Country Report North Korea February 2011

Summary
Basic data
Political structure
Economic structure: Annual indicators
Outlook for 2011-12: Political stability
Outlook for 2011-12: Election watch
Outlook for 2011-12: International relations
Outlook for 2011-12: Policy trends
Outlook for 2011-12: Fiscal policy
Outlook for 2011-12: Monetary policy
Outlook for 2011-12: Economic growth
Outlook for 2011-12: Inflation
Outlook for 2011-12: Exchange rates
Outlook for 2011-12: External sector
The political scene: The North shells an island held by the South, killing
The political scene: North Korea's excuses fail to convince
The political scene: Brinkmanship risks an escalation of tensions
The political scene: China appears to have drawn closer to the North
The political scene: Sources claim that purges and terror have been unleash
The political scene: The party bends its own rules
The political scene: Democracy index: North Korea
Economic policy: A New Year editorial sheds little light on economic policy
Economic policy: A new ten-year plan is proclaimed
Economic policy: A revised planning law reimposes central control
Economic policy: The State Price Bureau is upgraded to a commission
The domestic economy: The underlying state of the economy is dire
The domestic economy: The resources development agency is upgraded
Foreign trade and payments: Kim Jong-il meets a leading foreign investor
Foreign trade and payments: Work begins on a new bridge to China
Foreign trade and payments: China starts to ship coal via North Korea's Raj
Foreign trade and payments: A new report details Chinese joint ventures in