North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, has unveiled a new landmark beer bar in the Hwasong district, part of the city’s ongoing efforts to expand its infrastructure. The opening of the Taedonggang Beer Restaurant, a Western-style establishment, has been highlighted in a government-issued propaganda video, showcasing the country’s push for large-scale construction projects in a newly developed area east of the capital.
Visitors to the Hwasong beer bar can purchase Taedonggang beer, a product of North Korea’s state-owned brewery. Named after the Taedong River that flows through Pyongyang, the Taedonggang Brewing Company has an interesting history. The company’s origins date back to the year 2000, when North Korea’s late Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il purchased the assets of the now-defunct Ushers Brewery in Trowbridge, England. After 175 years of operation, the brewery was auctioned off, and Kim Jong-il successfully bid for the entire facility, which was dismantled, shipped to North Korea, and reassembled with the help of German experts. The brewery began operating in 2002, and by 2016, Taedonggang beer was being exported to China.
Despite North Korea’s promotion of a vibrant beer culture, the reality for the majority of its population is starkly different. Most North Koreans live in rural areas, where poverty and food insecurity remain widespread. For many, purchasing beer is a luxury they cannot afford. Even in Pyongyang, where the new beer bar is located, only men are allocated limited beer vouchers—typically enough to purchase just one or two liters of beer per month.
While the Hwasong Taedonggang Beer Restaurant caters to a more affluent clientele, including Pyongyang’s elite and a small number of international tourists, luxury establishments like this one are rare outside the capital. The vast majority of North Koreans consume alcohol from local microbreweries, with traditional liquors such as Soju making up about 95% of the country’s alcohol consumption. Beer accounts for just 5%, a reflection of its status as a luxury item for the privileged few.
This new beer bar in Pyongyang, with its emphasis on Western-style dining and luxury beer, highlights the stark contrast between the state’s external image and the everyday realities faced by the average North Korean.
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