Foreign beer and luxury goods spotted in Pyongyang despite UN sanctions

SEOUL – Recent posts by Chinese social media users in Pyongyang have revealed the widespread sale of foreign and luxury goods in North Korean department stores and restaurants, raising questions about the effectiveness of United Nations sanctions.

A video uploaded to the Xiaohongshu platform on Oct 4 by a user claiming to be involved in North Korea-China trade shows aisles of foreign products at Pyongyang’s Ryugyong Golden Plaza, a shopping mall that opened in July 2023.

The user described the footage as a “real look at Pyongyang’s supermarkets”, highlighting brands such as Huawei, Chanel and SK-II as among the most sought-after in the capital.

The video pans across stalls selling Dior, Adidas and Lancome items, all tagged with North Korea’s signature pink price labels.

“Most products are sourced by us (China), who do trade with North Korea,” the user boasted.

Meanwhile, an earlier clip posted on Sept 21 by the same user shows supermarket shelves stocked with Japanese household goods, including a mothball product branded with the English word “Snoopy”.

The character, however, was blacked out with a marker, in a gesture that the user explained was due to the cartoon’s association with the US.

“In North Korea, Snoopy is prohibited from appearing... because (it is) associated with the United States,” read the post in Chinese. “(These elements) like Snoopy are highly taboo in North Korea.”

Another Xiaohongshu user, claiming to be a student in Pyongyang, posted on Aug 29 a close-up of luxury perfume shelves at the Daesung Department Store.

The large shopping complex is reportedly operated by the Workers’ Party of Korea’s Room 39, an organisation known for managing the regime’s foreign currency funds.

Perfumes by Gucci, Dior, Bulgari, Chanel and Jo Malone were on display, priced between US$80 (S$100) and US$150.

“In North Korea, it’s easy to find cosmetics from Gucci and Chanel,” the user said in the video, narrating in Korean.

The video also showed the store’s toy section featuring Loopy dolls from Pororo The Little Penguin, a cartoon co-produced by North Korea and South Korea in 2002.

Another post uploaded on Oct 4 by a Chinese student dining in Pyongyang showed a receipt listing imported beverages, including a bottle of Mexican lager Corona for US$3.40 and two bottles of Japanese Asahi for US$2.80 each.

“Is this restaurant just for foreigners?” asked one commenter.

The sale of luxury goods and alcoholic beverages to North Korea violates United Nations Security Council Resolution 2356, which bans such exports.

Nonetheless, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his family have

frequently been spotted with luxury items

.

Mr Kim was seen in August 2024 riding what appeared to be a Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 sport utility vehicle worth about US$200,000. His daughter, believed to be named Ju Ae, has worn Dior, while his sister, Ms Kim Yo Jong, also carried a Dior handbag in 2023.

Separately, another Chinese student posted that a dormitory for foreign students in Pyongyang hosted a lavish banquet on Oct 10 to mark the

80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea

. Students reportedly enjoyed a feast while watching a military parade on television and singing karaoke.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Pyongyang to attend celebrations for the anniversary, marking the first visit by China’s No. 2 leader to the reclusive state in 16 years. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK