Learning what is happening inside North Korea is harder now than ever. Only a limited number of foreigners, such as Russian and Chinese tourists, are allowed to enter the country. Inside North Korea, surveillance and control of personal cell phone use have also intensified, to the point that simply taking photos outdoors can make someone the subject of an investigation. If authorities learn that a person has sent photos abroad, that person could be suspected of being a political criminal. Despite these risks, ASIAPRESS reporting partners living in North Korea and China have sent valuable photos that capture slices of North Koreans’ daily lives. Here are 11 photos taken inside North Korea in June. (HONG Mari / KANG Ji-won)
◆ Raw materials for wigs and eyelashes
What is in this photo?
These are raw materials for wigs: bundles of human hair and wool. A reporting partner in Jilin Province, China, photographed them in June before they were exported to North Korea. Why are they being sent there?
According to trade statistics released monthly by Chinese customs authorities, China’s top export to North Korea in August 2026 was “processed human hair, and wool and similar materials used for wigs and similar products.” Meanwhile, its top import from North Korea was “wigs, false beards, eyebrows, and other products made from human hair.”
In other words, North Korea is engaged in consignment processing trade: it receives materials such as human hair and wool from China, finishes the products by hand, and sends them back to China. This trade emerged as an alternative after the UN Security Council tightened sanctions on North Korea in 2017, blocking exports of mineral resources such as coal and iron ore. Since late 2022, it has ranked among North Korea’s top exports.
In North Korea, this kind of consignment work is called “processing-for-hire,” and it is done mainly by women. Wigs and eyelashes are the representative export products.
According to a reporting partner in Ryanggang Province in northern North Korea, making one wig earns 35,000–42,000 won (about 0.5-0.6 USD), but it takes 7–10 days to complete.
※ 10,000 North Korean won is approximately 0.14 USD (as of October 2, 2026)
◆ Tulips and sunflowers: adorable knitted dolls
The cute knitted dolls shown next are also made through processing-for-hire. Workers reportedly receive 0.3 yuan (about 0.05 USD) for each finished piece.
※ 1 yuan is approximately 0.15 USD (as of October 13, 2026)
The piece rate for this flower decoration is reportedly 0.2 yuan (about 0.03 USD).
