Ryanggang province occupies the mountainous northern interior of North Korea, bordering China’s Jilin Province along the upper Yalu River. Home to Hyesan — Daily NK’s most closely covered city — Ryanggang province is a focal point of our ground-level reporting on border trade, smuggling, market conditions, and the reach of the regime’s enforcement apparatus into remote communities. Despite its geographic isolation, Ryanggang province has long been a hub of informal economic activity and cross-border exchange, making it one of the most important windows into the realities of life in the DPRK.
Tag: Ryanggang province
North Korea pushes fourth weeding round, straining mobilized workers
North Korean authorities are demanding a fourth round of rural weeding this year, up from the usual three, mobilizing workplaces, neighborhood units and students...
Coal towns welcome North Korea housing plan
North Korea's plan to modernize coal mining towns nationwide is stirring hope among people living in some of the country's most run-down housing in...
North Korea rice prices drop nearly 20%
Rice prices in North Korean markets fell by nearly 20% in early July 2026, a Daily NK survey found, as seasonal supplies of alternative...
Satellite images reveal flooded rail line in Ryanggang province
I analyzed high-resolution satellite imagery of Paekam county, in North Korea's Ryanggang province, and found that a hydroelectric dam has flooded part of a...
Smugglers in Hyesan take up Chinese lessons
North Korean smugglers in their 30s and 40s are rushing to learn Chinese in 2026. The trend is driven by a string of financial...
North Korea inspects banks over loan collusion
North Korean authorities have launched sweeping inspections of bank loan practices in 2026. The goal is to root out possible collusion between banks and...
North Korea vehicle smuggling stalls after fee hike
North Korea has restarted state-led smuggling along its border with China. But vehicle smugglers say a sudden fee hike has brought their business to...
Homemade beer outsells state brands in North Korea
North Korea beer is losing out at home to homemade craft brews and Chinese imports. Even so, the country's state trading companies are pushing...
Security officers brawl over lecturer at North Korea’s Mount Paekdu revolutionary...
Two male security officers stationed near North Korea's Mount Paekdu revolutionary historic sites came to blows in June 2026 over a female lecturer assigned...
Stricter border controls leave Hyesan foragers with nowhere to sell their...
Tightened border controls along North Korea's frontier with China have effectively shut down the mushroom smuggling trade in Ryanggang province in 2026, cutting off...
