North Korean vice foreign minister talks economic reform at UN

Posted on : 2012-10-03 13:13 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Pak Kil-yon says North Korea is seeking to structure its economic structure and development methodology
 shakes hands with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon before their meeting at UN headquarters in New York
shakes hands with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon before their meeting at UN headquarters in New York

By Park Byong-su, staff reporter

Speaking at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Group of 77 on the sidelines of the 67th U.N. General Assembly, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Pak Kil-yon said that his country is improving its economic structure and development methodology.

North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Oct. 2 that Park “highlighted how the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is continuously improving and strengthening its economic structure and development methodology to suit our conditions, following the global trend toward sustainable development.” The KCNA added that Park also said the North Korean government is actively encouraging international exchange and cooperation in this matter.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is reported to have established a new economic policy dubbed the “June 28 measures,” which is aimed of expanding the autonomy of agricultural and business production. But contrary to expectations, North Korea did not announce reform measures at the Supreme People’s Assembly held on Sept. 25. This raised questions about North Korea’s willingness to reform and the speed at which any reforms would be carried out. The remarks by Park at the U.N. can be interpreted as a sign that North Korea is still seeking to reform its economy.

Park also said, “The gap between North and South Korea in the arena of international economic relations is widening more and more. This requires the G-77 to pour more efforts into the facilitation of inter-Korean cooperation.”

The Group of 77 (G-77) is a coalition of developing countries at the U.N. The name came from the fact that there were 77 members at the founding of the coalition. The body currently has 131 member countries.

 

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