Community | July 02, 2009 | 1 comment

Entrepreneur Recalls How North Korean Hemp Biz Dream Turned Into Failure

Image
JackHerer
A gray-haired man in a business suit in October last year spoke to some 300 people who gathered to mark the completion of a textile manufacturer in Pyongyang. The 60-something man was Kim Jeong-tae, president of Pyongyang Hemp Textile.

He carefully took out a sheet of paper from his jacket’s breast pocket and read it with a quivering voice. It was a congratulatory letter from former President Kim Dae-jung.

“The opening of Pyongyang Hemp Textile is an accomplishment by businessmen from the two Koreas and another remarkable achievement matching the establishment of the Kaesong joint industrial complex.”

A big round of applause followed, after which Kim broke into tears.

Nine months later, Kim sat down for an interview with The Dong-A Ilbo with shocking news. Growing haggard over the period, he said “Pyongyang Hemp Textile, which I put my all energy into over a decade, is about to be shut down.”
  1. groups:
    Community,   News and Politics,   Green,   Health,   1 more
  2. tags:
    News News and Politics Green Health 6 more
  3.     
    |

1 comment // Entrepreneur Recalls How North Korean Hemp Biz Dream Turned Into Failure

more from Community:

top videos