Smugglers in North Hamgyong province have been working overtime importing accessories from China this summer, driven by surging demand among young people who are eager to accessorize their lighter summer outfits. The accessories trade has become particularly lucrative because authorities rarely crack down on jewelry—unless it’s shaped like a cross or other religious symbol.
A Daily NK source in North Hamgyong province reported recently that smugglers in Hoeryong, Rason, and other border areas “have been frantically importing Chinese-made accessories recently as orders from marketplace jewelry vendors have exploded with summer’s arrival.”
The demand surge is particularly strong among young women, who want to enhance their appearance when wearing lighter, more revealing summer clothing. Market vendors have responded by placing continuous orders with smugglers for accessories in various designs and styles.
Even smugglers who traditionally dealt in general merchandise like flashlights and premium lighters have pivoted to jewelry smuggling due to the flood of orders from marketplace merchants.
“Chinese-made earrings and necklaces come in all kinds of shapes, they sparkle beautifully in the sunlight, and they’re relatively cheap, so young women love them,” the source explained. “Young women are constantly shopping for accessories in the marketplace because they can make themselves look more sophisticated without spending much money.”
Chinese-made accessories like earrings and necklaces sell for between 5 and 15 Chinese yuan ($0.70-$2.10) in Hoeryong’s markets—a relatively affordable price point that has fueled their popularity.
“If you wear what you want, you could get in trouble with the authorities because they’re really cracking down on fashion, so most young women stick to earrings or necklaces since they rarely get hassled about those unless they’re cross-shaped,” the source said. “People think women without accessories look unstylish or don’t know how to present themselves well.”
The social pressure to accessorize has become so intense that even struggling parents feel compelled to buy jewelry for their daughters. Parents with daughters in their twenties try to purchase at least one or two accessories, regardless of their financial situation.
“Everyone’s watching, so mothers worry if their daughter is the only one without accessories when all the other girls are wearing them,” the source explained.
The source shared the story of a woman in her forties from Hoeryong who supports her family through market work. Despite her family’s poverty—they struggle to put food on the table—she spent 20 yuan ($2.80) on matching earrings and 25 yuan ($3.50) on a necklace for her teenage daughter. The mother had grown envious watching other families adorn their daughters with such accessories.
However, the affordable jewelry comes with significant drawbacks. Since the accessories sold in markets are made from low-quality metal, they discolor and rust after just one or two wearings. Many users also experience inflammation and allergic reactions from the cheap materials.
“To avoid the hassle of having to apply medicine when you take your earrings out at night, you could buy earrings with some gold mixed in, but they cost several hundred yuan, so only wealthy people can afford them,” the source noted. “People who wear expensive jewelry don’t suffer side effects like ear infections the way people with cheap accessories do, so you can tell how well-off a woman or her family is just by looking at her earrings and necklace.”
The jewelry trade has essentially created a visible class divide, where a woman’s economic status can be immediately determined by the quality of her accessories and whether she suffers from the telltale signs of cheap metal allergies.
