The death of Kim Jong Il invites comparisons between North and South Korea. Donald Marron, a professor of economics and writer for Seeking Alpha (seekingalpha.com), posted the following graphic yesterday comparing the per-capita GDP of the two economies since the 1970’s.

The difference in growth rates is dramatic. Although we cannot visit North Korea, a comparison of Google Earth images of Pyongyang and Seoul is revealing. In some respects the two cities, like most cities, look similar. Yet looking closely we can readily see a major difference. In Pyongyang there are almost no cars.


Which means the air in Pyongyang is cleaner …
but no doubt life is bleak.
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