but the businessman behind this Singapore-based

但是這間基地在新加坡的餐廳

restaurant has made history in North Korea.

幕後的老闆已將事業擴及北韓

He opened the country's first fast food restaurant

他在 2008 年於平壤開設該國的第一間

in Pyongyang back in 2008.

速食餐廳

But who would want to do business with North Korea?

但是誰會想和北韓做生意呢？

It's not as unpopular as you think.

其實並非如你想的不受歡迎

At least 80 countries traded with North Korea last year.

在去年至少有 80 個國家和北韓做生意

North Korea continues to be hit by U.N. and

北韓持續受到聯合國和

American sanctions, but that hasn't

美國的制裁，但是那並未

stopped its economic growth.

阻止它的經濟成長

In fact, its economy grew at its fastest pace

事實上，它的經濟在去年

in nearly two decades last year,

以 20 年來最快的速度成長

with its GDP expanding 3.9 percent,

它的國內生產總值增加了 3.9%

surpassing its neighbor South Korea.

超過了它的鄰居南韓

North Korea's top trading partners vary

北韓的前幾貿易夥伴根據不同的資源

depending on which source you look at,

而有所不同

but no matter how you slice the data,

但不論你怎麼區分數據

North Korea's most important ally is China.

北韓最重要的盟友是中國

The Chinese border town of Dandong is separated

中國的邊境城丹東市

from North Korea by just half a mile.

距離北韓僅僅半英里 (約 0.8 公里)

At least 80 percent of North Korea's trade is with China,

北韓的貿易至少有 80% 是和中國一起

and two-thirds of that trade reportedly goes through

據稱其中有三分之二的貿易是透過

this single-laned bridge connecting the two countries.

這條連接兩國的單行橋

Coal is North Korea's largest export

煤炭是北韓最大的出口品

and last year, China bought $1.2 billion worth of it.

而在去年，中國買了價值 12 億的煤炭

The Chinese also have a huge appetite for its seafood,

中國對它的海產也有極高的興趣

which is perceived to be cleaner and tastier.

人們認為那裡的海產比較乾淨、美味

In the first half of this year alone,

僅僅在今年上半

the Chinese bought almost

中國買了

$100 million worth of seafood.

約價值一億的海產

China has been putting more pressure on its neighbor.

中國在它的鄰居身上施加了更多壓力

It suspended coal imports and banned banks

它中斷了煤炭進口，並且禁止銀行

from providing financial services to North Korea.

提供北韓財務服務

In September, Chinese sanctions began to bite.

在九月，中國的制裁開始奏效

Chinese imports of coal were down more than 70 percent,

中國的煤炭進口減少了超過 70%

while its exports of petrol fell by almost 100 percent.

而它的汽油出口則減少近 100%

Sino-Korean ties seem to be cooling.

中韓關係看似在降溫

When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

當北韓領導人金正恩

sent Lunar New Year greetings this year,

在今年發送農曆新年祝賀時

the first card didn't go to Chinese leaders,

第一張賀卡並不是到了中國領導人手裡

but instead to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

而是去到俄羅斯總統弗拉基米爾．普丁

Russia and North Korea go way back.

俄羅斯和北韓淵源悠久

The Soviet Union made up half of North Korean trade

一直到 90 年代垮臺前近三十年

for almost thirty years, until it collapsed in the 1990s.

蘇聯就占了北韓一半的貿易

But Russia is ramping up its involvement.

但是俄羅斯正在增加貿易的往來

It announced in 2015 that it wants to increase trade

它在 2015 年宣佈，到了 2020 年時

with North Korea ten-fold to a billion dollars by 2020.

它希望和北韓增加 10 倍也就是 10 億的貿易額

But they aren't quite there yet.

但他們尚未到那一步

Bilateral trade between the two countries

兩國的雙邊貿易

decreased from 2013 to 2016.

在 2013 到 2016 年間下跌

But in the first quarter of this year,

但在今年第一季

Russia's trade with North Korea more than doubled

與上年同期數字相比

to $31.4 million year-on-year.

