National Statistics Office (NSO) gave following statistical information regarding the first four months.

The total state budget income and aid, as of April, reached 7.1 trillion MNT in preliminary records.

According to the Head of the NSO, D.Baasan, this is an increase of 1.8 trillion MNT or 34.9 percent from the same period last year. However, the balanced income reached 6.7 trillion MNT, an increase of 39.4 percent compared to the same period last year. The total expenditure of the unified state budget and the total amount of repayable net loans amounted to 5.6 trillion MNT, and the balanced balance showed a profit of 1.1 trillion MNT.

In the first four months of this year, Mongolia traded with 134 countries, and the foreign trade turnover was 7.7 billion USD, of which 5.1 billion was exported and 2.7 billion USD was imported.

Total turnover increased by 50 percent, exports by 81.8 percent, and imports by 310.5 million USD compared to the same period of the previous year. However, in April of this year, exports decreased by 199 million USD, and imports by 20.2 million USD compared to the previous month.

The foreign trade balance in the first four months showed a surplus of 2.4 billion USD, an increase of 5.4 times compared to the same period of the previous year.

According to the National Statistics Office, trade with China in these months amounted to 5.7 billion USD, which is 74.2 percent of the total turnover of foreign trade. Coal accounted for 64 percent of goods exported to China, copper concentrate accounted for 18 percent, while gold accounted for 99.9 percent of goods exported to Switzerland. in the mentioned period, exports increased by 2.3 billion USD compared to the same period last year, mainly due to the increase of 2 billion USD in coal, 67 million USD in canned meat products, 48.5 million USD in iron ore and concentrates, 44.2 million USD in horse meat, and 41.5 million USD in fluorspar ore and concentrates.

In April, the average border price of gold increased by 3,000 USD per kilogram, the average border price of iron ore and concentrate increased by four USD per ton, while the average border price of copper concentrate decreased by 73.5 USD per ton, and the average border price of coal decreased by 10 USD per ton. In April, the physical volume of coal exports reached 5.5 million tons, which is 0.7 million tons less than the previous month.

Mongolia conducted trade mostly with China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, the USA, and Germany. Petroleum products accounted for 71.7 percent of goods imported from Russia, passenger cars accounted for 67 percent of goods imported from Japan, and trucks accounted for 10.5 percent of goods imported from China.

Imports increased by 310.5 million USD compared to the same period of the previous year. The reason for the increase was, diesel fuel increased by 127.7 million USD, trucks by 79 million USD, bulldozers, levelers, and excavators by 28.1 million USD, public transport vehicles by 21.7 million USD, new tires by 21.2 million USD, and passenger cars by 20.2 million USD.

Exports of mineral products, precious stones, metals, jewelry and textile products account for 93.6 percent of total exports, while 76.7 percent of imports are mineral products, machinery and equipment, electrical appliances, vehicles, their parts, basic metals and products made from them, and ready-to-eat foods.

Monthly household income decreased by 47,500 MNT

According to the results of the first quarter of 2023, the average monthly income of the household was 1.9 million MNT, which increased by 101,100 MNT from the same period of the previous year, and by 39,900 MNT from the previous quarter.

The average real monthly income of one household, or the price-adjusted amount, reached 1.2 million MNT in the first quarter of this year, which is a drop of 47,500 MNT compared to the same period last year. However, this figure is an increase of 13,500 from the preceding quarter.

According to the report, the reason for the drop in real total income was caused by the decrease of 52,600 MNT in real income from pensions and allowances.

In addition, the average monthly cash income of the household reached 1.8 million MNT in the first quarter of 2023, which increased by 134,300 MNT from the same period last year.

As of the first quarter, 59.2 percent of the average income of a household with a cash income of 500,000 to 900,000 MNT per month is generated by pensions and allowances.

Apartment prices in UB grew by 10%

Apartment prices in Ulaanbaatar increased by 9.9 percent in April this year and by 0.2 percent compared to the previous month.

