"That's new, " said one long-term foreign resident of the Yanji area, who declined to be identified.

WSJ: Trade Binds North Korea to China

The impact of those economic ties are evident in the Chinese border town of Yanji.

WSJ: Trade Binds North Korea to China

Kim came to Yanji from South Korea in 1986 to open the Yanbian University of Science and Technology.

CNN: 'The South's Guangdong'

They aren't for sale, but the rest of Yanji certainly seems to be.

CNN: 'The South's Guangdong'

Kia Motors manages a center for training automotive mechanics, and there is a South Korean-run school for training merchant seamen (even though Yanji is landlocked).

CNN: 'The South's Guangdong'

Directly across the street is the new Yanji International Trade Center, a massive emporium where the shelves are stacked with South Korean brand names like Lotte.

CNN: 'The South's Guangdong'

Yanji, a city of about 300, 000, is the capital of the Yanbian Autonomous Korean Prefecture, where common language and cultural bonds make it a magnate for Korean investment.

CNN: 'The South's Guangdong'

For most visitors it means a trip to Beijing, then to Yanji in China's Jilin province, by car to Tumen City on the border and then by car to Rajin.

CNN: Nowhere to Go But Up