North Korean dispatched workers at a construction site in Vladivostok, Russia

North Korea curbs cheap overseas labor dispatch

North Korean authorities have moved to revoke authorization for state agencies and trading companies to send workers abroad, and are also re-evaluating the profitability...
Three-panel satellite sequence showing Dudan Island in the Daedong River disappearing, 2012 to 2026

Satellite images show N. Korea dredging rivers on a massive scale

North Korea is carrying out large-scale sand and gravel extraction along its major rivers in 2026. Crews are deploying large dredgers and heavy equipment...
business loans

Markets, not wages, feed North Korean households

"The official salary from my workplace is about 30,000 North Korean won a month. But feeding our family of four takes more than 800,000...
Illustration of a North Korean smartphone showing predictive text replacing South Korean-style words, including "yeochin" and "date," with asterisks, July 2026

North Korea cracks down on youths using South Korean-style word for dad

Authorities in Chongjin, North Hamgyong province, summoned three young people to a provincial youth league office this month over their use of the South...
Satellite images from Jan. 21 and April 7, 2026, showing facility changes at North Korea's Pyongsan uranium refinery, including roof repainting, four freight trains, and unknown construction near coal storage

N. Korea locks down villages near uranium plant over mystery illness

North Korean authorities have sealed off a cluster of villages near a uranium refining plant in North Hwanghae province. The lockdown follows an outbreak...
hamhung

Rising prices drive North Korean women toward prostitution

More women in parts of North Korea are turning to prostitution to survive amid worsening economic hardship. Police have tried posing as clients to...
grasshopper market exchange rate grain

N. Korea rice prices hit record high as exchange rate climbs

Rice prices in North Korean markets have surged to a record high in July 2026. The spike follows a brief lull earlier this month,...
A photo of Hyesan's downtown area.

Hyesan school shifts cooking exam costs to students

A technical senior middle school* in Hyesan, Ryanggang province, is drawing parent complaints over a new requirement. Students in its hotel cuisine class had...

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North Korea Market Trends

Updated 26-07-19
Exchange Rate 1 USD → KPW
Pyongyang
65,000
Sinuiju
65,100
Hyesan
65,150
Full Exchange Rate Data →
Rice Prices KPW per kg
Pyongyang
40,000
Sinuiju
40,200
Hyesan
40,600
Full Rice Price Data →

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