COMMODITY PRICES CH' ONGJIN AREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A000400280002-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 10, 2009
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: March 9, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2009/02/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000400280002-8
..ENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SUBJECT
Commodity Prices, Ch'Sngjin Area
9 March 1953
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States. with*n the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
Prices of
items listed be
have been marked wi an asterisk. The country o origin is indicate
by the following letter symbols appearing in parentheses directly
following the name of the item: S USSR; (C), Czechoslovakia; (CC),
q mmnunist China Where no symbol appears the
item was of Mort orean or g
were as follower
food and commodity prices in the Chiongjin area
25X1
a.
Foodd :
Unit of
Measuremen
t2
Wholesale
Price CNK won)
Retail
ice (NK won)
Rice
1 small ma
l
2,250
2,300
Millet
1 small ma
l
1,970
2,000
Barley
1 small ma
l
990
1,000
Wheat
1 small ma
l
1,230
.10250
Sorghum
1 small ma
l
990
1,000
STATE
SECRET
ARMY NAVY AIR _!'F ii
25 YEAR RE-REVIEW
AEC
25X1
QJ
lT1
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 Approved For Release 2009/02/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000400280002-8
item
Unit of
Measurement
Wholesale
Price (NK won)
Retail
Price (NK
won)
Flour (S)
1 kilogram
Unknown
120*
Beane
1 small mal
1,080
1,100
Red beans
1 small mal
890
900
Bean oil
1 large mal
Unknown
2,000*
Bean sauce
1 kilogram
Unknown
40*
Bean cakes
7 kilograms
350
380
Wine (made from
1 large mal
Unknown
1,500
grain)
Salt
1 small mal
Unknown
900
Potatoes
1 small mal
690
700
Radishes
1 kilogram
Unknown
80*
Cabbage
1 kilogram
Unknown
80*
Onions
1 kwan3
Unknown
803
Peppers
1 small Mal
Unknown
800
Pork
1 kilogram
Unknown
90
Eggs
Unknown
15*
Salt mackerel
unknown
100
Dried pollaok
20
Unknown
400
Sea laver (seaweed)
1 kwan
Unknown
450
Apples
1
10
15
Pears
1
13
15
Peaches
15
b.
Restaurant Prices:,
Noodles
1 small bowl
100*
Noodles;
1 large bowl
120
Rice
1 serving
150*
c.
Service.:
Hotel room
Hotel room and
1 night
1 night
450
2 meals
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 Approved For Release 2009/02/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000400280002-8
-3-
Item
Unit of Wholesale
Measurement Price (NK won)
Retail
Price (NK won)
Haircut
50
Horse cart hire
Ch'ongjin to Kilchu (3 days)
10,000*
Coolie hire
1 day with meals
300*
d.
Livestock:
1 head Unknown
45,000
Cow
1 head Unknown
35,000
Calf (one year old)
1 head Unknown
60000
Pig (one year old)
1 head Unknown
2,700
Chicken
1 Unknown
500*
e.
Clothing:
Socks
1 pair 140
150*
Socks (C)
1 pair Unknown
300*
Socks (0)
1 pair Unknown
250*
Socks (CC)
1 pair Unknown
200*
Rayon stockings
1 pair 90
100*
Cotton gloves
1 pair 170
180*
Cotton gloves (beat
1 pair 230
250
quality)
Wool gloves (00)
1 pair 1,550
1,600
Leather boots (0)
1 pair 3,400
3,500*
Men's leather, shoes
1 pair 3,700
3,800*
(0)
Children's leather
1 pair 1,700
1.800*
shoes (C)
Basketball shoes (CC) 1 pair Unknown
4,800
Tennis hose (CC)
1 pair
Unknown
2,800
Men's rubber shoes
1 pair
1,850
1,900*
Women's rubber shoes
1 pair
1,450
1,500*
Children's rubber
1 pair
1,170
1,200*
shoes
Rubber overshoes (S)
1 pair
Unknown
2,300*
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-4-
Item
Unit of
Measurement
Wholesale
Price (NK won)
Work shoes
Leather best. (C)
1 pair
1
Unknown
Unknown
f.
