According to a report, market places, termed jangmadang sprung up in north Korea in the 1990s when the state was unable to continue the ration system that most people relied on, leading to famine. Reportedly, the markets were created to allow north Koreans to buy food and other necessary items on their own as the state run ration system ceased to function.
According to the report, they became a source of concern for the north Korean leader as people began to taste capitalism and experience other cultures through videos; there was a demand for south Korean dramas. Reportedly, market sellers went to China for goods and were labelled anti-socialist. According to the report, succesful traders were labelled slaves of capitalism.