North Korea’s newest luxury mall opens IKEA store, apparently without permission | NK News
NK News Logo
January 11, 2025

NK News is hiring

News

North Korea’s newest luxury mall opens IKEA store, apparently without permission

Swedish furniture giant says it has no presence in DPRK, and expert says items on sale were likely intended for China

North Korea’s newest luxury mall is now home to an IKEA store, a video uploaded to China social media suggests, giving wealthy residents of Pyongyang the opportunity to purchase the Swedish giant’s flat-pack furniture for their own homes.

But the store appears to be using the IKEA brand name without permission, as the company told NK News that it has no official presence in the DPRK.

Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.