page_title: Jangmadang
section_title: Goods and services offered
hierarchical_section_title: Jangmadang / Overview / Goods and services offered
caption_attribution_description: Cyclist uses a cellphone in Hamhung
context_page_description: Jangmadang, Korean for 'market grounds', are the North Korean farmers' markets, local markets and black markets. Since the North Korean famine, they have formed a large informal economy. Since the 1990s, the government has become more lenient towards them; however, merchants still face heavy regulations. Currently a majority of North Koreans are dependent on markets for their survival.
  The North Korean government has tried to regulate growth of the market economy in North Korea with a variety of methods. Some of them such as regulating the age of traders has caused some societal changes such as making women more responsible for earning money for their families. This has resulted in changing gender roles in North Korean society.
  There have been speculations on the possible role of black markets in causing reforms of the North Korean government and its economy, as happened in China.
context_section_description: Even if living conditions have not improved much in North Korea, the market activity and range of goods have had an increase. The quality of the goods has also increased.
  In 2008 among the most popular or wanted goods sold at markets were street food, car batteries, rice cookers, electric shavers, dress shoes, cosmetics, DVD-players, motorcycles and vinyl floor coverings. Many of the brand labels on goods for sale are fake, and pretend to be South Korean made goods.
  Cannabis may or may not be legal in North Korea. There is a report of it being sold in Rason market. Other drugs like methamphetamine are undoubtedly illegal. North Korea has one of the worst drug problems in the world with much of the population addicted to the drugs, due to a widespread use of methamphetamine as a drug and medicine.
  Livestock stalls are a recent addition with markets in large cities being transformed into agricultural markets.
  Money lending and foreign currency exchange have appeared with growth of the markets. As banks do not really function in North Korea, but in name, the market stalls are used as the main platform for banking transactions. Many people use foreign currency for their savings and those selling more valuable goods often use Chinese yuan. Taking a loan, to buy expensive goods such as bicycles, has become more common.
  Even private medical services have appeared in the markets with retired doctors offering their services, and with self-trained traditional Korean medicine practicers present too. The doctors charge around 10 dollars for a diagnosis, and some doctors fill in prescriptions for people. Many of these doctors had been unable to live on their measly wages. Black market medical services have been around since the free health care system collapsed in the 1990s. Some officials have themselves been forced to receive help from the same doctors they are supposed to crackdown.
caption: Bicycles and mobile phones are becoming more prevalent in North Korea.
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