February 2, 2012

North Korea imports 20% more grain from China in 2011

North Korea's grain imports from China increased 20% in 2011 from the previous year despite a better harvest, a South Korean researcher said Wednesday (Feb 1).

North Korea bought 376,431 tonnes of grain from China last year, 20% more than its purchases of 313,695 tonnes in 2010, Kwon Tae Jin, a North Korea expert at the Korea Rural Economic Institute in Seoul, said on his blog, citing data from the South Korea International Trade Association and other sources.

In October-December 2011, North Korea imported 125,700 tonnes of grain from China, up 20% from the same period in 2010.

''It is unusual for North Korea to import such a large volume of grains in one quarter and also very strange given that harvest in the fall last year increased from that of 2010,'' Kwon said.