Operations will halt at Sinuiju Customs House, the main portal to and from Dandong, in observance of late leader Kim Jong Il’s day of birth on February 16th, remaining closed through the Lunar New Year holiday. Dandong Customs House will also remained closed for the same duration of 10 days, as China observes North Korean holidays--and vice versa. 

“Kim Jong Il’s birthday is celebrated as an official holiday on February 16th and 17th, and because the Lunar New Year holiday follows, it looks like we’ll be celebrating a double holiday,” a source in North Pyongan Province told Daily NK on Thursday. “The following Monday, February 23rd, is also a holiday, so the customs offices in North Korea and China will not work for ten days, bringing all trade to a halt.” 

Dandong Customs House [left]; North Korean trucks packed with goods in Dandong City. Image: Daily NK

Despite the quarantine put in place due to potential Ebola virus threats, people are still gearing up for the long holiday, so food, alcohol, and other goods to sell at the markets have been flooding the customs offices.

Traders and members of the public place more significance on preparing for the Lunar New Year over Kim Jong Il’s birthday, with increasing numbers of people flocking to the markets to buy gifts for their immediate and extended families. “Wholesale market vendors have been waiting at the office to receive goods from Dandong [China] coming in on trucks, so there’s a lot of commotion at times,” the source said. 

A different source located in Dandong confirmed this movement, saying, “Lately trade has been up between the North and China [in this region], and especially ahead of these two holidays there has been a massive influx of manufactured goods flowing into the North.” A steady stream of fresh flowers for celebrations related to the birthday of Kim Jong Il is also flowing through the customs houses ahead of the holidays.   

More are more trucks have been filling the city’s streets, packed with goods North Korean sellers are buying in bulk to take back into the North. “It’s easy to spot trucks with North Korean plate numbers in downtown Dandong,” she said.