These Photos Taken in Secret Were Never Meant to Make it Out of North Korea

The gray market, though not as infamous as the black market, operates within a legal gray area. It provides income through the sale of sweets, candies, and cigarettes. This practice, common in North Korea and other communist countries, presents an alternative economy.

In North Korea, the definition of gray market goods is broad, encompassing nearly any item due to scarcity. This ambiguity highlights the challenges of categorizing products in a country with limited access to goods.