Russian businesses have sought to import goods from a record number of North Korean companies in 2024, official trade records show, a sign of growing demand for DPRK products like ginseng, cosmetics and sweets despite international sanctions.

An NK Pro investigation into import declarations submitted to Russia’s Federal Service for Accreditation (FSA) reveals plans for at least 11 North Korean firms to ship their goods to Russia this year, up from just a few during the pandemic and the previous high of seven firms in 2018.

The variety of DPRK products that Russian companies have sought to