Battery transformers highlight North Korea’s growing wealth gap
Wealthy North Koreans are embracing Chinese battery transformers, improving electricity access.
Image for illustration purposes
North Korea: Battery transformers from China are gaining traction among North Korea’s wealthy. These dual-function devices both convert voltage and store electricity, making them ideal for the country’s unreliable power supply.
A source in Ryanggang province told Daily NK that state-approved smugglers have been importing them since mid-January. After successful trials in Hyesan markets, larger shipments arrived in February, and wholesalers are now distributing them nationwide.
Traditional North Korean households need both a transformer and a battery to manage electricity shortages. The new Chinese devices simplify this by functioning as a 220 V transformer when power is available and charging themselves to serve as backup batteries during blackouts.
“These battery transformers are highly convenient,” the source explained. “Without them, people must remember to charge batteries when power is on—or pay bribes to use public charging stations.”
Demand is strong among the wealthy, who see them as essential. While regular transformers cost between $206 and $686 (1,500 – 5,000 yuan), these new models are competitively priced, making them a popular upgrade.
“The rich can afford innovations to improve their daily lives, while the poor struggle with basic needs,” the source noted. “The wealth gap in North Korea is now evident in something as simple as a household appliance.”
Source: Daily NK
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