North Korean tiger bone arthritis liquor and illegal hangover remedies, suspected to be linked to the illicit smuggling of wildlife, are still prevalent in Chinese online shopping malls. These items were also seized in South Korea seven years ago.
On July 12th, a product named “Pyongyang Zoo Pharmaceutical Factory Korean Tiger Bone Liquor” appeared available for pre-order on China’s Weibo marketing platform. The seller, who lives in Liaoning, China—a region bordering North Korea—introduced himself as a seasoned trader who has traveled between Sinuiju and Pyongyang in North Korea for years, engaging in business activities.
The product description stated, “Tiger bone arthritis liquor,” a product brewed using traditional techniques at the state-owned pharmaceutical factory in North Korea, Dosung Pharmaceutical Factory. The price per bottle is 200 yuan (approximately USD 30), with discounts available for bulk purchases: 180 yuan for 24 bottles and 170 yuan for 40 bottles. The seller detailed the alcohol content as 42%, claiming it has analgesic effects, making it practical for rheumatoid arthritis and various neuralgia. The seller recommends taking 8-10ml of tiger bone liquor orally three times a day.
NK News, a North Korean specialist media outlet in the United States, also reported on the 4th that North Korean tiger bone liquor is being sold in the Chinese shopping mall Taobao. NK News highlighted that tiger bone liquor uses tiger bone as the main ingredient and is promoted as a tonic that enhances strength and vitality and promotes healthy blood circulation while raising concerns about the potential exploitation of endangered big cats and North Korea’s illegal wildlife trafficking.
There are concerns about tiger bone liquor, which is marketed as an alternative medicine for treating arthritis rather than as ordinary alcohol. This is despite the lack of proof that parts of endangered animals, such as tiger bones, are actually used in its production.
On the same day, products labeled “Chosun Gomyol” (“North Korean Bear Gall Bladder”), known as a hangover remedy, were sold on the site for approximately $17 to $42 for 100 packets. The packaging of this product was identical to the one that was distributed in South Korea by a group of ethnic Chinese in 2017, who disguised pig gall as bear gall. At the time, the group was booked without detention for violating the Wildlife Protection and Management Act and the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act.
According to a UN Security Council report, as UN sanctions on North Korea have intensified, North Korea has been focusing on selling North Korean food and health supplements abroad to earn foreign currency. This is because they can be produced cheaply and sold at a high price.
However, a 2016 analysis by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea found that North Korean food and medicines sold in Southeast Asian regions like Laos contained deadly heavy metals. Mercury, arsenic, and lead levels were over 200,000 times above the standard. These products were marketed as treatments to lower blood pressure, have calming effects, and treat erectile dysfunction.
As a member of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, China also prohibits the import of tiger bone liquor. In May 2019, Chinese customs announced the seizure of 11 bottles of bear gall, 11 bottles of North Korean tiger bone liquor, and 1 bottle of deer antler liquor in Dandong, a border city, emphasizing that “products containing bear gall and tiger bone require particularly strict management according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.”
Despite North Korea not being a member of CITES, selling alcohol that reportedly contains tiger bone as an ingredient contradicts its declared commitment to wildlife protection. In 2022, the North Korean ambassador to Russia pledged to assist Moscow in protecting the few remaining Siberian tigers in Northeast Asia, a historic symbol for the North Korean people.