Warning Issued to Make No Objection to the Party Policy
The other day, the Chief of the People's Assembly in Pohang district of Chungjin City was dismissed and reduced to a laborer. It was his remark about the recent ban on not allowing women under 45 to trade in the market that caused his downfall. After hearing about the ban, he said, "Nowadays, women play major roles in bringing income to their families. I am too concerned about this ban because it will cut family income substantially." And this remark was reported to the Party as the No.1 Report(1) . The People's Assembly in Chungjin City warned high government officials not to object to any directions and policies from the Party. Meanwhile, in Shinam district of Chungjin City, some woman was arrested for her words of complaint over the ban. She was taken to a police station, and released after going through much suffering and the self criticism battle of the Democratic Women's Union(DWU)'s general assembly.
Sinuiju, Banishes Once Divorced
The residence registration control in Sinuiju is getting tighter since the latter half of the year. Sinuiju is the gateway to the national border and regarded as the second most important city after to Pyongyang. In Sinuiju, the residence registration is usually not easy to file; war prisoners and Voluntary Returnees (1) are not allowed to register their residency. These days even people who have committed crimes for food and went to the detention center or the reeducation center for the crimes have to forfeit their residency. The city considers them not qualified to reside in the city. Even for those who are divorced, are being banished to other regions for the speculative reason that many of them turn devious. The city even makes up some reasons to expel those who are suspicious or not favored by the city. If somebody does something that is even slightly against the censorship and precepts of anti-socialism, he is banished after a public trial or open campaign (all out campaign against reactionaries). One government official has suggested that the residence registration task would go on for a while and it would be directed to diminish the entire population in the city to make sure there is no room for disloyal people .
Cracking Pine Nuts rather than Attending School
Some school children in Wonsan Gangwon province , are cracking pine nuts instead of going to school. They are engrossed in peeling pine nuts and receive 500 won per 1 kilogram of pine nuts they peel. One child boasted about earning 2,500 won after having peeled 5 kg of pine nuts in 4 days. These pine nuts peeled by these innocent little kids are sold for 20,000 won per kg in Wonsan, Hamheung and Pyongsung, 23,500 won per kg in Chungjin, and 26,000 won per kg in Musan. Considering how hard this work is for children, the wage is very low.
Control On Anti-Socialism Retrieves Brewing Residue
Members of the Democratic Women's Union (DWU) began to control trade and manufacture of homemade liquors under the banner of "Remove the Anti-Socialism Among the Members!" There are many families manufacturing and trading liquors secretly to be for living. The DWU has framed a plan to control trading and manufacturing alcohols and to confiscate alcohol manufacturing equipment from those houses. They even decided to confiscate the residues from brewing . However, some poor people have barely managed to earn their living by making liquors and feeding the residues to their pigs. They are deeply concerned that they are no longer allowed to make their living by liquors any more, as they do not know what else to do to survive.
Pyongyang Citizens Complain on the Trade Ban
Even Pyongyang is going to ban women aged under 49 from trading in markets from the end of November. Currently only women under 39 are prohibited from trading in Pyongyang. The city has forced women under 39 to go out to work for various agencies such as the Road Management Breau or the Land Management Office. Some are deploring the fact that the most affected group because of this ban is those belonging to the lowest socioeconomic class making only 1,000 or 2,000 per day. In addition, people are experiencing major inconveniences as the new regulation prohibits street trading. They have to go all the way to the crowded market just to buy small amounts of food and vegetables, because trading is allowed only in permitted stands in the markets. Some expressed a strong complaint, pointing out that the government is banning trades without any back-up policy. Some officials are worried not only about people's livelihoods, but about the huge burdens on the entire society as a result of this new regulation.
Luminous Traffic Signs Urgently Needed in North Hamgyung Province
Installing luminous traffic signs is urgently needed in North Hamgyung Province . About 80 percent of this province is mountainous areas, so most roads connecting cities and counties in North Hamgyung Provice are rough and winding. Even though the road conditions are poor, they used only regular paints for the traffic signs which cannot be seen at night. Consequently, accidents have occurred consistently. For instance, Machunryung Hill , which is on the border between Danchun , South Hamgyung Province and Gimchaek , North Hamgyung Province, has one of the highest vehicle accident rates in the country. The road along the side of precipice is notorious because it is so narrow that only one car can pass at a time, and those drivers who have steel nerves find it difficult to drive on the road even in the daytime. It is all the more dangerous on foggy days, and is closed on heavy snow days. Drivers have made an urgent request to the government to install luminous traffic signs as soon as possible instead of widening and paving the road. They believe that the luminous traffic signs will reduce the number of accidents and casualties.
A bus accident at Bangwon Hill
Around 3 pm on November 17, 2007, the bus number 116 running between Chungjin and Onsung tumbled down at Bangwon Hill when it was returning to Chungjin. Four people were killed and twelve people were injured in this accident. The bus was severely damaged and cannot be repaired. Those injured from this accident were sent to the Hoeryung hospital , but they have not received any proper treatment due to lack of medication.
Manufactured Goods Can Be Traded at the Designated Stores
The government issued again a nationwide order that people should purchase all industrial goods only at the designated stores. This order intends to encourage more trading activity in these shops, and to limit the trading in the markets to agricultural products only.
45 % of Students at the Chungjin College of Mining Experienced 'Ice'
Research on the condition of education in North Hamyung Province revealed that 45% of students at Chungjin College of Mining have experienced 'Ice,' classified in the category of amphatamine in North Korea. Students who have taken 'Ice' said they did it to keep themselves awake during an exam period. More than half of the organization and enterprise workers in Pyongyang, too, have used 'Ice'; because it is common to take 'Ice' for diseases such as common cold, diarrhea, headaches, and neuralgia, due to the serious shortage of essential medicines. It is reportedly common to take 'Ice' during an exam period because of its stimulant effects. The 'Ice' is becoming considered a medicine to treat rather than an illegal drug.
In the meantime, North Korean authorities are intensifying control and punishment for 'Ice' users and traders.
Notes
(1) Volunteer returnees: Korean nationals living abroad - mainly from Japan - who have voluntarily came to North Korea