North imports record amount of wine and whiskey, despite sanctions

North Korea has imported record quantities of wine and whiskey since loosening restrictions on cross-border rail freight in the past year, according to Chinese customs records.

A freight train crosses the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge over the Yalu River that divided China and North Korea on Sept. 27, 2022. [YONHAP]

North Korea has imported record quantities of wine and whiskey since loosening restrictions on cross-border rail freight in the past year, according to Chinese customs records.

The data, which was examined by Voice of America (VOA), shows that shipments of wine into the North via China from January to September were worth $2.31 million, while whiskey imports in the same period were worth $2.87 million.

Under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, the North is barred from importing luxury goods.

The amount of wine and whiskey imported by the North in the first nine months of the year exceeded previous annual imports, according to the VOA’s analysis of Chinese customs records, which date back to 2001 for wine and 2010 for whiskey.

The data shows that the North spent five times as much on wine between January and September than during all of 2022.

The total amount of whiskey it imported via China this year came to 171,000 liters, outstripping the 70,000 liters it imported in 2022.

The total cost of whiskey, cognac, rum, vodka, tequila and other hard liquors imported between January and September is approximately $5.28 million, according to VOA.

In contrast to South Korea, the United States and Japan, which restrict the export of alcohol to North Korea by categorizing it as a sanctioned luxury good, China has not implemented such restrictions.

Ties with Beijing provide Pyongyang with a vital trade lifeline, and the end of the North’s self-imposed border blockade has coincided with a marked resumption in travel and cargo movements via rail, air and sea.

On Thursday, the website of Beijing Capital International Airport on Thursday began displaying regular flights by Air Koryo, North Korea’s national carrier.

A flight from Sunan International Airport in Pyongyang was shown as arriving in Beijing at 12:30 p.m. and returning to the North at 3:05 p.m.

A previous Air Koryo flight traveled between Pyongyang and Beijing on Tuesday.

According to the North’s state media on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping told North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that he is “willing to make bigger contributions” to “defend the region's peace, stability, development and prosperity,” signaling continuing close ties between the neighbors.

Xi’s remarks were part of his response to Kim’s congratulatory message to mark the 74th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1.

In his letter, Kim pledged to “consolidate” his regime’s ties with Beijing to “safeguard peace and stability in the region and the world.”

According to Pyongyang’s state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Xi told Kim in his response that he was willing to work with the North Korean leader to improve bilateral ties.

“The traditional friendly ties between the two countries have become stronger as time passes,” KCNA quoted Xi saying.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]