North Korean markets currently display unprecedented variety, yet higher prices keep many shoppers away entirely. A Daily NK source in North Hamgyong province described this striking contrast recently. Markets in Hoeryong and surrounding cities now feature substantially more Chinese fruit and greenhouse produce.
Pineapples, bananas and oranges sit alongside eggplant, melon and locally grown strawberries. Consequently, these displays create an impression of abundance exceeding pre-pandemic conditions significantly. However, the source noted many residents remain hesitant to spend given soaring costs.
At one Hoeryong market, pineapple currently sells for 130,000 North Korean won per kilogram. Meanwhile, bananas fetch 110,000 won, while oranges and mandarins command lower but still substantial prices. Melon and cherries command even steeper prices, reaching between 300,000 and 350,000 won.
Vegetable prices have similarly climbed, with tomatoes and eggplant exceeding 60,000 won each. Additionally, mushrooms, green onions and spinach range between 10,000 and 20,000 won. More common vegetables like cabbage and radish remain comparatively affordable around 5,000 won.
According to the source, most items have more than doubled in price recently. Therefore, while displays suggest improved living standards, many residents simply view prices and leave. Nevertheless, wealthier residents continue purchasing freely, highlighting stark spending power disparities within these communities.
This visible gap between wealthy and poor North Koreans has intensified feelings of relative deprivation. One Hoeryong resident explained that goods once felt reserved for special occasions or privileged individuals. Now, abundant displays contrast sharply with many families’ inability to afford basic purchases.
Watching others buy freely while struggling financially makes economic hardship feel particularly acute, residents say. As higher prices continue outpacing purchasing power growth, this disparity appears likely to persist. Ultimately, market abundance increasingly masks widening gaps in actual living standards across North Korea.
