North Korea Hit By Fuel Shortage, Gas Prices Nearly Double

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The tension between North Korea and the United States shows no sign of slowing down, so it comes as little surprise that Pyongyang residents are on edge.

Drivers in the North Korean capital felt this first hand as gas stations began closing down and rationing fuel today. The North Korean regime is notoriously secretive, but the country has apparently been hit by a fuel shortage.

According to The Washington Post, one Pyongyang gas station was limiting sales to diplomats and international organizations while others simply shut down. Stations that did have gas meet drivers with long lines and high prices.

North Korea is heavily dependent on fuel from China so it's possible that Chinese President Xi Jinping could have cut off or limited fuel supplies to their ally. Nothing is official but President Trump has been pushing for Xi Jinping to exert pressure on North Korea's Kim Jong-un in an effort to get him to abandon his country's nuclear weapons program.

Regardless of the behind-the-scenes politics, gas prices have rose dramatically in Pyongyang as petrol hit $1.25 per kilogram which is 70-80 cents higher than yesterday. Another report from UPI indicates the price of four gallons of gas has nearly doubled from $13 to $22.