Russian trade in goods with North Korea in Q4 2020
February 14, 2021
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 2020: exports, imports, products, dynamics.
Russia’s Trade with North Korea
In the 4th quarter of 2020, Russia’s trade with North Korea was $564,655, down 94.07% ($8,950,796) from the 4th quarter of 2019.
Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2020 were $478,120, down 94.27% ($7,859,149) from the 4th quarter of 2019.
Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2020 were $86,535, down 92.66% ($1,091,647) from the 4th quarter of 2019.
Russia’s trade surplus with North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2020 was $391,585, a 94.53% decrease ($6,767,502) over the 4th quarter of 2019.
North Korea was Russia’s 173rd largest trading partner in the 4th quarter of 2020 (down from 130th in the 4th quarter of 2019), accounting for 0.0003% of Russia’s total trade (down from 0.0053% in the 4th quarter of 2019).
North Korea was Russia’s 165th largest export market in the 4th quarter of 2020 (down from 117th in the 4th quarter of 2019), accounting for 0.0005% of Russia’s total exports (down from 0.0075% in the 4th quarter of 2019).
North Korea was Russia’s 155th largest supplier in the 4th quarter of 2020 (down from 127th in the 4th quarter of 2019), accounting for 0.0001% of Russia’s total imports (down from 0.0017% in the 4th quarter of 2019).
Russia’s Exports to North Korea
The major share of Russian exports to North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2020 (and in the 4th quarter of 2019) was accounted for the following product types:
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 98.09% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (10.94% in the 4th quarter of 2019);
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 1.15% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (30.48% in the 4th quarter of 2019);
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 0.76% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (4.55% in the 4th quarter of 2019);
- Mineral products (HS codes 25-27) - 0.00% of Russia’s total exports to North Korea (52.72% in the 4th quarter of 2019).
The largest gains in Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2020 over the 4th quarter of 2019 were recorded for the following product groups:
- No product groups with a substantial increase.
The largest declines in Russia’s exports to North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2020 over the 4th 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 $4,324,012;
- Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes (HS code 15) - a decrease of $1,536,990;
- Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten (HS code 11) - a decrease of $739,246;
- Pharmaceutical products (HS code 30) - a decrease of $424,779;
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - a decrease of $186,753;
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - a decrease of $139,863;
- Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates (HS code 03) - a decrease of $109,022;
- Live animals (HS code 01) - a decrease of $80,922;
- Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement (HS code 25) - a decrease of $71,273;
- Articles of iron or steel (HS code 73) - a decrease of $40,011;
- Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials (HS code 68) - a decrease of $39,293;
- Meat and edible meat offal (HS code 02) - a decrease of $38,262;
- 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 $33,642;
- Miscellaneous edible preparations (HS code 21) - a decrease of $24,157;
- 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) - a decrease of $17,805;
- 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 (HS code 86) - a decrease of $14,606;
- Plastics and articles thereof (HS code 39) - a decrease of $13,632;
- Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder (HS code 12) - a decrease of $7,385;
- Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal (HS code 82) - a decrease of $4,999;
- Iron and steel (HS code 72) - a decrease of $2,128;
- Aluminum and articles thereof (HS code 76) - a decrease of $2,031;
- Copper and articles thereof (HS code 74) - a decrease of $1,560;
- Miscellaneous chemical products (HS code 38) - a decrease of $1,540.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of exports in Q4 2020, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total export | Value of exports in Q4 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in Q4 2020 over Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Live animals | 0 | 0.00 | 80,922 | -100.00 |
| 02 | Meat and edible meat offal | 0 | 0.00 | 38,262 | -100.00 |
| 03 | Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates | 0 | 0.00 | 109,022 | -100.00 |
| 11 | Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten | 0 | 0.00 | 739,246 | -100.00 |
| 12 | Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder | 0 | 0.00 | 7,385 | -100.00 |
| 15 | Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes | 0 | 0.00 | 1,536,990 | -100.00 |
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 5,490 | 1.15 | 29,647 | -81.48 |
| 25 | Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement | 0 | 0.00 | 71,273 | -100.00 |
| 27 | Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes | 0 | 0.00 | 4,324,012 | -100.00 |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | 469,004 | 98.09 | 893,783 | -47.53 |
| 32 | Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints, varnishes, putty and mastics | 0 | 0.00 | 1,349 | -100.00 |
| 33 | Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations | 0 | 0.00 | 1,047 | -100.00 |
| 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 | 195 | -100.00 |
