LEDs Outshine Traditional Bulbs in Power-Starved North Korea

North Koreans are rushing to purchase China-made light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs to light their homes, despite high costs, because of their comparative efficiency over incandescent bulbs—a crucial advantage in their power-starved reclusive nation. While LED bulbs can cost more than three times that of normal incandescent bulbs, residents are willing to bear the higher price because they can operate normally on low voltage, sources recently told RFA’s Korean Service. Electricity flow to North Korean households is limited by the country’s heavily strained power grid.