The Chinese border city of Yanji has been planning to launch an open market trading North Korean fine art including paintings this year, according to a local newspaper on Thursday.

The move comes as many Chinese collectors frequently visit the city to buy North Korean artworks, the Yanbian Daily newspaper reported, citing an art association affiliated with the Yanbian prefecture. Yanji is a capital city of the Korean autonomous prefecture located along the Tumen River bordering North Korea.

Given the city's close proximity to Russia, the art market would also lure Russian buyers, the report said.

Exhibitions of North Korean art are rare, even in China, the closest ally of the reclusive country. However, there have been media reports that North Korea, under United Nations sanctions over nuclear and missile tests, is eager to earn much-needed hard currency by selling artworks, attracting foreign tourists and exporters. (Yonhap)