North Korean beer in Sariwon on Sept. 8, 2015 | Image: NK News
A Chinese businessman with big dreams for trade with the DPRK recently opened an exhibition for merchants looking to buy and sell North Korean products, a sign that he has had to scale back his ambitions after plans to establish a special economic zone in Sinuiju fell through due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The trader, whose North Korean passport lists his name as Ho Nyong, uploaded a video heralding the arrival of over a hundred new North Korean products into China last week on Chinese social media.
A Chinese businessman with big dreams for trade with the DPRK recently opened an exhibition for merchants looking to buy and sell North Korean products, a sign that he has had to scale back his ambitions after plans to establish a special economic zone in Sinuiju fell through due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The trader, whose North Korean passport lists his name as Ho Nyong, uploaded a video heralding the arrival of over a hundred new North Korean products into China last week on Chinese social media.
Get the Daily Update
Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most –
Ethan Jewell is a Seoul-based correspondent for NK News focused on sanctions, trade and maritime issues. He previously worked as an investigations and intelligence specialist for Pinkerton Comprehensive Risk Management and as a research intern for the Brookings Institution's Center for East Asia Policy Studies.