According to the data of the National Statistics Office, in April, the average price per square meter of a new apartment was 3.53 million MNT, and the highest value was 3.84 million MNT in Khan-Uul district. However, the average price per square meter of an old apartment was 3.34 million MNT, and the highest price was 4.17 million MNT in Chingeltei district.

Workforce dropped by 4%

As of the first quarter of the year, 1.2 million of the total population aged 15 and over are in the labor force and 916,500 are out of the labor force.

From the work force, 93.4 percent or 1.1 million are employees. This number decreased by 47,000 or 4.1 percent from the previous quarter. The NSO reported that the number of unemployed people decreased by 25,600, while the population outside the labor force increased by 23,600.

Chief statistician of the NSO’s Policy and Foreign Relations Department S.Norov clarified that labor statistics are obtained from the Labor Force Survey results of the NSO.

The US Forest Service has told a federal court it is not sure when it could approve a land swap allowing Rio Tinto Plc to develop the Resolution Copper mine in Arizona, a surprising reversal that boosts several Native American groups opposed to the project.

The complex case involves a long-running conflict between a mining company hoping to supply more than a quarter of US copper demand for the green energy transition and Indigenous groups seeking to preserve Arizona’s Oak Flat campground, a site of religious importance that would be destroyed by the mine’s construction.

In 2014, the US Congress approved a land swap that required an environmental report to be published, which former President Donald Trump’s administration did shortly before leaving office. President Joe Biden unpublished that report in March 2021 to give his administration time to review concerns from Native Americans, though he was not able to permanently block the mine.

The case has wound its way through several courts. Joan Pepin, an attorney for the Forest Service, told judges during a March hearing the report would be republished “this spring.”

Rumors have swirled in recent weeks that the Biden administration was on the verge of re-publishing that report, and several Rio executives made plans to travel to Arizona next week.

Late Thursday night, though, Pepin sent a letter to the court saying government officials were still meeting with Native American tribes.

“The department has not yet identified a timeframe for completing its review,” Pepin said.

Neither Pepin nor other US Forest Service officials could be reached for additional comment.

Previously, officials had said they would alert the court at least 60 days before re-publishing the report. Once re-published, officials would have an additional 60 days to transfer the land to Rio Tinto.

Rio Tinto said it would continue to try to talk with tribes and believes there is significant local support for the mine. “Our team is ready to advance the project in collaboration with Native American tribes, local communities, and labor,” said Vicky Peacey, general manager of the Resolution project.

BHP Group Ltd, which is helping Rio develop the mine, declined to comment.

“It’s quite unusual for the government to have to take back something their attorney told the court under questioning,” said Luke Goodrich of Becket Law, a religious liberty legal group involved in the case.

Representatives for the San Carlos Apache tribe have vowed that if they lose, they will appeal the ruling to the US Supreme Court.

“There is overwhelming opposition in Indian Country to the Resolution mine and that will not change,” said Terry Rambler, San Carlos Apache tribal chairman.

Local officials who support the project said they were angered by Pepin’s letter.

“Every time there’s another delay to this process means that investors in our community may decide this isn’t the place to invest because the federal government can’t make up its mind,” said Mila Besich, the Democratic mayor of Superior, a town of 2,500 that abuts the mine site.

(By Ernest Scheyder; Editing by David Gregorio)

Under the auspices of the President of Mongolia, the 23rd Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO) commenced today in Ulaanbaatar as a significant event held under the framework of the "Years to Visit Mongolia" initiative.

The inception of the APhO dates back to 2000 when it was initially organized in Indonesia. Following a successful organization in 2008, Mongolia is proud to undertake this responsibility for the second time after 15 years.

During the opening of the Olympiad, President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh of Mongolia expressed the nation's profound respect for science and scholars. He emphasized the Asian Physics Olympiad as a platform for brilliant students to compete, connect, and exchange knowledge and experiences.

