Tag: border
One year later: North Korea’s tale of two recoveries
In late July last year, the Yalu River flooded for the first time in 60 years, devastating three northern provinces: North Pyongan, Jagang, and...
N. Korea’s hydroelectric gamble: When climate meets ideology
Hydroelectric power stations built along tributaries of the Yalu River suffered varying degrees of harm during last summer's record floods, with some facilities being...
North Korean agents pressure Chinese phone users as quarterly reviews loom
State security agents in North Korea's border region are ramping up efforts to catch Chinese mobile phone users ahead of their upcoming quarterly performance...
North Korean police launch “show” raids on illegal lodgings to collect...
Police in Hyesan, Ryanggang province, recently launched surprise accommodation inspections targeting households in several neighborhood watch units. However, the inspections were designed primarily to...
Landmines to cameras: North Korea’s defense ministry inspects entire China border...
North Korea is conducting a month-long inspection of its entire border with China as part of completing a five-year campaign to completely seal the...
From restaurants to IT: How China is restricting North Korean business...
While relations between North Korea and China seem to be improving, things aren't quite back to normal. The Chinese government is now restricting North...
Border traders lose thousands as three-wheel vehicle middlemen go rogue
Border smugglers are making good money importing three-wheel vehicles called sambari into North Korea, but some are getting burned by intermediaries who vanish with...
N. Korea’s luxury shopping spree raises eyebrows in Chinese markets
A surge of North Korean trading company officials has descended on Chinese cities this month, snapping up European furniture, widescreen TVs, and other high-end...
Chinese factories fuel North Korea’s underground electronics market
Small electronics factories are sprouting up across Chinese border towns, quietly manufacturing devices specifically for North Korean consumers. These operations produce everything from portable...
N. Korean workers accept reduced wages as job opportunities vanish
North Koreans in Sinuiju who have been engaged in processing work are facing economic difficulties as Chinese processing orders have significantly decreased compared to...
