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DPRK

North Korea Today No. 315 - Dec 2009

Attachments

["Good Friends" aims to help the North Korean people from a humanistic point of view and publishes "North Korea Today" describing the way the North Korean people live as accurately as possible. We at Good Friends also hope to be a bridge between the North Korean people and the world.]

(EXTRACT)

Market Prices Still Unstable Despite the Release of Government Set Prices

A quick survey of current market prices in the major cities shows that there aren't many items that are traded at the government set price. Most of the items are traded at prices that are higher than the government set prices. In the afternoon of December 11, rice was traded at 50 won per kg, corn 18 won, and corn noodle 20 won respectively in Chungjin city market in North Hamgyong Province, and they are all twice as much higher than the government set prices. However, only pork was traded at 45 won, which is the government set price. Until recently, pigs were reared in the farm by feeding the leftover grains that comes out of brewing. However, many farmhouses gave up pig farming because the grain price went up and wines are not selling very well. Many farmhouses are selling even the piglets to meat traders. As such, pork price is not rising, so it is traded at government set price.