24 Feb 2005 Inter-Korean trade is reported to have surged 35% in January compared to last year, due to the activity of the Kaesong Industrial Park.

23 Feb 2005 The South Korean Export-Import Bank announces the publication of a guidebook on the Kaesong Industrial Park .

7 Feb 2005 Reports claim DPRK export of coal to China increased over 200% in 2004, worth US$49m.

3 Feb 2005 The WFP reports that Pyongyang has reduced the daily food rations to 250 grams per person per day from January. This level is the lowest since early 2001. Pyongyang had set 575 grams as the target amount. As a result of the reduced ration, rice prices have surged by 40%.

2 Feb 2005 The South Korean government decides to recognise assets of South Korean companies in the DPRK as collateral, so the companies can get loans by mortgaging their buildings, machinery and the rights to use real estate in the DPRK.

1 Feb 2005 The South Korean Unification Ministry says the South Korean companies in the Kaesong Industrial Park will soon have electricity and telephone service, after the construction of electricity transfer lines started on 24 January.

31 Jan 2005 At the World Economic Forum in Davos a study is presented putting the DPRK last of 146 countries on the scale of the Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), together with Iraq and Taiwan.

31 Jan 2005 The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) says it is preparing a comprehensive plan to help the DPRK economy and infrastructure.

27 Jan 2005 Aidan Foster-Carter gives a detailed update on the Kaesong Industrial Zone. (scroll down to second part)

For the events in 2002 - Dec 2004 visit the Archive