North Korea’s government has demanded a complete halt to the illegal trade in fuel coming from Russia and ordered a purge of officials involved in the schemes, according to a report by the independent outlet Daily NK, citing a source in South Pyongan province. The source told the publication that an order signed by the Cabinet Secretariat was sent to the provincial people’s committee on Aug. 27. The document described bribery and “non-socialist behavior” among local officials as chronic problems that must be eradicated.
In North Korea, “non-socialist behavior” is an official ideological term used for conduct considered contrary to state socialist discipline, such as black-market activity, corruption, or private enrichment.
The order was prepared after an expanded meeting of the political bureau of the ninth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea that took place on Aug. 25. The document links fulfillment of the state plan for the second half of the year to tighter control over official discipline. Its contents were communicated to staff of provincial, city, and county party committees, heads of people’s committee departments, and secretaries of primary party organizations.
The order identified the illegal circulation of liquefied gas, gasoline, and diesel fuel imported from Russia as the most acute problem. The Daily NK source said:
“Problems have been raised that strategic fuel imported from Russia is bypassing the state distribution network and flowing into private residences in Pyongyang and the provinces or to smugglers under the protection of officials, where it is being traded on the black market at high prices.”
“An order was issued to completely eradicate this problem by the second half of this year,” the source added.
People’s committees in cities and counties, together with security agencies, were instructed to create joint inspection teams, track down and seize all fuel that had left the state network, and return it to the treasury. Officials found to have allowed fuel to leak from state channels or to have been involved in its illegal sale were threatened with harsh punishment and confiscation of property, regardless of rank.
In South Pyongan, surprise inspections have already begun at oil depots, transport hubs, and markets where fuel is stored or sold. According to the source, local officials are acting with extreme caution, fearing that their previous extortion of residents could come to light.
Residents of the province fear the campaign could hurt the local economy. Informally distributed fuel had kept vehicles moving and supported market logistics, meaning large-scale seizures could sharply worsen supplies.
Earlier, a Bloomberg Economics study found that from 2022 to 2025, North Korea received $22 billion from abroad — four times more than in the previous four years — and cooperation with Russia accounted for more than $14 billion of that figure.
