Russian trade in goods with North Korea in Q3 2019
November 13, 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 third quarter of 2019: exports, imports, products, dynamics.
Russia’s Trade with North Korea
In the 3rd quarter of 2019, Russia’s trade with North Korea totaled $10,250,053, up 58.97% ($3,802,261) from the 3rd quarter of 2018.
Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 3rd quarter of 2019 totaled $9,316,059, up 59.96% ($3,492,147) from the 3rd quarter of 2018.
Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 3rd quarter of 2019 totaled $933,994, up 49.71% ($310,114) from the 3rd quarter of 2018.
Russia’s trade surplus with North Korea in the 3rd quarter of 2019 was $8,382,065, a 61.19% increase ($3,182,033) over the 3rd quarter of 2018.
North Korea was Russia’s 140th largest trading partner in the 3rd quarter of 2019 (up from 142nd in the 3rd quarter of 2018), accounting for 0.0062% of Russia’s total trade (up from 0.0037% in the 3rd quarter of 2018).
North Korea was Russia’s 127th largest export market in the 3rd quarter of 2019 (up from 130th in the 3rd quarter of 2018), accounting for 0.0090% of Russia’s total exports (up from 0.0052% in the 3rd quarter of 2018).
North Korea was Russia’s 133rd largest supplier in the 3rd quarter of 2019 (up from 135th in the 3rd quarter of 2018), accounting for 0.0015% of Russia’s total imports (up from 0.0010% in the 3rd quarter of 2018).
Russia’s Exports to North Korea
The major share of Russian exports to North Korea in the 3rd quarter of 2019 (and in the 3rd quarter of 2018) was accounted for the following product types:
- Mineral products (HS codes 25-27) - 62.45% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (51.01% in the 3rd quarter of 2018);
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 14.45% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (31.24% in the 3rd quarter of 2018);
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 12.19% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (5.00% in the 3rd quarter of 2018);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 8.67% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (11.20% in the 3rd quarter of 2018);
- Metals and products from them (HS codes 72-83) - 2.03% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (0.84% in the 3rd quarter of 2018).
The largest gains in Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 3rd quarter of 2019 over the 3rd 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 $2,797,163;
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - an increase of $786,026;
- Pharmaceutical products (HS code 30) - an increase of $311,649;
- Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten (HS code 11) - an increase of $286,144;
- Aluminum and articles thereof (HS code 76) - an increase of $132,623;
- 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) - an increase of $62,020;
- Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement (HS code 25) - an increase of $49,530;
- Cereals (HS code 10) - an increase of $43,600.
The largest declines in Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 3rd quarter of 2019 over the 3rd quarter of 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes (HS code 15) - a decrease of $811,405;
- 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 (HS code 34) - a decrease of $142,721.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of exports in Q3 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total export | Value of exports in Q3 2018, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in Q3 2019 over Q3 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Cereals | 43,600 | 0.47 | 0 | ∞ |
| 11 | Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten | 510,257 | 5.48 | 224,113 | 127.68 |
| 12 | Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder | 7,038 | 0.08 | 3,443 | 104.41 |
| 15 | Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes | 733,271 | 7.87 | 1,544,676 | -52.53 |
| 17 | Sugars and sugar confectionery | 35,100 | 0.38 | 8,000 | 338.75 |
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 16,454 | 0.18 | 39,067 | -57.88 |
| 25 | Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement | 78,305 | 0.84 | 28,775 | 172.13 |
| 27 | Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes | 5,739,345 | 61.61 | 2,942,182 | 95.07 |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | 770,558 | 8.27 | 458,909 | 67.91 |
| 32 | Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints, varnishes, putty and mastics | 1,584 | 0.02 | 22,147 | -92.85 |
| 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 | 142,721 | -100.00 |
| 35 | Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes | 4,597 | 0.05 | 301 | 1,427.24 |
| 37 | Photographic or cinematographic goods | 0 | 0.00 | 268 | -100.00 |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 725 | 0.01 | 66 | 998.48 |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 27,139 | 0.29 | 9,840 | 175.80 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 3,093 | 0.03 | 17,781 | -82.61 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 0 | 0.00 | 769 | -100.00 |
| 44 | Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal | 9,935 | 0.11 | 6 | 165,483.33 |
| 48 | Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard | 0 | 0.00 | 1,519 | -100.00 |
| 56 | Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns, twine, cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 403 | -100.00 |
| 59 | Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use | 124 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 408 | 0.00 | 541 | -24.58 |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 0 | 0.00 | 521 | -100.00 |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 0 | 0.00 | 412 | -100.00 |
| 65 | Headgear and parts thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 825 | -100.00 |
| 68 | Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials | 2,790 | 0.03 | 17,677 | -84.22 |
| 70 | Glass and glassware | 0 | 0.00 | 43 | -100.00 |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 680 | 0.01 | 7,448 | -90.87 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 49,731 | 0.53 | 30,830 | 61.31 |
