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International Area Studies Review
[ Article ]
International Area Studies Review - Vol. 29, No. 1, pp.41-60
ISSN: 2233-8659 (Print)
Print publication date 31 Mar 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69473/iasr.2026.29.1.41

Economic Experimentation under Authoritarian Closure: Urban and Social Transformation in North Korea’s Rason SEZ

Si-Hyo Lee ; Seungsu Ham*
Center for Educational Mission, Myongji University, Republic of Korea

Correspondence to: *Email: hampaul@mju.ac.kr

Abstract

This study examines how the Rason Special Economic Zone (SEZ), an experimental initiative in highly closed North Korean society, has affected urban space and everyday life, and identifies the factors driving these changes. Drawing on satellite data on nighttime illumination from 1992 to 2023 and building density from 1990 to 2020 for 68 districts in Rason, we combined statistical analyses with in-depth interviews. The results show that nighttime illumination increased rapidly between 2009 and 2013, primarily in downtown Rason, while building density continued to rise in the city center and its surrounding areas. Regression analysis indicates that trade volume, targeted sanctions on specific goods, and the COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced the SEZ’s development, with trade with China exerting the most substantial effect. The interview findings corroborate the satellite data and highlight concrete spatial changes. Methodologically, this study demonstrates the potential of mixed approaches for researching highly closed regions, and substantively, it also contributes to strategic debates on North Korea’s SEZs, investment potential, and the effectiveness of international sanctions.

Keywords:

North Korea, Rason, special economic zone, satellite data, spatial change, social change

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Ministry of Unification of the Republic of Korea and National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (No.2021S1A5C2A02089882).

AI Acknowledgment

Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were not used in any way to prepare, write, or complete essential authoring tasks in this manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest in this research.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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