N. Korea Lifts Ban on Private Food Markets

In a striking turn of policy—and in hopes of preventing widespread starvation—Kim Jong Il is now allowing North Korean citizens to purchase food from private markets. The move came after the Pyongyang government confessed to its inability to solve a food crisis devastating the country. While North Koreans have relied on private markets for more than a decade, The Washington Post reports the policy change marks a step away from the country’s central, planned economy. The move also marks a larger admission of failure on the part of the government: After last fall’s currency revaluation wiped out personal savings and crippled the private food distribution system, Kim is acknowledging the importance of a capitalist system in preventing famine, according to the paper.