Advertisement

North Korean men swept up in 'cosmetics craze,' report says

By Elizabeth Shim
A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, second from left, inspecting products at Bom Hyang Gi cosmetics factory in 2018. File Photo by KCNA
A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, second from left, inspecting products at Bom Hyang Gi cosmetics factory in 2018. File Photo by KCNA

Jan. 16 (UPI) -- North Korean men are catching on to some fads more familiar to their counterparts in the South -- skin care products, including eye creams, according to a pro-Pyongyang newspaper based in Japan.

Choson Sinbo reported Wednesday a North Korean factory at the border city of Sinuiju manufactures a state-approved line of cosmetics and skin care under the brand "Bom Hyang Gi," or "Spring Fragrance."

Advertisement

North Koreans who spoke to Choson Sinbo said the products are in high demand.

A North Korean sales clerk identified as 35-year-old Kim Un Ok told the paper that customers "line outside the door" of her Pyongyang department store before opening hours, in search of Bom Hyang Gi-branded goods.

"Women are of course buying, but demand is quite high among men," the North Korean woman said.

The skin care plant received field guidance from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June 2018. The plant's products include "makeup for women" and "hair care products." Bom Hyang Gi recently released acne treatment creams, hair dyeing and dandruff shampoos, as well as foam cleansers for the face, according to Choson Sinbo.

Advertisement

The paper also reported the cosmetics include traditional Korean herbs, like ginseng, in the ingredients.

North Korea's manufacturing is in the spotlight as North Korea continues to promote tourism to the country.

The regime began advertising the country's hot springs on its proprietary website on Tuesday, targeting overseas Koreans, according to South Korean news service Tongil News.

The promotion states there are more than 60 hot springs in North Korea with treatment benefits. Patients with high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis or hypertension stand to benefit from visits to mineral-rich hot springs, according to Pyongyang's Agency of Overseas Korean Affairs.

Latest Headlines