North Korea Stopped Gasoline Sales

Since the end of September, gasoline sales have been banned at North Korean commercial petrol stations. Exceptions are set for senior officials of the Korean Workers' Party, the government, the armed forces and the special services, the Japanese newspaper Asahi writes, quoted by TASS.

According to sources, the measure aims to create fuel reserves after September's UN Security Council limited exports of oil and petroleum products to the DPRK. The council sanctions Pyongyang for its nuclear experiments that violate international bans.

Asahi claims North Korea's petrol stations load fuel only in cars with plate numbers starting with the 727, figures issued only for the upper nomenclature.

There is currently no information on how to charge public transport and the cars of foreigners.

Earlier, the South Korean Yonghap agency reported that since the beginning of the year,  gasoline prices in the DPRK have jumped threefold. According to Seoul's government data, the annual needs of the Communist North reach 700 to 900 thousand tons of oil and petroleum products. In addition, the country has consistently maintained a strategic reserve of 1 million tons for use in the event of war. According to Asahi sources, Pyongyang now thinks to double it.