.

State-sponsored Slavery: a North Korean Export - Human Trafficking Search

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

In a word - No. North Korea was never more prosperous than south Korea after 1953.

 

[Rustyt1953]

They had me at "kimchi".

 

[S-W4EVER]

I served in the ROK 1973-75. It was like a third world country but I never saw any starving people either. I grew to respect the toughness of the Korean people, mandatory draft for all young men (what's not to love about being surrounded by soldiers & military veterans?).

As I understand it the ROK President put them on a ten-year strategic plan to improve their Country and from the pics I've seen they've excelled at that.

Funny thing, we sell export versions of our weapons systems and my guess is the ROK will improve them to the point we'll be asking to buy their technology someday (& US ought to send some of our warships in need of overhaul to ROK shipyards).

Just my $0.02...

 

[erikpolcrack]

I served in the ROK 1973-75. It was like a third world country but I never saw any starving people either. I grew to respect the toughness of the Korean people, mandatory draft for all young men (what's not to love about being surrounded by soldiers & military veterans?).

As I understand it the ROK President put them on a ten-year strategic plan to improve their Country and from the pics I've seen they've excelled at that.

Funny thing, we sell export versions of our weapons systems and my guess is the ROK will improve them to the point we'll be asking to buy their technology someday (& US ought to send some of our warships in need of overhaul to ROK shipyards).

Just my $0.02...

Thanks! Your experience tracks pretty well with that of a buddy of mine from 10th SFG in the late seventies who had served in Korea during the same timeframe as you did. He told lots of stories which gave a picture of a Korea much different from the one we see today.