Officially named the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, North Korea is strategically located on the north part of the Korean Peninsula near leading trading partners including China to its west and Japan to the east.

Based on latest available statistics, North Korea exported US$263.7 million worth of products around the globe in 2022.

That dollar amount reflects a -28.2% decline from $367.4 million in 2018.

Year over year, the overall value of North Korea’s exported products grew by 53% compared to $172.3 million for 2021.

North Korea’s Top Trading Partners

Below is a list of North Korea’s top 25 trading partners that imported the most shipments from North Korea by dollar value during 2022. Also shown is each import country’s percentage share of total North Korean exports.

1. mainland China: US$133.7 million (50.7% of total North Korean exports)
2. Senegal: $30.6 million (11.6%)
3. Nigeria: $18.5 million (7%)
4. Poland: $10 million (3.8%)
5. Seychelles: $9.5 million (3.6%)
6. Netherlands: $8.1 million (3.1%)
7. Luxembourg: $6.5 million (2.5%)
8. Mozambique: $5.9 million (2.2%)
9. Suriname: $4.8 million (1.8%)
10. Togo: $3.7 million (1.4%)
11. Niger: $3.5 million (1.3%)
12. Spain: $2.8 million (1.1%)
13. Rwanda: $2.6 million (1%)
14. Ethiopia: $2.5 million (1%)
15. Czech Republic: $2.4 million (0.9%)
16. Barbados: $1.8 million (0.7%)
17. Cabo Verde: $1.7 million (0.7%)
18. Fiji: $1.6 million (0.6%)
19. Burkina Faso: $1.5 million (0.6%)
20. United Kingdom: $1.4 million (0.5%)
21. Ivory Coast: $998,000 (0.4%)
22. Malawi: $921,000 (0.3%)
23. Moldova: $869,000 (0.3%)
24. Indonesia: $798,000 (0.3%)
25. Burundi: $774,000 (0.3%)

 
Focusing on 2022, 97.5% of North Korean shipments were delivered to the listed top trading partners.

The fastest-growing importers purchasing goods from North Korea from 2021 to 2022 were: Czech Republic (up 4,802%), Niger (up 652.7%), Cabo Verde (up 322%), Senegal (up 305%), Ivory Coast (up 206.1%), and Nigeria (up 190.8%).

In comparison, North Korea recorded a 131.1% expansion in its export sales to number one customer mainland China from 2021 to 2022.

There were four year-over-year decliners in terms of buying exports from North Korea. Those fading customers were Togo (down -30.8%), Suriname (down -16.4%), Luxembourg (down -7.1%), and Poland (down -2.1%).

See also North Korea’s Top 10 Exports, South Korea’s Top Trading Partners and Capital Facts for Pyongyang, North Korea

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, Field Listing: Imports, The World Factbook. Accessed on June 12, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 12, 2023