North Korean trading companies are placing sharply higher orders for batteries now that customs clearance has opened between China and North Korea, but strict safety procedures for the fire-prone cargo mean supply still cannot keep pace with demand.
North Korean trading companies have significantly increased their orders for batteries of all kinds in recent weeks, including small and midsize batteries in the 12 to 30 amp-hour range, commonly used in electric bicycles and motorcycles, a source in China said Thursday. Demand has grown alongside the rising popularity of electric bicycles and motorcycles inside North Korea, but has also increased with the number of households and businesses seeking to store solar power.
“Batteries make up a fairly large share of the orders these days,” the source said. “It is not just for electric bicycles and motorcycles, either. A lot of people also want to store solar power at home, so demand keeps climbing.”
In a country where the electrical grid remains unreliable, small and midsize batteries have become essential household items. They power not only transportation but also lighting, LCD televisions and small electronics, according to the source.
Pent-up demand surfaces as trade channels open
Authorities limited official customs clearance for batteries for years, making it hard for North Korean buyers to secure the volume they needed. That changed recently when formal clearance became available to traders, and the backlog of unmet demand is now surfacing all at once, the source explained.
“After the problem of putting food on the table, electricity is what every North Korean covets most,” the source said. “Batteries let people store electricity and use it when they need it. Naturally, a lot of people are eager to get their hands on them.”
Even with official trade channels now open, batteries cannot simply flow freely across the border. The batteries can catch fire from impact or overheating during storage and transport, so Chinese authorities classify them as hazardous cargo, requiring stricter customs procedures than ordinary goods.
A battery awaiting shipment to North Korea recently exploded at a bonded warehouse at China’s Dandong customs house, a border crossing point that handles a large share of China-North Korea trade, the source said. “A battery caught fire while waiting to be shipped out this past July,” the source said. “There have been similar incidents before, both big and small. That is why officials scrutinize batteries more closely than other goods.”
As a result, batteries from multiple North Korean trading companies are now pooled together to reach a set volume. Officials then clear the pooled batteries as a single shipment, rather than sending them out individually as orders come in.
“You cannot just order a few batteries and load them onto any truck,” the source said. “Orders have to be pooled together to build up volume. Traders also have to complete the necessary procedures before customs will clear them, so it is hard to fill individual orders right away.”
The opening of official customs channels has allowed North Korean battery orders to climb quickly, but the cargo’s hazardous classification and the demanding clearance process mean rising demand has not translated into a smooth expansion of supply.
Electric bicycles and motorcycles continue to grow more popular inside North Korea, and more households are also turning to solar panels paired with storage batteries to generate their own electricity. Both trends suggest demand for batteries will remain strong for the foreseeable future.
Reporting from inside North Korea
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September 8, 2026 at 08:29PM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)