eAs a part of our collection analyzing the socioeconomic disparity between Pyongyang and different cities in North Korea, we’re trying on the variations North Koreans may expertise, relying on the place they reside, throughout a wide range of indicators together with: entry to electrical energy, telecommunications, business, transportation infrastructure, and training. To take action, we utilized two examples as proxies: Haeju, a consultant mid-sized provincial capital, and Kim Hyong Jik, a distant, rural county seat.
The primary article checked out North Korea’s new five-year financial plan unveiled by Kim Jong Un on the Ninth Social gathering Congress in February 2026. And in a second, we explored the nation’s rural housing and rural industrial improvement initiatives of the previous couple of years.
When Kim Jong Un kicked off the 20×10 regional improvement coverage in 2024, he framed the initiative as mentioning the usual of residing in “backward” rural areas. Utilizing industrial satellite tv for pc edimagery, state media evaluation, accounts of escapees and different information, these articles try and characterize how rural areas is likely to be “backward” as compared with different much less distant areas.
Restricted Motion
Motion inside North Korea is very restricted and is a major consideration when evaluating entry to transportation choices. Residents aren’t free to maneuver across the nation at will and are typically required to acquire journey permits to make journeys outdoors of their dwelling province. These restrictions are designed to bolster social stratification and to permit authorities to raised surveil and observe residents’ motion.
For non-Pyongyang residents, acquiring journey permits, particularly to the capital metropolis, could be a cumbersome course of. Potential vacationers are required to submit a purpose for his or her journey earlier than probably gaining permission from native state safety officers. If that’s an excessive amount of, or unattainable, some escapee studies word it’s potential to make journeys over longer distances withwith ample bribesin place of a allow.
For Pyongyang residents, probably the most loyal social class, the journey allow system is a little bit simpler to navigate. The capital’s official residency card affords a larger diploma of freedom of motion, and journey permits to areas outdoors the town are simpler to acquire.
Transportation Overview
Transportation infrastructure varies extensively throughout North Korea. This is likely to be anticipated as city areas everywhere in the world usually have higher transportation choices as a result of increased inhabitants density.
Public Transportation
The most important and most developed public transportation community exists in Pyongyang. Within the metropolis, there are two subway traces, 4 tram traces, and eleven trolleybus traces along with a neighborhood bus community. No different cities in North Korea have a subway system; solely Chongjin, a mid-size metropolis within the nation’s northeast, has a tram line. Trolleybus traces exist in no less than Chongjin, Hungnam, Manpho, Nampho, Pyongsong, Sariwon, Sinuiju and Wonsan, however not in additional rural areas.
The Pyongyang Metro includes two traces; service runs from 6 am to 9:30 pm. It has been reported for years that the metro will increase, however that doesn’t appear to have occurred but. Even with the current building growth across the capital, no new metro stations or traces have been introduced or noticed.
The bus, trolley and tram traces crisscross the town to make getting round straightforward. The trolleybus traces have been prolonged to offer transit to the brand new neighborhoods, in accordance with state tv protection.
Outdoors of Pyongyang, many cities and cities in North Korea are served by some kind of public transport. This may embrace native and long-distance bus service and unofficial operators, which frequently transport individuals in small minibuses or vans.
In Haeju, there’s a developed bus infrastructure that features coated bus stops and a bus line that runs no less than 7 kilometers by the middle of the city. Business satellite tv for pc imagery exhibits a number of lengthy distance buses touring in the direction of or away from the town.
In smaller cities and cities, like Kim Hyong Jik, most native journeys are in all probability made by foot or bicycle. Longer journeys are much less frequent due to controls on the bodily motion of individuals across the nation.
Inter-Metropolis Transportation Infrastructure
North Korea additionally has an in depth highway and railway community.
Within the final yr, studies recommend personal automobile possession has been extra extensively tolerated, even together with rental vehicles. Nevertheless, because of the important price of vehicles, the consequences haven’t but been seen far past Pyongyang or main cities.
Roads
Kim Il Sung Sq. in Pyongyang is the 0 km level for all of the nation’s roads. From Pyongyang, motorways and Class 1 roads, that are crucial normal roads, unfold out to attach the capital to all main cities and provincial capitals.
Because the capital metropolis, Pyongyang is well-connected to the remainder of the nation, however entry to the capital shouldn’t be essentially straightforward. Pyongyang is closely managed, and automobiles require permits to enter the town. Autos additionally should be clear when coming into, so automobile wash stations are located alongside all entrance factors to the capital.
Most provincial capitals are additionally well-connected, though not all are related to the freeway system. Many are interconnected with Class 1 roads, that are managed by the central authorities.
There are 4 main motorways all originating in Pyongyang and heading north, south, east and west. The motorways are paved and usually have two lanes entering into every course. In the previous couple of years, toll stations have appeared alongside these routes and drivers pays in money or through smartphone app.
Haeju shouldn’t be located on a motorway, however is the origin of the absolutely paved Haeju-Sariwon Highway, a Class 1 highway. The highway was transformed in 2025 and is the central arterial highway in South Hwanghae province. From Sariwon, connections to Pyongyang and Kaesong are potential through highways. There are additionally a number of Class 2 roads that join Haeju with different close by cities.
Kim Hyong Jik shouldn’t be nicely related. A single Class 2 highway runs by the city connecting it to Turi-ri to the west. Right here, the highway splits to both run by the mountains to different small cities or to proceed alongside the border. The border highway originates at a bridge that was washed out in recent times by heavy rains, however has since been repaired.
Railways
North Korea’s railway community is intensive, masking over 5,300 kilometers (longer than South Korea’s railway community, which spans round 4,300 kilometers) and includes 12 essential railway traces and an extra 22 department traces. All main cities and most massive cities are related to the community, which additionally has quite a few stops in rural places.
Roughly 80 % of the community is galvanized, which prevents the necessity for treasured diesel gasoline for use but in addition means delays are frequent as a result of energy provide points. For instance, the journey from Chongjin to Pyongyang is roughly the identical distance as Seoul to Busan. On South Korea’s high-speed KTX practice, it takes about two hours to journey this distance, whereas in North Korea, one escapee stated the journey often took about 10 hours, though it may take 3-4 days as a result of energy and mechanical issues, they stated.
Whereas passenger rail does exist, the community’s essential job is to move items throughout the nation. The community has round 20,000 cargo rail vehicles in comparison with 1,700 passenger vehicles.
Pyongyang is related to main cities throughout the nation by rail and the primary Pyongyang Station additionally receives worldwide trains from China. It’s the largest and most vital railway station within the nation.
The Haeju Youth Station is positioned east of the town middle and is one finish of the Hwanghae Youth Line that runs by South Hwanghae province to Sariwon in North Hwanghae. From Sariwon, trains connect with Pyongyang. Haeju Youth Station can be one finish of the Ongjin Line, which begins in Ongjin and consists of a number of freight spurs and a cease at West Haeju Station, the second railway station within the metropolis.
In distinction, Kim Hyong Jik has no railway entry. The closest station is Phophyong Station on the Hyesan – Manpho Youth Line, which runs between its two namesake cities and is about 4 kilometers from Kim Hyong Jik.
This analysis was sponsored by The UniKorea Basis.
