Senior N. Korean officials go on economic tour of Vietnam

北수행단 '경제시찰'...하이퐁 방문

When President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sat down for their brief conversation on Wednesday evening, one of the issues raised was the economic potential of North Korea.
Reflecting the North's interest in overhauling its economy,... Kim Jong-un's top foreign policy and economic aides visited some high-tech factories in Vietnam earlier in the day.
Our Ko Roonhee reports.
Is North Korea looking at following Vietnam's model of economic reform?

Kim Jong-un's entourage for his second summit with President Trump... visited the industrial port city of Haiphong, some 120-kilometers east of Hanoi,...and inspected several factories there on Wednesday.

Ri Su-yong, who heads Pyeongyang's International Department and O Su-yong, the regime's top economic policymaker were among the delegates that toured a VinFast auto factory.
VinFast is a member of Vingroup,... one of the largest private enterprises in Vietnam.
It's also the nation's first high-volume auto manufacturer and is developing its own range of innovative vehicles.

Other than VinFast, the North Korean group also toured other companies in Haiphong... which is an important hub for technology and economic activities.
The area has attracted foreign direct investment from around 80 firms such as South Korea's LG Electronics, and is the gateway to Hanoi, with a new expressway opening recently to connect the two cities.

Analysts say, the trip signals North Korea's interest in Vietnam's so-called "Doi moi" economic reform model.
"Doi moi" refers to the economic reforms initiated in 1986 with the goal of creating a "socialist-oriented market economy".

And it's not just about factories and warehouses.
Earlier in the day, Pyeongyang officials visited Ha Long Bay, one of Vietnam’s top tourist destinations.

The delegation's tour of economic and tourism sites reflect Pyeongyang's preparation for a possible opening up, should sanctions be eased in the future.
Ko Roon-hee, Arirang News.

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