Soybean oil dominated North Korea’s imports from China in December, dethroning fabrics and human hair as the top trade item to drive bilateral trade to the highest level of the year, according to NK Pro analysis of official trade figures.

The latest data from China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC) also shows that its shipments of sanctioned goods to the DPRK once again saw an on-year uptick in 2024, as Beijing continued to disregard international restrictions on an array of goods.

North Korea acquired 15,195 tons of soybean oil worth $18.5 million in December, increasing from