N. Korea resumes trading with China in more than a year

North Korea limitedly resumed resource trading with China recently, revolving around the border areas. It seems that the North began “unofficial” trading while keeping the border officially closed to console residents who have complaints built up due to the lack of daily necessities. Pyongyang has closed off the border for longer than a year for fear that COVID-19 would spread. Some interpret this as a signal that the two countries started to tighten up coordination for the coming 60th year of signing an amicable treaty on July 11.

According to a South Korean government source on Friday, some resources have been exchanged in late June in trading hubs including Dandong, Liaoning province in China. The source added that the exchange was done by land in a very limited level using trucks and other vehicles.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com