North Korea Today No.378 November 24, 2010

[“Good Friends” aims to help the North Korean people from a humanistic point of view and publishes “North Korea Today” describing the way the North Korean people live as accurately as possible. We at Good Friends also hope to be a bridge between the North Korean people and the world.]
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Reps of Overseas Worry over Extra Costs on Heecheon Power Plant Construction

Residents Grow Hostile to New Manager of Cattle Ranch in Daehongdan County

“80% of the Officials in Daehongdan County are Incompetent”

[One Year of the Currency Reform] Resident’s Opinion;
“The Policy Feeds Only the Rich”

“Still Do Not Know Why the Currency Exchange Ratio is 100:1”

Even the Rice Traders could not Predict the Soaring Prices

“The Central Party was Flustered as People’s Complaints Soared”
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North Korean Representatives Overseas Worry about Request for Extra Contribution toward Heecheon Power Plant Construction

After the 65th celebration of the Party Foundation, the Central Party pushed representatives of North Korea in foreign countries and trade companies for extra contributions in speeding up construction of the Heecheon power plant. The Party requested support through material goods or cash for a sum total of $10 million before the end of the year. The representatives were opposed to this request due to their past assistance in both cash and materials. An official from one of the trade companies expressed his discomfort, saying, “How are we to survive giving this additional support? We are obliged to provide assigned contributions and send a great sum to the party every year, but business is currently not at all good. I don’t know what to do in this situation.” He continued, “Because they did not specifically calculate the cost of construction at the onset, there resulted an unexpected extra cost. They assumed that 1 million would be enough, so they asked a company in Dandong to contribute $100,000, and some other companies the rest. But it is not enough, so they are asking for additional contributions. The situation doesn’t seem like it will change before the construction is complete.” Some officials overseas also lamented this order, yet hoping for an improved situation, said, “We expected the young general to develop the economy as a successor of the great Kim Jong-Il, and we could not have imagined increased financial burdens on the overseas representatives. We wish he would build up economic cooperation with China to stabilize the country’s economic situation.”

Residents Grow Hostile toward the Newly Appointed Manager of the Cattle Ranch in Daehongdan County

Animosity against Young-Il Kim, the newly appointed manager of a cattle ranch in Daehongdan County, Pyongyang Province, has been growing among the residents. Kim did not receive a proper education as a child due to financial difficulties and grew up to become a hoodlum.

By a stroke of luck, he made a lot of money in the agriculture business. Not content with his wealth, he bribed political appointees and became the manager of the ranch. Kim began to abuse his newly gained power. Chun Myung Lee was his first victim. Lee complained to Kim that the waste from Kim’s ranch was flowing into a ditch next to his house, and demanded that the sewer releasing the waste be relocated. Kim, irritated by the constant complaints, ordered assailants to break into Lee’s house, destroy his property and beat him up. When Lee retaliated by reporting this to the Party, Kim was able to avoid punishment by bribing the leading secretary.

However, the residents did not cease their complaining. His relationships with several women, wrecking livelihoods and families, hoarding funds, constant cursing, and his use of violence were enough to create a commotion. The employees of the ranch reminisced about their former manager, whom they claim had a good reputation and skills but was ousted from his position because he was honest and refused to brown nose his superiors. “The ranch is becoming a laughing stock because some uneducated hoodlum with no skills became manager of it by using cajolery and bribes. This is proof of how corrupt our supposedly socialist society really has become inside and out,” voiced the people. Eight large cows, ten calves, and fifteen sheep have died this year due to unsanitary conditions and poor management.

“80% of the Officials in Daehongdan are Incompetent”

In addition to the people who get into trouble because they notably do something wrong like Yong-Il Kim, the distrust of the officials was profound among the residents in Daehongdan County. One officer in Daehongdan County expressed his worries that he heard a lot of words that he could not dare to include in the report. “The ignorant people wield money, seize the power and only brag regardless of whether the ordinary people are alive or dead. 80% of the officials in Daehongdan are incompetent and they cannot accomplish any work assigned but only talk big thereby injuring the authority of the Party,” he says words such as these are coming out indiscriminately. He also says that it seems like the people’s dissatisfaction towards Kim Yong-Il spreads into the entire officials.

This was a change after the currency exchange; people used to keep their tongue under a bridle and tried to watch out the officials in the past, but they blame the officials without reserve these days, according to him. He further stated that the voices that concern the future of the country are heard loud and these people worry about how the society can be maintained when the ignorant people pose as the intelligent or the officials.

[One Year of the Currency Reform] Resident’s Opinion, “The Policy Feeds Only the Rich”

It has been almost a year since the currency reform. When residents were interviewed about the reform, they described it as a nightmare that they can never forget. Young-man Kim (alias), living in Pyongsung City, criticized it as “a bad policy where the rich get more money than the poor.” With the currency reform at the end of last year, officials dispatched from each city, and district officials, officials at the Secretary Department, and police officers became the new rich, or cumulated many assets.

