North Korea selling publications and films on WeChat in China
North Korea appears to be selling state publications, films, and promotional videos through WeChat, China’s dominant messaging and social media platform, in what represents a deliberate shift toward monetizing content that Pyongyang once tightly restricted from leaving the country. A China-bas
Daily NK
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North Korea appears to be selling state publications, films, and promotional videos through WeChat, China’s dominant messaging and social media platform, in what represents a deliberate shift toward monetizing content that Pyongyang once tightly restricted from leaving the country.
A China-based source told Daily NK that a distribution channel operating under the name “朝中社 (DPRK)” has appeared on WeChat and is offering North Korean publications for sale as digital downloads. Whether the channel is operated directly by Pyongyang or through a joint North Korea-China arrangement remains unclear, the source said, but the circulation of North Korean materials in the Chinese market is unmistakable.
From state secrets to sales listings
According to the source, those involved in running the channel appear to include staff from North Korea’s Foreign Languages Publishing House, which produces state-approved books and materials for international audiences, as well as other foreign currency-earning publishing units and students from Kim Il Sung University who are studying abroad. The source noted this account is based on information relayed by North Korean workers currently stationed in China, and that the actual operators of the channel have not been definitively identified.
The channel currently offers original and translated North Korean publications as downloadable files, and also advertises the option to purchase physical printed books on request. Beyond text publications, the channel has expanded into video content, offering North Korean films, music videos, and promotional materials for Taedonggang Beer and Kaesong Koryo Ginseng.
Among the more notable items for sale are physical copies of newly produced administrative maps of North Korea. The maps were produced after Pyongyang formally adopted its “two hostile states” policy, which reframes South Korea as a foreign adversary rather than a fellow Korean nation. Prices range from approximately 17 to 44 U.S. dollars depending on print quality, significantly higher than comparable commercial maps. The source attributed the premium pricing to the scarcity of North Korean materials and said it reflects a deliberate strategy of targeting buyers with a specific interest in North Korean content.
North Korea has historically treated its publications as sensitive state materials and maintained strict controls over their distribution abroad. The current trend suggests that calculation is shifting. The source noted that North Korea distributed calendars in large quantities around the new year period, adding that items previously kept under wraps are now being released selectively when they can generate revenue. Materials that were once effectively inaccessible are now being made available on a pay-to-access basis.
The source characterized the overall direction as one of selective opening rather than full liberalization, with Pyongyang appearing to set boundaries around what can enter the market while pursuing income within those limits. The move may be a dual-purpose strategy: earning foreign currency while simultaneously extending the reach of state propaganda to external audiences through digital channels.
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