Countries · KP
North Korea: sanctions and trade risk
As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 438 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to North Korea.Lists last checked .
Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓
Nearly all exports, imports and financial dealings with North Korea are restricted by at least one major sanctions regime. Pause any shipment until a qualified review confirms it is permitted or licensed.
Sources: EU Sanctions Map — DPRK non-proliferation regime (15 Dec 2025) · SECO — Sanktionsverordnungen (index of 28 Swiss regimes) (24 Oct 2026) · OFAC — Sanctions Programs and Country Information (active programs) (24 Oct 2026) · reviewed 24 Oct 2026
By sanctions regime
The indicator above is the strictest of these. Which regimes are relevant to a shipment depends on many connections — dispatch country, company location, incorporation, nationality, ownership, banks, goods origin. The check selects them from your inputs in a simplified way; UN measures take effect through each country's implementing law.
| Regime | Indicator | What applies |
|---|---|---|
| UN | Comprehensive embargo | Comprehensive sanctions (resolution 1718) — implemented by UN member states in their own law. |
| EU | Comprehensive embargo | Implements the UN measures and adds its own (last amended Dec 2025). |
| Switzerland | Comprehensive embargo | Swiss ordinance on North Korea in force. |
| UK | Comprehensive embargo | UK DPRK regime in force. |
| US | Comprehensive embargo | Comprehensive US sanctions programme. |
On the sanctions lists
438 entries on the official lists name North Korea — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.
| List | Entries | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) | 169 | 169 | — | — |
| EU Consolidated Financial Sanctions List (FSF) | 76 | 76 | — | — |
| UK Sanctions List (FCDO) | 67 | 67 | — | — |
| Switzerland SECO Consolidated Sanctions List | 64 | 64 | — | — |
| UN Security Council Consolidated List | 62 | 62 | — | — |
Latest changes
- Switzerland (SECO) · Situation in Ukraine: 329 new designations
· New listings
- United States (OFAC) · DPRK3: 1 new designation
· New listings
Related
Logistics profile
North Korea: logistics and trade
North Korea (ISO code: KP) lies in East Asia on the Korean Peninsula, bordering China, Russia and South Korea. It is a socialist one-party state with a centrally planned economy dominated by heavy industry, mining and agriculture. The country is heavily dependent on imports of food, energy and industrial raw materials. Its logistics infrastructure is limited, but seaports such as Nampo and Rason and an extensive rail network handle domestic and cross-border traffic. The local currency is the North Korean won (KPW), which circulates only domestically.
- Capital
- Pyongyang
- Population
- 26,244,582
- Area
- 120,538 km²
- Currency
- North Korean won (KPW)
- Continent
- Asia
- Region
- East Asia
- Religions
- Atheist, Confucianism, Buddhism
- Access to the sea
- Yes
Transport modes Rail · Road · Sea
- Current situation
- Legal world trade minimal and almost entirely directed to China (around 80 percent via Dandong/Sinuiju) and Russia. UN Panel of Experts dissolved in 2024, monitoring by MSMT since 2025.
- Seasonal conditions
- Continental climate with cold, icy winters (northern ports temporarily frozen, Rason/Rajin ice-free) and humid warm summers; risk of typhoons and flooding in late summer.
Main seaports
- Nampo
Nampo (KP NAM): North Korea's largest port, Pyongyang's outlet on the Yellow Sea. Coal, ore, grain.
- Wonsan
Wonsan (KP WON): largest commercial and naval port on North Korea's east coast. General and bulk cargo; foreign trade effectively limited to China and Russia.
- Hungnam
Hungnam (KP HGM), North Korea: industrial harbour serving the fertilizer complex. No international freight relevance. Use South Korea, China or Japan.
- Haeju Hang
Haeju Hang (KP HAE): ice-free port in North Korea on the Yellow Sea.
- Senbong
Senbong/Sonbong, North Korea (Rason SEZ): oil and bulk port, ~2M t/year. No confirmed container service. Alternatives: Rajin, Vladivostok.
- Kimch'aek
Kimch'aek/Songjin (KP SON): North Korean industrial port for coal, iron ore and steel.
Main cargo airports
- Pyongyang Sunan International AirportFNJ
Pyongyang Sunan (FNJ/ZKPY): North Korea's only international airport, Air Koryo base. Freight routes via Nampo or Sinuiju.
Road corridors
- Pyongyang–Sinuiju
- Pyongyang–Wonsan
- Rason border corridor
Rail corridors
- Sinuiju–Dandong (China)
- Tumangang–Khasan (Russia, broad gauge to Rajin)
- Pyongyang–Sinuiju
Main trade lanes
- DVRK–China
- DVRK–Russia
Customs and import
Customs authority Central Customs Administration of the DVRK (General Bureau of Customs)
- Import customs system
- State foreign trade monopoly; customs clearance under the DVRK Customs Law through the Central Customs Administration. Import duty depending on product group around 5 to 30 percent, no value added tax.
- Export customs system
- Exports state-monopolised. Legal foreign trade is almost entirely limited to China and Russia.
- Import VAT
- No Western-style value added tax; foreign trade is state-monopolised, and levies are paid via customs and state enterprises.
- Proofs of origin and trade agreements
- No free trade agreements and no preferential origin proofs.
- Restricted and prohibited goods
- Import and export of broad product groups prohibited or subject to authorisation.
Logistics conditions
- Customs complexity
- Very high
- Customs delays
- Very high
- Port congestion
- Low
- Dangerous goods relevance
- Low
- Pharma and cold chain relevance
- Low
- E-commerce relevance
- Very low
Trade
Top import goods
- Petroleum products
- Food
- Machinery
Top export goods
- Coal
- Minerals
- Textiles
Typical cargo
- Coal
- Minerals and ores
- Textiles
- Food
- Petroleum products (import)
Logistics questions
Which ports handle cargo traffic?
The most important seaports are Nampo on the west coast near Pyongyang and the ice-free port of Rason/Rajin in the northeast, developed with Chinese and Russian involvement. Further ports include Chongjin, Hungnam, Wonsan and Haeju.
How does cross-border land transport work?
Most legal trade runs over the Sinuiju-Dandong rail and road border with China (around 80 percent). In the northeast, the broad-gauge line Tumangang-Khasan connects North Korea to the Russian rail network and to the port of Rajin.
Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗
Powered by Freight Academy, verified 26 Jun 2026. Logistics information, not a sanctions source.