The trend continues, Daily NK reports, as the government apparently is strengthening direct Party control over the market system, all in line with the broader policy trend of stronger government control over the economy under Kim Jong-un. As I’ve pointed out in many previous posts and articles, stronger control doesn’t necessarily mean repression of market activity per se, but rather, the ability to more closely manage, direct and not least better tax market activity. This news reports suggests that that’s the case for this recent order as well (see my emphasis in bold):
North Korea recently crafted new market management regulations to give the Workers’ Party greater involvement in and control over markets, handing down orders to this effect to regional administrative organizations and market management offices.
A source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Tuesday that a written order entitled “Cabinet Decision on the New Market Management and Operation Regulations” was handed to the commercial departments of the provincial people’s committees and market management offices.
The new regulations were decided upon during an extended plenary meeting of the Cabinet on Oct. 19. Provincial people’s committees nationwide received copies of that decision one day in advance.
According to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the new order calls for the establishment of a system where local provincial, municipal and county people’s committees manage the creation and dissolution of markets, with the commercial departments of the provincial people’s committees ultimately making reports to the Cabinet and the Central Committee’s Organization and Guidance Department. These changes ultimately broaden the ability of the Central Committee to monitor and exert control over the entire civilian economy.
In the past, only the commercial departments of people’s committees – which are administrative organizations – were involved in running the markets; party organizations had little to do with them. With the regulation changes, however, markets have now come under party management and control, according to the source.
The state appears to be trying a new tack with these regulation changes, the source said. According to him, North Korean authorities are “moving towards a system of direct management and control of markets nationwide through the Central Committee.” In the past, by contrast, the markets were managed and controlled by provincial people’s committees.
The order also encouraged local North Korean authorities to open new markets as needed so that they can “involve themselves in helping improve the lives of the people while also exercising control.”
The order further instructed the commercial departments of people’s committees – in consultation with the Workers’ Party – to set the opening and closing times of markets according to the “time period” (season) and the “conditions” of each province, city and county, rather than making opening and closing times uniform across the country. It also ordered that fees on imported goods be increased.
The order directed people’s committees to regulate products in the markets while, at the same time, expand the list of goods available and – in consultation with party committees – set maximum and minimum prices. It further called for the promulgation and establishment of a system to fine those caught distributing goods at prices higher than those set by the state.
The order included a directive to restructure market use fees or payments to the state in accordance with the size of the markets or “distribution of urban populations,” and include these new fees and payments in “budget implementation.”
“The state’s new market management and operation regulations are still unknown to the general populace,” said the source, who further claimed that, “[The new orders] call for overlapping control of the markets and aim to raise market fees and other financial burdens, so they [ultimately] put ordinary people at a disadvantage.”
(Source: Kim Yoo Jin, “North Korea increases Workers’ Party control over markets,” Daily NK, November 6th, 2020.)
That is, the government wants market activity to be vigorous and rules and regulations to conform to what people actually want and need — but all under its own auspices.
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November 13, 2020 at 04:25PM
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North Korean government continues to strengthen market control - 38 North
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