By Seo Dong-shin
Staff Reporter


North Koreans seem to feel that economic polarization has deepened since the Stalinist regime implemented some economic adjustment policies in July 2002, a survey said.

The survey of about 500 North Korean defectors currently residing in the South said some 55 percent or 274 of the respondents pointed to growing economic polarization in the communist country as one distinct change since the so-called July 1st measures were introduced there, aimed at introducing some market economy elements to the North.

Some 28 percent, or 141, said that ``individual property has increased,’’ according to the survey released Friday by Yoon Dae-kyu, director of the Institute for Far Eastern Studies affiliated with Kyungnam University. Yoon presented it to a monthly Seoul forum of researchers studying North Korean law. The survey was conducted during the second quarter of last year.

When asked about the advantages of being allowed to engage in trade and business and multiple replies were allowed, some 82 percent, or 409 North Korean defectors said, ``It’s good to make money.’’

Some 53 percent, or 264, said, ``It’s good to freely do what I want,’’ while 45 percent said, ``It’s good to exercise one’s capability’’ and 23 percent said, ``It’s good to compete.’’

But Yoon said that there seems to be many Koreans who feel stress after some trade and business activities were allowed in North Korea.

``In most of the nations that undergo system transformation, rapid system changes tend to generate more losers than winners, as most people need time to adjust,’’ he said.

As disadvantages of trade and business, some 58 percent, or 293, pointed to economic polarization, followed by 57 percent, or 283 who said ``there are no funds for investment.’’ Some 38 percent, or 192, said ``it’s bad as people have become unkind.’’

``The complaints about the difference in incomes is a new problem,’’ he said. ``This could be exacerbated when the number of those who seize opportunities as confusion or deregulation of the state increases.’’

Not only the distrust of the rich, but also their experiences in the communist society would not make it easy for people to accept the economic polarization, Yoon said.

But the survey results has its limits as it was not taken in the North and North Korean defectors in the South might have exaggerated negative perceptions of their home country, he said.

Also, 80 percent of those surveyed are found to have come from Hamkyong Province, which is near the Chinese border, Yoon said. It is relatively easy to get information about the outside in the poverty-stricken area, he said.

saltwall@koreatimes.co.kr