Each household was restricted to exchanging only one hundred thousand won in old currency with the new currency, so many traders and the wealthy in rural areas directly traded with officials from the cities by using their personal connections. Bankers and officials of the party or legal affair units received more than 20% as commission of the illegal exchange. Traders without enough assets became victims, proverbial ants falling down on the burning pot, forced to ask poor residents to exchange their money with new currency, and paying these residents 30 ~ 50% as commission. Mr. Kim expressed his dissatisfaction and resentment once again by stating, “Under this bad policy, those with money can evade it, but those without must endure it to death.”

[One Year of the Currency Reform] “Still Do Not Know Why the Currency Exchange Ratio is 100:1”

As Pyongsung Market, which used to be the biggest wholesale market in North Korea, was suddenly closed, the people who received the severe damages say that they still have a lot of doubts about this currency exchange. Kang Ji-Young (alias), who lives in Pyongsungdong, says, “Before and after the currency exchange, the government did not provide a specific and detailed explanation about this. There was just a sudden overnight notice that 100,000 old NK won will be changed into 1,000 new NK won per household. I asked why the exchange ratio was not the same but was 100:1, but no explicit response was given.”

“The currency exchange worker only said that the new currency will be exchanged at the ratio to 100:1 from now on because the price of the entire commodities including food will be arranged at the 1/100th of the original price. I was not able to understand at all what that meant when I heard it. Everyone who heard the explanation together was puzzled and half in doubt, and they said they did not know the reason. Moreover, people had various opinions when it was said that the market will be closed, every commodity will be dealt in the stores only and food will be sold at the Local Grain Policy Enterprises only. I could not do anything for a while as the immediate way of making a living was blocked,” says Jang Il-Hak (alias), who lives in Eundukdong. It has been a while since then, but the reality is that people still cannot properly purchase commodities or food in the state-run stores or the Local Grain Policy Enterprises.

[One Year of the Currency Reform] Even the Rice Traders could not Predict the Soaring Prices

The food situation has become worse for the people in Pyongseong city who had been able to reserve 3 to 6 months worth of food in the past, but find it now difficult to obtain even a week’s worth of food.

A number of families have difficulties securing food for day to day living. It is an especially bad condition for them as they lived so well next to people in Pyongyang thanks to the Pyongseong market. To survive, they have resorted to trading food in secret. Kyongok Kim (alias), a rice trader in the Jurye village reported that “soon after the enactment of the currency exchange act, we traded food ourselves and converted the old currencies to new currencies, because the government did not set the food price.

After some time, the new market price was established by the market regulators. At that time, very few traders sold food at the new market price. The rice price went up over time. Regulators said not to sell rice in the markets so the rice was hard to sell. Moreover, people withheld rice from the market hoping that they could sell at higher prices later. Rice prices kept soaring. I was anxious every day because it was so uncertain even for me when to sell the rice to obtain the maximum profit.” Consumers suffered even more because they could not obtain food during these times. Even rice traders could not predict the outcome.

[One Year of the Currency Reform] “The Central Party was Flustered as People’s Complaints Soared”

An executive of the Central Party reported that people were much more upset than outside people thought. Even Pyongyang citizens conceded, saying that “people were all stunned facing such gloomy and miserable situations. Everyone was confused. People who have lived the painful life became even more enraged and cursed the situation.”

A trade officer who commutes between Hamheung and Wonsan city reported that “it was scary that other regions could explode at any time.” Wherever you go, people concluded that “the currency exchange act made their lives worse.” They even said that “it was an act to kill people because it closed the market without providing an alternative supply system.” “What kind of a rascal ordered such an act?” People strongly complained to the Central Party.

The wealthy merchants who lost almost all of their assets overnight went to the administrative committee of the City Party and complained “why are the prices not at levels you originally promised?” They complained not as individuals but as a group, demanding that “if you cannot drop prices, exchange the money back to the original rate at a one-to-one exchange ratio.” Shaken by the group protest, the County Party reported to the City Party; and the City Party reported to the Provincial Party; and the Provincial Party reported to the Central Party. This has been happening repeatedly.

An executive of the Central Party said that they have continuously received reports about similar disturbances that took place in major cities such as Hamheung, Chungjin, Pyongseong and Wonsan city. He has interpreted that “one of the reasons that former Prime Minister Kim Yong Il apologized at the cabinet and the 5.26 executive order was not only because of the major problems such as increasing the number of people who starved to death and the collapse of the national economy as a whole, but also because they could no longer ignore continuous protests from these beleaguered people.”

That means the Central Party had to abandon the strong measures against the market because the people’s complaints were higher than expected amidst social and economic turmoil, unrest and the increasing number of people who died of starvation.

North Korea Today No. 377 November 17, 2010

[“Good Friends” aims to help the North Korean people from a humanistic point of view and publishes “North Korea Today” describing the way the North Korean people live as accurately as possible. We at Good Friends also hope to be a bridge between the North Korean people and the world.]

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N. Hamgyong Residents Complain, “Are We the Only Ones Supplying Military Provisions?”

Speaking on China’s Advancements: Is It A Crime?

Travel Hindered by Identification Card System Change Delay

Military Ordered to Adopt CNC System

Collectors Unwilling to Sell Pine Mushrooms to the 39th Chamber

China Visiting Passes Being Issued Immediately

Motorcycle Craze Among Security Institution Agents

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North Hamgyong Province Residents Complain, “Are We the Only Ones Supplying Military Provisions?”

