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By Kim Young-hwan, Incheon correspondent in Dandong

Jin Zhe, chief secretary of the Korean Peninsula Research Centre at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, argues that North Korea is moving toward openness and economic development in the early stages of the Kim Jong-un era.

“We’re even hearing about prominent North Korean figures saying that First Secretary Kim Jong-un ‘must accept any and every idea’ that the people accept and support,” Jin said. “They‘re said to be very intent on developing the economy.”

Jin also noted that the common slogan “regeneration through one’s own efforts” appeared nowhere in four speeches by Kim recently printed in the Rodong Sinmun. This may be interpreted as a sign of increasing openness to the outside world

“We‘ll be seeing specific measures by the end of this year or early next,” Jin predicted.

Among the different measures that have emerged since Kim took over, Jin said the one on “Cabinet-centered economic development” was an especially crucial signal.

“Life is more difficult for North Koreans because the military controls all the country’s resources. There are no integrated resources the Cabinet can mobilize,” Jin explained.

“They want to work through the Cabinet to overcome this problem, and we can expect to see the economy improve if this policy is successful,” he added.

Referring to the current situation in North Korea, Jin said Kim’s emphasis on improvements in the people‘s lives was an acknowledgement of their urgency, not a slogan.

“In their own way, they’re moving toward economic development, but the basic principles of development will be similar in some regards” to China‘s, Jin continued.

“If they look to China’s experience, they will likely focus on building the economy while adhering to socialism and the party platform as they pursue openness and development in a ‘one center, two basics’ model,” he predicted.

Jin, a longtime participant in and adviser for North Korean-Chinese economic relations said Pyongyang should not carry all the blame for the failure of inter-Korean cooperation.

“With investors going into North Korea, we‘ve been emphasizing a two-track approach of earning money and providing assistance,” he explained. “We’re telling them that instead of focusing only on making money, they should also be considering demand in North Korea, and that instead of coveting North Korea‘s resources they should be contributing to developing North Korean industry.”

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