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Kim Jong-un once scorned North Korean cosmetics. UN sanctions force him to change his mind
- As international sanctions take their toll, Kim Jong-un has started visiting North Korean cosmetics factories with his wife to promote local products
- For decades, the reclusive country tried to keep Western influences out. But that has changed since Kim came to power in 2011
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North Korea is encouraging its beauty-conscious middle-class women to choose domestic cosmetics over foreign brands in an effort to boost self-reliance as international sanctions take their toll.
Promoting home-grown beauty has been a political strategy since the days of state founder Kim Il-sung but has become more focused under his foreign-educated grandson, Kim Jong-un.
The international popularity in recent years of South Korea’s K-beauty trend – innovative cosmetic products with natural ingredients such as ginseng and snail slime – has added momentum, say defectors who fled the North and experts who study the isolated state.
North Korea’s push has yet to translate to a winning formula, marred by quality issues and constraints in obtaining foreign ingredients due to sanctions over its nuclear programme.
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Kim Jong-un was once dismissive of domestic beauty products.
“Foreign eyeliners or mascaras stay on even after they get into water, but domestic products make raccoon eyes even with just a yawn,” Kim said.
However, Kim has since visited cosmetics factories several times with his wife to promote the products.
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