Even though the regime has loosened some of the restrictions on currency exchange, inflation is still skyrocketing in North Korea. The government recently announced that it was moving to a new currency, and that the swap would involve a limit on how much could be traded. As a result, personal wealth was being consciously constrained, which led to the open questioning of the regime, defiance and rioting in some cases, and even a rare instance of flexibility among Kim Jong Il's subordinate decision makers.

Reports from inside the isolated communist state suggest that food shortages and price inflation have resulted from the new monetary policy, exacerbating a difficult situation with which the country already had to cope.

It is not enough that Chinese unions set up shop at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) stores in the Asian country. Now the Communist Party has set up a branch [subscription required, alternate] for Wal-Mart employees.

It is hard to say what the Party's plans are for its relationship with Wal-Mart, but as state-owned businesses have reduced employee levels, the organization has found its membership falling.

Perhaps the move is benign, but if so, why would the Party bother at all.

Wal-Mart has enough problems in the US, and having the communists running around its stores in China is not exactly good news.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.