| 35 | Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes | 0 | 0.00 | 56 | -100.00 |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 0 | 0.00 | 1,540 | -100.00 |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 13,632 | -100.00 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 243 | -100.00 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 0 | 0.00 | 18 | -100.00 |
| 53 | Other vegetable textile fibers; paper yarn and woven fabric of paper yarn | 0 | 0.00 | 4 | -100.00 |
| 59 | Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use | 0 | 0.00 | 86 | -100.00 |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 0 | 0.00 | 97 | -100.00 |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 0 | 0.00 | 678 | -100.00 |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 0 | 0.00 | 62 | -100.00 |
| 68 | Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials | 0 | 0.00 | 39,293 | -100.00 |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 0 | 0.00 | 2,128 | -100.00 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 0 | 0.00 | 40,011 | -100.00 |
| 74 | Copper and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 1,560 | -100.00 |
| 76 | Aluminum and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 2,031 | -100.00 |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 0 | 0.00 | 4,999 | -100.00 |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 0 | 0.00 | 212 | -100.00 |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 186,753 | -100.00 |
| 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 | 33,642 | -100.00 |
| 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 | 0 | 0.00 | 14,606 | -100.00 |
| 87 | Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 867 | -100.00 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 3,626 | 0.76 | 143,489 | -97.47 |
| 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 | 0 | 0.00 | 17,805 | -100.00 |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 0 | 0.00 | 324 | -100.00 |
Russia’s Imports from North Korea
The major share of Russian imports from North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2020 (and in the 4th quarter of 2019) was accounted for the following product types:
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 20.37% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (48.25% in the 4th quarter of 2019);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 5.43% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (4.63% in the 4th quarter of 2019);
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 0.00% of Russia’s total imports from North Korea (1.03% in the 4th quarter of 2019).
The largest gains in Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2020 over the 4th quarter of 2019 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) - an increase of $1,953;
- Miscellaneous chemical products (HS code 38) - an increase of $1,015;
- Organic chemicals (HS code 29) - an increase of $988.
The largest declines in Russia’s imports from North Korea in the 4th quarter of 2020 over the 4th quarter of 2019 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - a decrease of $473,486;
- Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles (HS code 92) - a decrease of $439,949;
- 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 $79,355;
- Plastics and articles thereof (HS code 39) - a decrease of $31,204;
- 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) - a decrease of $29,492;
- Rubber and articles thereof (HS code 40) - a decrease of $18,338;
- Miscellaneous edible preparations (HS code 21) - a decrease of $12,177;
- Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted (HS code 62) - a decrease of $4,911;
- Articles of iron or steel (HS code 73) - a decrease of $1,964;
- Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,of radioactive elements or of isotopes (HS code 28) - a decrease of $1,485;
- Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 95) - a decrease of $1,399;
- Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans (HS code 49) - a decrease of $876;
- Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations (HS code 33) - a decrease of $817.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of imports in Q4 2020, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total import | Value of imports in Q4 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in Q4 2020 over Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 0 | 0.00 | 12,177 | -100.00 |
| 28 | Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,of radioactive elements or of isotopes | 0 | 0.00 | 1,485 | -100.00 |
| 29 | Organic chemicals | 988 | 1.14 | 0 | ∞ |
| 33 | Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations | 2,590 | 2.99 | 3,407 | -23.98 |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 1,121 | 1.30 | 106 | 957.55 |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 31,204 | -100.00 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 18,338 | -100.00 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 0 | 0.00 | 97 | -100.00 |
| 49 | Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans | 0 | 0.00 | 876 | -100.00 |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 0 | 0.00 | 159 | -100.00 |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 0 | 0.00 | 4,911 | -100.00 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 0 | 0.00 | 1,964 | -100.00 |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 196 | 0.23 | 90 | 117.78 |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 12,124 | 14.01 | 485,610 | -97.50 |
| 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 | 1,870 | 2.16 | 81,225 | -97.70 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 3,637 | 4.20 | 1,684 | 115.97 |
| 92 | Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles | 0 | 0.00 | 439,949 | -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 | 63,880 | 73.82 | 93,372 | -31.59 |
| 95 | Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof | 129 | 0.15 | 1,528 | -91.56 |