North Korea-China Trade Hits Highest August Level Since Sanctions Took Full Effect; Exports to China Surge 61%
- Input
- 2026-09-19 09:38:58
- Updated
- 2026-09-19 09:38:58
According to Voice of America (VOA) on the 19th, an analysis of August trade statistics from China's General Administration of Customs showed that total exports and imports between North Korea and China stood at approximately $237.88 million (about 330.2 billion won) last month. The figure was up 3.7% from $229.36 million in July and 30.9% from $181.71 million in August last year.
This was the largest August trade volume since sanctions against North Korea began to be fully enforced. North Korea-China trade reached $604.26 million in August 2017, but fell sharply to $219.86 million in the same month the following year as the impact of UNSC sanctions intensified. It recovered to $236.38 million in August 2019, and this year's figure surpassed that level.
North Korean exports to China drove the expansion in trade. North Korea exported goods worth $55.03 million to China last month, up 24% from $44.37 million a month earlier. Compared with the $34.09 million recorded in the same month last year, the increase reached 61.4%.
This was the first time North Korea's monthly exports to China had exceeded $50 million since August 2017. Given that North Korea's August exports to China generally remained in the $10 million-to-$20 million range during the period of sanctions, the recent increase is particularly notable.
By contrast, the value of goods North Korea imported from China edged down from the previous month. Imports from China totaled $182.85 million last month, down 1.1% from $184.98 million in July. However, the figure was still 23.9% higher than the $147.61 million recorded in August last year.
North Korea-China trade this year has also approached $2 billion. The two countries' cumulative trade from January through August totaled $1.97393 billion, putting it just short of the $2 billion mark.
[email protected] Yoon Hong-jip Reporter