North Korea is interesting to energy players in three ways: its potential to become another energy-hungry Asian tiger, its own natural resources, and its use as a transit route. AFP
North Korea is interesting to energy players in three ways: its potential to become another energy-hungry Asian tiger, its own natural resources, and its use as a transit route. AFP

North Korea can play a role in energy markets



As nuclear-related sanctions on one country return, those on another might ease. Negotiations with North Korea are set to be long and bruising, but some vague commitments on denuclearisation have already opened a path to more normal relations with the US and the world. Then, what roles might Pyongyang play in north-east Asia’s energy nexus?

There is now a tacit US acknowledgement that its nuclear programme makes its regime secure from external overthrow. It remains a dictatorship mostly isolated from the world and with a horrendous human rights record. The economy is so opaque that the saying is that any statistic about North Korea with a decimal point is wrong

We can surmise at least that gross domestic product per capita is barely back to the level of 1987, after the disastrous1990s famines, and it ranks in the world’s 20 poorest countries. Yet North Korea’s autarkic, totalitarian economic system has been gradually cracking since the late 1990s, with a nascent private sector.

In energy as in economic terms, North Korea today is a midget. With a population of 25 million (against South Korea’s 49 million), its GDP was estimated in 2015 at $40 billion, adjusted for purchasing power, compared to its southern twin’s $1.91 trillion.

It is not surprising that current energy use is miniscule. It consumes just 18,000 barrels of oil per day, most of which has to be smuggled in, and produces no oil or gas of its own. Current sanctions restrict its coal exports, a key source of its limited foreign currency earnings. Satellite images show the country almost completely dark at night. Electricity generation capacity is around 7.2 gigawatts, less than a tenth of the South’s, and drought means its hydroelectric plants run well below full output.

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But North Korea is interesting to energy players in three ways: its potential to become another energy-hungry Asian tiger, its own natural resources, and its use as a transit route.

In a report last month, UBS estimated some spectacular possible economic growth rates over the next two decades: anywhere from 11 to 21 per cent annually, if peace were achieved with the South, or even reunification. The North might follow the path of China and Vietnam, which have remained autocratic and notionally Communist while allowing free enterprise within a state capitalist framework.

Its current poverty is in enormous disparity to its well-educated work force, natural resources and attractive geographic location. This would mean an economy at least eight times bigger than today’s, with energy demand probably rising proportionately. A phased, controlled reconciliation would also boost the South’s economy and hence its own energy demand.

Consuming even at the levels of Vietnam, the North would need ten times as much oil as today. It would also require a huge scale-up of electricity generation, where in contrast to its weapons programme, planned nuclear power plants have gone nowhere.

Key to the initial phase of North Korean economic opening would be use of its natural resources to provide export revenues and energy for business and industry. This has been tried before; from 2004 to 2012, a UK-based oil company, the minnow Aminex, engaged in a quixotic quest for oil and gas exploration rights, but made little headway. A Mongolian company, HBOil, followed in 2014 but similarly backed out last year because of sanctions.

Geologist Mike Rego, who reviewed data for Aminex, noted that oil was discovered off the west coast in the 1980s, with the area possibly a northward extension of China’s Bohai Bay, a prolific producing area. There are also signs of oil and gas onshore, but nothing has been developed.

The country has significant coal resources, as well as various metals including gold. In particular it is believed to have the second-largest deposits in the world, after China, of rare earth minerals, used in electric motors and wind turbines.

So far, North Korea has been an obstacle to trade, but it could become an important transit route: its key geographic position ties in Russia, China and South Korea. All of the South’s gas currently comes in tankers as liquefied natural gas (LNG). Because of its relatively high cost and perceived insecurity of supply, the share of gas in South Korea’s consumption is small, just 14 per cent, compared to double that in the US.

Russia is building new pipelines to supply China, where gas also has only a limited share. Its main eastern port, Vladivostok, where it plans to build an LNG export plant, is just 150 kilometres from the North Korean border, and from here a pipeline could run down the natural resource-rich east coast to the South. Access to a new, attractive market would give Moscow more pricing leverage regionally, develop its underpopulated far east, and secure an ongoing political role.

For now, a pipeline is just a dream. Much more trust would be required between the two capitals, and Pyongyang would need to build a reputation of reliability with smaller foreign investments. Connecting the four countries’ electricity grids could be an initial step, since here North Korea would be more reliant on its neighbours’ supplies than vice versa.

Normalisation is still clearly a long way off, and North Korea’s economic climate remains chilly. But the US has already made major concessions to Pyongyang without receiving much in return. If sanctions are eased, the country may yet go from Hermit Kingdom to the next Asian energy hotspot, opening opportunities for the bold or foolhardy.

Robin M. Mills is CEO of Qamar Energy, and author of The Myth of the Oil Crisis

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh132,000 (Countryman)
A State of Passion

Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

Company%20Profile
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Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

The 15 players selected

Muzzamil Afridi, Rahman Gul, Rizwan Haider (Dezo Devils); Shahbaz Ahmed, Suneth Sampath (Glory Gladiators); Waqas Gohar, Jamshaid Butt, Shadab Ahamed (Ganga Fighters); Ali Abid, Ayaz Butt, Ghulam Farid, JD Mahesh Kumara (Hiranni Heros); Inam Faried, Mausif Khan, Ashok Kumar (Texas Titans

RESULTS
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Company%20profile%20
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RACECARD%20
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SPECS
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CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES

Mar 10: Norwich(A)

Mar 13: Newcastle(H)

Mar 16: Lille(A)

Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)

Apr 2: Brentford(H)

Match info

Uefa Champions League Group H

Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 325bhp

Torque: 450Nm

Price: Dh289,000

RESULTS

Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m
Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m
Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m
Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden

RACE CARD

6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,200m

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,900m

7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 2,000m

8.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,600m

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m

Company%20profile
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CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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How to come clean about financial infidelity
  • Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
  • Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help. 
  • Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
  • Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
  • Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported. 

Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Europe’s rearming plan
  • Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
  • Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
  • Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
  • Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
  • Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

hall of shame

SUNDERLAND 2002-03

No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.

SUNDERLAND 2005-06

Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.

HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19

Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.

ASTON VILLA 2015-16

Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.

FULHAM 2018-19

Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.

LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.

BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66

Despacito's dominance in numbers

Released: 2017

Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon

Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube

Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification

Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.

Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards

The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X

Price, as tested: Dh84,000

Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: Six-speed auto

Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm

Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km