{
  "id": 18537944,
  "title": "Firewood and coal prices double in Ryanggang province",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/firewood-and-coal-prices-double-in-ryanggang-province",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-06T17:25:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily NK",
    "slug": "daily-nk",
    "url": "https://www.dailynk.com/english/firewood-coal-prices-double-hyesan-ryanggang/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In North Korea's Ryanggang province, the cost of firewood and coal for winter heating has doubled following a sudden cold snap. Low-income families in Hyesan, Samjiyon, and other highland areas are now unable to afford essential preparations for the 2026 winter. Ryanggang province, located along the Chinese border in North Korea's mountainous interior, experiences winter temperatures close to -30 C (-22 F). The prices of firewood logs and metric tons of brown coal or anthracite have doubled compared to a year ago. The situation is exacerbated by forest closures and coal bottlenecks, leading to skyrocketing prices. The authorities have banned people from entering the mountains to gather firewood for forest protection, and coal from mines cannot reach provincial cities due to a broken distribution system. People are forced to choose between purchasing firewood and winter clothing for their children. Ryanggang officials are pressuring households to submit firewood certificates, but the lack of real relief measures is causing anger among residents.",
  "summary": "Firewood and coal prices have doubled in North Korea’s Ryanggang province after a sudden cold snap, a local source said. Low-income families in Hyesan, Samjiyon and other highland areas now cannot afford to prepare for the 2026 winter. “Temperatures in the Ryanggang highlands have plunged below freezing since late October,” the source told Daily NK […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}