North Korea is one of the world's most concentrated and least open economies, with its industrial and power generation industries lagging far behind the world average, lack of infrastructure, and the future of industrial development programs that are extremely closed to the outside world.

It is estimated that North Korea's steel production capacity of about 12 million tons, but the actual output is only a small part of it. United States, a company news, 2015 North Korea crude steel production 1 million 79 thousand tons, down from last year's 1 million 220 thousand tons of 11.6%, the lowest level in nearly 20 years. North Korea's crude steel production peaked in 1990, a record 3 million 400 thousand tons.

International Steel Association estimates that during the past 10 years, North Korea's crude steel annual output of 125-140 million tons of steel per capita consumption of 48 kg, the lowest level in Asia, according to the nuclear threat initiative, jince mills (KimChaek) is North Korea's largest steel, crude steel annual output of about 6 million tons, accounting for nearly half of the steel the country's output. North Korea's steelmaking and rolling technology and equipment is provided in the former Soviet Union in 1975, 1980s, the Soviet Union to further provide assistance, including 100 tons of oxygen converter, but the collapse of the Soviet Union and North Korea the first supreme leader Kim Il-Sung in 1994 after the death of Russia to stop supply of coke.

Jin Ce steel plant is located in North Beijing Chongjin, annual production capacity of 6 million tons, Maoshan area back iron ore, mainly by blast furnace converter continuous casting process, a raw material workshop, coking workshop, sintering workshop, workshop, workshop, hot blast furnace steelmaking workshop, cold rolling workshop etc.. In 1996, jince steel factory installed Corex ironmaking equipment without coke, have reported that due to some problems, the equipment in the last century in 90s has failed to reach. Kim Jong-il, a former national leader, visited the plant in August 2000 and made a modern transformation of production equipment to improve production. In 2001, the production process was improved.

At present, the Korean major steel manufacturers have: jince steel factory, the Yellow Sea iron and steel plant, city of Tianjin Iron and steel plant, steel plant, a steel plant in, in addition to the 4.13 iron plant, No. 8 ironmaking plant and Datong River Iron factory. In addition to jince steel factory, the Yellow Sea iron and steel plant, city of Tianjin Iron and steel plant is integrated steel mills, steel mills and most of the other by open hearth smelting equipment, and the operating rate is low. Due to the aging of machinery and equipment, raw materials and power supply shortage, the policy has been discontinued in January last year, steel mills, leading to a shortage of domestic steel supply.

The development of North Korea's steel industry is mainly limited to the backward infrastructure, limited supply of raw materials. Although the country has a relatively rich iron ore resources and coal resources, but the low iron grade, lack of coking coal, and equipment aging and lack of electricity and other restrictions on iron ore mining. Into the late 90s of last century, North Korea began to invest in the construction of small and medium power stations, and began to improve the steel equipment. In 1999 the introduction of iron and steel plant without the need for coke Corex ironmaking process, North Korea in 2009 to carry out the 150 day battle campaign aimed at improving steel production, but there is no substantial change.

In the Sino Korean relations between the two countries is very delicate moment, last year China invite North Korea to join the "The Belt and Road" plan, the plan aims to build ports, highways, railways and other infrastructure in the countries along the route, to achieve the common development of the surrounding countries. "Belt and Road Initiative strategy to bring the development opportunity to the Korean steel industry.