Chinese importers ditch Dandong amid N. Korea sanctions

Dandong/Courtesy of Twitter

By Lee Jin-a

Most Chinese companies doing business with North Korea have left the border city of Dandong amid U.N. sanctions on the rogue state, Radio Free Asia (RFA) said Tuesday.

“Empty offices are increasing in the 30-story twin buildings in Dandong as small and midsize Chinese trading companies closed their businesses with North Korea,” a source told RFA.

An owner of the 660-square-meter office in Dandong said: “Companies usually sign an annual contract to rent office rooms. However, a tenant who had rented the same office rooms for five years did not extend the contract this year because he could no longer have a business with North Korean companies.”

Another source said: “This twin building was well known for companies who deal with North Korea. The North Korean consulate office was also located in this building. However, many Chinese importers have left since the beginning of U.N. sanctions because they could no longer import North Korea’s natural resources such as coal and metals.”

Dandong, in southeast China, faces the North Korean city of Sinuiju.