Today's News

Many changes are taking place in the material and cultural life of the Korean people.

One of them is that products made by new factories in regional areas are being added to the counters at retailers in Pyongyang.

The Pyongyang Underground Shop has provincial counters specializing in the sale of farm produce and specialities of regional areas, which are always crowded with customers.

“In the past, citizens recognized regional commodities mainly as agricultural products like honey and edible herbs, but this perception has changed completely,” said Kim Un Byol, a saleswoman at the shop.

At the shop, some customers ask for soaps produced by new regional factories saying they would like to try them which are reputed to be so good, while others order furniture made by such factories saying they heard of its high quality.

The Kwangbok Area Supermarket began to sell products of new regional factories from early this year, and the variety and amount of the sales have been increasing with each passing day.

Not only the products of factories in Songchon and Yonthan counties, which have gained experience for more than a year since their inauguration, but also those in Jangyon and Ryonggang counties, which have recently started their operation, are drawing the interest of Pyongyang citizens.

“I cannot distinguish between central and regional products without seeing the names of the producers,” said Kim Yong Ran, a woman living in Tangsang-dong No. 1, Mangyongdae District. “I cannot yet believe that they were made by regional factories.”

She added that as she often shopped at the supermarket to buy specialities of different provinces, she has now become a regular customer.

As the sales of and demands for the goods from new regional factories are increasing at retailers in Pyongyang, the citizens are experiencing the changes being made in the regional areas.

Seeing the goods from regional factories, they keenly feel that the plan and practice of the Workers’ Party of Korea for providing all people, whether they live in the capital or in the provinces, with an affluent and civilized life lead to the well-being of the people.