The recent surge in North Korean marketplace prices appears to stem from government-ordered price controls that have had the opposite of their intended effect.
Multiple sources inside North Korea told Daily NK recently that Cabinet orders about controlling market prices and restricting private foreign currency transactions are regularly reaching vendors through commerce departments at local people’s committees.
The Cabinet recently banned vendors from arbitrarily raising prices and mandated that they sell goods at state-determined rates. However, the Cabinet clarified that local commerce departments shouldn’t unilaterally set prices; instead, they should reach decisions through consultations between market supervisors and vendors.
These guidelines explain that “state-set prices” doesn’t mean forcing vendors to match the artificially low prices at state-run stores. Rather, they are aimed at ensuring that authorities should establish reasonable rates after consulting with merchants.
Vendors rush to beat controls
Despite these clarifications, vendors assumed that state price controls would inevitably drive costs down and have apparently rushed to raise prices before the restrictions take full effect.
Another factor driving up prices is that wholesale suppliers have reduced shipments to official markets following Cabinet orders.
Wholesalers and retailers believe current prices haven’t risen enough to offset the domestic currency’s depreciation and the confidence collapse triggered by a tenfold wage increase at state organizations and enterprises.
“Vendors are determined to push rice and imported goods prices even higher,” explained a Pyongyang source. “The government has printed a lot of money that’s now circulating, but there’s a shortage of imported essentials like fuel, sugar, wheat, and seasonings that must be bought with U.S. dollars or Chinese yuan. This leaves vendors no choice but to raise exchange rates and goods prices.”
Merchants believe grain and other commodity prices need to increase by at least 50%.
Government scrambles with multiple orders
These developments have triggered a flood of price control orders from the cabinet, suggesting the regime was caught off guard by the market surge.
“Markets typically receive two or three orders monthly from either the cabinet or commerce department, though the exact number and timing varies by location,” said a source in North Pyongan province. “Changing the rules multiple times each month is throwing markets into complete chaos.”
