Tag: wealthy
Pyongyang schools demand parents pay for new desk mandate
Surprise inspections of desk and chair conditions are underway at schools throughout Pyongyang. Meanwhile, parents are expressing frustration as the costs of replacing school...
N. Korean parents spend rice money on uniforms as state-supplied clothing...
North Korean middle and high school students are increasingly buying fabric at markets to make custom uniforms because the quality of state-supplied uniforms is...
Pyongyang women shell out $300 monthly to dodge field work
Women in North Korea's capital city are competing intensely to join special "home industry" organizations that provide an official escape from mandatory farm work...
State security agency drives North Korea’s emerging vehicle rental business
North Korea has begun piloting car rental services in Pyongyang's Hwasong district, signaling efforts to develop new service industries.
Former vehicle repair centers are transforming...
Empty wallets: North Korean farmers struggle as loan sources dry up
North Korean agricultural officials are scrambling to secure funding for farming supplies as the growing season gets into full swing. However, wealthy North Koreans...
Two faces of Pyongyang: Trendy restaurants and hungry beggars highlight growing...
Homeless beggars have recently begun appearing in greater numbers around Pyongyang's upscale restaurants.
A Daily NK source in Pyongyang reported recently that as children of...
S. Korean cosmetics gain popularity among middle-class N. Korean women
North Korean women are now sacrificing basic necessities to acquire South Korean cosmetics, once accessible only to the wealthy elite.
According to a source from...
Privilege and fashion: How N. Korea’s elite children copy Kim Jong...
North Korean students, particularly those from privileged backgrounds, are increasingly imitating the style of Kim Ju Ae, daughter of leader Kim Jong Un. Parents...
Knee-length leather coats: N. Korea’s latest status symbol for the elite
Knee-length leather coats have become a sartorial trend among young North Koreans, Daily NK has learned.
"Leather coats have recently become a trend among young...
Dual-function battery transformers highlight growing wealth gap in N. Korea
Battery transformers imported from China are gaining popularity among wealthy North Koreans. These dual-purpose devices, which both convert voltage and store electricity, are seeing...
