North Korea imported increased quantities of soap and similar disinfectants from China last month even as overall trade sunk, newly released customs data shows, in a development that one expert said may aim to support sterilization efforts for a restart of overland trade.

According to China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC), North Korea’s imports from China were valued at $39.8 million in October. Rubber led the imports with $7.8 million (17.7%), followed by plastics and tobacco products at $6.2 million and $4.5 million, respectively.

Meanwhile, electricity made up more than 90% of the DPRK’s exports to China, as