Russian trade in goods with North Korea in Q4 2019
February 13, 2020
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 fourth quarter of 2019: exports, imports, products, dynamics.
Russia’s Trade with North Korea
In the 4th quarter of 2019, Russia’s trade with North Korea was $9,515,451, down 43.09% ($7,205,558) from the 4th quarter of 2018.
Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2019 were $8,337,269, down 48.65% ($7,899,661) from the 4th quarter of 2018.
Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2019 totaled $1,178,182, up 143.39% ($694,103) from the 4th quarter of 2018.
Russia’s trade surplus with North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2019 was $7,159,087, a 54.55% decrease ($8,593,764) over the 4th quarter of 2018.
North Korea was Russia’s 130th largest trading partner in the 4th quarter of 2019 (up from 131st in the 4th quarter of 2018), accounting for 0.0053% of Russia’s total trade (down from 0.0089% in the 4th quarter of 2018).
North Korea was Russia’s 117th largest export market in the 4th quarter of 2019 (up from 118th in the 4th quarter of 2018), accounting for 0.0075% of Russia’s total exports (down from 0.0130% in the 4th quarter of 2018).
North Korea was Russia’s 127th largest supplier in the 4th quarter of 2019 (up from 138th in the 4th quarter of 2018), accounting for 0.0017% of Russia’s total imports (up from 0.0008% in the 4th quarter of 2018).
Russia’s Exports to North Korea
The major share of Russian exports to North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2019 (and in the 4th quarter of 2018) was accounted for the following product types:
- Mineral products (HS codes 25-27) - 52.72% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (77.17% in the 4th quarter of 2018);
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 30.48% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (20.45% in the 4th quarter of 2018);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 10.94% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (1.84% in the 4th quarter of 2018);
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 4.55% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (0.49% in the 4th quarter of 2018).
The largest gains in Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2019 over the 4th quarter of 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Pharmaceutical products (HS code 30) - an increase of $605,854;
- Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes (HS code 15) - an increase of $559,974;
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - an increase of $143,412;
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - an increase of $111,497;
- Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates (HS code 03) - an increase of $109,022;
- Live animals (HS code 01) - an increase of $80,922;
- Articles of iron or steel (HS code 73) - an increase of $38,706;
- Meat and edible meat offal (HS code 02) - an increase of $38,262;
- Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials (HS code 68) - an increase of $38,139;
- 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 $31,749;
- Miscellaneous edible preparations (HS code 21) - an increase of $27,751.
The largest declines in Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2019 over the 4th 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) - a decrease of $8,119,281;
- Cereals (HS code 10) - a decrease of $1,091,729;
- Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten (HS code 11) - a decrease of $482,059.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of exports in Q4 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total export | Value of exports in Q4 2018, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in Q4 2019 over Q4 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Live animals | 80,922 | 0.97 | 0 | ∞ |
| 02 | Meat and edible meat offal | 38,262 | 0.46 | 0 | ∞ |
| 03 | Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates | 109,022 | 1.31 | 0 | ∞ |
| 04 | Dairy produce; birds eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included | 0 | 0.00 | 9,972 | -100.00 |
| 10 | Cereals | 0 | 0.00 | 1,091,729 | -100.00 |
| 11 | Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten | 739,246 | 8.87 | 1,221,305 | -39.47 |
| 12 | Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder | 7,385 | 0.09 | 19,155 | -61.45 |
| 15 | Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes | 1,536,990 | 18.44 | 977,016 | 57.31 |
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 29,647 | 0.36 | 1,896 | 1,463.66 |
| 25 | Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement | 71,273 | 0.85 | 86,547 | -17.65 |
| 27 | Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes | 4,324,012 | 51.86 | 12,443,293 | -65.25 |
| 28 | Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,of radioactive elements or of isotopes | 0 | 0.00 | 1,002 | -100.00 |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | 893,783 | 10.72 | 287,929 | 210.42 |
| 32 | Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints, varnishes, putty and mastics | 1,349 | 0.02 | 3,060 | -55.92 |
| 33 | Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations | 1,047 | 0.01 | 0 | ∞ |
| 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 | 195 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 35 | Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes | 56 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 1,540 | 0.02 | 9 | 17,011.11 |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 13,632 | 0.16 | 3,305 | 312.47 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 243 | 0.00 | 3,350 | -92.75 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 18 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 53 | Other vegetable textile fibers; paper yarn and woven fabric of paper yarn | 4 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 56 | Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns, twine, cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 32 | -100.00 |
