Unification Media Group (UMG) : It’s time for this week’s North Korea news round-up. I’m here with reporter Kang Mi Jin from Daily NK. What do you have to share with us today?
Kang Mi Jin (Kang): Lately, there have been lectures all across the country delivered in various places like factories and businesses to try and increase awareness of transportation laws. According to sources in North Korea, the number of buses and passenger vehicles has been steadily increasing over the past few years, leading to a rise in traffic accidents. The prevention of such accidents has become an important social issue in North Korea.
Sources in Kangwon Province in particular have reported that the increasing number of truck and passenger car accidents is becoming a hot topic for the North Korean government. The North Korean Traffic Management Authority in charge of these accidents is targeting schools and residents with informative lectures to teach people about about the traffic laws.
UMG: In a recent video taken inside North Korea, you can see that the number of cars on the streets has increased when compared to the past. Can you elaborate on exactly what type of traffic law education is being taught in the lectures?
Kang: Our sources reported that local transportation offices have been dispatching personnel to schools, colleges, preschools and other institutions to teach the basics of traffic law. They’re saying that props are being used in these presentations as well.
Traffic officials in charge of the lectures are using a video recording called, “Let’s follow traffic laws.” These lectures focus not only on motor vehicles but also emphasize traffic laws as they apply to bicycles.
UMG: Seeing as bicycles are one of the most common modes of transportation for North Koreans, it seems like this is a step in the right direction. Hasn’t the sale of bicycles in markets been on the rise recently?
Kang: Yes, bikes are quickly rising in popularity in North Korea. Not only are they being sold in the market, but there is also a large number being smuggled in from overseas as well. You could go so far as to say that bikes are becoming an essential commodity in North Korea.
Keeping up with this trend, bicycle parts and accessories are also making their way into the markets in increasing numbers as well. Considering the tough economic situation in North Korea, if a bike breaks down, people will attempt to repair it instead of buy a new one. Due to the wide availability of parts in the market, repairing a bike is a viable option.
UMG: Hearing about this makes me think of the old saying, “You can find anything in the market in North Korea except for cat horns.” Can you tell me what bicycle parts you might be able to find in the market today?
You can find just about anything. Our source told us that there are bike seats, tires, chains, pedals, tubes, brake handles, baskets, and even various holder attachments available. There are quite a few people that will buy used bikes, replace the basic components and then use them like brand new. I like to think this is a great example of the ability of North Koreans to be innovative while using as little money as possible.
UMG: Can you tell me what the average price for a bike is nowadays?
Kang: It depends on a number of factors. First you have to look at whether the bike is new or used, and then on the country of manufacture. There are North Korean, Japanese, and Chinese bikes flooding the market. We looked at prices across markets in Hyesan, Ryanggang Province, and for the most part the prices seemed pretty similar to each other.
A new Chinese bicycle sells for approximately 450,000-530,000 KPW where as new ones can range from 820,000 up to 6 million KPW. Electric bikes generally fetch 500,000-600,000 KPW on the low end and 5-6 million KPW on the expensive end.
UMG: Let’s take a look at some other trends in the market in North Korea next.
Kang: Yes, let’s talk about seasonal and non-seasonal goods. When it starts to get colder in October, a lot of seasonal goods like ice-cream and cold noodles start to disappear. It also becomes harder and harder to find some vegetables like radish and spinach.
Thanks to the advent and wide use of greenhouse farming in South Korea, there are few goods that can’t be bought year-round. In contrast, North Korea is very reliant on seasons, with a great variation in available produce throughout the year.
For example, some goods that can be easily found in the fall months include plastic film/covers, socks, gloves, and long john underwear. This is especially true for plastic film/covers which have a very strong sales performance during this time.
Another product that sells well in the fall are home appliances. This is due to large purchases being made by those preparing appliances for the new year or those getting married and moving into new houses.
UMG: It seems like there’s quite a big change in the types of goods that are sold as the weather gets colder. Can you tell me about the fruit market?
Kang: There are several types of fruit that make their way in and out of the markets in the colder months. White apricots, peaches, grapes, and pears that are hard to store and preserve become increasingly harder to find. Tropical fruits like bananas and pineapples are sold throughout the year. North Korean apples are also preserved and later sold during the winter months as well. Many fruits are being frozen and stored during the winter season, for later release into the market during the spring and fall.
Sometimes even these frozen fruits will find their way into the market during the winter months. Eating apples thawed in water is just as refreshing as taking a dip under a waterfall. In my house growing up, we would occasionally take frozen apples and eat them while secretly watching South Korean dramas. Eating them would ease our hearts and make our worries about getting caught watching the dramas go away.
*Translated by Brian Boyle
