North Korea Living Standard 1970s

I have heard that in the 1970s before the opening of the Chinese and Soviet markets in the 1980s and the eventual collapse of the USSR in 1991 that the North Korean people enjoyed a decent living standard. Could people eat three times a day and own consumer goods?

North Korea was more industrialised and had a higher standard of living than the South in the 70's and early 80's. In fact, if you go back through the New York Times archives you'll find that when severe flooding hit the South in the early 80's, the North gave the South food aid. As you said, it's only since the cut off of trade with the Soviet Union that the Northern economy has declined. It makes you realise that with enough investment and international trade instead of blockades, the Northern economy can prosper once again.

Yes, it's quite possible that the living standards weren't bad in the 70s.

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Could people eat three times a day and own consumer goods?

Why not? They could do this in Romania too...
It'd be a surprise if they couldn't, given the industrialization and modernization of the country and aid from other "friendly" countries...

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As you said, it's only since the cut off of trade with the Soviet Union that the Northern economy has declined.

Yes, it's shocking how that could have happened in a "Juche" country.

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It makes you realise that with enough investment and international trade instead of blockades, the Northern economy can prosper once again.

Moldova or Belize could prosper with next-to-nothing-priced oil too...