Your current location:HOME >style >Coffee in North Korea: It’s not just for capitalists anymore — Radio Free Asia 正文
TIME:2024-06-03 17:00:08 Source: Internet compilationEdit:style
Though coffee has long been derided as a symbol of imperialist capitalism, privileged North Koreans
Though coffee has long been derided as a symbol of imperialist capitalism, privileged North Koreans are developing a taste for it, residents in the country told Radio Free Asia.
“These days, drinking coffee has become a trend among local officials,” a resident in the eastern province of South Hamgyong told RFA Korean on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
“Until recently, coffee was perceived as a ‘luxury product symbolizing capitalism’ and incompatible with socialism.”
For years, coffee was only available in hotels catering to foreign tourists, but it started to appear in marketplaces in the 2010s. Now coffee shops have sprung up in Pyongyang and other cities, the resident said.
Coffee is expensive for the average North Korean, so it is drunk mostly by the wealthy elite.
But the masses are learning about coffee culture through illegal foreign movies smuggled into the country, said a resident from the northeastern province of North Hamgyong.
“Some people will drink coffee on holidays to be a little more stylish, but it’s a little too early for the public to be drinking coffee regularly,” he said.
Tea is also unusual in North Korea because the colder climate isn’t conducive to growing tea bushes. Instead, North Koreans typically consume soju, a distilled drink that tastes similar to vodka.
“In rural areas, a cup of coffee costs more than a bottle of alcohol, so ordinary residents do not dare to drink it,” the first source said. “But officials and rich people drink coffee every day.”
A bottle of soju costs less than 3,000 won (35 US cents) while a cup of coffee is between 3,000 and 5,000 won (35 to 60 cents) – for North Koreans. Foreign tourists are charged around US$5 per cup, about 14 times the cost of soju.
Ground coffee, meanwhile, costs between 50,000 to 80,000 won ($6-10) per 200 grams (7 ounces). Adding sugar at 20,000 won ($2.35) per kilogram (2.2 pounds) makes it even more unaffordable.
Favored as a bribe
Coffee is also starting to be used as a bribe, replacing the traditional carton of cigarettes, the North Hamgyong resident said.
“Officials seem to be more interested in coffee these days because cigarettes are bad for your health,” he said.
Recently, the first resident said that he was asked by a city cadre section officer to be treated to coffee and sugar.
“Although I thought it was a waste of money, I bought it without saying anything because I might need his help at some point,” he said.
Though there are North Korean coffee processing companies, as with most products, the rich prefer coffee produced abroad, the second resident said.
“Domestic coffee containing ginseng is good, but officials prefer coffee from Brazil or South Korea,” he said, adding that he recently had bribed an official with the South American brew so that his son could get a recommendation to attend college.
When the now-shuttered inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex was in operation, the South Korean companies provided individually wrapped instant coffee “stick” pouches to North Korean workers.
These proved to be very popular and would often find their way into local markets along with chocopies and other South Korean treats that the workers could sneak out of the factory breakrooms.
Translated by Claire S. Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.
Orban fears prompt Michel quit U2024-06-03 16:51
Israel's long2024-06-03 16:46
Claire Danes carries umbrella for bundled2024-06-03 16:32
Hawaii Supreme Court chides state's legal moves on water after deadly Maui wildfire2024-06-03 16:28
The last day of the NBA regular season is Sunday. Expect chaos and lots of it2024-06-03 16:03
Start of Sen. Bob Menendez's bribery trial is delayed a week to mid2024-06-03 16:02
Police in Paris detain a man wearing fake explosives vest at Iran's Consulate2024-06-03 15:24
American Express profits jump 34%, helped by jump in new customers, higher spending2024-06-03 14:46
2 killed in U.S. Colorado campus shooting2024-06-03 14:36
Atlanta or Afghanistan? Wild shootout breaks out at gas station with one gunman wielding an AK2024-06-03 14:32
Israel's intrusion into Gaza won't gain security: Jordanian FM2024-06-03 16:46
Larry David reunites with onscreen ex2024-06-03 16:13
A former Russian tycoon who once led separatist region launches a hunger strike in Azerbaijan jail2024-06-03 15:59
Cycling star Evenepoel targets June return from crash ahead of Tour de France and Paris Olympics2024-06-03 15:53
Attacker shot dead after fatally stabbing Israeli soldier2024-06-03 15:50
Croatia's top court rules President Milanović cannot be prime minister because of campaign2024-06-03 15:42
Cycling star Evenepoel targets June return from crash ahead of Tour de France and Paris Olympics2024-06-03 15:28
Emma Roberts keeps it casual in a hoodie and Dragon Ball Z t2024-06-03 14:58
Mother in law of missing Kansas mom and friend arrested in huge Oklahoma SWAT raid2024-06-03 14:43
Pennsylvania board's cancellation of gay actor's school visit ill2024-06-03 14:14