Despite the news that the responsibility for citizens to supply military provisions will be annulled nationwide, North Hamgyong Province residents are still waiting for this proclamation to come into effect. Due to the abnormal climate and minimal flood damage in the North Hamgyong Province, both Hoeryong City and Onsong Village have had bountiful harvests this year, with the latter distributing its surplus to residents. Accordingly, the government has focused on exclusively collecting provisions from the North Hamgyong Province, since the Ryangkang, Kangwon, North Pyongan as well as the North and South Hwanghae Provinces were projected to have significant harvest decreases. Actual declines in these provinces, however, were minimal. Citizens have voiced their concerns over the matter, including an Onsong village manager, who stated that “if the government continues to impose this task solely on the North Hamgyong Province, residents will suffer from starvation next year.”

Speaking on China’s Advancements: Is It A Crime?

Young-Gwang Kim, a retired professor at Mine University in Eun-Duk, North Hamkyong was a well-liked and respected faculty member by co-workers and students. Professor Kim had recently returned from a visit to relatives in China whom he had not seen in 10 years. Upon his return, he expressed to friends of his surprise at China’s vast economic growth:

“After China ended their public distribution system and opened up their markets, the lives of the people started improving every year. They are receiving funds and importing skills from advanced nations and are rising to the same level as them in many aspects. People are allowed to earn money overseas or at home at their will. I was surprised at how self sufficient the people have become, no longer solely relying on the State. Additionally, everyone was free to express their thoughts and refer them directly to the Central Party. There was no need for a certificate of travel to go anywhere nor security checks; China wasn’t the same.”

It was no surprise to many because they have already made frequent trips to China for various reasons, but the people still listened intently to what Professor Kim had to say for he was an honest and faithful person to the Party and focused on his studies. Professor Kim’s accounts spread through the town and Professor Kim was called in by the Security Department to be questioned on the validity of his statements. Others would have panicked, but Professor Kim answered calmly:

“China is also a socialist country and an ally of our nation so I told the truth. Is it a crime to objectively express what I have seen and heard? I have never gone against the Party’s word to this day. I even fixed the signal for my radio and TV to view only our nations programs. What I have said about China is what I have experienced. What is wrong with that? Didn’t our Leader highly rate the advancement of China and was happy about it? After going to China, I realized that our Leader was right. It is as if I have seen, heard, and memorized the words of the Leader but why am I being questioned?”

The guards were at a loss for words, and after ordering him never to speak on the subject again said they would send him home after he signed an oath. Despite the concerns of those around him, he came out unscathed; however, Professor Kim continued to question how commenting on the well-being of another country can be the same as complaining about [North] Korea’s state of affairs?

The Security Department is concerned that if the people continue discussing and learning about China’s advancements that they would naturally question their current state with respect to China and engender calls for reforms to open their own country. The Security Department is countering through propaganda asserting that China’s advancement is attributed to its abundant resources and large workforce rather than to changes in their socioeconomic policies. Moreover, they seem to suggest that China only appears to have changed by claiming that visitors have only been to the wealthy parts of China.

Travel Hindered by Identification Card System Change Delay

The national initiative to change the identification card system, which started in the beginning of the year, is still in the works. Many, including Kim, a resident of Baekam County, Ryanggang Province who often journeys to Hyesan City on business, are discontent over the issue because sufficient identification is required for citizens to pass through safety agencies when traveling domestically. Nevertheless, the largest complaint concerning the change is that new regulations are stricter than ever before. Hyesan resident Young Guk Chang claims that people are discontent with having to constantly present identification cards to authorities in order to prove their citizenship. He further notes that, since the livelihood of security guards is contingent upon the amount of transgressors they apprehend, guards randomly question anyone walking in the streets, particularly when the new residential developments in the Yu Pyong Labor District of Baekam town, Baekam County were under construction. Identification cards in North Korea are comparable to social security cards in South Korea. People receive them when they turn 17 years old. While this system has been under constant reform for the past 10 to 15 years, the previous attempt for change, which was halted due to a lack of funding, occurred in 2004.

Military Ordered to Adopt CNC System

There was a recent movement in North Korea to adopt the computerized numerical control system (CNC), primarily driven by the regime’s order for the CNC system to be used in all economic construction fields. Orders have even reached military bases to adopt the CNC system. A Central Party official said the goal of this initiative is not to modernize the army by creating state-of-art equipment; it is to enhance and improve the ideology and policies of each base by 10%. This indicates that CNC is more than a simple machinery operation method. The regime promotes CNC to be embedded in the regime's system to represent change and development.

Collectors Unwilling to Sell Pine Mushrooms to the 39th Chamber

Last September was the season for collecting pine mushrooms. Since the pine mushroom business is particularly profitable, the government maintains a monopoly on purchases and requires that all collectors sell to the Fifth Management Department under the 39th Chamber. Collectors, however, prefer to sell on the black market where they can receive 2,000 won per kilogram of mushrooms. This issue came to the attention of the Fifth Management Department who responded by dispatching agents to collecting regions. Agents go directly to people’s residences and even patrol streets to ensure that mushrooms are not black marketed. Their methods are almost forceful, so when people return home from collecting, they typically do so late at night or through mountain path detours. Mushrooms are then sold as soon as possible. Jeonghak Jang, who has collected pine mushrooms for over 10 years, states that “if the party sets proper prices, I would not go this far [to sell on the black market].” He further notes that “mushrooms of the best quality are purchased [by the government] for only 1,000 won per kilogram. Everyone knows their actual value nowadays, so who would give their mushrooms to them? Although [collectors] do not expect black market prices, the government needs to evaluate the situation and pay us properly.”

