KBS WORLD Radio
Related News
Chronology of Events
NK Nuclear Facilities
Missile Capabilities
Long-Range
Rocket Launch
Untitled Document
   
WB: N. Korea's Political Instability Worsened Last Year
2014-09-30 Updated.
 
The World Bank has assessed that North Korea under Kim Jong-un’s leadership saw aggravated political instability last year.
 
The World Bank on Tuesday disclosed the World Governance Index (WGI) on its Web site. The index looks into six dimensions of governance, including political stability and absence of violence (PV), government effectiveness and control of corruption.
 
The North ranked at the very bottom in terms of the PV index with minus zero-point-53 in 2013, dropping far lower than the minus zero-point-11 posted in 2012. The index gauges the possibility of a country not seeing a government downfall through illegal means or witnessing violent incidents, including terrorism. The lowest figure for the WGI stands at minus two-point-five and the highest at two-point-five. 
 
The World Bank did not mention reasons for the North’s PV index fall. However, the sharp drop comes as major political shifts occured in the North last year, including the execution of Jang Song-thaek, the uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un who was considered the North’s number two leader.
 
The North’s PV index was the lowest to be recorded since related statistics began to be gathered in 1996. South Korea’s PV index stood at zero-point-24. 
 
North Korea stayed near the bottom in other categories as well with minus two-point-19 in voice and accountability and minus one-point-29 in rule of law.
 
 
List