I know! We'll sell drugs to China!

The latest events in North Korea (the 1980's Economist would call it a "rumpus") brought to mind something I read a few months ago:

North Korea started manufacturing meth in big state-run labs. The country badly needs hard currency and has almost no legitimate international trade. But it was able to exploit the black market trade across the Chinese border by sending state-made meth into China and bringing back the money of Chinese addicts.

Shooting your uncle isn't normal.  But on meth it is.

Lesson of the Day: You really don't want an absolute dictator as your nephew

— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) December 13, 2013