{"id":4040,"date":"2019-01-21T13:06:20","date_gmt":"2019-01-21T04:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4040"},"modified":"2019-01-31T11:14:52","modified_gmt":"2019-01-31T02:14:52","slug":"nk-china-smuggling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2019\/01\/recommendations\/nk-china-smuggling\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cKim Jong-un's visit to China\uff1e Behind the scenes of smuggling in North Korea"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo of Hyesan City, Yanggang Province taken from China. It is the biggest smuggling point on the Sino-Korean border. Taken by Lee Jinsu, July 2010 (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

North Korea and China share two rivers as their border: The Amrok-gang (Yalu River) and the Tuman-gang (Tumen River). The length of both rivers reaches 1,400 km. From the end of December to mid-March, the two rivers freeze solid due to the cold weather. Dump trucks can even be driven across the river without breaking the ice. With strong economic sanctions imposed by the international community still in place, smuggling has been increasing in the border areas.<\/p>\n

A reporting partner in Jilin Province, China conducted a field survey of smuggling operations near the Amrok-gang last December and reported as follows.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe smuggling of cars, etc. from China is continuing. Because the United States is monitoring the situation by satellite, crackdowns by authorities have become strict, and the goods that had been smuggled to North Korea from Dandong (downstream of the Tuman-gang) and Hunchun (along the Tuman-gang) are now being gathered at the upstream area of the Amrok-gang in Changbai. There are many Chinese traders there too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e A sergeant dies in the act (of stealing) ... Desperate soldiers raid smuggled goods to survive<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n

On the other side facing Changbai County is Hyesan City, Yanggang Province, North Korea. Since the river is narrow and shallow in this area, smuggling between North Korea and China has been prevalent. \"Nowadays, the smuggling of steel and medicine in addition to cars has been noticeable,\" said a Chinese reporting partner who visited the site.<\/p>\n

There are many large-scale steel mills in northern North Korea. So why smuggle steel? A reporting partner who lives in North Korea explained as follows.<\/p>\n

\"The biggest reason is the drop in the operation rates of steel mills in Chongjin City due to the UN sanctions. The deterioration of the facilities has been so severe that the supply of steel has become insufficient. Trading companies are given orders to procure steel for the Samjiyeon construction project and they smuggle the steel from China.\"<\/p>\n

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Map of the Sino-Korean border area (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

Samjiyeon County, located at the foot of Mt. Baekdu, has been under feverish construction since 2017, under direct orders from Kim Jong-un to transform the area into an \u201cinternational tourist city.\u201d However, steel products are prohibited from being exported to North Korea due to sanctions. Since production in North Korea has become unstable, the smuggling of steel from China has been on the rise since last November.<\/p>\n

Financial difficulties and frigid conditions bring construction in Samjiyeon to a halt<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Next page: 300 Chinese and North Korean people gathered at the site\u2026 <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u25c6 300 Chinese and North Korean people gathered at the site<\/h2>\n

According to the Chinese reporting partner, large-scale smuggling is being carried out near Kim Hyong-jik County in North Korea, about 8km downstream the Amrok-gang from Changbai County. This is also consistent with the reports from our North Korean reporting partners.<\/p>\n

What goes on at the scene of smuggling? The Chinese reporting partner who visited the site described the situation as follows.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were about 300 Chinese and North Korean people at the site. The smuggling begins after the sun goes down. Goods and cash are exchanged. Cars and containers move back and forth on the frozen river and the scene resembles that of a busy market in Hong Kong. North Koreans openly engage in smuggling as it is led by state agencies, and the situation is similar on the Chinese side as it seems the Chinese border defense forces (border guards) simply turn a blind eye.\u201d<\/p>\n

North Korean trading companies that are directly in charge of smuggling are making increasing demands for Chinese medicine. It is said that antibiotics and bandages are being sent to North Korea in large quantities for delivery to large hospitals, including those in Pyongyang. However, medicine is not likely among the prohibited goods.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe metal clips that are used to secure the bandages are banned under the sanctions, so exports are officially forbidden. That is why large amounts of bandages are smuggled together with medicine. Also, food products from China, such as dry noodles and flour, and animal feed that promotes the growth of pigs are smuggled together in the tons,\u201d said the Chinese reporting partner.<\/p>\n

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Signs prohibiting smuggling and drug trafficking set up by Chinese public security authorities. Taken by ISHIMARU Jiro, July 2017.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Xi Jinping administration is not conducting smuggling operations as part of a national policy to aid North Korea. However, it is obvious that the companies and residents of Jilin Province and Liaoning Province, who have made a living off trade with North Korea, are suffering from the lack of trade. This may be why smuggling, which has been tolerated at the local government level, seems to be growing along with the freezing of the rivers.<\/p>\n

\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e Trading Firms Halt Wage Payments Due To Sanctions<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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