North Hamgyong Province recently sent trucks to collect imports from China at Nampo Port, Daily NK has learned.
A source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Thursday that it was now the province’s turn to receive some of the items imported through Nampo from China. He said provincial authorities sent 10 trucks to Nampo on Feb. 21.
According to the source, North Korea is using Nampo — a port close to the capital, Pyongyang — to export coal and import economically critical items such as oil.
In December, North Hamgyong Province shipped export items such as pine nuts, dried medicinal herbs, and wild greens and other potential foreign currency earners to Nampo in accordance with a Central Committee order. The province will now receive the imports it got in return.
In ordering North Hamgyong Province to send trucks to pick up its supplies, North Korean authorities also ordered the province to turn over any remaining imports it might have and exchange them for foodstuffs such as wheat and corn.
The source said that the province’s most pressing concern is local food shortages, and while the province considers other import items important, it would focus on foodstuffs this time around. He said five of the 10 trucks will be tankers to carry gasoline and diesel, while the other five will carry foodstuffs and other imported items.
In particular, with the border closed for the last two years due to COVID-19, North Hamgyong Province suffers shortages of supplies for not only the industrial sector, but also the agricultural sector.
With the province suffering severe shortages of vinyl film to protect seedbeds and fertilizer ahead of the full-scale start of the farming season, provincial authorities held a meeting to discuss the situation prior to sending the trucks.
The source said the meeting discussed receiving more vinyl film and fertilizer. He said the province has fully mobilized local trading units to convert foreign currency into cash and even loaded armed personnel on the trucks sent to Nampo.
The source said the province was desperately looking forward to receiving the imports and hungry local residents were eagerly waiting for rice to arrive.
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