President Khurelsukh highlighted the significance of an Olympiad as fostering friendships among outstanding students, inspiring individuals, generating interest in science among young people, and nurturing future leaders. He wished every participant resounding success in the Asian Physics Olympiad.

During the inaugural ceremony, Minister L. Enkh-Amgalan from the Ministry of Education and Sciences expressed the host country's objectives for the Olympiad. These include assessing the quality of physics education, nurturing young talents in physics, facilitating professional advancement opportunities, fostering cultural understanding, and promoting Mongolian heritage.

The Minister emphasized that the Olympiad serves as a platform to enhance Mongolia's international presence and reputation. Additionally, he announced that physics equipment created by Mongolian scientists specifically for the Asian Physics Olympiad will later be utilized in over 300 secondary schools. Furthermore, he underscored that physics equipment will be provided to more than 600 secondary schools.

President of the Asian Physics Olympiad, Leong Chuan Kwek, said, “I am grateful and glad that Mongolia has decided, this time round, to organize this year's Olympiad face-to-face. APhO is less about getting top honors and more about friendship. Friends who you will establish now and meet years later. I am therefore hoping that you will take this rare opportunity to establish new connections and introduce your own culture. At the end of the day, we are all mere Earthlings.”

The Asian Physics Olympiad is more prestigious and competitive than the International Physics Olympiad because of the high ranking of the competitors. A total of 29 teams from 27 countries, including two teams from Mongolia, are participating in this Olympiad. The Republic of Bulgaria and Malaysia are participating as observers. For more information regarding the Olympiad visit:

In late February of this year, Mongolian foreign minister invited about 40 female foreign ministers to attend a meeting in Ulaanbaatar from 29-30 June. North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui was also invited. However, North Korea has yet to respond to whether Choe will attend the meeting, according to people familiar with the matter.

The meeting will celebrate the growing role of women in Mongolia’s foreign policy circles. The Conference of Female Foreign Ministers began to be organized as a more formal meeting since 2018. In September 2018, Canadian and the European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy organized the world’s first meeting of female foreign ministers in Montreal, attended by representatives from 17 countries.

In 1998, Mongolia appointed a woman as foreign minister for the first time. Since then, Mongolia has had three female foreign ministers, including B.Battsetseg. In 2001, Mongolia appointed its first female ambassador and sent her to Belgium.

Choe Son Hui became North Korea’s first female foreign minister on June 11, 2022. In 2017, South Korea had appointed its first female foreign minister, Kang Kyung-hwa.

(source: Diplomat)

Both Kazakhstan and Mongolia have long published maps showing their national territories extending into Russia, Aleksey Baliyev says; but now the two countries appear set on developing new rail links that could undermine the Trans-Siberian railway and even subvert Russian control of the Altai, an important source of Russia’s mineral wealth.

Since 2003, the two Central Asian countries have had an international coordinating council called “Our Common Home – the Altai” but it has engaged primarily in promoting tourism and cooperation in the scholarly investigation of the region adjoining the two countries.

But recently Astana and Ulan Bator held a joint conference of this group which suggested the two countries have a larger agenda that could involve the development of a new transport route and that this is not some pie-in-the-sky plan but a project that appears to have the support of China.

Not surprisingly, this has set off alarm bells in the Russian capital because Kazakhstan, Mongolia and possibly China now appear committed to a project that will affect Russian territory and to do so on their own without any involvement of their Russian partners who expect to be consulted by such “partners.”

The latest example of this concern is a lengthy article by Moscow commentator Aleksey Baliyev for the portal directed at the military-industrial sector of the Russian economy, one that has key interests in the mines of the Altai region and republic in the Russian Federation.

According to Baliyev, Kazakhstan and Mongolia want to build a rail route through the Russian Altai to connect their two countries more directly than now. At present, they have to send goods north into the Russian interior and then have those goods shipped back along another track to their destination.