China Visiting Passes Being Issued Immediately

The anticipated “Residents’ Border Pass” will be issued immediately this year. In the past, travel over the northern border first required approval from job officials and district agents for workers and non-working civilians, respectively. Applicants then visited police stations for background checks and, afterwards, had to receive final approval from city and county secretaries as well as the heads of their particular provincial security departments. Accordingly, receiving authorization typically entailed a wait of at least three months, and in some cases, several years. However, the process will be dramatically shortened by the new issuance of visiting passes. Residents to be issued passes have been attending a series of lectures over three days where they have been encouraged to bring back whatever new items, rice and money they can obtain with no restriction. Although the process involves offering expensive bribes to police officers, security agents and other related officials, the number of people submitting applications is on the rise.

Motorcycle Craze Among Security Institution Agents

With the ongoing shortage of gasoline, fuel efficient motorcycles are now the preferred mode of travel over other types of vehicles. Accordingly, the number of motorcycles in Baikam County, Ryanggang Province has been increasing. In the Hyesan Department Store in Hyesan City, an employee attests that motorcycles are difficult to buy because of a supply shortage. Nevertheless, their main customers are police officers and security guards coming from Nampo City, South Pyongan Province and as far as Wonsan City, Kangwon Province, who purchase several motorcycles at a time. The employee hinted that these purchases are “for business purposes” as it is a growing practice to resell motorcycles for profit in areas of demand.

The most popular brand is the “Haoz,” also known as the Haoz Suzuki Bella. In Hyesan City, a 125cc Haoz sells for 6,000 Chinese yuan, which can be resold for 1,800 U.S. dollars in cities like Nampo or Wonsan. Hyesan City exchange rates are typically 250 and 1,800 won to the yuan and dollar, respectively. One who purchases a Haoz for the equivalent of 1.50 million won can thus resell it for 3.24 million won and more than double one’s initial investment. Despite these exorbitant price markups, sales are growing as demands are also increasing in the lower provinces (e.g. Hwanghae, South Pyongan and Kangwon Provinces).

Motorcycle wholesale businesses are generally controlled by security institution agents (e.g. police officers and security guards) who are relatively unhindered by regulations. This was found to be the case on the 30th of October, when Cheolryong Cho (alias), a Hyesan train station employee, reported seeing more than 10 motorcycles in a Pyongyang bound train, all of which turned out to belong to security institution agents. One can also commonly hear calls for motorcycle orders in the Hyesan City post office, according to a worker, who recently heard one officer ordering 125cc Haozs for 2,000 U.S. dollars each. Not long ago in Hyesan City’s Kanggu district, a security officer head was caught by the border patrol for conspiring with smugglers who attempted to bring 6 motorcycles (2 for him and 4 for the smugglers) in from China. After losing his job, the former officer was expelled from the Party.

North Korea Today No. 376 November 10, 2010

[“Good Friends” aims to help the North Korean people from a humanistic point of view and publishes “North Korea Today” describing the way the North Korean people live as accurately as possible. We at Good Friends also hope to be a bridge between the North Korean people and the world.]

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Nationwide Pardon on the 65^th Anniversary of the Party Foundation

Pyongyang Residents Rejoice at Food Distribution

Pyongyang now Relieved after the 65th Anniversary Celebration

‘Special Safety Force’ in Demonstrative Operation to Investigate Judicial Institutions

Flood Destroys Half of Farm Harvests in Keumya County

Rice Production Likely to Drop by 30% in YeomJoo County

The Ongoing Flood Damage

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A Nationwide Pardon on the Celebration of the 65^th Anniversary of the Party Establishment

It was confirmed that a nationwide pardon was issued in mid-September for the celebration of the 65^th anniversary of the party establishment. This pardon was supposed to be implemented in early September immediately following the meeting of party representatives, but the plan was postponed and it was issued from September 21^st to 27^th. Those who were released or received a commutation at this time had committed their crime for family livelihood or unintentionally – i.e. light violence, absence without leave, and stealing. Prisoners who have more than half of their prison term remaining saw their term reduced. Prisoners who spent more than half of the term in prison were discharged. About 150,000 people were released nationwide. However, political prisoners, ideological prisoners, and violent offenders including those who tried to move to South Korea or criticized the social system of North Korea were excluded from this pardon. The South Hamkyung Province released the most prisoners at nearly 40,000 people. About 9,600 prisoners were discharged in the North Hamkyung Province. Park Mihye (alias) in the area of Sungchun River in Hamheung City, states, “Everybody feels so happy that people were released. There are many people who were imprisoned or unjustly accused while they were making efforts for their livelihood.”

Pyongyang Residents Rejoice at Food Distribution

Celebrating the 65^th anniversary of the Workers’ Party, Pyongyang City distributed food for October to its residents all at once. This is unlike August and September, when the residents were complaining because the food was being distributed on a weekly basis.

