Some vendors at North Korean marketplaces are struggling to make a living, sometimes going days without a single sale. Business has collapsed due to soaring prices and empty wallets.
“Vendors at Hamhung marketplaces have been feeling the pinch lately. Several have quit after failing to sell anything for days,” a source in South Hamgyong province told Daily NK recently.
“Vendors selling hand-wrapped cigarettes are nervously considering new lines of work. The working-class people who typically buy these cigarettes are so broke they’ve stopped smoking entirely. Some vendors barely see any customers during a full day at their stalls,” the source said.
Hand-wrapped cigarettes currently sell by the kilogram at Hamhung marketplaces for 105,000 to 250,000 North Korean won, depending on quality. Just months ago, the same cigarettes sold for 60,000-150,000 won, but prices have risen around 70% due to inflation driven by soaring exchange rates.
“When people complained about bad business before, it meant they hadn’t sold much, not that they hadn’t sold anything at all. When even daily necessities aren’t selling well, cigarettes obviously aren’t moving,” the source said.
Desperation spreads to other markets
A similar situation exists in Hyesan, Ryanggang province.
“Market vendors nowadays all look like they’ve been to a funeral. Business is especially poor at cigarette stalls,” said a source in the province.
“When a customer appears, vendors swarm around hawking their wares, which annoys customers. Vendors have resorted to begging people to buy because their livelihood depends on sales,” the source said.
A vendor in her 50s at Hungso Market in Hamhung recalled going three days without any sales. “It was the first time since starting my business that I wore myself out just waiting for customers,” she said.
The vendor added that even when customers visit, they often want to buy on credit, leaving her without cash.
Vendors are desperate because their children’s next meal depends on market income. These markets once offered not only a livelihood but a path to wealth. Today, vendors struggle just to survive, sources said.
“Just a few years ago, marketplaces weren’t this desperate. People with stalls didn’t worry about living expenses. But market income has plummeted, stoking fears among vendors nationwide,” the source said.
“There’s frequent talk about how tough things have gotten — people joke that only thieves and robbers will survive winter. The government constantly brags about public happiness, but people find it harder to make a living. They may not show it, but discontent grows daily.”
