sanctions in 2016 and China’s decision to reduce coal exports from North Korea in 2017 due to international pressure. Total coal exports plummeted following additional U.N. However, North Korea still favors coal as a major export commodity and overall energy generator for its economy. In 2017, North Korea generated 55 percent of its total electricity from hydroelectric plants and the remaining 45 percent from fossil fuels, signifying a national reliance on renewable energy. Pyongyang has a history of utilizing its natural resources to compensate for financial difficulties. Get briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific. North Korea’s mountainous terrain and strong coastal winds provide an ideal environment for generating wind and solar energy, especially during the harsh winter season when hydro energy-generating dams and rivers are often frozen. For example, Pyongyang began to legally regulate the development and use of renewable energy in 2014 through the Renewable Energy Act with the goal of expanding renewable energy generation capabilities to 5 million kW (kilowatts) by 2044.

The pursuit of energy-producing alternatives to heavily sanctioned resources, such as coal and oil, has been a central focus of North Korean economic policy under Kim Jong Un since he assumed power in 2012. N the willingness of key allies, such as China, to facilitate or assist with its development. As a result, it is likely that the success of North Korean renewable energy projects will depend o However, North Korea has only used its nuclear program to develop weapons to date, contributing no resources to generating life-saving electricity through nuclear energy. Pyongyang has signaled an increased interest in using renewable energy to address its national energy crisis and economic challenges, which North Korean leader Kim Jong Un blames mostly on U.S.

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