Russian trade with North Korea in 2019
February 14, 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 2019: exports, imports, products, dynamics.
Russia’s Trade with North Korea
In 2019, Russia’s trade with North Korea totaled $47,902,329, up 40.62% ($13,836,685) from 2018.
Russia’s exports to North Korea in 2019 totaled $44,865,829, up 39.84% ($12,783,247) from 2018.
Russia’s imports from North Korea in 2019 totaled $3,036,500, up 53.12% ($1,053,438) from 2018.
Russia’s trade surplus with North Korea in 2019 was $41,829,329, a 38.97% increase ($11,729,809) over 2018.
North Korea was Russia’s 137th largest trading partner in 2019 (up from 144th in 2018), accounting for 0.0072% of Russia’s total trade (up from 0.0050% in 2018).
North Korea was Russia’s 120th largest export market in 2019 (up from 131st in 2018), accounting for 0.0106% of Russia’s total exports (up from 0.0071% in 2018).
North Korea was Russia’s 136th largest supplier in 2019 (up from 141st in 2018), accounting for 0.0012% of Russia’s total imports (up from 0.0008% in 2018).
Russia’s Exports to North Korea
The major share of Russian exports to North Korea in 2019 (and in 2018) was accounted for the following product types:
- Mineral products (HS codes 25-27) - 61.27% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (67.99% in 2018);
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 27.43% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (24.90% in 2018);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 5.84% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (5.15% in 2018);
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 4.75% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (1.20% in 2018).
The largest gains in Russia’s exports to North Korea in 2019 over 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 $5,577,273;
- Cereals (HS code 10) - an increase of $2,673,952;
- Pharmaceutical products (HS code 30) - an increase of $1,123,999;
- Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten (HS code 11) - an increase of $1,057,295;
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - an increase of $974,564;
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - an increase of $666,549;
- Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder (HS code 12) - an increase of $270,575.
The largest declines in Russia’s exports to North Korea in 2019 over 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- 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 $161,510.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of exports in 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total export | Value of exports in 2018, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in 2019 over 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Live animals | 80,922 | 0.18 | 0 | ∞ |
| 02 | Meat and edible meat offal | 38,262 | 0.09 | 70 | 54,560.00 |
| 03 | Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates | 109,022 | 0.24 | 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 |
| 09 | Coffee, tea, maté and spices | 0 | 0.00 | 4 | -100.00 |
| 10 | Cereals | 3,791,113 | 8.45 | 1,117,161 | 239.35 |
| 11 | Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten | 3,424,184 | 7.63 | 2,366,889 | 44.67 |
| 12 | Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder | 476,423 | 1.06 | 205,848 | 131.44 |
| 15 | Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes | 4,232,535 | 9.43 | 4,179,809 | 1.26 |
| 17 | Sugars and sugar confectionery | 75,412 | 0.17 | 57,988 | 30.05 |
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 61,727 | 0.14 | 49,891 | 23.72 |
| 22 | Beverages, spirits and vinegar | 18,987 | 0.04 | 261 | 7,174.71 |
| 24 | Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes | 0 | 0.00 | 131 | -100.00 |
| 25 | Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement | 293,102 | 0.65 | 195,914 | 49.61 |
| 27 | Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes | 27,194,322 | 60.61 | 21,617,049 | 25.80 |
| 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 | 2,514,610 | 5.60 | 1,390,611 | 80.83 |
| 32 | Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints, varnishes, putty and mastics | 3,382 | 0.01 | 25,207 | -86.58 |
| 33 | Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations | 1,047 | 0.00 | 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 | 161,705 | -99.88 |
| 35 | Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes | 4,653 | 0.01 | 301 | 1,445.85 |
| 37 | Photographic or cinematographic goods | 0 | 0.00 | 268 | -100.00 |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 2,307 | 0.01 | 2,513 | -8.20 |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 40,789 | 0.09 | 37,385 | 9.11 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 51,942 | 0.12 | 31,842 | 63.12 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 18 | 0.00 | 7,577 | -99.76 |
| 44 | Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal | 9,934 | 0.02 | 6 | 165,466.67 |
| 48 | Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard | 0 | 0.00 | 1,519 | -100.00 |
| 52 | Cotton | 324 | 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 | 435 | -100.00 |
| 59 | Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use | 210 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 510 | 0.00 | 541 | -5.73 |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 678 | 0.00 | 3,028 | -77.61 |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 1,547 | 0.00 | 707 | 118.81 |
| 64 | Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts of such articles | 0 | 0.00 | 186 | -100.00 |
| 65 | Headgear and parts thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 825 | -100.00 |
| 68 | Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials | 42,083 | 0.09 | 18,831 | 123.48 |
