Russian trade in goods with North Korea in Q2 2019
August 10, 2019
by Russian Foreign Trade
based on data from the Federal Customs Service of Russia
based on data from the Federal Customs Service of Russia
The Report on Russia’s foreign trade in goods with North Korea in the second quarter of 2019: exports, imports, products, dynamics.
Russia’s Trade with North Korea
In the 2nd quarter of 2019, Russia’s trade with North Korea totaled $12,272,702, up 114.13% ($6,541,345) from the 2nd quarter of 2018.
Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2019 totaled $11,832,473, up 118.51% ($6,417,330) from the 2nd quarter of 2018.
Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2019 totaled $440,229, up 39.22% ($124,015) from the 2nd quarter of 2018.
Russia’s trade surplus with North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2019 was $11,392,244, a 123.42% increase ($6,293,315) over the 2nd quarter of 2018.
North Korea was Russia’s 133rd largest trading partner in the 2nd quarter of 2019 (up from 145th in the 2nd quarter of 2018), accounting for 0.0077% of Russia’s total trade (up from 0.0034% in the 2nd quarter of 2018).
North Korea was Russia’s 115th largest export market in the 2nd quarter of 2019 (up from 131st in the 2nd quarter of 2018), accounting for 0.0117% of Russia’s total exports (up from 0.0049% in the 2nd quarter of 2018).
North Korea was Russia’s 141st largest supplier in the 2nd quarter of 2019 (down from 140th in the 2nd quarter of 2018), accounting for 0.0007% of Russia’s total imports (up from 0.0005% in the 2nd quarter of 2018).
Russia’s Exports to North Korea
The major share of Russian exports to North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2019 (and in the 2nd quarter of 2018) was accounted for the following product types:
- Mineral products (HS codes 25-27) - 51.94% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (58.54% in the 2nd quarter of 2018);
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 37.62% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (32.83% in the 2nd quarter of 2018);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 5.78% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (6.00% in the 2nd quarter of 2018);
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 4.65% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (0.09% in the 2nd quarter of 2018);
- Metals and products from them (HS codes 72-83) - 0.00% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (2.54% in the 2nd quarter of 2018).
The largest gains in Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2019 over the 2nd quarter of 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes (HS code 27) - an increase of $2,912,198;
- Cereals (HS code 10) - an increase of $2,522,874;
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - an increase of $528,488;
- Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes (HS code 15) - an increase of $389,708;
- Pharmaceutical products (HS code 30) - an increase of $378,770;
- Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder (HS code 12) - an increase of $278,749;
- Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement (HS code 25) - an increase of $63,924.
The largest declines in Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2019 over the 2nd quarter of 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten (HS code 11) - a decrease of $465,166;
- Articles of iron or steel (HS code 73) - a decrease of $137,468;
- Sugars and sugar confectionery (HS code 17) - a decrease of $49,985.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of exports in Q2 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total export | Value of exports in Q2 2018, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in Q2 2019 over Q2 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Cereals | 2,548,306 | 21.54 | 25,432 | 9,920.08 |
| 11 | Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten | 225,204 | 1.90 | 690,370 | -67.38 |
| 12 | Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder | 462,000 | 3.90 | 183,251 | 152.11 |
| 15 | Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes | 1,209,710 | 10.22 | 820,002 | 47.53 |
| 17 | Sugars and sugar confectionery | 0 | 0.00 | 49,985 | -100.00 |
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 6,407 | 0.05 | 8,487 | -24.51 |
| 25 | Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement | 115,116 | 0.97 | 51,192 | 124.87 |
| 27 | Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes | 6,030,830 | 50.97 | 3,118,632 | 93.38 |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | 661,275 | 5.59 | 282,505 | 134.08 |
| 34 | Soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring preparations, candles and similar articles, modeling pastes, "dental waxes" and dental preparations with a basis of plaster | 0 | 0.00 | 18,984 | -100.00 |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 23,612 | -100.00 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 22,933 | 0.19 | 0 | ∞ |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 504 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 0 | 0.00 | 21 | -100.00 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 0 | 0.00 | 137,468 | -100.00 |
| 74 | Copper and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 202 | -100.00 |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 21,700 | 0.18 | 5,000 | 334.00 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 528,488 | 4.47 | 0 | ∞ |
Russia’s Imports from North Korea
The major share of Russian imports from North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2019 (and in the 2nd quarter of 2018) was accounted for the following product types:
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 6.29% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (9.07% in the 2nd quarter of 2018);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 3.02% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (23.24% in the 2nd quarter of 2018);
- Metals and products from them (HS codes 72-83) - 2.69% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (0.29% in the 2nd quarter of 2018);
- Textiles, textile products and footwear (HS codes 50-67) - 1.46% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (1.95% in the 2nd quarter of 2018).
The largest gains in Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2019 over the 2nd quarter of 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles (HS code 92) - an increase of $158,977;
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - an increase of $24,005;
- Miscellaneous manufactured articles (HS code 96) - an increase of $14,848;
- Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations (HS code 33) - an increase of $8,642;
- Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted (HS code 62) - an increase of $6,421;
- Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal (HS code 82) - an increase of $5,233;
- Articles of iron or steel (HS code 73) - an increase of $5,141;
- Rubber and articles thereof (HS code 40) - an increase of $1,780;
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - an increase of $1,582;
- Organic chemicals (HS code 29) - an increase of $1,321.
The largest declines in Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2019 over the 2nd quarter of 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Plastics and articles thereof (HS code 39) - a decrease of $69,829;
- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof (HS code 87) - a decrease of $13,901;
- Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles (HS code 85) - a decrease of $12,681;
- Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted (HS code 61) - a decrease of $4,549;
- Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes (HS code 35) - a decrease of $2,100;
- Man-made staple fibers (HS code 55) - a decrease of $1,375.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of imports in Q2 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total import | Value of imports in Q2 2018, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in Q2 2019 over Q2 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Organic chemicals | 1,321 | 0.30 | 0 | ∞ |
| 33 | Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations | 8,979 | 2.04 | 337 | 2,564.39 |
| 35 | Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes | 0 | 0.00 | 2,100 | -100.00 |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 1,203 | 0.27 | 71,032 | -98.31 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 1,796 | 0.41 | 16 | 11,125.00 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 141 | 0.03 | 191 | -26.18 |
| 48 | Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard | 128 | 0.03 | 0 | ∞ |
| 55 | Man-made staple fibers | 0 | 0.00 | 1,375 | -100.00 |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 0 | 0.00 | 4,549 | -100.00 |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 6,421 | 1.46 | 0 | ∞ |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 13 | 0.00 | 229 | -94.32 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 6,052 | 1.37 | 911 | 564.32 |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 5,233 | 1.19 | 0 | ∞ |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 574 | 0.13 | 0 | ∞ |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 25,353 | 5.76 | 1,348 | 1,780.79 |
| 85 | Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles | 753 | 0.17 | 13,434 | -94.39 |
| 87 | Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 13,901 | -100.00 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 1,582 | 0.36 | 0 | ∞ |
| 92 | Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles | 365,177 | 82.95 | 206,200 | 77.10 |
| 95 | Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof | 283 | 0.06 | 219 | 29.22 |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 15,220 | 3.46 | 372 | 3,991.40 |