Such a route, which the Russian commentator says China likely supports, would have a negative impact on Russian railways and could have the effect of allowing the three countries involved to trade bypassing Russia and thus escaping sanctions problems.

“It isn’t hard to understand that if this route is built, it will de facto become a southern duplicate of the West Siberian sector of the Trans-Siberian” and even become the basis of Kazakhstan or Mongolian claims to Russian territory. After all, Baliyev says, some Kazakhs are already pushing to rename portions of Eastern Kazakhstan the Altyn Altai.

BY Paul Goble

Paul Goble is a longtime specialist on ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia. Most recently, he was director of research and publications at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. Earlier, he served as vice dean for the social sciences and humanities at Audentes University in Tallinn and a senior research associate at the EuroCollege of the University of Tartu in Estonia. He has served in various capacities in the U.S. State Department, the Central Intelligence Agency and the International Broadcasting Bureau as well as at the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Mr. Goble maintains the Window on Eurasia blog and can be contacted directly at paul.goble@gmail.com .

Upon the official talks of the Presidents of Mongolia and France at the State Palace and exchange of views on relations and cooperation between the two countries, the Presidents briefed the media. We present the full transcript of President U. Khurelsukh’s speech:

"Honorable President Emmanuel Macron,

Dear Press representatives,

Good evening to all of you.

I have held official talks with President of France Emmanuel Macron, who is on a State Visit to Mongolia. It is concluded that the official talks have been highly significant and effective. Mongolia considers France as our third neighbor and a close and trusted partner in Europe. Our two countries established diplomatic relations in 1965, but the historical relationship between Mongolia and France dates back to the 13th century. For example, in 1253, Rubruk, a messenger who was appointed by the order of King Louis IX of France, came to Kharkhorum of the Mongol Empire to meet the great Khaan. His notes on the travels through the Mongol Empire are famous worldwide. A silver tree made by French artist Wilhelm Bouchied in the royal palace of Kharkhorum city was mentioned in the notes, which proves that the relationship between our two countries has a long history.

France has consistently supported our country since our applying for membership in the United Nations and recognized Mongolia's independence. France is one of the countries that has supported in all respects the democratic changes and reforms that have taken place in our country since the 1990s. The state visit of President of France Emmanuel Macron to Mongolia is historic, for being the first visit of Head of State of France in the history of relations and cooperation between our two countries.

Honorable President, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you on behalf of the people of Mongolia.

During the official talks, we engaged in a thorough exchange of views on the bilateral relations and cooperation between Mongolia and France, as well as pressing issues of international relations. We earnestly conveyed our firm commitment to diligently collaborate in fostering global peace and security.

Furthermore, we discussed advancing the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries, with the overarching objective of attaining a strategic partnership. Within the framework of Mongolia's partnership and cooperation agreement with the European Union, augmenting trade and economic collaboration with France, fostering increased investment, and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation are recognized as pivotal strategies and objectives of our country's foreign policy.

During the meeting and talks, the Heads of State affirmed to jointly implement mutually beneficial and strategic projects, which symbolize the relations between the two countries, and further expand the relations in agriculture, energy, environment, health, disaster management, culture, education, communication and science sectors.

Within the framework of fulfilling the commitment under Paris Agreement to combat climate change the two sides agreed to cooperate in renewable energy and nuclear energy fields. We also agreed on the joint realization of Mongolia's national satellite program in conjunction with France.

We have reached an agreement to cooperate by synergizing the "One Billion Trees" National Campaign, which was initiated by the President of Mongolia, with the aim of addressing climate change and mitigating the adverse effects of greenhouse gas emissions and French initiatives put forth by the President of France during the One Forest Summit.

In accordance with the overarching goal of "Food Supply and Security," a mutual agreement has been reached to provide substantial backing to foster export oriented production of food and agricultural products. Additionally, concerted efforts will be made to prepare professionals in the domains of intensive animal husbandry, food, and biotechnology and to introduce a new technologies and know-how.

