Wednesday, October 29, 2008

North Korea Today No. 236

RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR NORTH KOREAN SOCIETY
http://www.goodfriends.or.kr/eng
No. 236 October 2008
Members of Democratic Women’s Union (DWU) Mobilized for Census
Soochun City, the Fight for Ideology Targeting Members of DWU Who Missed the Fall Mobilization
Members of Hamheung DWU, Making Daily Earning by Stealing Pure Grain from the Mobilization
Examination on a Venereal Disease in the Pohang District of Chungjin City
Sharp Increase of Patients with Contagious Diseases in Military Unit in Pyongwon County


Members of Democratic Women’s Union (DWU) Mobilized for Census
A census of the population is taken on a national basis and mainly members of Democratic Women’s Union (녀맹원들) are mobilized for this work. Each city and county gave lectures on census to members of the DWU in village (dong) offices and others who were mobilized to assist with the census. These workers make rounds to every area and count the number of households. They classify missing persons as a border-crosser (도강자), a missing person, or deceased, and excluded them from the number of residents.

Kim Myong-hwa (age 43) who takes a census of Maengsan County of South Pyoungan Province was proud of working for the dear leader Kim and the country saying, “This work is to find out exact number of people in my country.”
Soochun City, the Fight for Ideology Targeting Members of DWU Who Missed the Fall Mobilization
In Soonchun City of South Pyoungan Province, members of the DWU of every village office were mobilized to tie up rice-sheaves. However, there were many members of the DWU who missed the mobilization work because of family problem and they received the fight for Ideology (사상투쟁). On October 9, the labor secretary of the city party and the chairperson of the city DWU met at the Kangan-dong office of Soonchun city and noted that many members of DWU do not participate in the mobilization work. They blamed Ideology looseness as the cause of this and called for the fight for Ideology. Members of DWU who ever missed the mobilization were brought the front of the Leader’s Group Altar (주석단) and forced to criticize each other. There were some members of DWU who paid 1,500~2,500 NK won per day and skipped the mobilization work.

Members of Hamheung DWU, Making Daily Earning by Stealing Pure Grain from the Mobilization
Members of the DWU in the Yeokjeon-dong office (역전동사무소) of Seongchun river District, Hamheung city of South Hamgyong Province make daily meals by stealing cereals while they work for fall mobilization. As the number of DWU who steal pure grain increases, it is reported to the upper party that there is serious damage on the cereal crops due to thieves. The party warned, “members of DWU who stole the farm produce will be punished strictly by the law regardless of reasons.”

Examination on a Venereal Disease in the Pohang District of Chungjin City
In Namgang 1-dong and 2-dong of Pohang District of Chungjin City, North Hamgyong Province, there was an examination on a venereal disease. An inspection team consist of doctors in hospitals of Provincial Medical School and Pohang District went door to door from 6 a.m. and tested whether any residents have syphilis or not.

This checkup is planned to limit the spread of contagious venereal diseases. Several syphilitics were found at Namgang 1-dong and are under treatment. People related to these patients are also hospitalized and tested for the venereal disease. North Hamgyong Province reported this result to the central party and warned for the possibilities that other regions might have the same situation.

Sharp Increase of Patients with Contagious Diseases in Military Unit in Pyongwon County
On last October 3, 24 soldiers with tubercle, pleurisy and hepatitis were hospitalized in the military unit of Pyongwon County, South Pyongan Province. Soldiers who stayed longer than six months were discharged from military service and sent back home because it is thought that their diseases are difficult to cure. The hospital is overcrowded with patients. A room for 15 patients is accommodating over 40 patients. Strong ones took the bed and weak ones lie on the floor with a blanket.

Every morning patients with tubercle receive 5 pills of isoniazid which is a tubercle preventive medicine but effectiveness is unknown because of serious malnutrition. About seven people per month die from hemoptysis caused by tubercle or from severe high fever in this hospital. On the other hand, patients with other diseases receive first-aid medicine such as streptomycin from their own family, or they give money to doctors and receive medicines.

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