Chinese company proposes joint stone processing project in North Korea
- A proposal for joint stone processing facilities in North Korea was submitted by a Chinese company specializing in natural building stone.
- Danchon and Musan, known for their granite and gray marble resources, are potential sites for the project.
- The proposal is seen as a practical approach to revitalizing North Korea's underdeveloped building stone sector and fostering economic cooperation with China.
In mid-April 2025, a Chinese firm from Jilin province submitted a proposal to North Korea seeking to establish joint stone processing facilities in two northern regions of the country, specifically Dancheon in South Hamgyong province and Musan in North Hamgyong province. This proposal aligns with the firm's interest in utilizing Dancheon's granite and Musan's gray marble resources, which have steady demand in China's northeastern construction sector. The North Korean economy has historically focused on extracting minerals like magnesite and iron ore, but the building stone sector remains underdeveloped, limited by a lack of equipment and processing capabilities. The Chinese company plans to bring in their own equipment and technical personnel to help bolster North Korea's building stone industry. North Korea's Central Committee's Economic Department and Cabinet are currently reviewing the proposal, reflecting on how this cooperation might fit into their principles of self-reliance while potentially generating revenue from international stone sales. Internal recommendations suggest that this project could revitalize the local mineral development sector and provide a more beneficial model than simply exporting raw minerals. As interest in foreign investment grows in North Korea's non-strategic resource sectors, some insiders view this stone processing proposal as a potential pilot program for broader economic cooperation with China. It could serve as a litmus test for how future partnerships are structured, encouraging investment while also allowing North Korea to focus on its regional development policies. The atmosphere surrounding the proposal signifies increasing optimism among local authorities, as they believe that processing resources domestically before export can lead to more significant economic benefits. Overall, this venture holds the potential to significantly alter the dynamics of North Korean economic cooperation with China, suggesting a shift towards more integrated development projects that could enhance productivity, create jobs, and streamline operations in the resource sector. With positive strides being made towards the evaluation and acceptance of this proposal, we might be witnessing a pivotal moment in North Korea-China economic relations.