Photos of luxury foreign brands being sold at Pyongyang's Daesong Department Store, shared by Chinese students studying in North Korea, have sparked questions about potential violations of international sanctions aimed at curbing the country's access to high-end goods. /Xiaohongshu

Chinese students studying in North Korea have shared photos revealing that Pyongyang’s Daesong Department Store is selling luxury foreign brands, raising concerns about potential loopholes in international sanctions on North Korea.

According to Radio Free Asia (RFA) on Dec. 17, Chinese students studying in Pyongyang posted images on social media earlier this month of their visit to the Daesong department store.

The photos show Adidas and Nike shoes and clothing displayed in a section labeled “sports equipment and activewear.” Another area, resembling a cosmetics section, features boutiques for high-end brands such as Chanel and SK-II.

Other images captured displays of Jimmy Choo shoes and Coach handbags in the store. The food section showcased imported alcohol and cigarettes, with a liquor shelf labeled “premium alcohol” prominently featuring bottles like Ballantine’s 30-Year-Old Scotch. In the cigarette section, stacks of Seven Stars, a Japanese cigarette brand, were visible.

A glimpse inside Pyongyang's Daesong Department Store, shared by Chinese students on social media. /Xiaohongshu

The Chinese students who shared the photos expressed surprise at the sight of the department store, with comments such as, “I didn’t know North Koreans used Nike and SK-II,” and “It feels like being in Japan.”

Daesong Department Store is reportedly a key outlet for selling luxury goods in Pyongyang and is managed by North Korea’s room 39, an organization known for overseeing funds used to support Kim Jong-un’s regime.

Luxury items, including high-end alcohol, tobacco, and branded fashion products, are banned from being imported into North Korea under United Nations Security Council resolutions. Despite these restrictions, Kim and other senior officials reportedly continue to acquire luxury goods regularly.

Kim Jong-un has also been seen using expensive foreign vehicles. In August, he visited a flood site in Uiju County, North Pyongan Province, in a top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz SUV that had been released less than four months earlier.

His daughter, Kim Ju-ae, has frequently appeared wearing clothing from the French luxury brand Dior. Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, was photographed carrying a Dior handbag in September last year.