RARE GLIMPSE: Entrepreneurship In North Korea. Choson Exchange Annual Report

RARE GLIMPSE: Entrepreneurship In North Korea. Choson Exchange Annual Report

Just a year ago, many feared the Korean Peninsula may descend into war — but with a fresh start between old enemies at the inter-Korean Summits and the US-DPRK Summit, that fear turned into optimism. Alas, it didn’t last, and we are again facing a familiar stalemate. Despite the cycle of mistrust, events on the Korean Peninsula in 2018 have led us to hope for a better future.

Where to stay for the next US-DPRK Summit in Hanoi?

Where to stay for the next US-DPRK Summit in Hanoi?

Mapping out where the North Koreans will go and what they will do will not be easy. Unlike Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi has a very dispersed urban landscape. There is a central government complex which will definitely host a state visit for Kim Jong Un. This is centered around Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (see map). The Pullman Hotel is nearby. The Opera House is beautiful, and the new parliament building is impressive too. You can find the DPRK embassy nearby in the embassy district. The Metropole Hotel is swanky and President Trump stayed here for his last visit to Hanoi.

US-DPRK Summit II: A Media Primer on Vietnam - DPRK ties

US-DPRK Summit II: A Media Primer on Vietnam - DPRK ties

It has been announced that the next US-DPRK Summit between President Donald J. Trump and Chairman Kim Jong UN will take place in Vietnam - our internal betting pool still points to Danang with Chairman Kim visiting Hanoi separately. This is great news to us. Since 2014, we organize training workshops on economic policy, entrepreneurship and women in business in Hanoi, Halong Bay and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam for DPR Koreans, and established an office in Vietnam in 2016. We also advised the Danang local government on the development of a public-private partnership: the Da Nang Business Incubator, or DNES.

Given our observations, we believe that Vietnam’s development experience is highly relevant to North Korea. We hope this short primer will give some insight to the visiting media covering this Summit.