North Korea probably is the poorest country in all of East Asia and South East Asia. It is not even close.North Korea probably just as poor as India and Bangladesh, if not more.
Without free stuff like food and oil from China and South Korea, North Korea would have collapsed.
Imagine that. Just think about it. A modern state collapsing on its own because of poverty. That is North Korea in recent years.
Why is North Korea always on the verge of hungry and collapse? Simply because of the stupid policies of the Kim family.
What is the Chinese policy to the Korean Peninsula? No war, no instability, no nukes. And in that order. The no instability part is all about a North Korean collapse, which the Chinese will not allow. Hence, the North Koreans are the world's biggest welfare recipient. Without welfare they will collapse.
Finally the grandson gets a clue and wants to change his country.
What took them so long to realize they had to change?
Simple. They were stupid.
Why worship stupidity?
But that is all in the past if Kim wants to change and the region will look forward towards the future together, everyone in North East Asia.
It is never too late to change.