In May last year, a photograph of the North Korean leader and his wife walking through a shopping mall in Pyongyang sparked some surprise, as the couple were passing a boutique selling AmorePacific's Laneige among other international brands. Cosmetics are one of the many products whose export to North Korea is prohibited by the UN. Even so, the North has proved adept at finding sources for the brands it wants. However, in a new move, North Korea is applying its philosophy of Juche or 'self reliance' to manufacture its own cosmetics.
The Chosun Sinbo newspaper, the mouthpiece of a pro-North Korean organisation, reports that a variety of cosmetic products have been manufactured by the Pyongyang Cosmetics Factory and introduced in the North under the Milky Way brand name. The range includes a UV protection cream, moisturiser, gel, foundation and anti-ageing cream.
According to the newspaper, the products are designed to be suitable for use at the office, outdoors, in the mountains and on the beach, in accordance with the policies of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Commentators consider that the leader's wife Ri Sol-Ju has played a key role in developing the brand initiative.
David Kilburn, Tokyo