Also given out were 3 kg of tropical catfish and 1 kg of squid to each household. Pyongyang has been importing African tropical catfish since 2000 and breeding them with waste water from thermal power plants. It is also renovating and modernizing flour and grain production factories in order to make candies for distribution. “We are planning to build a new food factory and oil refinery and complete the creation of the food processing plant by year 2012, which is the 100^th birthday of our Great Leader, so that we can distribute basic food supplies to the people regularly,” said a Central Party Official.

The provinces also distributed food for two, a bottle of liquor, 1 kg of pork, and 100g of bean oil to each family.

Pyongyang now Relieved after the 65th Anniversary Celebration

After the Labor Party’s 65th anniversary celebration on October 10^th, residents of Pyongyang felt relaxed from the big burden. Leading up to the party delegates’ meeting and anniversary celebration, the residents had been at work without rest as a part of mobilization efforts at preparation. Housewives were called to mow grass and clean and mop curbs every Sunday morning at 6, while both young and old people were frequently mobilized to clean the streets. An official living in the East District explained the reason for this great movement of cleaning streets and the town every morning by saying, “When the general (Kim Jong-Il) visited Jilin-sheng (Province) in China, he was surprised by how clean and bright the streets of Changchun were. Even a rural city in China appeared better off than Pyongyang, so the general ordered Moon, Kyong-duk, the secretary in charge of the City Party, to clean and decorate our city in a more festive manner”. Not only have all streetlights been brightened, but the city has also been decorated with lights of various colors, and changed dramatically.

The amount of cleaning, campaigns, and meetings around the city approaching October 10^th led some residents to openly state, “We wish the celebration would pass already.” Participants of the various events had even a more difficult time. Whenever there is a large celebration, people are divided into three groups, such as the ‘group gymnastics team,’ ‘dancing team,’ and ‘recreation team.’ For example, the task of the recreation team was to bring non-expensive alcohol and meat with them and take a rest at the designated location. Their role was to demonstrate that families sit and eat together at Mt. Namsan or Moranbong Peak. Although some people who are not team members also come to those areas to rest, it is usually those who are assigned to the recreation team who go to there on the event day. This task is the easiest one, compared to others. Young people are selected for the dancing teams, and after much practice, will dance at designated areas during the events. They must practice every night after coming back from their own work, which results in great fatigue. The hardest task, however, is definitely left to the group gymnastics team, in which members perform according to signals. The dancing and recreation teams usually do not perform the primary event of the celebration. It is the group gymnastic team that is often assigned to conduct the primary event, which Chairman Kim Jong-Il certainly observes, so the preparatory training is very strict. This 65th ceremony was more rigorous than previous years because the North Korean government had invited the foreign press to the event, and did not allow for a single mistake by performers.

Unfortunately, one woman committed an error when she misunderstood the signals. Lim, Ok-ran (alias), living in the Middle District, described the situation, “We were supposed to raise flags engraved with letters or pictures at the verbal orders, and hold up synchronized red or yellow flowers at the signals, but one of my friends mixed up the order and a mistake.” She explained that her friend was confused and lost the order because the leader of the team had raised flags without giving the members any signals. The performer’s mistake happened in a flash, and was a very trivial error that only she and her neighbor could recognize, but it made her extremely nervous to the point of passing out. The pressure to perform had been great, and the oppressive environment that would not accept less than perfection had finally taken its toll. According to Ms. Lim, most performers felt very disappointed because they had endured the hard training for two months without receiving enough food, and just one person had destroyed what would have been a perfect performance. After the culmination of October 10th’s much toiled-after events, Pyongyang seemed to regain its previous peace and quiet.

People’s Safety Bureau Commences Demonstrative Operation of ‘Special Safety Force’, a Squad in Charge of Investigating Judicial Institutions

Since last year, the People’s Safety Bureau is operating a ‘Special Safety Force’ which is in charge of judicial institutions. The Special Safety Force undertakes the mission of investigating various crimes or corruption of the judicial institutions and prosecutions and punishing them. In the past, the judicial institutions have been making some type of sanctuary by protecting the target of the investigation or obstructing the investigation intentionally with the vested power, so a special institution named ‘Special Safety Force’ was established as a part of effort to correct the disturbed law and order. The decision of acknowledging it as a formal institution will be dependent upon the outcome after operating it for three years. However, the problem is not that simple. Although impartial investigation is important in order to uphold the principle that everyone must abide by the law and order, the reality in which one must violate the law will have to be changed first.
The amount of production is extremely small and the laborers do not have monthly wages or distribution; in order for them to subsist, they will have to sell anything in the market by stealing the property of the factory or taking some raw materials to home to make anything. With self-deprecation, the North Koreans refer this as ‘legal crime. Although siphoning off the property of the workplace is obviously a crime, people will die of hunger if they do not do it, and therefore, the Party overlooks the offense. Likewise, going to a business trip to other region is the same thing. Many times, people do the illegal trade instead of taking care of the business of the workplace on a business trip. Because receiving a passport is a rare opportunity, sometimes several people collect their money and give it to the person who goes to the business trip so the person can purchase goods cheaply in the region and distribute them to the people. As this is rampant everywhere and they believe this is the only way to survive, they think it is ‘legal’. Yet, as this is obviously illegal, the judicial institution can arrest people anytime if they choose to do so. The term ‘legal crime’ by itself reflects the contradictory reality.

