Officially named the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, North Korea is strategically located on the north part of the Korean Peninsula near leading trading partners including China to its west and Japan to the east.

Based on latest available statistics, North Korea exported US$387.9 million worth of exported products to its trade partners in 2024.

That projected dollar amount results from a 105.7% boost compared to $188.6 million five years earlier in 2020.

Year over year, the total value of North Korean exported goods flatlined via a 0.3% gain from $386.9 million during 2023.

North Korea’s Top Trading Partners

Below is a list of North Korea’s top 25 trading partners that imported the most shipments from North Korea by dollar value during 2024. Also shown is each import country’s percentage share of total North Korean exports.

1. mainland China: US$348.3 million (89.8% of North Korean exports)
2. Poland: $9.7 million (2.5%)
3. Togo: $6.6 million (1.7%)
4. Suriname: $4.1 million (1%)
5. Indonesia: $2.8 million (0.7%)
6. Spain: $2.8 million (0.7%)
7. Burkina Faso: $2.3 million (0.6%)
8. Trinidad/Tobago: $1.7 million (0.4%)
9. India: $1.2 million (0.3%)
10. Mozambique: $845,000 (0.2%)
11. Barbados: $807,000 (0.2%)
12. Benin: $768,000 (0.2%)
13. Moldova: $518,000 (0.1%)
14. Gambia: $503,000 (0.1%)
15. Ivory Coast: $500,000 (0.1%)
16. Belgium: $470,000 (0.1%)
17. Mongolia: $438,000 (0.1%)
18. South Africa: $416,000 (0.1%)
19. Hong Kong: $350,000 (0.1%)
20. North Macedonia: $335,000 (0.1%)
21. Colombia: $312,000 (0.1%)
22. Armenia: $217,000 (0.1%)
23. Netherlands: $213,000 (0.1%)
24. Brunei Darussalam: $206,000 (0.1%)
25. Honduras: $194,000 (0.1%)

 
Focusing on 2024, 99.7% of North Korean shipments were delivered to the listed top trading partners.

The fastest-growing importers purchasing goods from North Korea from 2023 to 2024 were: Benin (up 380%), Indonesia (up 336.7%), Ivory Coast (up 152.5%), Burkina Faso (up 127.4%) then Trinidad and Tobago (up 109.2%).

The severest year-over-year decliners buying exports from North Korea were importers based in South Africa (down -93.8% from 2023), Mozambique (down -73.3%), Netherlands (down -68.2%), India (down -53.1%) and Brunei Darussalam (down -47.8%).

See also North Korea’s Top 10 Exports, South Korea’s Top Trading Partners and Capital Facts for Pyongyang, North Korea

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, Field Listing: Imports, The World Factbook. Accessed on July 29, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 29, 2025