The trick for Pyongyang is to achieve this gradual economic opening without losing control over the country, the observers say.
The economic opening has not been accompanied by a broader political thaw.
"Is the politics - let's call it an opening - going to keep moving in the same direction as the economic opening?"
The promised economic opening of Palestinian territories has not happened.
This is an economic opening, but we have to prepare ourselves.
One way to further this end would be to undermine the Government and its recent economic opening.
He reportedly was influential in permitting an economic opening that allowed some Cubans to open small businesses.
Now China is sliding backward on its economic opening, with new constraints on foreign enterprises.
"The economic opening of the past year or so has really hit all of us quite hard."
Oil shortages have been a major factor in the economic opening to the outside.