A source told Daily NK on Wednesday that North Korean trading companies had recently brought in large numbers of pet dogs from China. “Maltese, Yorkshire terriers, beagles, and other foreign breeds were loaded into cages and transported from Dandong through Sinuiju,” the source said. Dandong is a Chinese border city that serves as the primary commercial gateway for trade between China and North Korea.
“It’s not just dogs,” the source added. “Cats and parrots are also being brought into the country. The sense is that these are being categorized as consumer goods targeting a specific class in Pyongyang.”
Rare move signals state-backed push into pet market
Among Chinese traders involved in cross-border commerce with North Korea, the scale of the imports has drawn notice. “People are saying it’s very unusual for North Korea to import pet animals and related supplies on this scale,” the source said, adding that those in the trade broadly agree the increase in wealthy dog owners in Pyongyang is the primary driver.
The apparent catalyst was a visit by Kim Jong Un to the “Hwasong Pet Shop” in the newly opened fourth-phase zone of the Hwasong district in Pyongyang. North Korean state media reported in early April 2026 that Kim had toured service facilities ahead of the area’s opening, inspecting operational preparations. Footage and photographs released at the time showed Kim holding a puppy and speaking with his daughter, Ju Ae.
The source said that since Kim’s visit, demand for pet dogs has grown among Pyongyang’s donju — a term referring to North Korea’s newly wealthy entrepreneurial class — as well as among party officials. “This round of imports appears intended to expand pet-related consumption within the bounds of what the state permits,” the source said.
Kim’s public visit to a pet retail facility was itself described by observers as highly unusual. Analysts see the move as serving a dual purpose: projecting an image of an approachable leader while also channeling idle private wealth into state-run commercial outlets.
For years, North Korean authorities characterized pet ownership as a “bourgeois lifestyle” and actively discouraged the practice. The recent policy shift has generated considerable unease inside the country, sources indicate.
Many ordinary North Koreans, already struggling to secure food and basic necessities amid prolonged economic hardship, view pet ownership as an extravagance. Rising market prices and exchange rate instability have sharply eroded purchasing power, making the importation of pet food a particular point of criticism.
Despite that domestic discontent, demand among Pyongyang’s wealthy is expected to continue rising. “Orders keep coming in for all kinds of pets,” the source said. “People say the number of North Koreans who can’t put food on the table is growing — but at the same time, so is the number of wealthy people. Doesn’t that say it all?”
Reporting from inside North Korea
Daily NK operates networks of sources inside North Korea who document events in real-time and transmit information through secure channels. Unlike reporting based on state media, satellite imagery, or defector accounts from years past, our journalism comes directly from people currently living under the regime. We verify reports through multiple independent sources and cross-reference details before publication.
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May 6, 2026 at 06:34PM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)