| 74 | Copper and articles thereof | 654 | 0.01 | 35 | 1,768.57 |
| 76 | Aluminum and articles thereof | 132,698 | 1.42 | 75 | 176,830.67 |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 329 | 0.00 | 1,908 | -82.76 |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 4,632 | 0.05 | 8,628 | -46.31 |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 1,029,911 | 11.06 | 243,885 | 322.29 |
| 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 | 83,844 | 0.90 | 21,824 | 284.18 |
| 86 | Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds | 12,687 | 0.14 | 17,319 | -26.75 |
| 87 | Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 3,099 | -100.00 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 9,129 | 0.10 | 5,038 | 81.20 |
| 92 | Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles | 0 | 0.00 | 300 | -100.00 |
| 94 | Furniture; bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and lighting fittings, not elsewhere specified or included; illuminated sign illuminated nameplates and the like; prefabricated buildings | 7,302 | 0.08 | 16,747 | -56.40 |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 139 | 0.00 | 1,771 | -92.15 |
Russia’s Imports from North Korea
The major share of Russian imports from North Korea in the 3rd quarter of 2019 (and in the 3rd quarter of 2018) was accounted for the following product types:
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 45.57% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (6.92% in the 3rd quarter of 2018);
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 5.99% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (20.82% in the 3rd quarter of 2018);
- Metals and products from them (HS codes 72-83) - 3.02% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (0.12% in the 3rd quarter of 2018);
- Textiles, textile products and footwear (HS codes 50-67) - 1.41% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (0.00% in the 3rd quarter of 2018).
The largest gains in Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 3rd quarter of 2019 over the 3rd quarter of 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Pharmaceutical products (HS code 30) - an increase of $422,019;
- Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal (HS code 82) - an increase of $19,473;
- Cotton (HS code 52) - an increase of $7,779;
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - an increase of $7,434;
- Articles of iron or steel (HS code 73) - an increase of $7,418;
- Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted (HS code 62) - an increase of $4,596.
The largest declines in Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 3rd quarter of 2019 over the 3rd quarter of 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - a decrease of $75,400;
- Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles (HS code 92) - a decrease of $37,145;
- Plastics and articles thereof (HS code 39) - a decrease of $37,017;
- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof (HS code 87) - a decrease of $6,097;
- Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints, varnishes, putty and mastics (HS code 32) - a decrease of $2,850;
- Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations (HS code 33) - a decrease of $2,806.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of imports in Q3 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total import | Value of imports in Q3 2018, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in Q3 2019 over Q3 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Sugars and sugar confectionery | 0 | 0.00 | 77 | -100.00 |
| 18 | Cocoa and cocoa preparations | 0 | 0.00 | 108 | -100.00 |
| 19 | Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; bakers’ wares | 0 | 0.00 | 515 | -100.00 |
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 0 | 0.00 | 559 | -100.00 |
| 22 | Beverages, spirits and vinegar | 0 | 0.00 | 175 | -100.00 |
| 29 | Organic chemicals | 477 | 0.05 | 0 | ∞ |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | 422,019 | 45.18 | 0 | ∞ |
| 32 | Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints, varnishes, putty and mastics | 0 | 0.00 | 2,850 | -100.00 |
| 33 | Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations | 88 | 0.01 | 2,894 | -96.96 |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 368 | 0.04 | 37,385 | -99.02 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 2,666 | 0.29 | 40 | 6,565.00 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 121 | 0.01 | 241 | -49.79 |
| 49 | Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans | 1,005 | 0.11 | 0 | ∞ |
| 52 | Cotton | 7,779 | 0.83 | 0 | ∞ |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 313 | 0.03 | 0 | ∞ |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 4,596 | 0.49 | 0 | ∞ |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 4 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 67 | Prepared feathers and down and articles made of feathers or of down; artificial flowers; articles of human hair | 487 | 0.05 | 0 | ∞ |
| 70 | Glass and glassware | 0 | 0.00 | 427 | -100.00 |
| 71 | Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones,precious metals, metals clad with precious metal and articles thereof; imitation jewelry; coin | 0 | 0.00 | 28 | -100.00 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 8,179 | 0.88 | 761 | 974.77 |
| 76 | Aluminum and articles thereof | 59 | 0.01 | 0 | ∞ |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 19,473 | 2.08 | 0 | ∞ |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 512 | 0.05 | 0 | ∞ |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 24,730 | 2.65 | 100,130 | -75.30 |
| 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 | 17,006 | 1.82 | 16,892 | 0.67 |
| 87 | Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof | 814 | 0.09 | 6,911 | -88.22 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 13,404 | 1.44 | 5,970 | 124.52 |
| 92 | Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles | 408,525 | 43.74 | 445,670 | -8.33 |
| 95 | Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof | 1,369 | 0.15 | 2,153 | -36.41 |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 0 | 0.00 | 94 | -100.00 |