In Tumen, hawkers find N.Korean leader pins a tough sell | NK News
NK News Logo
November 13, 2024
NK News is hiring
News

In Tumen, hawkers find N.Korean leader pins a tough sell

Traders suspect Pyongyang cracking down on those seeking to profit off leaders' likenesses

TUMEN, China – Hawkers of North Korean souvenirs in this Chinese border town have been raising prices of official lapel pins depicting the Kim family, as fewer North Koreans trade them illicitly for cash, local businesspeople told NK News.

North Koreans are forced to wear the lapel pins, which feature images of the country’s founder Kim Il Sung and his successor Kim Jong Il, as an expression of devotion to the regime. But in Tumen, the local traders who buy the pins from visiting North Korean officials have long sold them as kitsch tourist items – along with North Korean money, cigarettes and alcohol.

Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.