The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Family of 5 found dead in 3 separate locations

  • 3

    All-Korean showdowns set up on 1st day of medal race

  • 5

    Understanding Korean Modernization

  • 7

    Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China

  • 9

    S. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain high

  • 11

    Exhibition for soldiers highlights North Korea's human rights abuses

  • 13

    US finalizes national security 'guardrails' for CHIPS funding

  • 15

    PM departs for China for Asian Games, meeting with Xi

  • 17

    Top diplomats of Korea, Iran discuss bilateral ties following frozen funds transfer

  • 19

    Hangzhou Asian Games open after COVID-enforced delay

  • 2

    Xi says he will seriously consider visit to South Korea: official

  • 4

    INTERVIEWYim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston'

  • 6

    Opposition party leader ends 24-day hunger strike for treatment

  • 8

    Bears of Joseon part 1: Fanciful tales and deadly claws

  • 10

    Sil-A overcomes stage fright, and them some

  • 12

    China's 'batwoman' scientist warns another coronavirus outbreak is 'highly likely'

  • 14

    Seoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closer

  • 16

    Historic NASA asteroid mission set for perilous return

  • 18

    Allies vow stern measures against Russia-NK arms deal

  • 20

    League of Legends, other esports join Asian Games in competition for first time

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Mon, September 25, 2023 | 22:08
NK newspaper runs rare advertisements
북한 신문에 소비품 광고 등장
Posted : 2012-10-09 18:35
Updated :  
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link

The Pyongyang Sinmun, a North Korean newspaper, runs an advertisement for flower services in its Oct. 4th edition, according to the North’s Chosun Central TV, Tuesday. / Yonhap

By Kim Young-jin

A North Korean newspaper has in recent weeks run advertisements for clothes and other products in the latest sign of the Stalinist state attempting to update its economy.

The ads in the Pyongyang Sinmun include those for flowers and flowerpots; “hanbok” or traditional Korean dress; and a water-heating device using solar power. Analysts say new leader Kim Jong-un is tinkering with the economy after pledging to improve living conditions.

Kim, who took power in December, has commented on the need for the North’s economy to catch up with “global trends.” During a visit to a hosiery factory in July, he underscored the importance of trademarks in a rare reference to marketing.

That followed a call by a North Korean economic quarterly for promoting exports abroad through commercials. Such comments may have made room in the tightly-controlled state for advertising.

“It is part of economic testing,” said John Delury, an expert at Yonsei University. “It shows there is continuing trial and error going on.”

Despite an uptick in market activities in recent years, the North remains nearly void of ads, opting instead for propaganda extolling the ruling Kim family. Billboards for Pyeonghwa Motors, a joint venture between the North and the South Korea-based Unification Church are among its rare forays into advertisements.

But an increasing consumer culture has been taking root especially in Pyongyang mostly through cash earned through increased cooperation with China. Popularity is driven by a growing market culture approved by the regime.

Other changes have been made to give the North a more modern feel.

Pyongyang has long proclaimed 2012 as the year it would arrive as a “strong and prosperous” state and concentrated efforts to renovate the capital city with new apartments as well as shopping and recreation facilities. It has revamped its news broadcasts with computerized backdrops. Kim is often accompanied in public by his young wife.

Pyongyang has flirted with ads before. In 2009, the North's television aired commercials for the homegrown Taedonggang beer which were followed by those for products such as ginseng and quail. But amid rampant speculation that late leader Kim Jong-il was moving to introduce capitalist themes, the advertisements soon ceased and the regime’s point man on television was fired.

Speculation that the North would implement major changes spiked again last month when its rubber stamping parliament convened for a meeting amid reports that agricultural reform measures had been passed internally.

The meeting drew interest because it was widely regarded as “extraordinary” as it was the second gathering in a year after the parliament typically met once annually under the Kim Jong-il, the current leader’s late father.

But some experts say Kim Jong-un will likely hold two meetings a year, returning to style of his grandfather, country founder Kim Il-sung. The disappointment here over the lack of reform measures therefore may be overblown, they say.

