Market Overview
North Korea operates an extensive rail network as the primary mode of both passenger and freight transport, given severe restrictions on private vehicle ownership. Pyongyang's metro system — completed in the 1970s with Soviet technical assistance — is one of the deepest in the world. The national network connects Pyongyang to major cities and to the Chinese border at Dandong and the Russian border. Cross-border freight traffic with China is significant, as rail is the dominant mode for North Korea-China trade. The network suffers from severe underinvestment and energy shortages that limit train operations. International sanctions restrict technology imports. Rail connectivity improvements — particularly the Rajin–Khasan link connecting Russia to North Korea's port of Rajin — have been developed with Russian participation and interest from South Korea and other parties.