Tag: food
South Hwanghae grain store managers escape punishment after hiking rice prices
Managers of state-run grain stores in North Korea's South Hwanghae province pushed rice prices well above market rates in September 2026. Provincial authorities summoned...
North Korea’s market rice prices fall as yuan exchange rate plunges
Rice prices in North Korea's informal markets, known as jangmadang, continued falling in September 2026 after a stretch of national holidays boosted grain supplies...
Pork prices near record 160,000 won per kilogram in North Korea
Pork has become one of the most expensive staples in North Korea since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, with prices now so high...
North Korea’s rice prices fall for the first time in two...
North Korean market prices are showing signs of cooling in 2026. The price of domestically grown rice fell for the first time in more...
North Korea rice prices hit 17-year high as corn costs surge
Rice prices in North Korea climbed to their highest level since the country's 2009 currency redenomination in mid-August 2026, according to Daily NK's latest...
North Korea farm workers caught between contradictory orders
Farm workers in North Korea are voicing complaints after getting caught between two contradictory directives amid record heat. One directive calls for preventing crop...
Soaring prices squeeze North Korea’s vulnerable households
Rising food prices and exchange rates in North Korea are sharply eroding the purchasing power of vulnerable households. Prices have climbed sharply, but incomes...
Hyesan school shifts cooking exam costs to students
A technical senior middle school* in Hyesan, Ryanggang province, is drawing parent complaints over a new requirement. Students in its hotel cuisine class had...
N. Korea rice prices hit record high as exchange rate climbs
Rice prices in North Korean markets have surged to a record high in July 2026. The spike follows a brief lull earlier this month,...
A teen’s vow to catch leeches moves North Koreans to tears
A high school sophomore in Hyesan, Ryanggang province, recently finished mandatory military training. The training is run by the Red Youth Guard, a paramilitary...