俄羅斯和北韓的貿易翻倍至 3.14 億

President Vladimir Putin recently said Russia exports

總統弗拉基米爾．普丁最近表示

40,000 tons of oil to North Korea a quarter.

俄羅斯一季出口 4 萬噸石油到北韓

So that's about 160,000 tons a year.

所以一年就是近 16 噸

That's a fraction compared to China,

那和中國比起來只是一小部分

but also more than four times what

但也是聯合國在 2015 年

the U.N. estimated for Russia in 2015.

給俄羅斯估計的四倍以上

But it's not just limited to trade.

不過那可不止限於貿易

Siberia faces persistent labor shortages.

西伯利亞一直有勞動力短缺的問題

Enter North Korean labor.

北韓勞工就到來了

The U.S. State Department estimates that around

美國國務院估計

20,000 North Koreans are sent to Russia

有近兩萬北韓人被送到俄羅斯

to work for Russian companies,

替俄羅斯公司工作

making an estimated $170 million for the regime.

讓當權者賺進估算約 17 億

It's estimated that more than 50,000 North Korean

據估計，超過 5 萬北韓勞工

workers are employed in foreign countries,

在異國被僱用

mostly in Russia and China,

大多數是在俄羅斯和中國

but also in countries like Qatar, Malaysia and Poland.

但也有在其他國家，比如卡達、馬來西亞和波蘭

North Korea is estimated to make

根據估算，北韓每年

$1.2 and $2.3 billion annually from exported labor.

透過出口勞工賺進了 12 億和 23 億

North Korea is big on defense,

北韓花重金在自我防衛上

so maybe it's no surprise that

所以或許它會賣武器到廣泛的全球網絡系統

it sells weapons to a vast global network.

也不令人驚訝

Sources estimate that North Korea made $300 million

有來源估計北韓在 2015 年藉由武器銷售

in arms sales in 2015,

賺了 30 億

and its list of clients is large and varied.

而且它的客戶雄厚多元

The U.N. intercepted two North Korean arms shipments

聯合國在今年攔截了兩艘

to the Syrian government this year,

前往敘利亞的北韓武裝船

as well as 30,000 grenades to Egypt.

以及三萬顆要運到埃及的手榴彈

Other North Korean customers include Iran and Yemen.

其他北韓客戶包含伊朗和葉門

Another important piece of the

另一個北韓

North Korean money-making machine is Africa.

製造財富的重要機器就是非洲

Goods traded with North Korea across Africa

經由非洲和北韓交易的貨品

amount to more than $100 million annually.

每年合計價值超過 10 億

The U.N. is investigating seven African countries

聯合國正在調查七個有可能

for possible violations of its sanctions on North Korea,

違反其對北韓的制裁條例的非洲國家

ranging from military training to weapons sales.

包含軍事訓練和武器銷售

In the midst of a lot of this activity seems to be

位於這項活動的中央

North Korean-owned enterprise

似乎是一個北韓所有的企業

Mansudae Overseas Projects,

萬壽臺海外開發會社

which is behind several huge

它在非洲各地的

construction projects across Africa,

多起大型建造計劃背後

building everything from ammunition factories

建造包含軍火工廠

to apartment blocks to giant statues.

到公寓區塊到巨大雕像

The U.N. estimates that tens of millions are

聯合國估算萬壽臺在非洲

being made by Mansudae in Africa.

創造了 1 億的產值

It's clear that North Korea

看起來北韓

is eager to drum up new business.

正渴望開創新事業

It even published a new guide

它甚至發佈了一項有關

on its investment and business environment.

投資和經濟環境的新指南

But as geopolitical tension grows and more

但隨著地緣政治越趨緊繃

countries suspend trade with the Communist state,

更多國家和共產主義國家終止貿易

North Korea's business ambitions may have to stay put.

北韓的經商野心或許還需被擱置

Hi, thanks so much for watching.

嗨，謝謝收看

You can check out more of our videos here and here.

你在這裡和這裡可以觀看我們更多的影片

We're also taking your suggestions for

我們也接受你們的提議

anything you want explained, or reported on.

任何你希望能被解釋或報導的都行

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記得訂閱，還有下次見！