Organizational History
Chosŏn Sangsa Chusik Hoesa was the first international trading company established by the North Korean government, and it was based in Pyongyang, North Korea. Heretofore, there was little known about Chosŏn Sangsa Chusik Hoesa. All the information contained in this section of this finding aid was compiled while processing the collection. The exact year of the company’s establishment is not confirmed. However, established materials state that the company had been in operation since 1947, when the North Korean People's Committee, a provisional government in North Korea, was established.
While the company was privately owned, it was a semi-state organization operating under the supervision and control of the North Korean Ministry of Commerce. In its capacity as a private company, it was more suited to trade with countries and regions where there were no formal economic agreements. Additionally, experts in the field of trade were needed to deal with complex and professional trade affairs in overseas markets and to make a profit.
Although the company was in an area that was heavily influenced by the Soviet Union, the company did not trade with the Soviet Union. Instead, it traded with Hong Kong, China, Japan, and South Korea. Inter-Korean trade was not stable. At that time, the United States military and the South Korean government repeatedly approved and rejected trade requests between the two Koreas. Inter-Korean trade stopped after the end of the Korean War.
Although not much is known about this company, in 1949, the leadership, departments, overseas branches, and major trade destinations were as follows:
- President: Won Hyun Lee
- Vice President: Kim Jung-soo
- Departments: Planning Department, Trade Department, Accounting Department, General Affairs Department, Executive Department, and Inspection Department
- Branches: Sinŭiju Branch, Namp'o Branch, Wŏnsan Branch, Hamhŭng Branch, Ch'ŏngjin Branch, Sŏngjin Branch, and Namyang Branch
- Major trading destinations: Hong Kong, Tianjin, Dalian, and Dandong
Some branches were located in cities close to the Chinese border. Other branches on the east coast such as Wŏnsan, Hamhŭng, Ch'ŏngjin, and Sŏngjin benefited from the industrial production concentrated in those areas. Additionally, there was an abundance of seafood harvest which could be exported.
The company’s main exports included chemicals, seafood, medicine, grains, and soybeans. Imports consisted of daily necessities and construction materials. Ships and railroads were used for trade.
Hong Kong was the most important trade destination, and its trading centers were located in the cities of Dalian, Tianjin, Dandong, Shimyang, and Qingdao. Overseas representatives were dispatched to each branch. Through these bases, there was a partial trade with Japan.
Although it cannot be definitively determined when the company closed, the company was at risk in many ways in 1950. Communist governments in China controlled foreign trade, and it became difficult to trade with Hong Kong. The company's operations, which depended mainly on Hong Kong, were in trouble. Additionally, the Korean War broke out in June 1950, and the company began to supply war supplies.