[imText1]Even until the 1960s, North Korea was recognized as a socialist and people’s nation. However, since then, it became a unique Kim Il Sung idolizing nation unfathomable to other socialistic communities.
To the average person, socialism is not a complicated theory but rather an idea that a society will eat and live equitably. In this respect, excluding Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il’s family and the elite officials, there was little disparity amidst the lives of average office workers and the laborer until the 1980’s. Also, these were times where there was enough rice to go around for people to eat and live.
Today, circumstances have changed completely. In comparison to 20 years ago, class differences in North Korea are so severe that it is clearly noticeable in the living standards of North Korean people. There are the rich who own cars for personal use and on the opposite spectrum, the poor who can barely get by on their days income.
The massive food crisis which occurred in the mid-90s left devastating affects and change on the North Korean people. The 3~4 years of famine killed approximately 3mn people died, escalating change within North Korea, most noticeably the poor class comprising of laborers, farmers and needless to say feeble children and the elderly.
When rations were suspended, North Koreans believed that it would only last a couple of months and that the nation would solve the crisis. To supplement their hunger, people ate porridge and water. However, 6 months later, distributions did not restart nor was there any glimmer of hope. Instead, the situation worsened.
Nonetheless, the people who had become accustomed to the system for 50 years still trusted authorities who said, “If we wait a little longer, we’re sure rations will be given,” and went about trying to sell all the goods found in their homes in exchange for food. Consequently, people became weak and malnourished, and one by one people began to die. This lasted 4 years and in the end, 3mn people died of starvation.
It was then that the cost of rice at Jangmadang (markets) skyrocketed in a period of 6 months. In 1994, the average monthly salary was 120won which was enough to purchase a mere 1kg of rice.
From the beginning of summer ’94, mass starvation began to occur in the majority of North Korean provinces such as the northern parts of South Hamkyung, Yagang and Jagang. There were so many deaths as a result of starvation that street kids became responsible for the dead bodies and hence the formation of an organization “9.27 operations.”
While farmers, laborers and the mass North Korean population died of starvation, the elites were living off reserved food rations and secretively accessed food from the distribution centre.
In addition to food, others salvaged donations from foreign aid such as medicine and clothing selling these at Jangmadang. Subsequently, some people became instantly rich during times of crisis.
On the whole, North Koreans sold goods from their homes such as TV, wardrobes, closets and sewing machines. Some people even sold houses illegally so they could acquire supplies to sell. After selling their home, some families would gather and enjoy one last meal together then segregate the profits equally. Afterward, they separated and went their own ways. Unfortunately, the families that did secede from one another ended up as street dwellers and eventually died of starvation.
Further, many people died due to an invasion of diseases such as typhoid, paratyphoid and cholera. In the end, people who would live off their day’s earnings at Jangmadang died due to an illness. Others spent their whole life’s earnings on tiny amounts of medicine only to meet their death as street dwellers.
Lower class 14 mn… 5mn barely living to see another day
The North Korean people who had once lived relative stable lives depending on the distribution system were literally faced with a battle of life and death. The elite or those in conspiracy with the great leader remained alive and the average worker or the mass population either died or fell prone to the poor.
Following the 2002 July 1st economic reform measures, Jangmadang was established as the official integrated markets. However, people who were unable to join in this movement became the poor who now live the hardest lives.
It is estimated that this class of people approximate to 14 mn. At present, North Korea’s population is estimated to be just below 21mn.
In December 2006, a North Korea support organization, Good Friends, conducted a study based on specialists examinations and concluded that 6mn average workers including businessmen, laborers, educators, doctors and service operators were malnourished as were 8mn farmers.
These figures exclude people who can secure a living off Jangmadang for example, merchants with small-scale business at Jangmadang and others with small plots of land. The remainder of the lower class is estimated to number 5mn who even today are barely making another day living off corn and porridge.
The lowest of the lower class do not own any land nor do they have machinery such as ovens to bake bread or sewing machines. Rather these people are barely living each day despising the North Korean society unable to die from chronic food situation.
