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Mark Sidel, a professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, attended a two-day economic development meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea, October 16-17. The meeting included academics and experts from six countries — including the US, Canada, India, China, Malaysia and Vietnam — and more than 70 North Korean participants.

The group met to explore the use of special economic zones to create favorable conditions for foreign investment by granting preferential treatment for land use, labor and taxes and faster government licensing, with special attention to the experience of such zones in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and India in facilitating economic development and social innovation.

Sidel’s scholarship includes research on the law in China, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. He recently worked with Shenzhen (China) Special Economic Zone officials on the formulation of their nonprofit and philanthropic legislation.

The North Korea conference generated a fair amount of media coverage; English-language highlights are included below. Sidel is pictured in the Washington Post article’s photo (front row/far left).

North Korea, hoping to lure foreign investment, plans more special economic zones, The Washington Post
Korea Pushes Foreign Investment Story
, The Wall Street Journal
North Korea seeks to set up new special economic zones with foreign help
, South China Morning Post

Submitted by Law School News on October 25, 2013

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