North Korean Economy Watch

Do you have any idea how many cars come out of Sungri Motors?

So much for Juche. After looking at Erik’s website, I conclude that since the year 2000. North Korea has no domestic designs in auto production. All vehichles are licensed copies, joint-venture, or else made from imported kits. Based on the photos posted, I think that vehicles of DPRK have lost their distinctive appearance. Previously, nothing said “North Korea” like a 1960 Cahju 10 ton pickup truck. Especially in civilian use, with the cargo bed crammed full of passengers. “Every current NK vehichle is of “world” design. Identical to small cars of Europe, Japan, S. Korea.

Of course Stalin long ago predicted the fate of DPRK auto industry.

Stalin was asked, — how come the Soviet 1933 ZIS101 limo bore such a striking resemblance to the American 1932 Buick-limo? His reply, “There are only certain feasible ways to design an automobile. It’s unavoidable that some will look similar.” That answer is now being born out in today’s “world styling” of autos.

Previously, nothing said “North Korea” like a 1960 Cahju 10 ton pickup truck.

If you mean the Sungri 64/Chaju 64, it’s just a copy of the KrAZ 256.

Curtis,

I am always amazed by your prolific blogging about North Korea.
Here are couple pointers to your pics.
1. Heavy-load trucks Kumsusan and Sungrisan are produced on the base of Belarussian truck BELAZ
2. Cross-country car is Russia’s NIVA.
3. Trolley-buses are the Czech SKODA buses.

Leo,

2. the cross country is Not the Niva, the Niva is a two-door car, the North Korean a four-door. There are some long wheelbase four-door Niva’s, they are much longer.
3. the DPRK buses are longer than the Skoda buses, they have one site window plus.
Alan,
I agree that, except for the second generation Sungri’s and the Chaju 84-design, there is now domestic design since 2000.

[...] DPRK Transportation. Last September I linked to a collection of vehicles manufactured in the DPRK.  See them here.  This month Kernbeisser posted a great collection of photos he has taken of vehicles on the [...]

@Erik: The trolleybuses really are mostly based on Czech buses: Skoda 706 RTO MEX (Mestsky Exportni = City Version Export, this version was longer than the Skoda 706 RTO MTZ for czechoslovak transport operators) and Karosa C734 / B732. Examples of construction based on the 706 RTO type: Chollima 70, 72, 9.11), the CHONGNYONJUNWI trolleybuses were all refurbished from the Karosa C734 (two-door bus) and B732 (three-door bus) types. It’s somewhat exciting to see these trolleybuses as the original buses were never meant to have a trolleybus version.