The exhibition titled "How Chinggis Khan Changed the World" will be presented at the National History Museum of France in October of this year. Gratitude was expressed to the French Government for its support and collaboration in making this event possible.

During our discussions on international relations and multilateral cooperation, a wide range of topics were addressed, including making contribution to UN peacekeeping operations to foster sustainable development, to prosperity founded on human rights and democratic principles, the promotion of feminist foreign policy and expanding the cooperation of the two countries to achieve common national and global objectives such as prevention of weapons of mass destruction proliferation, and the fight against terrorism.

I extended congratulations to the people of France, who will be hosting the upcoming "Paris-2024" Summer Olympic Games, and wished them great success. The joint declaration issued by Mongolia and France, which is based on our talks and mutually agreed-upon matters during this state visit, is perceived as a momentous document of historical significance, poised to elevate future cooperation between our two countries to a new level.

Dear President, I extend my sincere wishes for the well-being and prosperity to you and the people of France. May the bilateral relations between our countries continue to thrive and flourish."

Mongolia detained four North Koreans this month for illegally entering the country, immigration authorities announced Wednesday, in a rare press release from a country that usually helps defectors by allowing them to travel elsewhere once they cross the border.

“On the 10th of May, four citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea were found illegally crossing from the People’s Republic of China to our country,” the General Authority for Border Protection stated in a press release that has since been deleted from its website.

“These individuals have been transferred to legal facilities,” the agency added.

The border authority did not specify whether the North Koreans intended to defect and Mongolian authorities did not respond to an NK News question about whether they will be repatriated to the DPRK.

Mongolia is about 500 miles (800 km) from North Korea and is a known destination for North Koreans seeking to defect. Separating the two countries is China, which arrests defectors as “economic migrants” and sends them back.

If Mongolia repatriates the DPRK nationals to North Korea, they will likely be “subjected to torture and ill-treatment, forced labor and gender-based violence,” according to the U.N. special envoy for DPRK human rights Elizabeth Salmon in a recent report.

Mongolia may have publicly announced the arrest because North Korea’s foreign minister might visit Mongolia soon on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties Anthony Rinna, an expert on DPRK-Central Asia relations, told NK News.

“Mongolia has, as a matter of principle, always tried to maintain balanced ties between the two Koreas as part of its broader strategy of maintaining relative equilibrium between China, Russia and the West,” Rinna explained.

In response to NK News questions about the arrest by Mongolia, South Korea’s foreign ministry said it could not confirm any details but that it is making “diplomatic efforts to ensure that North Korean defectors staying abroad can safely and quickly go where they want to go without being forced to return to North Korea against their will.”

Mongolia has previously allowed defectors to go to the South Korean embassy where they can apply to be sent to the South, though it is unclear if that is what will happen this time. Mongolia has an inconsistent record of how it deals with DPRK nationals, sometimes choosing to repatriate North Koreans.

“In light of Mongolia’s outreach to the DPRK, Mongolian authorities may have arrested the defectors as a sign of goodwill toward Pyongyang, especially as Mongolia’s previous status as a relatively popular destination for North Korean defectors has caused friction between Pyongyang and Ulaanbaatar,” Rinna said.

The number of defectors reaching South Korea has plummeted since the outbreak of COVID-19 due to austere border closures in the DPRK and China’s own anti-pandemic movement restrictions.

Only 34 North Korean defectors reached South Korea between January and March this year, the most in a three-month period since 2020 but still far fewer than before the pandemic.

Only a handful of the defectors who have reached South Korea during the pandemic crossed the DPRK border, according to experts. Most were apparently already in third countries — like Mongolia — before seeking to resettle in the South, including overseas workers.

More than 1,000 defectors made it to South Korea in 2019 before the pandemic, and nearly 3,000 arrived per year in the late 2000s.

