NORTH KOREAN FOREIGN TRADE OUTLOOK GOOD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600320215-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 18, 2011
• Sequence Number: 215
• Publication Date: June 19, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/08/18: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600320215-7
CLASSIFICATION CoNMENrm CONFIDENTIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
COUNTRY North Korea
SUBJECT Economic - Foreign trade
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily newspapers
WHERE
PUBLISHED
DATE
PUBLISHED
LANGUAGE
2 Dec 1949, 27 Apr 1950
THIS DOC UOINT CONTAINS INFORMATION AnICTINO THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
or THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF ISPIORASE ACT .10
N. I. C.. I I AND II, Al AMENDED. ITS TAANSMISSIOI ON THE IETEIATION
01 17f CONTANTS IN ANY NARMIN TO AN UTAUTHORIEED PERSON IN PRO-
NINITID ST LAW. REPRODUCTION of THIS ?0NM Is PNOHIIITID.
SOURCE Newspapers as indicated.
DATE OF
INFORMATION 1949 - 1950
DATE DIST. / j Jun 1950...
NO. OF PAGES 2
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
NORTH KOREAN FOREIGN TRADE OUTLOOK GOOD
TRADE WITH USSR INCREASES 9z TIMES -- P'yongyang.T'usa Sinmun, 2 Dec 49
Chang Si-u, Minister of Commerce of the People's Republic, declared in
an interview with the press on .1 December 1949'that trade with the USSR had
brought tremendous changes to the economic life of the working masses since
the liberation, as indicated by the doubling of the commodity circulation rate
in a single year. Questions and answers from the interview follow:
Q: How are prospects for the foreign trade of the People's Republic?
A: The prospects for our foreign trade are very bright; particularly
with the USSR. A notable development has been observed lately in the trade
with China. The USSR-North Korea trade for 1948 has increased 9z times,.
while trade for the third and fourth quarters of 1949 alone was eight times
that of 1946.. The fact that our foreign trades "constructive" and "sub-
'Jective" for the interest of our state is readily revealed. in its favorable
balance. This . is. particularly convincing when we, examine each import item
During the third and fouuth quarters of 1949;*items essential to our in-
dustries made up as'much as 70 percent,-of all imports from the USSR. This
is a tremendous change from the time:of Japanese colonization when our
foreign trade was-geared to their? exploitative purposes.
'Q: What effect does'our present foreign trade have on our industrial
development? .
A: The effect is tremendous. The rise of the living standard of our
working masses has been particularly noticeable as a result of increased for-
eign trade. Although our government emphasizes ;rportation of industrial
materials, it does not neglect the importation of daily necessities for the
people. The fact that daily necessities made up 28 percent of the imports
from the USSR during the third and fourth quarters of 1949 supports the above
statement. We have been importing large quantities of cotton fabrics, es-
pecially white cambric, sheeting cotton, women's and children's clothing ma-
terials.
STATE
IARMY
- 1 - CONF iJENTIA1
C`.ONFT-IF.N1''TAT.
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DON~IDENTIAI.
Q: What are the measures for increasing commodity sales and developing
the state and cooperative stores?
A: Since we have been endeavoring to market through these stores as
many commodities as possible to meet the people's demand, the stores have
been thriving remarkably. The state commerce commodity circulation indexes
show that, during the third and fourth quarters of ].949, the circulation of
manufactured goods increased 2~ times, and of food 12 times that for the cor-
responding periods in 1948. The indexes of some items such as silk increased
472.6 percent; cotton fabric, 162.6 percent; rubber shoes, 153.4 percent;
rice wine, 304.7 percent; meat, 386.7 percent; marine products, 1k7.8 percent.
We are continuously endeavoring to expand the commodity market, improve
the distribution system, and enforce stricter commodity inspection.
EXPLORE TRADE POSSIBILITIES WITH SOUTHEAST ASIA -- Saigon L'Echo Du Viet Nam
;' Apr 50
Saigon -- A group of 15 North Korean businessmen arrived in Saigon on
25 April by air to make their third stop in a 48,000-kilometer tour of 15
Far Eastern countries.
Dr 0 Chung-su, leader of the group, explained that the purpose of the
trip is to study export and import possibil'ties between Korea and Viet Nam,
Cambodia, and other countries of Southeast Asia.
"I an aware," he continued, "that in the past there has been little
trade between North Korea and Southeast Asia. It is out hope that we may
discover new trade opportunities in Southeast Asia for our mutual benefit.
I know that such relations would help improve the standard of living in our
country, which suffered a disruption of its foreign trade after the war. I.
am certain that Viet Nam would also benefit from friendly commercial trans-
actions with us."
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
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