March 20, 2023
News

Red wine and champagne, anyone? North Korea touts its domestically-made booze

Growing North Korean interest in domestically made wines could be linked to sanctions hurdles to foreign imports

North Korea has a long history of making its own alcohol, reportedly sourcing everything from ginseng, pine mushrooms and black rice to fire ants or even tiger bones.

Now, the country seems to be upping its stake in producing domestic bottles of red and white: North Korea recently promoted a local vineyard, winery and a shortened wine-aging process in the latest edition of its internationally-facing Foreign Trade magazine.