North Korea’s dependency on China for foreign trade hit its highest level in 2022 since leader Kim Jong-un took the helm of the reclusive country 10 years earlier, a report showed.

Pyongyang’s trade with Beijing came to $1.53 billion last year, up about 125 percent from the previous year, according to the report from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.

The amount took up 96.7 percent of North Korea’s overall trade, up from 95.6 percent a year earlier.

Exports stood at $134 million and imports reached $1.39 billion, with its trade deficit rising to $1.27 billion from a $565 million shortfall.

The jump in North Korea’s trade with its top trading partner was attributed to softened COVID-19 restrictions and increased railroad trade between the neighbors. (Yonhap)