Trade in Technology of the DPRK for Developing Knowledge Economy

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To improve the trade structure of the country in such a way as to increase the proportion of the trade in technology is an important policy the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has held fast to in foreign trade.

In the past scores of years, it has built an independent national economy with a multilateral and comprehensive structure capable of satisfying most of the material demands arising in economic construction and improving the people’s living standard with domestic production and, based on it, expanded and developed the trade with other countries without letup.

It is continuously increasing the proportion of the trade in technology by rapidly developing science and technology on the basis of the sustainable and high-rate growth of its independent national economy.

It has focused its efforts on such core, basic technologies as IT, nanotechnology, and bioengineering, along with such pivotal and beneficial scientific and technological fields as new materials and energy, space and nuclear technologies, and the research projects with existing foundations and clear prospects, thus making notable successes.

Juche-oriented production lines have been established in every sector of the national economy and newly found high-tech industries. Successes have been made in intensifying cooperation between production units and scientific research institutes and building up technological development forces at the enterprises. Science and technology play a major role in economic development, as modern scientific research bases have been newly established, and research has been combined closely with production to introduce research findings into reality as soon as possible.

The government of the DPRK concentrates huge investment on science and education and pushes ahead with the work to improve the educational environment and put the education on a practical, comprehensive, and modern footing, thus training technicians and experts that possess profound scientific and technological knowledge.

It encourages solving scientific and technological problems conducive to the building of a powerful socialist country and the improvement of the people’s standard of living by its own efforts and based on its own powerful scientific and technological foundations while expanding and developing scientific and technological exchange and the trade in technology with other countries, and it has taken various steps to this end.

It has provided a favorable environment and conditions for vigorously conducting trade in licensing trademarks, copyrights, and technical know-how by further strengthening the intellectual property rights system and intensifying international ties and cooperation.

Agreements on the IPR protection and technological exchange have been concluded with international organizations and other countries, and several laws and regulations such as trade law, law on import and export of technology, law on joint venture and collaboration, and regulations on the introduction of foreign investment and latest technology and overseas technical cooperation are in force in the DPRK.

It has advanced achievements in several scientific and technological sectors registered as licensed technology and technical know-how, expanded the scope and quantity of its transactions, and diversified the dealing in license trade such as trademark rights, copyright, and so on.

It is adopting preferential measures for all scientific and technological research institutes to develop new science and technology in line with the demand of the international market and encourages Sci-tech exhibitions, expos, forums, advertisements, and joint research projects with other countries.

It makes steady efforts to raise the proportion of the trade in technology through the development of cutting-edge technologies with a world-class competitive edge.

Many enterprises and research institutes in the country pay primary attention to developing high-tech products and putting technical goods with a competitive edge on the international markets.

Technical goods account for a large proportion of export for many trading companies, and they fully guarantee their practicality and credit.

Now the government of the DPRK pushes forward the work to establish economic development parks in provinces, enforce a preferential system, and create a favorable environment so that advanced Sci-tech achievements are introduced into industrial, agricultural, and tourist zones.

It has accorded special treatment to foreign businesses which invest in advanced technology and modern production facilities on economic development parks, formulated preferential laws on tax, land use, carrying in and out personnel and materials and relevant regulations for them, and setting up corresponding systems and organs.

With a will to give fresh life to the trade in technology with all the countries, which respect its sovereignty, based on the principle of complete equality and mutual benefit and in line with the trend of developing science and technology, the DPRK government strives to invariably conduct scientific and technological cooperation and the trade in technology with other countries. By doing so it is making a contribution to human civilization and Sci-tech development and turning the national economy into a knowledge-based one in which science and technology are integrated with production and high-tech industries play a major role in economic growth.