Russian trade in goods with North Korea in Q2 2020
August 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 the second quarter of 2020: exports, imports, products, dynamics.
Russia’s Trade with North Korea
In the 2nd quarter of 2020, Russia’s trade with North Korea totaled $18,269,451, up 48.86% ($5,996,749) from the 2nd quarter of 2019.
Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2020 totaled $18,263,053, up 54.35% ($6,430,580) from the 2nd quarter of 2019.
Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2020 were $6,398, down 98.55% ($433,831) from the 2nd quarter of 2019.
Russia’s trade surplus with North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2020 was $18,256,655, a 60.26% increase ($6,864,411) over the 2nd quarter of 2019.
North Korea was Russia’s 118th largest trading partner in the 2nd quarter of 2020 (up from 133rd in the 2nd quarter of 2019), accounting for 0.0150% of Russia’s total trade (up from 0.0077% in the 2nd quarter of 2019).
North Korea was Russia’s 103rd largest export market in the 2nd quarter of 2020 (up from 115th in the 2nd quarter of 2019), accounting for 0.0261% of Russia’s total exports (up from 0.0117% in the 2nd quarter of 2019).
North Korea was Russia’s 165th largest supplier in the 2nd quarter of 2020 (down from 141st in the 2nd quarter of 2019), accounting for 0.0000% of Russia’s total imports (down from 0.0007% in the 2nd quarter of 2019).
Russia’s Exports to North Korea
The major share of Russian exports to North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2020 (and in the 2nd quarter of 2019) was accounted for the following product types:
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 79.65% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (37.62% in the 2nd quarter of 2019);
- Mineral products (HS codes 25-27) - 14.03% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (51.94% in the 2nd quarter of 2019);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 5.52% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (5.78% in the 2nd quarter of 2019);
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 0.56% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (4.65% in the 2nd quarter of 2019).
The largest gains in Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2020 over the 2nd quarter of 2019 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Cereals (HS code 10) - an increase of $4,858,493;
- Sugars and sugar confectionery (HS code 17) - an increase of $2,548,674;
- Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes (HS code 15) - an increase of $1,908,855;
- Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten (HS code 11) - an increase of $1,205,421;
- Pharmaceutical products (HS code 30) - an increase of $287,379;
- 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 $67,097.
The largest declines in Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2020 over the 2nd quarter of 2019 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 $3,468,892;
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - a decrease of $523,024;
- Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder (HS code 12) - a decrease of $452,284;
- Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement (HS code 25) - a decrease of $114,881.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of exports in Q2 2020, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total export | Value of exports in Q2 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in Q2 2020 over Q2 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Cereals | 7,406,799 | 40.56 | 2,548,306 | 190.66 |
| 11 | Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten | 1,430,625 | 7.83 | 225,204 | 535.26 |
| 12 | Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder | 9,716 | 0.05 | 462,000 | -97.90 |
| 15 | Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes | 3,118,565 | 17.08 | 1,209,710 | 157.79 |
| 17 | Sugars and sugar confectionery | 2,548,674 | 13.96 | 0 | ∞ |
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 32,267 | 0.18 | 6,407 | 403.62 |
| 25 | Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement | 235 | 0.00 | 115,116 | -99.80 |
| 27 | Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes | 2,561,938 | 14.03 | 6,030,830 | -57.52 |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | 948,654 | 5.19 | 661,275 | 43.46 |
| 32 | Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints, varnishes, putty and mastics | 412 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 35 | Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes | 4,543 | 0.02 | 0 | ∞ |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 23,216 | 0.13 | 0 | ∞ |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 29,340 | 0.16 | 0 | ∞ |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 2,058 | 0.01 | 22,933 | -91.03 |
| 44 | Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal | 6,518 | 0.04 | 0 | ∞ |
| 53 | Other vegetable textile fibers; paper yarn and woven fabric of paper yarn | 209 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 59 | Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use | 373 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 0 | 0.00 | 504 | -100.00 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 12,690 | 0.07 | 0 | ∞ |
| 74 | Copper and articles thereof | 5,978 | 0.03 | 0 | ∞ |
| 76 | Aluminum and articles thereof | 12,635 | 0.07 | 0 | ∞ |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 2,604 | 0.01 | 0 | ∞ |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 1,746 | 0.01 | 0 | ∞ |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 25,327 | 0.14 | 21,700 | 16.71 |
| 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 | 67,097 | 0.37 | 0 | ∞ |
| 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 | 4,698 | 0.03 | 0 | ∞ |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 5,464 | 0.03 | 528,488 | -98.97 |
| 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 | 427 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 245 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
Russia’s Imports from North Korea
The major share of Russian imports from North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2020 (and in the 2nd quarter of 2019) was accounted for the following product types:
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 51.09% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (6.29% in the 2nd quarter of 2019);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 27.13% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (3.02% in the 2nd quarter of 2019);
- Metals and products from them (HS codes 72-83) - 2.03% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (2.69% in the 2nd quarter of 2019);
- Textiles, textile products and footwear (HS codes 50-67) - 0.00% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (1.46% in the 2nd quarter of 2019).
The largest gains in Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2020 over the 2nd quarter of 2019 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Miscellaneous chemical products (HS code 38) - an increase of $1,124;
- Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 95) - an increase of $791;
- Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) (HS code 42) - an increase of $48.
The largest declines in Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 2nd quarter of 2020 over the 2nd quarter of 2019 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles (HS code 92) - a decrease of $365,177;
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - a decrease of $22,084;
- Miscellaneous manufactured articles (HS code 96) - a decrease of $15,220;
- Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations (HS code 33) - a decrease of $8,979;
- Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted (HS code 62) - a decrease of $6,421;
- Articles of iron or steel (HS code 73) - a decrease of $6,052;
- Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal (HS code 82) - a decrease of $5,103;
- Rubber and articles thereof (HS code 40) - a decrease of $1,635;
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - a decrease of $1,582;
- Organic chemicals (HS code 29) - a decrease of $1,321;
- 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 $753;
- Plastics and articles thereof (HS code 39) - a decrease of $752;
- Miscellaneous articles of base metal (HS code 83) - a decrease of $574;
- Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard (HS code 48) - a decrease of $128.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of imports in Q2 2020, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total import | Value of imports in Q2 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in Q2 2020 over Q2 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Organic chemicals | 0 | 0.00 | 1,321 | -100.00 |
| 33 | Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations | 0 | 0.00 | 8,979 | -100.00 |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 1,124 | 17.57 | 0 | ∞ |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 451 | 7.05 | 1,203 | -62.51 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 161 | 2.52 | 1,796 | -91.04 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 189 | 2.95 | 141 | 34.04 |
| 48 | Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard | 0 | 0.00 | 128 | -100.00 |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 0 | 0.00 | 6,421 | -100.00 |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 0 | 0.00 | 13 | -100.00 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 0 | 0.00 | 6,052 | -100.00 |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 130 | 2.03 | 5,233 | -97.52 |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 0 | 0.00 | 574 | -100.00 |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 3,269 | 51.09 | 25,353 | -87.11 |
| 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 | 0 | 0.00 | 753 | -100.00 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 1,582 | -100.00 |
| 92 | Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles | 0 | 0.00 | 365,177 | -100.00 |
| 95 | Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof | 1,074 | 16.79 | 283 | 279.51 |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 0 | 0.00 | 15,220 | -100.00 |