DailyNK, a news site based in South Korea that focuses on North Korean activities, recently reported, based on its own sources, that the North Korean authorities suddenly ordered a ban on Chinese products in the retail market, especially Chinese food products and home appliances. The current ban does not include Chinese “industrial products.” Typically, this type of ban only applies to South Korean products. The ban started in late December in some regions and is now widespread. However, most of the products in the North Korean markets are made in China, especially food and daily necessities. A large number of people complained that the ban is too “reckless,” and it is very hard to fill the market gaps with domestic products in a short period of time. Anonymous sources said that the primary goals of the Chinese product ban are to demonstrate “confidence” and also to tell people the danger of depending on nations that “help the United States.” The ban is causing major damage to those who rely on trade with China for a living. In many areas, law enforcement officers have not fully implemented the government’s policies; they have a dependency on Chinese products as well.
Source: DailyNK, January 25, 2018
http://www1.dailynk.com/chinese/read.php?num=15926&cataId=nk00600