worked for the state and was provided for by the state.

為國家工作，國家也提供生活開銷

And in the Communist bloc context of the day, it worked - in 1989 North Koreans were more

在共產社會的架構下，這樣的模式的確能夠運作。在 1989 年北韓居民

than twice as wealthy as their comrades in China.

比中國居民富裕兩倍

Now we think of them as a hermit kingdom and not trading very much.

現在我們認為北韓是一個特立獨行的國度，並沒有太多交易

William Brown spent his career analyzing North Korea for the CIA.

William Brown 為 CIA 分析北韓

But actually they were integrated reasonably well into the Soviet plan system of countries.

事實上北韓一開始是屬於蘇聯體系

The loss of support from the Soviet Union, after its collapse in 1991, and a series of

在 1991 年蘇聯解體後，停止了對北韓的援助，而一連串的

droughts and floods lead to a great famine in North Korea.

乾旱和水災導致了北韓大饑荒

The famine pretty much ended the public distribution system in which the North Korean state

那次饑荒也結束了北韓供養所有國民的供給系統

fed everybody through the ration system… the government couldn't supply food

政府無法再提供食物

so people launched off on their own.

所以人們必須自給自足

Since then, a strange hybrid economy has emerged, part government-controlled - where rations

從此，一種奇特的混合經濟出現了，這種混合經濟是一部分由政府分配國家供給

are allocated by the state - and part grey market, where currency is earned in the market economy.

另一部分是由市場經濟賺取貨幣的灰色市場

For example: A typical textile worker in the state-run Pyongyang textile mill earns around

例如，一個在北韓工作的紡織工人，經營一家平壤紡織工廠

3,000 won per month - which has a street value of about 40 cents.

一個月賺 3,000 韓元，而黑市價格大約是 40 分

But that worker pays nothing for housing or utilities and receives food rations.

但那個員工不用付房租或生活開銷，還收到食物配給

Her sister might legally work for an export oriented company.

他的姊姊合法地在一家出口導向的公司工作

She's allowed to get 30,000 won per month but with fewer perks.

她每月賺到 30,000 韓元，但是拿到較少的津貼

Another sister could work for a Chinese company and earn 300,000 won per month but with zero

另一位姊姊在一家中國公司上班，每月賺到 300,000 韓元，但是

perks from the government.

拿不到任何政府津貼

All the state workers get paid through this incredibly low wage system and are dependent

國家內的員工拿到極低的薪資然後必須依賴

on rations that often don't show up.

不常出現的政府津貼

The ideal situation is for one person in a family to work for the state system and then other

理想的情況是家中一個人在國家系統下工作，而另一個人

people in the family work out in the market place and earn real money.

在市場系統下工作賺真正的錢

It is a highly inefficient system.

這是一個高度沒有效率的市場

In per capita income terms, North Koreans are now 8 times poorer than Chinese and over

就人均國民收入來說，北韓人現在比中國人窮八倍

20 times as poor as South Koreans.

比南韓人窮二十倍

Rather than reform, the government sought to fill a shortfall in hard currency by trafficking

政府嘗試藉由販賣非法商品而不是改革

illegal goods abroad.

去填補經濟短缺

According to numerous reports, this illegal business is run by an agency known as Office 39.

根據許多的報導，這個非法的企業是由一個叫做 Office 39 的機構經營

It's an office that's organized principally to raise US dollars for the ruling Kim party.

這是為統治北韓的金氏家族賺取美元的組織

A study from a Washington-based human rights group traces the regime's criminal ventures

華盛頓人權組織的研究把這種政權犯罪型態追溯至

back to the 1970s when about a dozen North Korean diplomats were expelled from Scandinavian

1970 年代，當時約有十二個北韓外交官被斯堪地那維亞驅逐

countries for smuggling alcohol, cigarettes, and hashish.

因為他們走私酒、香菸、麻藥

Later the government switched to foreign organized crime syndicates to sell things like counterfeit

之後政府將這些非法的交易交給國外犯罪財團，他們賣贗品

pharmaceuticals and heroin, manufactured from state-mandated poppy farms.

藥品和在國家委任之罌粟園種植的海洛因，

North Korea's government has dismissed such claims and some analysts

北韓政府否認這些說詞，而一些分析家

have also questioned the data.

也質疑那些數據

Since 2005, intercepts of North Korean smuggling have fallen sharply… though more recently

從 2005 年，北韓走私的攔截已經大量減少，反觀是

claims of cyber theft have proliferated.

國際網絡竊盜激增

Meanwhile Kim Jong Un has started speaking to South Korea about opening up for investment

同時，金正恩開始會面南韓，談論關於開放限制區域的境外投資

in restricted economic zones and he's also talking about switching to a more China-like economic system.

他也提到未來想將北韓轉向中國的經濟型態

Whether that's a true change of heart, or just a tactical retreat in the face of sanctions

是否金正恩是真心，抑或是在制裁前的策略技巧

remains to be seen.

誰都說不準