North Korea Imports Luxury Goods Up To 600 Million Dollars.

According to a recent report by South Korean media, Yoon Sunghyun, a member of the New World Party member of the Korea Foreign Affairs Committee of the Korean parliament, recently analyzed the status of Korean luxury imports and released the results. The results show that the number and value of luxury goods in Korea have reached a record high in recent years. The import volume doubled to $600 million in 2012, which makes people wonder how North Korea consumes huge quantities. Luxury goods What about it?

North Korea has always been poor, backward and closed. Since Kim Jeong-eun came to power, news about the DPRK has been heard, including many "extravagant" lives of the upper and privileged strata of North Korea. According to the Korean media in October, the New World Party member, Yin Xiang, who is a member of the foreign unification Committee of the Korean parliament, recently analyzed the status quo of luxuries imports in North Korea and released the results. The results show that in recent years, the import scale of Korean luxury goods has increased dramatically and has reached a record high year by year.

In 2010, the scale of Korean luxury imports was 446 million 170 thousand US dollars, but then it showed a rapid increase. In 2011 and 2012, it increased to 584 million 820 thousand US dollars and 645 million 860 thousand US dollars respectively.

According to the survey, imports of goods increased sharply in 2012, including alcoholic beverages and beverages ($30 million 110 thousand), televisions, computers and other electronic products ($307 million 100 thousand), perfume, cosmetics ($6 million 310 thousand), handbags and other leather products ($6 million 750 thousand). Fur clothing ($7 million 880 thousand) and high-end watches ($8 million 180 thousand). Among them, some media photographed Kim Jeong-eun using HTC One mobile phone, which was also a relatively popular model at that time. It was evident that the upper Korean leaders had some requirements for luxury phones.

According to the detailed report of the survey, the luxury goods imported from North Korea in 2012 mainly included dozens of European pet dogs, dog feed, nutritional medicine, antibiotics, shampoo, toothpaste and other pet products, as well as European and American baby products and German sauna equipment. Moreover, the DPRK government issued high quality musical instruments imported from other countries to the peony peak Orchestra and the silver river Orchestra and other art troupes, and also issued the cars imported from Japan to other senior officials.

Based on these data, it is not difficult to see that these luxuries are different from the global impression of the "upper class" of poor North Korea.

　　 The five category is luxury goods privileges.

stay Korea There are mainly five categories of people who enjoy the privilege of luxury: one is the relatives of overseas Chinese. It is said that there are 60%~70% families in Pyongyang, including overseas Chinese in China, Japan and Southeast Asia. Two are government officials and three are foreign businessmen. North Korea does not allow private enterprises to exist. Foreign businessmen mainly work for state units. Their hidden income is huge. The four is foreign-related personnel. For example, the tour guide is not very well paid, but the tip income is very high. The five is the long-term staff stationed abroad.

These five kinds of people constitute the main force of the Korean high consumption group, and many of them are those who hold power or are able to take the lead with the government.

　　 How to consume privileged people

The standard determining the quality of life of Koreans is money, and money comes entirely from power. Most people living on farm rationing or market buying are only satisfied with the level of satiety. However, the level of consumption of the senior cadres of the party or army from the government to the rich and rationed party and the newly rich rich who earn money through business is far beyond the imagination of ordinary people and even foreigners.

There are few hotels in North Korea. On the map of Pyongyang's sightseeing tour, only Korea hotels and sheep's horn Island hotels are rated as special hotels. There are also a number of first-class hotels, such as Pyongyang hotels and Youth Hostel. These hotels use foreign currencies such as dollars, euros and yen, and the prices are not low. North Korean workers earn about 6-15 yuan a month ($1-2), which is simply not the kind of consumption people can afford.

The hotel serves traditional Korean cuisine, dog meat dishes, Chinese food, etc. there are leisure tea houses and cafes. There are simulated golf training grounds or indoor training machines, billiards, fitness classes such as swimming pools, sauna rooms and gyms, as well as bookstores and foreign trade outlets. In recent years, this is no longer the exclusive place for foreigners. Many Koreans are also entering and leaving the country frequently, using foreign currency for food, entertainment and consumption.

In some senior sauna bath centers in Pyongyang, it is very pleasant to see some Koreans or family members, or couples coming here, sauna first and then to the restaurant for dinner. Sauna costs 5 euros per person, with meals ranging from 10 to 20 euros per person.

The bathing beach is also a favorite place for the rich. Asada bathing beach is a place frequented by wealthy businessmen and senior cadres. There are even a lot of women in swimsuits and sunglasses. Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-Sung attached great importance to the construction of Matian beach. In June of this year, Kim Jeong-eun inspected the beach of Matian beach, and demanded that the world class level be transformed.

Shops in Pyongyang are generally quite ordinary, but sometimes they are surprised to walk in. In the high-end foreign exchange shops, the enthusiasm of Koreans shopping is very high. Shipments of food and daily necessities are fast. Other commodities such as computers, LCD televisions, DVD, computers and so on are also very popular.

In North Korea, China's appliances are very popular, but in the eyes of high-end Korean consumers, the quality and credibility of Chinese goods are still lower than those of Europe and Japan. A Korean housewife said that the reason why she chose Japanese rice cookers was because the rice cooked in Chinese rice cooker was not as good as that in Japan. You know, the price of a Japanese rice cooker is 20 times that of a Chinese rice cooker.

There is also a luxury car in the eyes of the Korean rich. Compared with the past, there are more and more private cars or companies on Korean street. Audi, Mercedes Benz E system and C system, BMW X6 and other things are not rare. The DPRK stipulates that no import can be permitted as long as more than 70% parts of the vehicle parts are manufactured in the United States. China made cars have also successfully entered the mainstream car market. With the increase of vehicles, the market of car transfers, spare parts, maintenance and other markets in North Korea has also been brought up. It is reported that in 2012, North Korea imported 2 Australian yachts through trading companies in Dalian, and imported Mercedes Benz cars for Koreans born in Australia.

On the other hand, in April 15th this year, North Korea celebrated two of the Mercedes Benz cars to commemorate the 100th anniversary birthday of President Kim Il-Sung, and the two cars were the latest models.

In North slit cave commercial street, known as "little Wangfujing" by Pyongyang resident personnel, there is a Pyongyang North's only comprehensive luxury store, North plug store. At the North Gate store, the names of the major international brands are coming into view. Among them, perfume area occupies a very small proportion.

In North Korea, many social elites, both men and women, are very fond of using perfume. And famous brand cosmetics are much sought after. Dior, Chanel, Lancome and other international top brands are complete and expensive. In the cosmetics area, ladies' handbags are also displayed, followed by Prada, Gucci, Couch and ELLE. Although there are not many styles, they are also enough to stop people, and the prices are equally ridiculous.

The prices of goods in the North plug store are almost two times or even more than that of similar products in China. For example, a bottle of 400ml's Lancome powder water make-up water is less than 300 yuan in some cosmetics stores in the country, and the price is priced at 100 US dollars here.

In the clock area, Rolex, Longines, MontBlanc, OMEGA, Tissot, Seiko, from high end to low end, all kinds of classic, limited amount and latest models are gleaming under the lighting of the counter. The salesman put on gloves to show the customers all kinds of expensive watches. There is also a glass showcase at the end of the clock area, with Dunhill's belt and some non international famous but equally expensive men's and women's pure leather wallets.