North Korea’s largest international trade exhibition, previously set to take place at the end of May, has been postponed indefinitely, two partner trade expo companies told NK News this week.

The revelation follows widespread speculation from event partners in recent weeks that the May 25-29 Pyongyang Spring International Trade Fair would be canceled or postponed due to ongoing travel restrictions imposed under North Korea’s COVID-19 prevention measures. 

Additionally, one Chinese expo organizer told NK News on Tuesday that another, smaller trade fair focused on science and technology scheduled for the end of this month in Pyongyang has also been postponed.

News of another event set for the end of April in Chongjin, the second major international trade expo for the city since the first was held last October, is also likely still in doubt due to the coronavirus, but its fate could not be determined.

Kent Han, Deputy Managing Director with the Beijing Joy Space Exhibition Co., Ltd, said on Tuesday that his company “received postpone[ment] notice from the organiser of May-trade-fair, saying it might be postponed to July.”

Han’s company helps recruit Chinese participants for various trade events in Pyongyang by selling booth space and assisting with shipping arrangements.

“Confirmation will be given by them in early May,” he added, referring to the DPRK organizer of the Pyongyang International Trade Fair (PITF) events in May and September.

This organization was earlier this year listed under the Trade of DPR Korea website — known to be operated by North Korea’s Ministry of External Economic Relations — as the Korea External Economic Exchange Association.

Their email address, however, was still listed as associated with the Korea International Exhibition Corporation (KIEC), which a UN sanctions panel recommended for designation by the Security Council in 2017 for “having assisted designated entities in the evasion of sanctions” through the trade fairs.

Another partner organizer, the Ex-Easy Network & Technology Co., also informed NK News on Monday that the May trade fair had indeed been postponed.

Company representative Qi Chen Gang, who is listed in the official DPRK trade website’s trade fair schedule this year as an official contact, said that he received notice some weeks ago but had also not been informed of a new date.

Meanwhile, another event, the Pyongyang International Science & Technology Expo originally scheduled for April 20-24, has also been postponed to August 31-September 4, Han from Joy Space Exhibitions said.

This event is organized on the DPRK side by the Pyongyang Sci-Tech Complex.

Several events focusing on different sectors such as health equipment, foodstuffs, and textiles — with primarily Chinese company participation — are scheduled to be held at that time as opposed to their being more spread out in 2019. 

Regardless of the confirmation provided by Chinese partners this week on the postponement of the upcoming trade fairs, significant developments in North Korea’s COVID-19 policies would have to have been made in order for the events to go forward.

As of April 8, a ban on tourism and other travel to the DPRK from abroad which was enacted in late January had yet to be lifted, as tour industry leaders also told NK News this week there are no signs of a change in policy any time soon.

Edited by Oliver Hotham