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...
Hard-hatted miners in front of an inscribed stone monument at the 2.8 Jikdong Youth Coal Mine

What’s behind North Korea’s coal industry push?

North Korea held the second plenary session of the ninth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea from June 20 to 22. According...
Image differencing map showing nighttime light increases across downtown Sinuiju and Wihwa Island greenhouse farm

Behind Sinuiju’s brighter nights, a widening electricity divide

Electricity supply in Sinuiju, North Pyongan province, has improved somewhat in 2026 compared with last year. Neighborhoods near provincial and city party offices, the...
pyungyang students school vacations, schools

North Korean elementary students keep two diaries to hide feelings

Some elementary school students in parts of North Korea are keeping two separate diaries, with one written for school censorship and the other holds...
Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)

Purged military official’s graft case sparks outrage among North Koreans

North Korean people are calling for a sweeping investigation into corruption across the country's power organs. A senior military official's dramatic public downfall sparked...
Boys swim and rest along a rocky riverbank on the Yalu River near Hyesan, Ryanggang province

No lifeguards as children swim rivers in North Korea’s summer heat

North Korean children are flocking to rivers and streams to cool off during the summer heat, even on rainy days. Almost no safety personnel...
Panoramic view of Hyesan city in Ryanggang province, North Korea, with the Yalu River in the foreground, August 2018

A teen’s vow to catch leeches moves North Koreans to tears

A high school sophomore in Hyesan, Ryanggang province, recently finished mandatory military training. The training is run by the Red Youth Guard, a paramilitary...
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,...

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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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