North Koreans living inland have been shocked to see live fish and other seafood in tanks at local markets—a stark contrast to the rarity of finding even frozen seafood outside winter months.
“More stalls have been selling live fish at markets in the province these days. In the past, the most you could expect was dried or salted pollack, herring, mackerel or greenlings. But now live fish are reaching the markets,” a source in South Pyongan province told Daily NK recently.
The appearance of live fish has come as a major surprise to North Koreans, who can hardly imagine fish being supplied without the natural refrigeration of winter weather.
According to the source, the live seafood supplied to markets generally consists of pollack, herring and squid caught off the east coast, along with crabs caught off the west coast.
Vendors are also selling live clams and shrimp from tanks equipped with aerators—yet another sight that would have been unimaginable at this time of year, the source said.
“Many people are pausing in front of the fish tanks to stare at the sea creatures, which are a sight for sore eyes,” the source said.
“It’s really amazing to see fish that are alive—not salted or dried—when the weather is still so mild. Kids living inland have little exposure to ocean animals and, when asked to name some, can barely come up with anchovies or sand lances. This is a great chance for kids to see these ocean animals for themselves,” one North Korean was quoted as saying.
However, the seafood sold at these markets tends to be too expensive for the average person.
Live squid costs 180,000 North Korean won per kilogram; pollack, 70,000 won; herring, 30,000 won; and crabs, 30,000–50,000 won, depending on the variety. With rice available for 25,000 won per kilogram, many North Koreans are hesitant to splurge on seafood.
Even so, there is steady demand for live seafood from wealthier consumers.
“Given faster transportation and more sophisticated storage techniques, it’s now possible to buy live seafood even in the interior. We expect that a greater variety of seafood will reach markets in the future,” the source said.
