From Candy and Snacks to Toothpaste and Underwear... A Look Inside North Korean Diplomats' Luggage Bound for Russia

North Korean Diplomats' Luggage Filled with Domestic Snacks and Daily Necessities
"We Can't Afford to Buy Foreign Treats"

It has been revealed that North Korean diplomats departing for Russia packed cheap North Korean snacks and daily necessities to save foreign currency.

A Korean Air passenger plane at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport in North Korea. Asia Economy DB

On July 3, North Korea-focused media outlet Daily NK reported, citing sources, that a significant amount of snacks and daily necessities were found in the luggage of North Korean diplomats and trade officials heading from Pyongyang Sunan International Airport to Vladivostok, Russia.

According to the report, these individuals underwent customs inspections before boarding their flight, and most of their checked luggage consisted of North Korean confectionery and daily necessities.

The outlet stated, "The confectionery items were mostly hard flour crackers without milk or oil, homemade candies and peanut brittle sold without packaging by individuals rather than factories, bread and cookies produced in Pyongyang, egg biscuits, and layered pastries. The daily necessities mainly included domestically produced toothbrushes, toothpaste, and underwear."

Some of the items exceeded the weight limit, and the owners were warned by customs officers. However, it is known that they avoided inspection by handing over one dollar to the customs officers for each kilogram of excess weight.

At the time, customs officers reportedly reacted with puzzlement to the contents of the luggage. While inspecting the bags, the officers asked, "Why are you bothering to bring items that are common abroad?" and "Russia is a country that produces a lot of flour and eats bread with butter, so why are you bringing our tasteless and low-quality snacks and daily necessities?" according to the source.

In response, one diplomat smiled and said, "Foreign products may taste good, but those from our homeland are cheaper and more familiar. Snacks are all pretty much the same."

However, another official said, "Bringing these items is essentially the same as making money," adding, "It's because we don't have enough money to buy foreign snacks." He continued, "Just because we go abroad doesn't mean we can spend dollars freely. We have to endure and live like our fellow citizens back home, even while abroad. If we want to have a few dollars left when we return, we have to start saving now."

The source told Daily NK, "These remarks by the diplomats quickly spread to the general public through the customs officers and became a hot topic. Residents were astonished, questioning whether this truly reflects the reality of our country's diplomats, and at the same time, they felt a sense of unease."