Pyongyang’s main department store was crowded with New Year Holiday shoppers, a pro-North Korea newspaper based in Tokyo said on Saturday.
“With the coming of the new year, the footsteps of Pyongyang citizens are heading to the department store,” Chosun Sinbo said, citing its reporter from the reclusive nation’s capital.
“The products, including foods, daily commodities, clothes, furniture, home electronic appliances, are sold according to the new price system,” it said.
North Korea recently carried out a currency reform and later also banned the use of foreign currencies in the nation, a move widely seen as strengthening the state’s control on the market, by cracking down on underground market activities.
Analysts said that the new moves would likely make people’s livelihood more difficult.
“At 10 o’clock in the morning, as soon as the door of the West Pyongyang Department Store was opened, a slew of shoppers stormed the building to buy stuff,” it said.
Roh Young-sook, the manger of the department store told the newspaper: “This year, we had more stock of products than in previous years. There were also people who wanted currency exchanges. All this added up to increased customers.”
Roh said: “The price is stabilized and it makes easier for people to buy products,” adding “the new currency system is working.”
The newspaper is the mouthpiece of North Korea, representing its views.