Edited by Arius Derr

Emmanuel Macron arrives Sunday in Mongolia for a brief, symbolic visit, the first by a French president to the country nestled between China and Russia that is of growing strategic interest in the West.

The French head of state will stop off in the capital Ulaanbaatar after having taken part in the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan -- at which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was the star guest.

The leader of the war-torn country was there to address key Western allies, but also leaders of non-aligned nations like Brazil and India.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, France has stepped up its efforts to speak with countries who have not explicitly condemned it -- of which Mongolia is one.

In Ulaanbaatar, where he will only spend an evening, Macron will dine with President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, the Elysee said.

The French president will also visit the museum of Genghis Khan, named for the 13th-century Mongol conqueror, which will lend part of its collection to the Nantes History Museum in western France for an exhibition scheduled for October.

Macron will then depart for Paris at the end of the evening.

"The fact that Mongolia will be on the route back allows us to make this historic first (visit) and gives it a special meaning," a source in the Elysee's entourage said.

"Mongolia is landlocked between Russia and China, but is also a country which has a liberal model of government," they said, adding it is trying to "diversify its partnerships in order to be more robust and able to deal with its large Russian and Chinese neighbours".

The French presidency is seeking to "loosen the constraint exerted on Russia's neighbours and open up to them the choice of their options", they added.

On the bilateral level, France has considered that there are "very significant possibilities for cooperation" with Mongolia, particularly in energy, with the country struggling to decarbonise its coal-dependent economy.

The vast north Asian country has been the subject of growing interest in recent years from the United States as part of a strategy to thwart the rise of China.

Eighty-six percent of Mongolia's total exports go to China, half of which is coal.

Mongolia has struggled with political instability since its first democratic constitution in 1992, when it emerged from the Soviet orbit.

Mayor of Ulaanbaatar D.Sumiyabazar is working on an official appointment in the Republic of Korea. Within the framework of the appointment, which aims to open up new opportunities for cooperation in economy, investment, infrastructure and other fields of the two cities, he met the chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, and the mayor. In addition, he got acquainted with the standard solutions that solved the problems in the city and discussed about introducing them to Ulaanbaatar. In this context, he elaborated on the results of his visit.

Meetings with Seoul’s administration and relevant officials were held. How do you see the results of these meetings?

According to the official appointment program, we met with the administration of the Seoul city and discussed the possibility of expanding cooperation between the two cities. Moreover, we got acquainted with construction, technological and economic projects. In the future, we believe that we can cooperate with the capital of South Korea in four directions.

Could you clarify on the sectors that will be on focus?

For example, technological advances will be introduced in connection with the renovation of Ulaanbaatar’s public transport. There is a need to renew the public transport payment system in connection with the import of another 1,200 buses as part of the public transport fleet renovation. We are studying the possibilities of cooperation with South Korea and the kind of solutions to introduce. In addition, taxi services in Ulaanbaatar should be increased and improved. It is an important part of the city’s culture. The capital city, the private sector and other organizations can work together to create a quality taxi service that meets modern requirements. Negotiations are ongoing in this regard.

For Seoul, the economy along the Han River has been developed and built. Not only in South Korea, but also in other Asian countries. So, for Ulaanbaatar, it is possible to develop construction, services and trade along the Tuul river. It is important not only for the economy, but also for increasing the green areas and improving the flow of the river. In this regard, we expressed a request to invite the professional team that worked on the construction of the Han River to Ulaanbaatar and learn from their experience.

Of course, one of the pressing problems facing Ulaanbaatar is air pollution. The two cities can work together to reduce air pollution and introduce environmentally friendly technologies.

Another area of cooperation between Ulaanbaatar and Seoul is personnel training. We will work together to train and empower personnel in the field of urban improvement and service, and exchange experience. Of course, there is a shortage of personnel for the large-scale construction and renovations of the city. For example, there is hardly any IT specialist who has worked in this field to renew the integrated traffic management center. Therefore, many works can be executed step by step by organizing training in this context.