[imText1]With the world focusing its attention on North Korea after its missile launch and nuclear experiment, how do North Korean citizens feel as they start a new year.
Since 2000, North Korea has indicated some stability compared to the times of the “March of Tribulation (Mass starvation period in the 1990s)” averaging an annual 2% growth on economic development due to aid donated by South Korea and the international community.
However, 13 years on the food distribution system suspended in `94 has not yet recovered, resulting in the “March of Tribulation” where hundreds of thousands of people starved of hunger which further led to North Korea citizens creating an independent strength to live even without the aid of distributions.
Likewise, in 2006, North Koreans continued to live their lives arduously. Originating from major cities and throughout the nation, people relied on trade at the integrated markets to live. The idea that women only trade at markets has become an old saying.
Kim Myung Gook (pseudonym), the owner of a North Korean trading company in Dandong, China said “Dynamic trading occurs at large scale markets in North Korea’s major cities such as Pyongyang, Shinuiju, Hamheung, Nampo and Chongjin” and relayed that here “we have everything from rice, marine products, furniture, electronic goods, to light industry goods.”
According to Kim “In the cities, the majority of people depend on trade. Basically you could say that anyone who can move tries to trade. People who don’t possess stands carry luggage as rickshaw drivers. Women make clothes and handicrafts at home to sell for a daily living.”
Majority of North Korean citizens rely on trade to live
Also he said, “Fishermen prolong their lives by selling marine produce. From April to October people who live along the coastline build tents on parts of the west and east coast to catch shellfish. Catching shellfish is very helpful to their living.”
It seems that private trading through integrated markets has grown over the past few years. The integrated markets have become an important role in the trade of North Korean people.
Overall, the feelings of North Koreans change in accordance to the cost of rice. If the cost of rice drops, then public feelings stabilize, whereas if the cost of rice rises feelings of bitterness intensify.
Nowadays, approximately 40% of North Korea people eat cooked rice. The remainder 30%, 40% of people eat rice and cereals mixed together, while the rest of the country eats corn.
An inside source from North Korea estimated that at present, 30% of a North Korean’s average monthly wage is lower than 50,000won ($16). Though this figure indicates an improvement from the times of starvation, it still signifies that people are not eating copiously. Even if a person does not work for a few days, their immediate future is in jeopardy. Pork still remains as a dish served only on special days.
Despite the problem of food, one cannot deny that things have gotten better. Compared to the times 10 years ago where people died of hunger, notorious feelings of consternation have died down.
“North Korea is where wild animals live”
Nonetheless, electricity and heating is still in great shortage. It is so severe to the point that a Korean-Chinese who went to North Korea to visit family said that it was a place wild animals lived and even left the coat he was wearing to give his family.
To make matters worse, as the winter passed another misfortune struck the nation with “scarlet fever” originating from Haesan spreading towards the east into the major cities.
In a district where “scarlet fever” has spread, schools were temporarily closed and travel permits confiscated. Neither the school has resumed nor the permits returned. As railroads used by merchants were terminated, prices at markets made a sudden rise. The situation was so severe that the local people even clamored that undoubtedly the lives of tradesmen were also difficult.
The North Korean government is conducting meetings and lectures to strengthen its regime propaganda as it claims the nuclear experiment in 2006 when the “most successful year” and the year of “victory of Military-First Politics” in the nations 5,000 years old history was. However, the majority of North Korean people say that they do not have the time to think of these things as they are busy battling their daily lives.
Although North Korea’s elite class welcome the nuclear armaments, the common North Korean shows little interest questioning “Does nuclear weapons feed us?” and “Does it place a bowl of rice on the dining table?”
An inside source said that North Koreas respond “I get a headache every time I turn the TV on as it is the great general and military first politics rambling on.” In the end, words that are spoken by North Korean people concern “trade” and “money.”
The animosity that arises from the people towards the North Korean leadership is strong. Though older men do not say much regarding Kim Jong Il trying to please those around, the younger generation who have experienced the food crisis in their 20’s and 30’s bluntly express their hostility.
“Our dictator will find it difficult to work with a potbelly”
Young adults in Pyongyang commonly call Kim Jong Il as “that guy,” whereas in the province of Hamkyung, Kim Jong Il is known as ‘Oh~ him.’ A director of a female hospital who defected North Korea once said “What does Kim Jong Il do but run after whores and drink alcohol.”
At a gathering in North Hamkyung, family and close acquaintances mock and laugh “Our dictator will find it difficult to work with a potbelly.”
Even the army and police have lost their power. The People’s Army once the pride of the nation has now become a mass group plundering the property of citizens and the police have been stigmatized as a group extorting bribes. Hence, the people have now outshone the rule of political power.
Today, young North Koreans socialize together in groups and watch foreign videos as a hobby. Korean soap operas are also very popular. As they watch the videos they frequently comment, “The people in the town below (South Korea) live really well” and “There really is something different about a developed country.” Amongst these youth, Korean actors and actresses such as Bae Yong Joon, Jang Dong Gun and Kim Hee Sun are very popular.
The older generation does not want to leave their homeland as long as there is food to eat, whereas the younger generation often says “I would like to live in a place like that.” Sayings like “a heaven on earth” of a government propaganda are not even heard by North Korean people who have been greatly exposed to the outside world.
It seems that even within the first 10 days of 2007, North Korean people are struggling to live their lives.
