[imText1]In the state that wonton rumors are getting about of the North Korean economic special region, North Korean traders are hurrying their steps to preoccupy ‘special profit of the Economic Special Region’
After last January Kim Jong Il visited to China, recently Jang Sung Taek and his economic missionaries called on China, as well. Seeing these visits, North Korean traders who are staying in China are throwing themselves at ‘investment preoccupancy’ for ‘the economic special region’.
On the 25th, Mr. Kim(39) who belongs to the Foreign Trading department of certain province and now is dispatched to Dandong in China said “the current political situation is showing that the North Korean government will suddenly declare the economic special region”, and “before the declaration of the economic special region, we should prepare for a ground by scouting investors in advance”. Mr. Kim added “until now my main work has been making a profit by purchasing and selling goods between North Korea and China. Yet now high-ranking officials are hurrying searching for long-term investors”.
The Foreign Trading department that Mr. Kim belongs to is judging that only if the special region is appointed, ‘divisions’ received from successful investors are more lucrative than ‘margin’ gained from transaction across the border areas. Besides it, it cannot be missed a positive estimation that they devoted and struggled to make the special region policy of Kim Jong Il successful.
Searching for Investors is the Principal Strategy(?)
Mr. Kim said “if the special region is confirmed, because the power of the Foreign Currency Department within the Special Region Policy Department becomes reinforced, the Foreign Trading department like us would lose our power”. This is why it is hurrying in advance before the declaration of the special region.
According to Mr. Kim, it is known that currently North Korean traders were dispatched to such most North-Eastern cities of China as Dandong, Shenyang, Changchun, Jilin, Harbin and Yanbian Korean-Chinese autonomous region.
Various departments are dispatching traders. As for Dandong of China, the government offices of each province, the Foreign Trading department, People’s Armed Forces, and National Security Agency as well as the Committee for the Promotion of Economic Cooperation Department are detaching their traders. These traders dispatched from the departments stay at their customer business companies in China, and unreservedly contact with foreign investors from Korea the U.S, and Japan as well as China.
The departments which have relatively less powerful political or financial backing than the Foreign Trading department, people’s Armed Force, and National Security Agency are finding investors through their human networking in China. Even
Recently North Korean traders are highly interested in South Koreans. They prefer them to the people of any other countries. Mr. Choi said “if it is the same condition, I prefer South Korean investors”. It is because the North Korea government is generous to South Koreans, and South Koreans are not picky and do not easily withdrew it, once they invest.
Even Tourists are ‘Hunting for Investors’
Not only traders but also tourists in China are searching for ‘investors’.
Missionary Choi who has worked for North Koreans in Dandong of China for 4 years has recently often gotten favors from tourists visiting China.
“because the North Korean government does not allow the North Korean young people in the 30’s or 40’s to visit to China be reason of ‘being imbued with capitalism’, most of the tourist are old people. From the late 2005, the old have asked a favor of me “let me introduce investors for North Korea to them”. The old unreservedly say about ‘joint venture’ or ‘collaboration’. At first it was embarrassing.
Last 19th, Mr. Park(62) who has two days left back to North Korea requested a reporter to introduce investors to him, saying “for two months, I have looked for investors, but the result is not good. If this time I achieved one joint venture, I would make my daughter go to (China)”.
From Big Frogs Breeding to Curious(?) Ignition Welding Rod
Business items that trades and tourist suggest are various.
The business item Mr. Park suggested to a reporter was ‘big frogs breeding’. According to Mr. Park, ‘big frogs’ are at maximum 3 or 4 kg, which are used as raw materials of cosmetics and their skins can be used as bags, shoes and purse. He also explained that besides it, eggs of big frogs can be used as raw materials for vitamin and strengthening heart.
Of the business items that I heard from North Korean traders in Dandong, there are welding rods which ignite without electricity. These welding rods invented by an old scientist have curious capacity for successfully gluing steels with a rod melt by igniting the rods with matches or lighters, not electricity. He added the old scientist won a medal in a Geneva convention, yet he could not have a production facility, because of financial difficulty.
North Korean traders are always suggesting ‘investment items’ as following: mine development, rare metal mining, processed goods of clothing and handicraft articles. creative fine art, publication, herb collecting or processing, and other marine products breeding. Regarding the agriculture and marine products breeding fields, they added “not to be robbed, North Korea collaborating companies would be responsible, and guard the sites”.
