Revisions to Law on Welfare Service bolster government control over commercial activity
North Korea recently amended its Law on Welfare Service to bolster government control over privatized commercial facilities as part of broader efforts to implement a decision made by the Eighth Party Congress last year.
A source in North Korea told Daily NK on Dec. 6 that the Law on Welfare Service was recently amended “because the Cabinet’s non-permanent economic development committee felt the state’s commercial distribution network was a mess,” and that the move aims to “prevent severe [levels of] privatization of the state commercial network.”
The source said welfare service facilities represent “a sector the people keenly need in their lives,” but most are operated privately.
“Welfare service facilities” refer to service industries such as beauty salons, barbershops, photo studios, shoe and bag repair shops, public baths and restaurants. ......
[Source: Daily NK]
