The early 1990’s are called the ‘special period’ in Cuban historiography. Before this era Cuba’s biggest trading partner was the soviet union. And as the Soviet Union ceased to exist this had some serious economic ramifications for the small island nation. Around the same time the idea of Juche (self reliance) took hold in North Korea.
I think the DPRK is in an interesting place since it’s still very much embroiled in the process of revolution while still having to develop alongside it.
The USFK still threaten the country each year with rehearsed invasions, much of North Korea is not suitable for agriculture and it has been under extremely cruel international sanctions (which are equivalent to economic warfare) by the global economy (including what should have been historic allies in China and now the RF). Against all odds the WPK still exists and has military and political control over the North.
There’s still something valuable to learn from the DPRK even if it isn’t Marxist or is a derivative of marxism-leninism. It doesnt really matter if it is “good Marxism” if you dont also mention the unique material conditions of the DPRK.
In any case, this isnt really a conversation unique to the DPRK but the theoretical efficacy of the term Actually Existing Socialism itself and how MLs should use the term.
People love gesture at things like “unique material conditions” but if you explicitly reject the idea of ending class, you aren’t socialist and it’s not even a particularly interesting conversation. If the DPRK is “AES,” then AES is nothing but a frivolous, question-begging rhetorical smokescreen.