North Korean authorities are investigating dozens of people in North Pyongan province who allegedly smuggled goods into the country through ethnic Chinese intermediaries, creating widespread anxiety among those who have used such channels.
According to a Daily NK source in North Pyongan province recently, the Ministry of State Security has been conducting investigations into individuals engaged in so-called ttalbo-jim (favor package) trading since early August. The probe follows a joint inspection of trade companies by the Cabinet’s Ministry of External Economic Affairs and the Ministry of State Security.
The crackdown appears to be an extension of inspections targeting provincial trade organizations, now expanding to include individuals.
“As the state strengthened trade controls and customs enforcement, more individuals began smuggling goods by hiding unauthorized items in personal luggage through ethnic Chinese contacts,” the source said. “The ethnic Chinese have been making money by transporting these favor packages and collecting fees per item.”
Authorities are now summoning people strongly suspected of smuggling goods through ethnic Chinese contacts, along with the ethnic Chinese individuals involved in the scheme.
The Ministry of State Security is conducting detailed interrogations about the number of packages exchanged, specific items and quantities imported, and whether payments were made.
Investigations sweep up casual users
Even people who requested items only once or twice for personal use, as well as those who merely connected others with ethnic Chinese contacts, have become targets of the investigation.
“More than 10 ethnic Chinese individuals have been questioned by the Ministry of State Security, and about 60 people are currently detained on smuggling charges,” the source said. “Anyone who has ever brought in goods through ethnic Chinese contacts is extremely anxious.”
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea has significantly reduced trade autonomy and restructured its trade system by strengthening centralized control. Unauthorized import and export activities by small trade units and individuals have been completely blocked.
This inspection appears aimed at eliminating individual smuggling operations outside state management and control. “It seems the government wants to completely clean up the Chinese contacts and connections to control individual smuggling,” the source said.
Completely eliminating individual smuggling seems impossible, even with continued inspections.
“It’s difficult to make money through only state-approved trade, and importing goods through back channels is more profitable,” the source said. “No matter how much they crack down and control individual smuggling, it won’t be easy to eliminate it completely.”
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