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Story highlights
North Korea's main trading partner is China, estimated to account for 67.2% of its exports
The country has been hit by sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs
It has suffered from food shortages leading to malnourishment and stunting
Pyongyang has denied claims of involvement in illegal drugs and arms trading
There’s a reason that the historical nickname of the “Hermit Kingdom” for the old unified Korea is now applied to the closed North Korea - officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The country is notoriously difficult to get information on and its sanctions-hit economy is said to operate on a number of different levels, including a black market, with the government not even releasing official trade statistics.
CNN examines the North Korean economy and how Pyongyang generates its income.
What’s the overall condition of North Korea’s economy?