(second hand)
Dry ood
Cotton cloth
20 feet
3,4004
Cotton sheeting (CC)
40-yard bolt
28,600
(Cock brand)
Cotton sheeting (CC)
42-yard bolt
24,600
(Barley brand)
Cotton sheeting (CC)
40-yard bolt
29,600
(Special brand)
Black cotton cloth
41-yard bolt
28,5004
(CC)
Cotton gauze
40 yards
17,600
Lining material
20 yards
900
Cotton batting (used) 1 kwan 3,600
Coarse linen
20 feet
2,3004
Linen gauze (CO)
40 feet
2,000
Rayon
20 meters
6,000
Cotton towel (CC)
950
Towel (medium
quality)
650
Towel (low quality)
1
550
Cotton thread:(CC)
3,000 meters
2,800
Wool yarn
1 pound
2,700
Gasoline
70,000
Petroleum (produced
at Aoj i N 42-31,
Unknown
E 130-24; PO-1508
Charcoal
1 bag
Unknown
Wood
1 cartload
Unknown
Pine branches
1 cartload
Unknown
SECRET'
Retail
Price (NK won)
700
700*
3,2004
29,000
25,000
30,000
28,1004
18,000
1,100*
3,800
2,1004
2,300
6,200*
1,000*
700*
600
900
2,800
80,000*
95,000*
480*
1,200*
1,200*
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Unit of
Item Measurement
Carbide
h. Medis
SECRET.'
-5-
Wholesale Retail
Price , won) rice (K won)
Soda (sic) 1 kwan 1,700
Penicillin (CC) 20,000 units5 Unknown
Penicillin 20,000 units5 Unknown
Ircin (sic
1gram
Dyajin (si 1 gram Unknown
i. biting Materials
White paper '1 sheet 95
Notebook 1 45
Pencil 1 8
Pencil (C) 1 Unknown
Colored pencil (C) 1 Unknown
Pen points 100 (box) 280
Lampblack ink. 1 stick 40
Blue ink 1 bottle 27
Writing brush 1 Unknown
Fountain Pen (CC':) 1 900
Cosmetics and Not
Face powder (cc') Not given
Face cream Not given
Vanishing cream.
Hair tonic (cc)
Tooth paste
Tooth paste (cc)
Tooth brush
Tooth brush
Tooth brush (CO)
Toilet soap
cc) Not given
Not given
Not given
Not given
Not given
Not given
Not given
Not given
280
430
950
440
55
300
58
23
1,700
SECRET"
400
.2,000*
2.,500*
2,500
7,500
100
300
45*
30*
130*
950
290
500*
960
460
60*
320
60*6
256
1,8006
100
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 Approved For Release 2009/02/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000400280002-8
?(-
Item
Unit of
asuremment
Wholesale
Price (NK won)
Retail
Price (NK Mon)
Toilet soap (CC)
Not given
280
290
Comb '
1
140
150*
Comb (CC)
1
180
190
Hair pins
100
180
190
Pocket mirror
1
40
42
k,
Smote Supplies:
Tobacco
Not given
70
100*
Tobacco (8)
1 box
Unknown
200*
Tobacco (CO
Not given
280
300
Matches
Not given
Unknown
150*
Matches (CC)
1 package
180
250
Lighter flint
1
Unknown
50*
Lighter (CC)
1
2,800
3,000
1o
Miscellaneous Articles and Materials:
Light bulb (60-watt) 1
550
600*
Light bulb (100-watt) 1
1,450
1,500*
Li ht bulb (100-watt) 1
(CC` )
1,450
1,500*
Sewing needles (CC) 1 box
9,000
10,000
Sewing machine needle 1
Not given
700*
Saw
1
Unknown
500*
Nails (4-inch)
1 kwan
Unknown
3,700'
Nails (2-inch)
1 kwan
Unknown
6,000*
Laundry soap
Not given
Unknown
200*
Old newspapers
1 kwan
Unknown'
380*
Old magazines
1 kwan
Unknown
380*
Leather brief case
(C) (second hand)
1
Unknown
5,000+
Leather suit case (0) 1
Unknown
13,000*
Bicycle tires (CC),
(with tubes)
1 pair
Unknown
30,00014
SECRET
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 Approved For Release 2009/02/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000400280002-8
SECRF1'
item
Unit of
N asurement
Wholesale
Price (NK won)
Retail
Price (N'K won)
Raw rubber
1 kwan
Unknown
13,000
Pure gold
3.75 grams
60,000*
1. The prices quoted in the present report are presumably free
market prices.
2. The western equivalents of the Korean units of measurement used in
this report are as follows: large mat, a little less than 30 pounds
of rice or about one half bushel, and for measuring liquids, 18 liters
or 3.97 gallons; small malt half of a large mal; kwan, 3.75 kilograms
or about eight pounds.
3.
onions at 80 won for 1 kilogram.
4. Note that wholesale prices are quoted at more than retail prices in
these cases, an obvious error.
the contrast
between the price of a tooth brush imported from Communist China and
one of North Korean manufArature seems incredible.
7. Four-inch spikes at 3,,700 ~ion' in contrast with 6,000 won for the same
quantity of two-inch nails also seems unreasonable.
8. ~ G-comiAnt. Bicycle tires with tubes at 30,000 won per -Da appears
more-:reasonable: than the Kilchu price of 2,300 won :in view
of the price given; for raw, rubber.
Approved For Release 2009/02/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000400280002-8