▲ A woman on a luxury car on a dock in Shinuiju, in November, 2006 ⓒ the Daily NK

Last month, Oh Moon Hyuk, a North Korean executive leader making foreign currency in North Hamkyung who had secretly smuggled slogan trees into China was executed, reported Good friends, a North Korea support organization. The organization also informed that part of Oh’s offense was for leading an ‘extravagant lifestyle.’

Regarding the reason behind the public execution, Good Friends informed that Oh Moon Hyuk had “built a private villa with beautiful scenery in Yeonsan, North Hamkyung, drove a Mercedes Benz saying it was from the kindness of the general, enjoyed the pleasure of women at his villa every day and ensured that no security or safety agents ventured near his villa.”

“He cut down the tress ignoring the directions of authorities who ordered for the protection of the forests and sold the wood to China. He was caught after inspections were made and was sentenced to capital punishment” informed the organization.

On the 6th, a report was made by Yonhap news which gave an account of Oh Moon Hyuk’s public execution. He was reported as a merchant from Chosung Reungrah 888 Trading Company in North Hamkyung who had illegally traded 20,000㎥ worth of wood to China.

North Korean authorities regard the cutting down of slogan trees and trade by merchants as an extremely serious case and ensured that important elites, foreign merchants and persons in charge, all witnessed the execution, informed the report.

On the other hand, since the breakdown of the distribution system in the mid-90s, there have been an increase in the number of merchants trading between North Korea and China, and consequently a steady increase in the number of the newly-rich.

These people lead extravagant lifestyles, indulge in lavish goods and purchase expensive cars which undoubtedly cost hundreds and thousands of dollars. More recently, there are reports that authority officials and tradesmen are increasingly hiring housemaids in their homes.