Thanks to the persistent efforts of North Korean traders, foods and other products made in North Korea are now being exported to China and appearing on store shelves there.
A source in China told Daily NK recently that North Korean traders have been actively seeking outlets for various North Korean products including soy sauce, beverages, beer, hair conditioner, and soap.
These traders are intensifying their export efforts. They’re promoting food products made with natural ingredients and pure water, and working to persuade Chinese retailers to stock their goods.
Traders are looking to expand into overseas markets due to the challenges of turning a profit domestically.
Currently, North Korean products can be found in stores across parts of Liaoning and Jilin provinces, areas where North Korean traders have established a significant presence.
Daily NK photographed several North Korean products—including hair conditioner, soy sauce, and beverages—on sale at a store in Dandong, Liaoning province.
The North Korean items displayed on the Chinese store’s shelves included Mount Kumgang Conditioner, made by the Mount Kumgang Joint Venture; Pyongyang Fermented Soy Sauce, produced at the Taedonggang Food Factory; Corn Soda from the Rason Ryongson General Processing Factory; and 500ml bottles of black tea produced in Namsa village, Rangrang district, Pyongyang.
The label on a bottle of Pyongyang Fermented Soy Sauce shows production information including date and shelf life. This particular bottle was apparently produced on December 16, 2024. With a recommended shelf life of six months, it’s approaching its expiration date.
All North Korean products display state-issued identification codes. Mount Kumgang Conditioner’s code is 13221:2021, Pyongyang Fermented Soy Sauce is labeled 12755:2019, and Corn Soda bears the code 5640:0214 (Type 1). These codes appear to be North Korea’s method of standardizing domestically manufactured goods.
The 500ml beverage bottles at the Chinese store were priced at 5 Chinese yuan (approximately 1,000 South Korean won), roughly equivalent to Chinese-made drinks.
In contrast, Taedonggang Beer and other North Korean beers were considerably more expensive at around 20 yuan per bottle, compared to inexpensive Chinese beers selling for 10 yuan or less. North Korean soap, marketed as made from entirely natural ingredients, was priced at 15 yuan—double the cost of Chinese-made soap at 6-7 yuan.
“While North Korean products don’t have a huge customer base yet, their beer and soap are popular enough to attract steady buyers. As more profit-seeking North Korean traders look to sell their goods in China, we’ll likely see Chinese stores stocking an increasing variety of North Korean products in the future,” the source predicted.
April 11, 2025 at 12:00PM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)