North Korea-China trade slowed considerably in the second quarter this year, newly released customs data shows, as the DPRK’s COVID-19 outbreak appeared to pump the brakes on steadily rising bilateral trade.

According to China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC), official trade between the two countries totaled just $21.8 million in June, slightly up from $20 million in May when state media first announced the nationwide omicron outbreak. 

Prior to the outbreak, North Korea-China trade had steadily recovered from just $1 million per month in early 2021 to over $100 million in April alone.

Data shows a rapid decline in Chinese