| 70 | Glass and glassware | 0 | 0.00 | 43 | -100.00 |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 2,808 | 0.01 | 10,374 | -72.93 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 89,741 | 0.20 | 169,603 | -47.09 |
| 74 | Copper and articles thereof | 2,214 | 0.00 | 310 | 614.19 |
| 76 | Aluminum and articles thereof | 134,728 | 0.30 | 949 | 14,096.84 |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 6,183 | 0.01 | 1,908 | 224.06 |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 4,853 | 0.01 | 8,628 | -43.75 |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 1,298,705 | 2.89 | 324,141 | 300.66 |
| 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 | 120,173 | 0.27 | 23,717 | 406.70 |
| 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 | 27,690 | 0.06 | 19,351 | 43.09 |
| 87 | Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof | 867 | 0.00 | 3,359 | -74.19 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 681,822 | 1.52 | 15,273 | 4,364.23 |
| 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 | 25,251 | 0.06 | 17,372 | 45.35 |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 550 | 0.00 | 1,778 | -69.07 |
Russia’s Imports from North Korea
The major share of Russian imports from North Korea in 2019 (and in 2018) was accounted for the following product types:
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 23.83% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (14.54% in 2018);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 16.33% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (11.25% in 2018);
- Metals and products from them (HS codes 72-83) - 1.61% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (1.09% in 2018);
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 1.08% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (0.07% in 2018).
The largest gains in Russia’s imports from North Korea in 2019 over 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - an increase of $478,250;
- Pharmaceutical products (HS code 30) - an increase of $422,019;
- Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles (HS code 92) - an increase of $157,999;
- 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 $79,255;
- Miscellaneous edible preparations (HS code 21) - an increase of $32,201;
- Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal (HS code 82) - an increase of $24,706;
- Rubber and articles thereof (HS code 40) - an increase of $21,766;
- Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted (HS code 62) - an increase of $16,492;
- Miscellaneous manufactured articles (HS code 96) - an increase of $14,754.
The largest declines in Russia’s imports from North Korea in 2019 over 2018 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Plastics and articles thereof (HS code 39) - a decrease of $176,046;
- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof (HS code 87) - a decrease of $108,389;
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - a decrease of $13,839.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of imports in 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total import | Value of imports in 2018, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in 2019 over 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 | 32,760 | 1.08 | 559 | 5,760.47 |
| 22 | Beverages, spirits and vinegar | 0 | 0.00 | 175 | -100.00 |
| 28 | Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,of radioactive elements or of isotopes | 1,485 | 0.05 | 0 | ∞ |
| 29 | Organic chemicals | 2,790 | 0.09 | 1,148 | 143.03 |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | 422,019 | 13.90 | 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 | 12,474 | 0.41 | 3,474 | 259.07 |
| 35 | Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes | 0 | 0.00 | 4,200 | -100.00 |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 106 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 34,390 | 1.13 | 210,436 | -83.66 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 22,692 | 0.75 | 926 | 2,350.54 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 528 | 0.02 | 748 | -29.41 |
| 48 | Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard | 128 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 49 | Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans | 1,881 | 0.06 | 0 | ∞ |
| 52 | Cotton | 7,779 | 0.26 | 2,547 | 205.42 |
| 55 | Man-made staple fibers | 0 | 0.00 | 1,527 | -100.00 |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 3,666 | 0.12 | 4,549 | -19.41 |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 16,492 | 0.54 | 0 | ∞ |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 17 | 0.00 | 244 | -93.03 |
| 67 | Prepared feathers and down and articles made of feathers or of down; artificial flowers; articles of human hair | 487 | 0.02 | 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 |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 0 | 0.00 | 3,618 | -100.00 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 22,756 | 0.75 | 17,959 | 26.71 |
| 76 | Aluminum and articles thereof | 59 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 24,706 | 0.81 | 0 | ∞ |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 1,233 | 0.04 | 5 | 24,560.00 |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 586,660 | 19.32 | 108,410 | 441.15 |
| 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 | 119,529 | 3.94 | 40,274 | 196.79 |
| 87 | Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof | 814 | 0.03 | 109,203 | -99.25 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 16,670 | 0.55 | 30,509 | -45.36 |
| 92 | Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles | 1,591,802 | 52.42 | 1,433,803 | 11.02 |
| 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 | 3.07 | 0 | ∞ |
| 95 | Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof | 3,985 | 0.13 | 4,277 | -6.83 |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 15,220 | 0.50 | 466 | 3,166.09 |