◆An attempt to switch raw materials from Chinese to Russian
The reporting partner also believes the recent arrival of large quantities of food raw materials from Russia is connected to the ban on Chinese food imports. In North Korea, even domestic products are mostly made with raw materials and packaging imported from China, so many people see "domestic products" as "half-Chinese products." These inputs include grains such as wheat and soybeans, as well as sugar and additives like flavorings.
In other words, the Kim Jong-un regime wants to reduce its dependence on China by sourcing the raw materials for domestic food products from Russia instead.
According to the reporting partner, the import ban is hitting hardest the people looking for high-end food to give as gifts or to serve at weddings, funerals and other family ceremonies. In North Korea, it is customary at weddings and 60th birthday celebrations to cover the table completely with food and take photographs. Even when times were tough, people took it for granted that they would buy (or borrow) Chinese canned goods, liquor, fruit and the like to fill the celebration table, but this is now becoming impossible.
※ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.
