Smugglers caught trying to sneak vehicles across the North Korea-China border
Chinese smugglers attempting to move vehicles across the North Korea-China border in China's Jilin province were detained by border security forces in late April...
North Korea orders border residents to dress neatly as China camera surveillance grows
North Korean authorities in April ordered people living near the Chinese border to dress neatly and mind their behavior along the riverbank, according to...
North Korea brokers extort defector families with surveillance threats
Remittance brokers operating near North Korea's border are shaking down the families of North Korean defectors, extorting money from people who recently received funds...
North Korea loosens mobile restrictions as it courts Chinese investment
North Korea appears to be easing mobile phone restrictions on Chinese nationals entering the country for business, a move observers inside the country are...
North Korea-China trade grows, but new customs rules shut out small traders
China's customs authorities have sharply tightened export requirements for North Korea-bound goods since the second half of last year. The new rules are squeezing...
North Korean traders make fake calls to cover Chinese phone use
North Korean traders near the Chinese border have been deliberately placing brief international calls on state-issued mobile phones to create false records and disguise...
North Korea’s state security apparatus undergoes generational overhaul after party congress
North Korea's state security bureau in North Hamgyong province has ordered the replacement of roughly 40% of its agents at municipal and county offices...
North Korea-China rail revival fuels trade surge, sanctions evasion attempts
Goods ranging from manufactured products to agricultural produce are moving through the newly resumed North Korea-China passenger rail service, with North Korean trading companies...
Smuggling resumes at Hyesan as North Korea-China trade signals point to broader thaw
State-sanctioned smuggling along the border in Hyesan, Ryanggang province has resumed after a roughly three-month suspension, bringing relief to traders whose goods had been...
Orders return to North Korea’s contract manufacturing sector, but earnings lag
North Korea's contract manufacturing sector, known as imga-gong (processing-on-commission work), is showing tentative signs of recovery in 2026 after years of near-total collapse following...
