The incidence of stress-related diseases such as hypertension and diabetes is said to be increasing among
North Korean cadres, due to chronic anxiety and a pervasive fear of punishment
under Kim Jong Un’s leadership. As a result, demand for South Korean-made kits
for measuring blood pressure and blood sugar levels is soaring among
higher-level officials, Daily NK has learned.
“As the domestic
atmosphere becomes increasingly more tense in North Korea, a lot of high-level
officials are suffering from hypertension and diabetes, and they are looking
for devices that allow them to monitor their own health on a daily basis,” a resident of Pyongyang temporarily visiting China’s Liaoning Province reported to Daily NK on October 9.
Although high-ranking officials have direct access to
medical services including blood pressure checks from doctors at Bonghwa
Medical Center, “they don’t trust the results,” the source noted, adding,
“So they ask colleagues who are going on overseas business trips to buy
South Korean blood analysis kits, which are regarded as more accurate.”
This phenomenon is indicative of the high pressure
environment that cadres face under the totalitarian dictatorship, where
infractions such as dozing off during a conference are condemned as a lack of
loyalty.
In addition, the poor conditions of the healthcare
infrastructure in North Korea are believed to be driving the preference for
South Korean medical instruments.
“Even though
there are a number of hospitals (such as Namsan Hospital and Red Cross
Hospital) where ordinary officials can receive professional treatment, they
don’t even trust these facilities to conduct basic examinations. Also, they
cannot pay a daily visit to these hospitals, so they prefer to smuggle in South
Korean medical instruments to check their own health each day,” added a source in Pyongyang.
“It goes to show that even the officials acknowledge
the advanced state of technology in South Korea. They say that price is no issue for South Korean devices that can measure
blood sugar levels without drawing blood.”
Blood glucose analysis devices that don’t require an actual
blood sample are rising in popularity across the globe. In early 2000, a device
that measures blood glucose levels using infrared light was released in Japan
and Europe. This was followed by another device developed in the United States
in 2008, which relies on microwave technology.
But these devices are not yet widely used in South Korea due
to personal preferences and perceived issues with accuracy. It is an odd turn
of events that officials in Pyongyang are adopting new technologies faster than
their Southern counterparts.
