in the 3 february sisa journal , kim pong-tok , a professor at northeast finance university in china , gave the following reasons as to why north korea would be interested in china 's approach to reform : a -rrb- china has made economic reform a priority , allowing social changes when timing and conditions are right , in order to `` minimize shock ; '' b -rrb- china has been able to maintain a `` socialist structure '' under `` communist leadership ; '' and c -rrb- if reforms are well planned from the outset , they can take place gradually , as they are in china .