N. Korea’s rice imports from China surge in September

North Korea imported the largest amount of rice from China on a monthly basis in September since the launch of the Kim Jong Un regime, the Voice of America reported on Thursday. According to the analysis of China’s General Administration of Customs by Kwon Tae-jin, director of East Asia research at GS&J Institute, North Korea imported 18,477 tons of rice and other grains in September. The number was about 2.7 times higher than that of October (6,954 tons) and about six times higher than the figure in the same period of last year (3,158 tons). In particular, the North purchased 16,000 tons of rice from China in September, exceeding the combined amount for the first eight months of this year (14,000 tons). It is estimated that soaring rice imports from China are intended to stabilize rice prices as the stock is on the decline.

Yu-Jong Lee pen@donga.com