There are instances in which there is a conflict of opinion between the Safety Bureau and the prosecutorial institution. Sometimes the prosecution arrests a person whom the Safety Bureau needs, and sometimes it releases a person for ‘insufficient evidence’ when the person should have been dealt with more strictly. Typically, the police officers have a witness when they indict a case, but if the prosecution objects by saying ‘the testimony is unclear or false’, the Safety Bureau cannot proceed further. Unless the case is not especially serious, the prosecution is more influential, so the result of many cases has been overturned. Thus, the Safety Bureau was concerned with this problem for a long time since the outcome of a case is often changed by one witness and criminals are frequently found innocent and acquitted as a result. This operation of the Special Safety Force is a result of this concern. However, the dominating opinion within the Safety Bureau is that whether this will be effective is yet to be known. It is because unless the food issue is not resolved, these ‘legal criminals’ will be there indefinitely no matter how many people are captured, the number of people who commit illegal activities under the protection of the prosecution or judicial institution will not decrease, and the obstruction of investigation by other special institutions will not end.

Flood Destroys Half of Farm Harvests in Keumya County

It was announced that the crop harvest in Keumya County was diminished by more than half by a flood that caused landslides. Most houses in a village located at the foot of the mountain were damaged by the inundation caused by the flooding of the mountain valley. According to the government security agency, more than 100 people were killed, about 2,000 houses were damaged to the extent that residents cannot reside in them, and another 2,000 households need amends because the roofs or walls were broken. It is not surprising the farmlands were devastated in the disaster that destroyed houses and took people’s lives. Arable lands were swamped and they became barren after the water ebbed away because of the stones that piled up like a mountain. Even in the land where there was no flooding, the crops were destroyed so that none was left harvestable. In normal years, the farmers would be busy in the fall harvest and would make an outcry for labor assistance for their harvest. This year, farmers in the collective farm in Keumya County heave a sigh since there are no crops to glean.

Rice Production Likely to Drop by 30% in YeomJoo County

Rice production is predicted to decrease by 30 percent in Yeomjoo County, North Pyongan Province. Yeomjoo County is known as one of the breadbaskets of North Korea. “The rice fields have been immersed in water after a series of heavy rains in the summer. The fields have become muddy and unfit for harvest,” said a farmer, who added that rice production has dropped by 30 percent. Around 4 tons of rice used to be harvested per 1 jungbo, which is equivalent to 2.45 acres, but now that number has diminished to 2.5 to 3 tons.

The Ongoing Flood Damage

The damage wreaked by the flood persists. Government fund to assist the flood victims is close to none. The victims are growing fearful as winter approaches for they do not have clothes, flood, or shelter. Many of the victims are diseased and dying. Some are committing suicide at the dark prospect of the future. Sinuiju, North Pyongan Province has shortage of food and water. Water pipes have been destroyed but the water supply system has not been restored, so muddy water runs when one turns the faucet on. Apartment residents need to bring water from a nearby river. In Hamheung City, South Hamgyong Province, labor workers and college students have been working to restore the city’s infrastructure, but the effort is far from sufficient, especially since they are working with nothing but shovels and hoes. There is also not enough cement and wood for the construction. Although the flood ended in the summer, its effect is still felt to this day.

North Korea Today No. 373 November 2010

[“Good Friends” aims to help the North Korean people from a humanistic point of view and publishes “North Korea Today” describing the way the North Korean people live as accurately as possible. We at Good Friends also hope to be a bridge between the North Korean people and the world.]
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Central Party Instructs, “Increase the Import of Chinese Medical Supplies”
Urgent Treatment Needed for a Highly Contagious Tuberculosis Strain in S. Hamgyong
Patients Complain Long Waiting Time for Tuberculosis Medicine
Normal Doses of Tuberculosis Treatment Fatal to Malnourished Patients
Veteran Punished for Singing a Folk Ballad
Body Searches Intensify Amidst Harvests in Eorang County
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Central Party Instructs, “Increase the Import of Chinese Medical Supplies”
The Central Party has decided to increase the weight of Chinese medical supplies among the imported medical supplies. Usually, the hospitals for government officials imported medical supplies and used them. French medical supplies were mostly used in Bonghwa Clinic which treats the high-ranking officials in Pyongyang (higher than ministerial level), German medical supplies were used in Namsan Clinic which treats the vice ministers (vice minister level), and Russian medical supplies were mostly used in Chosun Red Cross Central Hospital, Pyongyang Medical University Hospital, and Kim Man Yu Hospital which treats the general government officers under vice minister level. Sometimes, the dong (ri) clinic which is used by the ordinary residents is equipped with the medical supplies furnished by UN, but more likely than not there is no medicine. The ordinary patients end up purchasing medical supplies in the market by themselves and go to the hospital to ask for treatment. Most of the medicines that are circulated in the market are from China. Sometimes medical supplies manufactured by Soonchun pharmaceutical factory or private individuals are circulated, but the amount cannot be compared with the ones imported from China.