Delury said the economic culture in the North was more likely to continue to “unfold gradually” rather than through sudden major reforms.

북한 신문에 소비품 광고 등장
사회주의를 고수하는 북한이 최근 신문에 의류 등 소비품 광고를 내보여 관심이 집중된다. 평양신문은 꽃과 화분, 한복, 태양열을 이용한 태양열물가열기 광고 등을 선보였다. 전문가들은 김정은 국방위원회 제1위원장이 경제발전을 꾀하고 있는 것이라 분석했다. 김정은은 그간 북한경제가 글로벌 트렌드를 따라갈 필요가 있다는 점을 언급해왔다. 북한의 경제분야 계간지 `경제연구'도 수출을 증대시키기 위해 광고의 역할이 중요하다고 이례적으로 강조한 바 있다. 연세대학교 국제학대학원 존 델러리 교수는 “경제적 시험이라고 할 수 있다”며 “여러 시행착오들이 계속 되고 있다는 것을 보여준다”고 밝혔다. 그간 북한의 광고는 일반 주민을 대상으로 한 상품 광고 대신 북한 지도부인 김씨 가문에 대한 선전이 주를 이뤄왔다. 하지만 중국과의 교류로 현금 흐름이 많아지면서 평양의 소비문화 역시 증가되는 추세를 보였다. 북한 현대화의 기운이 느껴지는 다른 변화들도 감지됐다. 북한은 2012년을 경제번영을 이루는 해로 만들겠다 선언한 뒤 수도인 평양에 아파트와 쇼핑센터 등을 짓는 등 쇄신에 집중해왔다. 김정은이 부인과 함께 대중 앞에 나서는 모습도 여러 차례 목격됐다. 2009년 대동강 맥주가 텔레비전 광고에 방송된 바와 같이 북한은 과거에도 몇 차례 광고를 내 보낸 적이 있다. 하지만 광고를 본 김정일 전 국방위원장이 화를 내면서 광고는 전면 중단됐고, 방송을 관장하는 차승수 조선중앙방송위원장도 해임됐다. 최근 북한에서 농업개혁 움직임이 포착되는 것도 북한이 큰 변화를 꾀하고 있다는 증거로 거론되고 있다. 김정일 정권 때 1년에 한 번 열리던 최고 위원회가 지난 달 두 번째로 개최된 것도 주목 받았다. 전문가들은 김정은이 할아버지인 김일성이 그랬듯 1년에 두 번 위원회를 열 것이라 내다봤다. 델러리 교수는 북한의 경제문화가 갑작스런 변화를 꾀하기 보다는 서서히 변화해 갈 것이라 전망했다.
Emailyjk@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China
2S. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain high S. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain high
3Seoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closer Seoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closer
4Patients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatory Patients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatory
5Korea, Saudi Arabia celebrate 93rd Saudi National Day, vow stronger cooperation Korea, Saudi Arabia celebrate 93rd Saudi National Day, vow stronger cooperation
6Mirae Asset Global Investments' AUM reaches $219 bil. Mirae Asset Global Investments' AUM reaches $219 bil.
7Lee Jae-myung's possible arrest looms over main opposition party Lee Jae-myung's possible arrest looms over main opposition party
8Bears of Joseon part 2: Behind bars Bears of Joseon part 2: Behind bars
9LG Chem to build LFP cathode plant with Huayou in Morocco LG Chem to build LFP cathode plant with Huayou in Morocco
10Low growth becomes new normal for Korean economy Low growth becomes new normal for Korean economy
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Yim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston' INTERVIEWYim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston'
2TEMPEST gears up to showcase fiery passion TEMPEST gears up to showcase fiery passion
3BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single '3D' BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single '3D'
4K-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling QuranK-pop group Kingdom recalls album cover resembling Quran
5Cho Seong-jin celebrates 140-year ties between Korea, UK Cho Seong-jin celebrates 140-year ties between Korea, UK
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group