Tyre shortage slowing North Korea down

According to US government-funded news service Radio Free Asia (RFA), North Korea is facing a shortage of tyres that is forcing many vehicles off the road. RFA explains that the tyre shortage results from the two-year-long border closure and trade ban with China imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19. It adds comments from sources who say domestic tyre production is “negligible” and importing these products has been “almost impossible.”

An administrative official at a transportation company in North Korea’s North Hamgyong province told RFA that “new tyres are very rare and even used tyres are hard to find.” This anonymous source added that although tyre shortages have occurred previously, it is now “extremely difficult” to find tyres: “Just like it was during the Arduous March,” he said, referring to the famine and economic collapse of the mid to late 1990s that killed hundreds of thousands or even millions of people.

Tyres used until completely worn

The source shared that two of the four cars owned by the transportation company he works for are currently undrivable because of a lack of suitable tyres. He told RFA that people use tyres until their treads are “worn out and shiny,” and normal practice is to repair punctured or torn tyres by placing a small piece of an old tyre tube over the damage. Drivers also fit tyres of differing sizes to that specified for their vehicle.

“I have never seen new tyres produced locally,” the source said. “Since international trade is stopped due to the border closure, it has become difficult to import used tyres.”