According to a medical officer in Pyongyang Health field, the hospitals for government officials use approximately 30% of Chinese medical supplies and less than 5% of domestic medical supplies; the rest of them are imported goods from places like France, Germany and Russia. Until the manufacture of domestic medical supplies is stabilized, the Central Party instructed to gradually increase the weight of the import of Chinese medical supplies as it takes less distribution costs and the effect is not very much inferior considering its cheap price. The medical supplies imported from places like France, Germany and Russia are less effective and even harmful sometimes because even if they may be medicines of sovereign virtue, they are the expired drugs at a giveaway price. The hospital grinds them, uses them to make domestic medicines, and sells them to the clinics used by ordinary citizens. It aggravates the illness or even kills the patients as they use the medicine believing they are good.

The doctors who currently work in the clinic say that they have to bear with such side effects due to the critical shortage of medical supplies. Especially, the residents suffered severely this year because various diseases were running rampant due to the flood damages and antibiotics were in short. The situation in Pyongyang City was not particularly different, and Lee InYoung (alias), a doctor who works in the dong [smallest level of urban government] clinic, says that he was not able to help patients from dying as a result of waterborne disease because there was not any solutions. When it was reported that the mortality from the lack of medical supplies has increased even in Pyongyang, the Central Party instructed to reorganize the medical supply import guidelines and to fill the certain number of medical supplies by importing more from China. “Even if we import Chinese medical supplies, most of them will go to the government officials, but the government officials will do so if they can purchase better medicines,” Mr. Lee anticipates. “These Chinese medicines will be sold in the clinic in each dong or region, and the residents will use them eventually.”


Urgent Treatment Needed for a Highly Contagious Tuberculosis Strain in S. Hamgyong Province
Although the Second Center for Disease Control and Protection of Hamheung City, South Hamgyong Province, announced that the number of registered tuberculosis patients is more than a thousand, officials have not been able to determine an exact figure. Yet, a Hamheung City physician in charge of tuberculosis patients claims that the number of individuals with open tuberculosis alone is in the thousands. This disease is so highly contagious that infected patients should receive treatment immediately, but most patients do not seem to show critical concern for their condition because they are poor. Moreover, while some patients do not even realize that they have symptoms, others view treatment as overindulgences because they can scarcely feed their family and themselves.

Unfortunately, the Center for Disease Control and Protection does not have adequate resources to manage this problem and locations in the South Hamgyong Province often turn away infected individuals. Only very critical patients are hospitalized.

Although patients with open tuberculosis may go to a sanitarium where they receive treatment and carry out simple work to feed themselves, such as growing vegetables, most do not have the ability to do so. Formerly, patients received rations by turning in a provision suspension certificate. However, a ration distribution program no longer exists. Thus, individuals who want to go to the sanitarium must provide for themselves.

Even patients in tuberculosis wards cannot expect to receive appropriate treatment. First of all, medication is on short supply. Second, patients are generally malnourished. As a result, the effectiveness of treatment is very low. In October, when temperatures fell below zero, many patients’ conditions were exacerbated with common colds. The death toll accordingly increased greatly, and during the last week, the daily average of patient fatalities was nine to ten. Although hospital officials were embarrassed with this increase, they could not find a way to resolve the predicament.

Patients Complain Long Waiting Time for Tuberculosis Medicine
The security authorities of South Hamgyong Province asked the Central government for medicine as they determine that the status of tuberculosis patients in the Province in the second half of the year has become unmanageable. The Ministry of Health rushed a good amount of medicine so that they can deal with the urgent situation. As the rumor of medicine spread a large number of outpatients began to swarm to the hospital. Even though they are outpatients most of them have not visited the hospital for a long time because the medicine was not there. They come to the hospital at 8am to get the medicine. As the number of new patients increases the number of patients trying to receive the drugs also increased. It used to take less than an hour to see a doctor including the waiting time. Now, it takes several days to be examined by a doctor and receive medicine. As such, the level of complaints from patients and their family is rising due to prolonged waiting time.

Suh JaeKuk (alias) expressed his anger, saying that the problem lies with doctors playing tricks to profit from the situation rather than the higher demand for drug. According to him, it is because “doctors are trying to get bribes from patients with cigarettes or things they need.” Despite the extra supply of medicine, the amount of available drug is still limited. As the demand for TB drug rises, doctors naturally take advantage of the situation and profit from it. They call patients to come to the hospital, which might take a few days to visit, and give only a tiny amount of drug less than the normal dose. Some patients criticize, “They want to keep you sick so that you have to be dependent on the drug longer. That is why they give you only a little amount of drug.” Since doctors are not immune to the food crisis, they often appropriate some medicine and sell it out in the market, or they accept bribes in return for drugs. However, a doctor at Hamheung Second Hospital disagrees, saying there is misunderstanding. One cannot deny the existence of some corrupt doctors profiting with bribes, but in fact, doctors often have to adjust the amount of drugs given to weak patients because taking a normal dose of TB drug could do more harm than good if the patient is suffering from malnutrition.

