[imText1]Shady dealings on house prices in the border cities of North Hamkyoung Province is rocketing up to three million won (North Korean won).
According to the reportage of Democracy Network against North Korean Gulag(www.nkgulag.org), the maximum price of a house with single room is 800,000 won, and even up to three million won for a house with two rooms in North Hamkyoung province, Huiryeong city.
Recently in North Korea, house deals are increasing that even the estate agent appeared (December 18, 2004, The DailyNK). However, “three million won is such a high price for a house, even hard to find in Pyungyang” is the opinion of the defectors.
Choi Sun Wo (pseudo name, 37 years old) from Huiryeong and who defected to SouthKorea in 2004, explains that “the merchants who circulate a lot of money buy houses in good locations for their own uses as warehouse or a place for trade so there are sometimes high priced houses.”
In other word, the price of a house is high not because of the living condition is getting better but because of good access for business is secured. Mr. Choi says the houses near the market, close to the border with China or around the train stations are the subjected to be ‘high priced houses.’
80 Won Per Hour For Parking Bicycle
The price for parking bicycles, which the parking lot appeared in the market around a Sino-Korean border city is 50 North Korean won per hour, which is considered to be quite expensive. In market place, however, the space is not wide enough to bring bicycle, and near the market place it is hard to avoid robbery even though they fasten a lock. For such reasons there are many merchants who pay expensive price and park their bicycles in the “bicycle parking lots.”
Recently, the handcarts rentals also appeared in the North Korea markets, where you can rent a cart to transport goods by paying the fee of 2000won per every 2km.
Prices in Huiryeong Increasing Again
Meanwhile, the price which recoiled while the harvest time last year is going up again since January of this year. In Huiryeong the price of rice that was 750 won on January had increased to 930 won, oil 2500 won per a 500ml bottle, bean 650 won per 1Kg, corn 550 won per 1Kg, sticky rice is 1200 won per 1Kg. Furthermore, woods for fire (wood about 7-8cm diameter, 40cm length) are 100won for a bunch of ten pieces.
Following are the recent market prices in Huiryeong, released from
[food prices]
Salt 1kg : 200won
Soybean paste 1kg : 400won
Soy sauce 1kg : 200won
Garlic (100 pieces) : 6500won
Paper powder 1kg : 6000won
Kim chi 1kg : 200 won
Seasoning : 450 won
Sugar powder : 1500 won
Dual face fish : 850 won
Pollack 1kg : 2500 won
Common octopus(squid)1kg : 1500 won
Shall 1kg : 6000 won
Sea crap 1kg : 400-1000 won
Pork meat 1kg : 2500 won
[Shoes and underwear]
Shoes for children : 1500-2000won
High quality shoes for children : 4000-5000won
Shoes : 6000-7500won
Domestic winter shoes : 2000won
High Quality shoes : 5000won
Shoes for adults : 30000won
Socks : 500-600 won
Cotton socks : 700-800 won
Summer socks for adults : 1500 won
Hat : 1000-2000 won
Bag for rice : 150-450 won
Wallpaper : 150 won
[Liquor and sweets]
Home brew 1 bottle(500g) : 180won
Pack liquor from China 1 bottle : 250won
Liquor from factory 1bottle : 500won
1 Can of beer : 500won
A bottle of beer(650ml) : 1000won
Apple 1kg : 850won
Candies 1kg : 2000won
A bottle of juice : 500won
A bottle of juice from china : 800won
Cookies 1kg : 1600-1800won
[Cosmetics]
Lotion : 1500 won
Hair oil : 1000won
Three sides mirror : 15,000won
Towel : 800won
Toothpaste : 300won
Toothbrush : 350won
Workbook(Pulp paper) : 300won
Workbook(high quality paper) : 500won
Note for adults : 1500won
[Cooking Equipments]
Electronic cooker : 25,000won
Dipper : 600won
Bowl : 2500won
Stainless steel bowl : 4500won
[medicine]
Painkiller from China
1 pill : 25won
A bottle of penicillin : 250won
A bottle of mycin : 3000won
[Electronics]
Color TV : 200,000-300,000 won
Black and whiteTV : 60,000 won
Video player : 50,000won
CD player : 80,000won
