Private traders still control goods distribution after passing through customs
North Korea has consolidated its foreign trade under officially licensed trading companies, sidelining independent traders from the import process. But once goods clear customs,...
North Korea turns to China for printing and packaging technology
North Korea is working to acquire printing equipment and packaging technology from China. Authorities want to improve the quality of product packaging, labels and...
Battery demand surges in North Korea as customs clearance opens
North Korean trading companies are placing sharply higher orders for batteries now that customs clearance has opened between China and North Korea, but strict...
In North Korea, a Chinese phone now costs as much as a house
Chinese phone prices have surged along North Korea's border with China this year. Intensifying crackdowns and a halt in state-led smuggling have sharply reduced...
N. Korea tightens vetting for overseas workers, demands verified contacts
North Korean authorities are requiring organizations seeking to deploy overseas workers to submit contracts bearing the actual seals of foreign business partners, then granting...
North Korea’s rice prices fall for the first time in two months
North Korean market prices are showing signs of cooling in 2026. The price of domestically grown rice fell for the first time in more...
North Korean neighborhoods see rise of privately run makeshift stalls
Small, privately funded stalls are springing up on street corners across North Korea, giving people a convenient alternative to official markets for everyday purchases.
A...
New customs route opens for cars in North Korea, but brokers stay cool
North Korea has begun allowing new cars to be imported from China through official customs channels, but few brokers are eager to take advantage...
Cheap North Korean coal keeps flowing into China despite U.N. ban
North Korea's mineral exports to China have recently increased, as Beijing appears to be enforcing sanctions on the North less strictly amid warming ties...
As won crashes, rural North Koreans rush to buy dollars
A growing number of people in rural North Korea are converting their spare cash into U.S. dollars or Chinese yuan, as fears grow that...