Normal Doses of Tuberculosis Treatment Fatal to Malnourished Patients
An experienced doctor who has been working in the tuberculosis division of a hospital for fourteen years says that injecting normal doses of TB treatment to patients is sometimes hazardous. “We [in North Korea] use three types of TB medications: streptomycin, isoniazid, a TB vaccine, and rifampicin (tubocin) for vicious TB. While rifampicin used to be imported from abroad, streptomycin and isoniazid were formerly mass-produced in the Sooncheon Drug Factory and in factories in Nampo, Pyeongyang as well as Hamheung respectively. Accordingly, rifampicin was scarce and only used for emergency cases. Streptomycin and isoniazid, on the other hand, were readily available. However, since the 1990s economic crisis, drug factories failed, and the supply of streptomycin and isoniazid dramatically fell. These days North Korea receives rifampicin from the World Health Organization. One thing to note is that streptomycin and rifampicin are so strong that they can kill cells in the body. Thus, patients treated with these drugs must be well-nourished with protein. If patients cannot afford to eat meat, they should at least eat eggs. However, most cannot afford eggs either. Those without adequate protein will become weakened despite a proper course of medication. When severely malnourished, they can even be killed by normal doses of drugs. This is a great dilemma for doctors who cannot afford to feed patients. The only thing doctors can do is adjust doses. Although people should eat well, they cannot. Consequently, the number of TB patients is continuously increasing,” he said in worry.

A Veteran Punished for Singing a Folk Ballad “The Moon that Lee Tae Baek Played Under”
According to an order of the People’s Defense Ministry Department of the General Staff, the nationwide “Civil Defense Drill” commenced on September 10th at the Sooncheon Cement Factory in the South Pyeongan Province. Labor for the project, repairing the river bank in the agricultural district under the inspection of the City Propaganda Department, was provided by the factory. In order to soften the atmosphere, department workers encouraged leisure activities for amusement among laborers during rest periods.

Factory workers reported that laborers sang songs and danced. Moreover, a veteran named Kim Hak Chul (false name), discharged from his military service in July of this year, melodiously sang his favorite song. Not only did City Party Propaganda Department workers and the Primary Party Secretary applaud Kim for his talent, the audience sang along and danced to Kim’s song.

After returning from the Civil Defense Drill, Kim’s ability became the talk of the factory and was reputed to be no less than that of a professional. The rumor continued for a week and ultimately came to the attention of Factory Security Department workers. They later learned that the song Kim sang was a South Korean folk ballad named Moon.

Representatives later contacted Kim in order to question his motive for singing a South Korean song in public. Kim was later assaulted and arrested. During his hearing, Kim declared that he was not aware the song was from South Korea. He further stated that he would manage the situation and thought that “[this song] was from his homeland because he learned it in the army.” He also begged to be pardoned and promised not to make the same mistake again.

The hearing continued for a week, and Kim was sentenced to six months in a labor training center for the crime of singing, and distributing knowledge of, a South Korean song in public. Although Kim’s parents cordially pled for leniency, their request was denied. Moreover, City Department workers and the Primary Party Secretary who ordered the formulation of the amusement gatherings were criticized and punished by the City Party Propaganda Department. The sentiment among laborers concerning the incident was bleak.

Body Searches Intensify Amidst Harvests in Eorang County
Under the order of the Ministry of Agriculture, the entire nation is busy with harvesting crops. In the North Hamheung Province, Provincial Party officials and the Provincial People’s Committee are being sent to every county and city in order to encourage harvest preparations with an ideology campaign. They are also monitoring the work DWU (Democratic Women’s Union) members as well as middle school and college students who have been deployed to rural areas by Eorang County officials from October 6th.

According to a Provincial Party official sent to Eorang County, this year’s yield will dwarf that of last year’s. Even the most productive collective farm, with a record yield of five tons of corn per one jeongbo (2.45 acres), is expected to produce less than 3 tons per unit due to this year’s abnormal climate. He also warned against losses, requesting that farm officers secure every grain and emphasized that respectable harvest records cannot be attained amidst the projected low yields and widespread thievery. Every year, hungry soldiers from a nearby army base as well as mobilized workers steal from the corn harvest, resulting in significant losses.

The official further commented to “watch the DWU members especially.” Following this edict, farms intensified their body searches to prevent workers from hiding grain in their clothes. DWU members typically steal in order to compensate their losses from not being able to sell at markets due to their forced harvest work. Women typically steal five to six cobs of corn daily. Although some collective farms decided to use young students for work in lieu of DWU members due to their presumed innocence, their decision ended in disaster. Middle school students not only steal as much as DWU members, who attempt to do so discreetly, they steal openly. Accordingly, a significant amount of reports received by local police stations are of instances involved with young students.

Nevertheless, DWU members report they have been stealing for many years. In order to bypass body searches, they make large pockets inside of their clothes to hide corn. In addition, they do not wait until they finish their work but steal whenever the chance arises, particularly on their way to lunch or dinner. In other cases, some people dig deep holes in the ground to hide corn and come back to retrieve them at night.

This almost comical dilemma repeats every year. Registered farmers attempt to curb thefts because of their obvious losses. Mobilized workers desperately steal because they know it will be difficult to survive through next spring if they do not gather contingency food during the harvest season. Despite the official announcement to tighten control over thefts, the response from residents is as follows, “Can the initiatives against theft work when people are starving?”