"There is a central plan. They aim for an opening this year," an economist involved in this plan stated, for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.
He specified that the authorities in Pyongyang did not intend to follow the Chinese model, but were interested in the Vietnamese model, in which some companies would receive investments.
In his first New Year's speech, the leader Kim Jong-un called for a reconciliation with South Korea and said that his country would endeavor to increase the living standards.
Kim also urged North Koreans to "build an economic giant", saying that improving living standards would be a priority this year.
Earlier this week the international press reported on a future visit to North Korea by Google President Eric Schmidt and former Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson in January.
The U.S. State Department stated that such a visit "would be unconstructive".