A motorcycle in North Korea. Photo taken in 2014. (Lawrence Wang, Creative Commons, Flickr)For young North Koreans, motorcycles have become a means to earn a living, a symbol of wealth and a necessity for dating.
“Young people nowadays want to buy motorcycles, even if they have to go into debt,” a source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK recently. “All the popular brands are Chinese — Haojue, CFMOTO and Haojin.”
Haojue, China’s largest motorcycle brand, is reportedly the most popular among North Korean youth. However, motorcycles of the same brand vary wildly in price depending on model, year, displacement and cargo capacity, ranging from at least 3,000 Chinese yuan ($415) to 30,000 yuan ($4,150).
“Basic models costing around 5,000 yuan ($690) sell best, but people with money sometimes choose luxury models over 10,000 yuan ($1,380),” the source said.
Based on Daily NK’s most recent survey of North Korea’s market exchange rates, 5,000 yuan equals about 22 million North Korean won — enough to buy 850 kilograms of rice.
Despite the high cost, more young people are saving to buy motorcycles because they serve as both income sources and status symbols.
Motorcycles offer advantages in mobility, speed, and lower fuel and maintenance costs as delivery services develop in North Korean cities. Demand is gradually growing among young North Koreans.
Status symbol trumps legal risks
Young people particularly buy motorcycles to display wealth and attract romantic attention.
“Motorcycles aren’t cheap, but young people save for years to buy them because they’re ashamed to look poor,” the source said. “They invest in motorcycles to kill three birds with one stone — earn money, save face and find romance.”
“Even police officers use their own money to buy motorcycles because they’re embarrassed by the shabby ones police provide,” the source said. “They say young women pay more attention when they’re in street clothes riding their own bikes.”
Young North Koreans mostly ride unregistered motorcycles, knowing they’ll pay for everything if accidents occur.
“Almost nobody registers motorcycles with the state,” the source said. “Motorcycle accidents create big problems for several reasons, yet young people increasingly want to buy them.”