Monday, December 19, 2011

The Dreadful Legacy of North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Il in One Satellite Picture and One Chart

This one picture above of the Korean peninsula does a pretty good job of capturing the legacy of Kim Jong Il by comparing electricity usage at night between North and South Korea.

Here's another comparison: The CIA estimates that North Korea's GDP per capita in 2009 was $1,800.  That's equivalent to the inflation-adjusted U.S. per capita GDP back in the year 1847, more than 150 years ago (see chart below).  And South Korea's per capita GDP of $30,000 is about 17 times higher than its neighbor to the north.   



18 Comments:

At 12/19/2011 8:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Left purrs over the low perCapita carbon footprint of DPRK... they can only dream of such a transformation of the US.

 
At 12/19/2011 8:08 PM, Blogger mike k said...

Yeah, but they get free health care!

 
At 12/19/2011 8:14 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Michael Moore heard proclaiming DPRK healthcare is second to only Cuba... best and brightest seeking material and operational equality...

 
At 12/19/2011 10:05 PM, Blogger Methinks said...

Yeah, but they get free health care!

True! I hear next year they're rolling out a brand new medical technology (for NK): Leeches.

BTW, is it me or does son of Il resemble a retarded blowfish?

 
At 12/20/2011 5:46 AM, Blogger Emil Perhinschi said...

"electricity usage at night" or street lamps sending light to the sky ...


first google result for "street lamp seoul" http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetobanahaw/4445055099/

first google result for "street lamp bucharest" ... Bucharest for being in the former Communist camp

http://romanianartist.blogspot.com/2011/09/street-lamps.html

 
At 12/20/2011 8:32 AM, Blogger Hans said...

NC, well stated (twice) indeed..

 
At 12/20/2011 8:38 AM, Blogger juandos said...

"Left purrs over the low perCapita carbon footprint of DPRK"...

I guess that means North Korea's Green Peace and Sierra Club dues are paid up in full...

 
At 12/20/2011 8:42 AM, Blogger Mark Bonica said...

a comparison to South Korean GDP per capita would be more relevant than to US GDP per capita.

I love this picture - I always show it to my students. This is what OWS is asking for.

 
At 12/20/2011 8:50 AM, Blogger Mark J. Perry said...

Thanks, Mark, I added a comparison to South Korea.

 
At 12/20/2011 11:32 AM, Blogger Junkyard_hawg1985 said...

Great Post Mark! One of the most powerful contrasts is that NK is economically where the U.S. was in 1850. I have frequently used the comparison case you presented earler that China is where the U.S. was in 1886.

 
At 12/20/2011 2:47 PM, Blogger Manuel Álvarez said...

Great!!! Here a modern concentration camp.

 
At 12/20/2011 4:06 PM, Blogger kmg said...

This means North Korea is a model state for Western environmentalists!

It consumes no electricity! A paradise for greens!

 
At 12/20/2011 5:40 PM, Blogger sethstorm said...

There appears to be not much more lights further north in China. Same conclusion could be made.

 
At 12/20/2011 6:41 PM, Blogger bolgger said...

With NK free health care, all NK's have had their corneas polished like Ridik's so they can all see in the dark without light! Amazing!

 
At 12/20/2011 11:47 PM, Blogger Jim S said...

There is a 3rd stat comparing the average height of South Koreans to North Koreans, who are about 2.3 (men) and 2.6 (women) inches shorter due to malnutrition.

http://blogs.wsj.com/numbersguy/the-korean-height-gap-431/

 
At 12/21/2011 12:01 AM, Blogger db1 said...

i see one light in North Korea it must be kimjongs nite light

 
At 12/21/2011 11:31 AM, Blogger Eric H said...

"This means North Korea is a model state for Western environmentalists!"

Yes, so how much cap-and-trade money will Romney/Obama have us send them to pay for our carbon sins?

 
At 12/21/2011 7:35 PM, Blogger Casey Lartigue, Jr. said...

By the way, South Korean politicians don't necessarily like those neon lights:

The Korea Times, June 9, 2011: The government has banned outdoor lighting on golf courses in its efforts to deal with surging crude oil prices, while golf circles are strongly opposing the energy saving measure, calling it “shortsighted.”

The Korea Times, December 13, 2011: Store owners caught for excessive lighting on outdoor billboards and heating of their buildings will face fines of up to 3 million won ($2,622) starting later this week, as part of nationwide efforts to save energy during the winter season, the Seoul city government said Monday.

 

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