In Vietnam, There's Hope North Korea Will Follow Its Model For Economic Success
Since U.S. ties improved, Vietnam's growth has surged. "North Korea is now like Vietnam in the past. They are looking for new ways to get out of their isolated situation," says a Vietnamese analyst.
Both North Korea and Vietnam are one-party Communist states that have fought bitter wars against the U.S. But unlike North Korea, Vietnam normalized relations with the U.S. and has grown and prospered — something North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will see firsthand this week while he's in Hanoi for his second summit meeting with President Trump. The U.S. and many in Vietnam hope Kim will also see Vietnam's experience as a model for his own country.
During the Vietnam War, North Korea secretly sent pilots to fight alongside North Vietnamese forces. The North Koreans flew combat missions against American bombers over Hanoi. Some paid with their lives.
"They were martyrs," says Duong Van Dau, a caretaker who watches over
