In recent years, China’s economy has continued to deteriorate, leading to a downgrade in consumption that has plunged the catering industry into a harsh winter. According to data from the catering industry media platform “Hongcan.com,” nearly three million catering establishments in China were forced to shut down last year, reaching a historical high. Against this backdrop, even North Korean restaurants in China have not been spared, facing a wave of massive closures.
According to a report from the “Daily NK” on April 21, North Korean restaurants in China have been forced to close due to operating crises, with more than half of them in Liaoning Province alone shutting their doors.
Recently, North Korean restaurants such as Liujing and Dabaoshan in Dandong, Liaoning Province, have also closed down, with the staff and management returning to North Korea.
Reportedly, just this year, seven out of over ten North Korean restaurants in Dandong have closed down, all of them small to medium-sized establishments employing fewer than 15 staff members.
Large-scale North Korean restaurants operated by the North Korean authorities are still in business, including the well-known Songtao Garden and Goryeo Hotel in Dandong. These establishments employ dozens of North Korean women who serve as waitresses and also perform singing and dancing acts. North Korean trade representatives often hold business talks at these restaurants.
However, these large North Korean restaurants are also facing operational crises. According to insiders who spoke to the “Daily NK,” “Songtao Garden is supported by the authorities, which is why it has not shut down. However, the profits are not substantial. Chinese people do not frequent such expensive restaurants, so North Korean restaurants in China are all facing crises.”
The insiders further explained that the continuous closures of North Korean restaurants have nothing to do with the political situation between North Korea and China. “It is because of the economic downturn in China that North Korean restaurants have naturally given up operations. It is not due to the Chinese government’s restrictions or orders from the North Korean government to cease operations. If the Chinese economy improves, North Korean restaurants may reopen.”