Many rank and file officials who receive no food rations have begun to exercise rigid inspections for the purpose of taking bribes, arousing a sense of grievance among people.
“After food distribution being halted, many low-ranking officials stopped showing up for work. Instead, they started picking on people. They carry out frivolous inspections anytime they want to extort people,” said a source from North Hamkyung Province in a phone conversation with Daily NK on May 15.
“Nowadays, you see all sorts of inspections going on. Those with a shred of authority all come to carry out inspections. They try to find fault with people and fine them in order to extort things like cigarettes and alcohol as bribes,” the source said.
The source added, “Some officials just conducted an inspection on electric devices, which is normally conducted in winter. Moreover, few days ago, the officials from post office came out to carry out a sort of an inspection for a quasi-state of war and inspected cable broadcasting equipment.”
“Security officers who used to patrol market every two or three days lately appear to the market several times every day and give hard time to traders. They do not confiscate illegal items. What they do is to find fault with people and extort cigarettes or alcohol from them in the long run,” the source said.
The source said, “It is disturbing that food prices are rising. However, it is great that we do not have to attend as many public meetings as we did because officials do not do their jobs [i.e. organizing meetings] after their food rations halted.” The source said that some people jeer at their misfortunes, saying, “It is better to go hungry all together.”
In fact, a great number of minor officials who do not receive food rations frequently leave their offices after showing up for work in the morning, causing serious problems in the country’s administrative system.
“Yesterday, I went to the Youth League Office. This place used to be very crowded with people. I do not know what happened to those people but the place was almost empty. Only three or four people were there, all gathered in the same room. They did not work. They were just passing jokes.” the source said, adding, “Well, the situation is pretty much the same in other places.”
It is reported that many low-ranking officials working at village offices or people’s committees in cities often leave their offices to get rice or to do trade under the tacit approval of their supervisors.
The source said, “You know, if you need to move to another job or apply for a travel permit, you need a signature from the chairperson of people’s committee and village office. However, you cannot take care of such business nowadays because you can’t meet officials even if you go to the offices.” The source added, “If the situation continues like this, I am afraid that the administrative system of this country might just stop working one day.”
“The problem is you don’t see teachers in school, and doctors and nurses don’t regularly come to work. Many people worry and complain that doctors and nurses should not miss their work as others do,” the source said.
