Second-hand South Korean cars operate in parts of North Korea with license plates issued by the authorities, according to reliable sources familiar with North Korean affairs. North Korea used to re-export to China all used South Korean made cars it imported from Japan and elsewhere. Since the latter half of last year, however, North Korean authorities have been issuing license plates to imported second-hand South Korean cars as well, and they are seen running in some cities such as Rason and Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province. Before the policy shift involving used cars manufactured in the South, some motor vehicles such as jeeps operated clandestinely in some cities.

Hyundai Motor's "Sonata II" cars were observed earlier this month among the cars North Koreans drove to Chinese cities across the border on business trips, said a source. Another source said that a Korean-Chinese businessman who visited the North late last year told him about seeing Hyundai Motor brands such as the Sonata III, EF Sonata, Santafe and Equus, and Kia Motor brands, Optima and Carens in Rason and Chongjin. But it has not been confirmed if second-hand South Korean cars are operating in other cities including Pyongyang as well.

North Korea has apparently permitted the operation of South Korean cars in some parts of the country, judging that the banned import and use of them cars carries no more significance since the population knows that the South Koreans live better than their counterparts in the North, sources speculated.

(Lee Kyo-kwan, haedang@chosun.com )