The North Korean authorities have requested that people around the country show their sincerity and dedication to the regime by contributing to work on the latest of the country’s major idolization projects for the Kim family.
A source from northerly Hoiryeong told Daily NK on the 11th, “They declared the period of mourning for the anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il on the 7th, and with that they also issued instructions inviting the submission of funds for work on parkland at Keumsusan Sun’s Palace. They haven’t said how much money should be given, and are encouraging people to give voluntarily depending on their sense of loyalty.”
“Because they haven’t said how much to give, people are stressed out trying to work out what to do,” the source added. “There are people who are struggling to make ends meet working really hard to get it done, because they guess their loyalty is going to be judged according to their donation.”
“As a result, groups of people are deciding with each other how much to give, and then offering around 50,000 to 100,00won,” she went on. “The authorities are emphasizing that this is not just for workers in enterprises and factories, it is something that military cadres have to do as well.”
This is just the latest in a long line of idolization projects for deceased members of the Kim family to which the ordinary people have been required to contribute, following on from things like Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il statues, towers of eternal life, mosaic images and greenhouses for the cultivation of Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia, the two flowers created to honor the former leaders.
Technically speaking, people are asked to contribute the inputs needed for the construction work such as cement, but in reality most households do not have access to such things and contribute money instead.
