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North Korea’s economy defies easy categorization — a nominally socialist system hollowed out by decades of mismanagement and sanctions, sustained by a sprawling informal market economy that the regime alternately tolerates and suppresses. Daily NK covers the North Korea economy through ground-level price tracking, foreign currency monitoring, reporting on economic policy directives, and analysis of how ordinary North Koreans navigate an environment of chronic scarcity and institutional dysfunction. Our market data — collected through a network of in-country sources — provides economic intelligence on the DPRK unavailable anywhere else in English.

North Korea pushes forward with massive tideland reclamation projects

Since the time of Kim Il Sung, North Korea has sought to compensate for its mountainous terrain and shortage of arable land through tideland...

Kim Jong Un prioritizes weapons technology over economic gains from Ukraine...

A memorial for the war in Ukraine is under construction in the Hwasong district of Pyongyang. Kim Jong Un broke ground on the project...

North Korea orders youth to lead final push on five-year plan...

Socialist Patriotic Youth League organizations are conducting large-scale ideological campaigns at factories, but young workers react indifferently to calls for double shifts and overtime...

N. Korean rice prices plunge 30% as foreign exchange rates stabilize...

Rice has fallen from record highs above 30,000 won per kilogram to around 21,500 won and held steady for nearly a month, reflecting decreased...

Cash remains king: Why North Koreans resist Pyongyang’s digital payment push

North Korea is holding public lectures encouraging electronic payment adoption, but citizens remain hesitant due to concerns about government surveillance and policy instability. A source...

Fur and famine: N. Korea’s elite flout luxury bans as workers...

North Korea’s elite women are flaunting luxury fur coats worth millions of won—enough to buy a provincial home or feed a family for years—while...

North Korea’s price freeze in Kangwon province disrupts local markets

North Korea's Kangwon province is enforcing a strict ban on market vendors setting prices for products made at local factories, causing disruptions to market...

N. Korea bans trade officials from carrying cash abroad as foreign...

The North Korean authorities have intensified controls on trade officials who carry out or bring in foreign exchange, such as dollars or Chinese yuan,...

Self-reliance campaign forces vendors away from markets during crucial winter selling...

As business slows to a trickle at North Korea's informal marketplaces, North Koreans are complaining about being constantly called up for mandatory community service...

N. Korea expands Russia partnership beyond military ties, eyes energy and...

North Korea is signaling its intention to transform ties with Russia into an "economic alliance" centered on energy, food and resources ahead of the...

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