North Korea is smuggling used vehicles, including four-door trucks and motorcycles, into Hyesan. These vehicles are in high demand among private businesspeople who use them to transport goods.
“State-sanctioned smugglers are bringing used trucks and motorcycles into Hyesan from China. Many of these smuggled vehicles are being sent to other parts of the country,” a source in Ryanggang province told Daily NK recently.
According to the source, smuggling operations were temporarily halted while China tightened border controls during the “Two Sessions” (meetings of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference) from March 4 to 11.
However, since operations resumed on March 14, large numbers of used trucks and motorcycles have been flowing into Hyesan. The source explained that these vehicles are relatively easy for smugglers to transport and generate decent profits due to steady demand inside North Korea.
Used trucks currently sell for 55,000–65,000 Chinese yuan ($7,600–$9,000) and used motorcycles for 7,000–10,000 yuan ($970–$1,380) in Hyesan. Smugglers reportedly earn about 2,000–3,000 yuan ($275–$415) per truck and 400 yuan ($55) per motorcycle.
While the profit margin might seem modest per vehicle, it becomes more lucrative when smugglers move ten vehicles at once. This is why they’ve adopted a strategy of moving vehicles in bulk, the source explained.
“Previously, smugglers wouldn’t bother with low-profit ventures. But as illegal business gets increasingly difficult, they’re willing to take on less profitable activities as long as the risks are low,” the source said.
North Koreans in the taxi business are purchasing these smuggled trucks to maximize earnings by transporting both passengers and goods.
“Taxi drivers with sedans struggle to make money when passenger numbers are low. That’s why business owners now prefer trucks, which can transport goods when there are no passengers,” the source said.
Demand for motorcycles has also increased with the arrival of warmer weather.
“It’s too cold in winter to make much money transporting people by motorcycle. But in warmer weather, you can earn good money using your bike as a taxi. That’s likely why more people are buying motorcycles now that the weather has improved,” the source said.
Since the economic hardship of the 1990s known as the “Arduous March,” North Korean women have typically supported their families through business activities in the jangmadang (informal marketplaces). Men usually focused on their poorly paid state-mandated jobs, but widespread economic troubles are now pushing men to contribute financially as well.
“With people struggling to make ends meet, men have become much more serious about earning income. Notably, there’s a growing trend among young people to operate small transportation businesses using trucks or cars,” the source said.
March 31, 2025 at 01:24PM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)