Organization · Foreign affairs and state finance
Foreign Trade Bank of the DPRK
State bank for foreign-currency and external transactions; UN-designated
The Foreign Trade Bank is North Korea’s state bank for foreign-currency and external transactions. It is designated under UN sanctions, with narrow exemptions for specified diplomatic and humanitarian transactions.
WHY THIS ENTITY MATTERS
RH ASSESSMENT
The bank matters because formal external finance, sanctions controls, and the government trade system converge on a named institution.
- Record type
- Organization dossier
- Primary role
- State bank for foreign-currency and external transactions; UN-designated
- Network sector
- Foreign affairs and state finance
- Documented links
- 3
Profile
The Foreign Trade Bank is North Korea’s state bank for foreign-currency and external transactions. It is designated under UN sanctions, with narrow exemptions for specified diplomatic and humanitarian transactions.
Scope note: this foundation dossier is limited to the selected public records behind the RH North Korea network. It does not claim a complete biography, ownership history, command structure, or account of private influence.
Documented connections
Every relationship below is labeled by evidence type and carries the limitation recorded in the network source ledger.
The Foreign Trade Bank is a designated state bank for external financial transactions within North Korea’s foreign-economic system.
Limit: The cited UN record does not establish that the ministry directs every bank transaction or sanctions-evasion activity.
UN Security Council · Foreign Trade Bank exemptionsThe bank operates as a North Korean state financial institution within the wider government economy.
Limit: This structural connection does not establish the Cabinet’s approval of every transaction.
UN Security Council · DPRK sanctions measuresBoth institutions are publicly identified parts of North Korea’s foreign-currency and external-finance architecture.
Limit: The selected sources do not establish common ownership, a universal direct reporting line, or a specific transaction between them.
UN Security Council · consolidated sanctions listWhat to watch
- Does the publicly identified leadership or mandate of Foreign Trade Bank of the DPRK change?
- Do official records document new coordination with Ministry of External Economic Relations?
- Do later sources confirm, narrow, or supersede the relationships recorded here?
Source record
- 01UN Security Council · Foreign Trade Bank exemptions
UN record identifying the Foreign Trade Bank as a designated institution and describing narrow humanitarian and diplomatic exemptions.
- 02UN Security Council · DPRK sanctions measures
Current UN overview of financial, proliferation, trade, and asset-freeze measures concerning North Korea.
- 03UN Security Council · consolidated sanctions list
UN descriptions for the Munitions Industry Department, RGB, Office 39, and designated North Korean financial and weapons entities.