The World On arirang

The income disparity between South and North Korea has widened by close to 40 times.
According to figures released by Statistics Korea on Wednesday South Korea's Gross National Income reached 837 billion US dollars in 2009 about 37 times more than North Korea's 22 billion dollars.
South Korea's GNI per person posted 17,175 US dollars roughly 18 times more than North Korea's 960 dollars while in annual trade the South saw 686 billion dollars in 2009 which is 202 times larger than the North's 3 billion dollars.
As for economic growth that year the South saw a 0-point 2 percent expansion in the wake of the global financial crisis whereas the North posted a contraction of 0.9.
Economists say such figures show that it is almost impossible for North Korea to catch up with South Korea anytime soon.
An official with the finance ministry in Seoul says South Korea's overall economic strength is about 40 times that of the communist regime adding that such power provides the foundation for South Korea to stay ahead of North Korea in every field including defense.
Kim Na-ri, Arirang News.