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| Axis of Evil |
| Great North Korean inventions: Presenting the wheel! |
| 2002-07-27 |
| The Chosun Shinbo, a pro North Korean daily run in Japan since 1955 and considered a party mouthpiece, reported Friday, that the new economic plan being implemented by Pyongyang was a "drastic measure" that differed from market economies. The newspaper said it was a plan to provide maximum benefits, while maintaining socialist principles. The paper said the essence of the action was the rightful implementation of the principle of distributing more to those who produce more and vice versa. "From each according to his ability, to each according to his... productivity?" Did Marx say that? The Chosun said the price of goods were raised to market values, for instance rice, which was W0.08 per kilogram has been raised to W44; the government purchases rice from farmers at W40. The change has been made to reflect the cost of production, domestic demand and supply, and international prices. That's not a market economy, though. It's, ummm... something else. Workers wages have also been raised accordingly; those in manufacturing have had their basic salary increased from W110 to W2,000, while miners now earn W6,000, as an incentive. Money! Money everywhere! And nothin' to spend it on... It denied Western media reports that the moves were the signs of market economy introduction, saying it was North Korea's own specific plan. The paper quoted officials from the Price Setting Department, who said, "the people could now manage their own life style within the limits of their income. The reason the government adjusted the scope of benefits for workers was so that they could properly function within the socialistic distribution system." Oh. Well that explains it. (What'd he say?) |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |