North Korea Cracks Down on Moonshine as Grain Shortages Drive Food Prices Higher

The New Yalu River Bridge, spanning the Yalu River between Dandong, China, and Sinuiju, North Korea, is seen July 24, 2025, in Dandong, China, on July 24, 2025. (Photo: The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images)

North Korean authorities have intensified a crackdown on moonshine production as rising grain prices and worsening food shortages put additional pressure on households during the country’s annual lean season.

Officials in Hyesan, the capital of Ryanggang province near the Chinese border, launched a focused enforcement campaign on June 2 targeting home-brewed liquor producers, according to a report from Daily NK. Authorities argue that using grain to make alcohol during a period of food scarcity worsens an already strained supply situation.

The annual lean season, which typically runs through May and June, is considered one of the most difficult times of the year for many North Koreans. Grain reserves from the previous harvest are often depleted before new crops become available, causing food prices to rise and increasing economic hardship.

The crackdown is being led by North Korea’s Ministry of Social Security, which has reportedly conducted surprise inspections of homes suspected of producing illicit liquor. According to Daily NK, authorities have confiscated moonshine, raw materials and distilling equipment, as well as investigated distribution networks.

While some residents reportedly support the effort as a necessary measure to preserve food supplies, others view it as an attack on one of the few remaining ways to earn income. According to Daily NK, many moonshine producers argue that the government provides neither food rations nor alternative employment opportunities, leaving them dependent on alcohol production to survive.

Per Daily NK, those affected are asking questions like: “What are we supposed to do — at least making and selling liquor lets us eat” and “This is the only skill we have. If they take this away too, how do we survive?”

The report notes that moonshine production in North Korea is often less a profitable business than a survival strategy. Many producers operate on thin margins and turn to the trade because other income opportunities are unavailable.

As a result, enforcement efforts have historically had limited success. Producers often suspend operations during crackdowns only to resume once inspections ease. Daily NK reported that some local officers, aware of the economic realities facing residents, have occasionally returned confiscated goods after issuing warnings rather than pursuing harsher penalties.

The country’s relationship with alcohol is complex. While the government periodically cracks down on unauthorized production, homemade liquor has long served as both a source of income and an accessible alcoholic beverage for many North Koreans, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged regions.