19 March 2013/07 Jumada l-Ula 1434/29 Esfand 1391/08 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

A report in the Japanese media suggests that for the first time ever, and despite increasing economic sanctions, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is actually making money off its exports!

The Japan Times says U.S. based economists, Marcus Noland and Stephen Haggard, think North Korea might actually have a trade surplus, thanks to China.

According to the government of the Republic of Korea, North Korea’s trade with China tripled from 2007 to 2011.

Having account surpluses means sanctions have less effect. However, the U.S. economists say one of DPRK’s exports is large amounts of cash, which could be bad for the communist country.  Also, the economists assumed illicit activities in their estimations of North Korea’s trade.