Since South Korean products are banned, North Koreans cannot talk about them openly at black markets, and use slang expressions instead. (image: David Stanley)
SEOUL, April 30 (Korea Bizwire) – In North Korea, products made in South Korea are officially prohibited, but they are spread widely especially among members of the wealthy elite living in Pyongyang.
Since South Korean products are banned, North Koreans cannot talk about them openly at black markets, and use slang expressions instead. So how do North Koreans call products made in South Korea? They say “better products than made in China.”
According to a statement from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) on April 29, the “one percenters” or emerging elite in North Korea are very fond of South Korean products, and to find them they ask “Do you have better products than those made in China?”
Among the rich in North Korea, Western and increasingly South Korean-style consumption habits are becoming popular, according to the spy agency.
For example, South Korean made pressure rice cookers are very popular among the elite these days. The NIS estimates that their average household income exceeds US$50,000 a year.
By John Choi (johnchoi@koreabizwire.com)