| 59 | Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use | 86 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 97 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 678 | 0.01 | 388 | 74.74 |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 62 | 0.00 | 295 | -78.98 |
| 64 | Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts of such articles | 0 | 0.00 | 186 | -100.00 |
| 68 | Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials | 39,293 | 0.47 | 1,154 | 3,304.94 |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 2,128 | 0.03 | 2,905 | -26.75 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 40,011 | 0.48 | 1,305 | 2,965.98 |
| 74 | Copper and articles thereof | 1,560 | 0.02 | 73 | 2,036.99 |
| 76 | Aluminum and articles thereof | 2,031 | 0.02 | 874 | 132.38 |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 4,999 | 0.06 | 0 | ∞ |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 212 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 186,753 | 2.24 | 75,256 | 148.16 |
| 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 | 33,642 | 0.40 | 1,893 | 1,677.18 |
| 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 | 14,606 | 0.18 | 2,032 | 618.80 |
| 87 | Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof | 867 | 0.01 | 260 | 233.46 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 143,489 | 1.72 | 77 | 186,249.35 |
| 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 | 17,805 | 0.21 | 625 | 2,748.80 |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 324 | 0.00 | 7 | 4,528.57 |
Russia’s Imports from North Korea
The major share of Russian imports from North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2019 (and in the 4th quarter of 2018) was accounted for the following product types:
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 48.25% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (11.91% in the 4th quarter of 2018);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 4.63% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (0.43% in the 4th quarter of 2018);
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 1.03% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (0.00% in the 4th quarter of 2018);
- Metals and products from them (HS codes 72-83) - 0.17% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (2.71% in the 4th quarter of 2018).
The largest gains in Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2019 over the 4th quarter of 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - an increase of $477,467;
- 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 (HS code 94) - an increase of $93,372;
- 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 $55,515;
- Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles (HS code 92) - an increase of $33,192;
- Plastics and articles thereof (HS code 39) - an increase of $31,200;
- Rubber and articles thereof (HS code 40) - an increase of $17,650;
- Miscellaneous edible preparations (HS code 21) - an increase of $12,177;
- Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted (HS code 62) - an increase of $4,911.
The largest declines in Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2019 over the 4th quarter of 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - a decrease of $22,111;
- Articles of iron or steel (HS code 73) - a decrease of $11,160.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of imports in Q4 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total import | Value of imports in Q4 2018, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in Q4 2019 over Q4 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 12,177 | 1.03 | 0 | ∞ |
| 28 | Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,of radioactive elements or of isotopes | 1,485 | 0.13 | 0 | ∞ |
| 29 | Organic chemicals | 0 | 0.00 | 1,148 | -100.00 |
| 33 | Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations | 3,407 | 0.29 | 265 | 1,185.66 |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 106 | 0.01 | 0 | ∞ |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 31,204 | 2.65 | 4 | 780,000.00 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 18,338 | 1.56 | 688 | 2,565.41 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 97 | 0.01 | 81 | 19.75 |
| 49 | Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans | 876 | 0.07 | 0 | ∞ |
| 52 | Cotton | 0 | 0.00 | 2,547 | -100.00 |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 159 | 0.01 | 0 | ∞ |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 4,911 | 0.42 | 0 | ∞ |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 1,964 | 0.17 | 13,124 | -85.04 |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 90 | 0.01 | 5 | 1,700.00 |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 485,610 | 41.22 | 8,143 | 5,863.53 |
| 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 | 81,225 | 6.89 | 25,710 | 215.93 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 1,684 | 0.14 | 23,795 | -92.92 |
| 92 | Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles | 439,949 | 37.34 | 406,757 | 8.16 |
| 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 | 93,372 | 7.93 | 0 | ∞ |
| 95 | Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof | 1,528 | 0.13 | 1,812 | -15.67 |