Back when I was a regular visitor to North Korea my favorite place within the country was Rason and this was for many reasons, BUT the Street Food Rason scene was certainly a huge contributing factor.
What the Rason?
Rason is technically the only visa-free area of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the country’s main Special Economic Zone.
Is it the Hong Kong of North Korea? Not exactly, but it does stand out from the rest of the country, especially when it comes to food.
As a Special Economic Zone, Rason is allowed to experiment with capitalism, meaning you’ll find more joint-venture or privately owned restaurants, a stronger Russian and Chinese influence, and—until recently—some fascinating private markets. Sadly, during our recent visit as the first Western tourists, the market was closed, but we’re hopeful it will open again soon. Luckily, the restaurants still serve up incredible seafood.
Street Food in Rason: Same, Same, but Different
Rason’s street food scene is an interesting blend of North Korean traditions and foreign influence. While you can still find classic Korean snacks, the atmosphere in Rason gives it a unique vibe compared to the rest of the country.
Rason’s Private Market
Central to any Rason visit is the Golden Triangle Bank, where you can exchange foreign currency for North Korean Won before heading to the main private market. While private markets may sound ordinary, they are actually quite rare in North Korea, as most of the country doesn’t have them or doesn’t allow foreigners access. Rason, however, was the exception to this rule.
This was not only the best place for street food, but also offered the chance to buy some of the cheapest seafood I have seen in the world. We are very hopeful this may reopen one day.
Can You Buy Weed Here?
The whole “weed is legal in North Korea” story has circulated online, but here’s the truth: you can’t buy marijuana in Rason.
What you can buy is hemp tobacco, which contains no THC—so no, you won’t get high, no matter how much you smoke, this I can confirm.
Street Food in Rason – The Seafood
Rason’s seafood market is easily the best in North Korea. Every day, fishermen bring in fresh catches—crabs, giant octopuses, sea urchins, and more. The prices? Unbelievably low for the quality. In fact, this was one of the cheapest seafood experiences I’ve had anywhere in the world, and I’ve been to plenty of places!
Many Chinese day traders are also in the market, buying fish to take back to mainland China for a profit. But the best part? You buy the seafood, take it to a restaurant, pay a small corkage fee, and they’ll cook it up for you with sides like kimchi and rice.
This is why I’m such a fan of Rason’s seafood and street food scene—it’s the freshest, cheapest, and best value I’ve ever experienced. And while you can no longer go to the market, it is still possible to get seafood specially ordered when you visit.
The Vibe in Rajin
After your seafood feast, the other great place for street food in Rason is Rajin Square. In the summer months there are vendors outside doing BBQ, as well as a beer house that is currently under construction. You can actually buy bonds in this place if you ever wanted to own a North Korean bar.
Things though are very much still happening here with their being a winter covered area that offers all manor of street food and Korean treats. Alas on this occasion we did not get to try any of it, but on the birthday of Kim Jong Il at least the place was pretty pumping.
You can enjoy the Rason street food scene on a tour with YPT.