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Switzerland last week banned the sale of 25 luxury goods to DPRK that have been sought-after treats and status symbols for the elite there. As for the import, China also declined the imports of DPRK's products more than 20 percent last month compared to the same period of 2015 as Beijing began to implement UN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang.
The 25 items announced by the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research more than double a list of 12 mandated by the UN Security Council.
The ban includes even the transit trade of anything from caviar and brandy to high-end watches to the North.
Other banned goods include riding, ski, golf, and water sports equipment.
DPRK's leader Kim Jong-un, who went to school in Switzerland in the late 1990s, is reportedly fond of Swiss products.
"Swiss watches are on top of Kim's list of presents for officials," a security official here said. "The ban will have an impact on how he buys their loyalty."
According to statistics by the Korea International Trade Association, China imported US$161 million worth of DPRK's products in April, down 22.3 percent on-year.
Its imports of DPRK's coal fell 38.2 percent to $7.21 million, and of gold 91.1 percent to $250,000. Imports of DPRK's titanium, which is on the list of banned imports, were zero.
But imports of iron ore, which is allowed since it is thought to support the livelihood of ordinary DPRK'ss, increased 1.7 percent, and of zinc, which is also not banned, a whopping 685 percent to $5.7 million.
China's exports to DPRK totaled $268 million last month, down 1.5 percent. Sales of jet and rocket fuel dropped 39.9 percent and of cars and electronic equipment 45.5 percent and 43.9 percent.
Total trade between DPRK and China last month fell 10.5 percent on-year to $429 million. If China continues to abide by UN Security Council sanctions against DPRK, bilateral trade will shrink further and dent the North's attempts to earn hard currency.
DPRK's state-run Rodong Sinmun daily on Tuesday complained that the sanctions are pressuring the North "beyond imagination."
(APD/THE CHOSUNILBO)
