North Korea has been conducting citizen drills, including anti-air raid drills, nationwide since January 30.
A source from North Hamkyung Province reported on the 4th, “In Musan, citizen air-raid drills have been carried out every night. The drill is conducted simultaneously all over the country.”
In North Hamkyung, the National Defense Commission and the Party have been concentrating on reserve materials for emergencies and the command system for civil defense forces through inspections.
The source suggested that drills are not to prepare for a real war, but to create a warlike atmosphere in society. This is because, “During the true civil defense drill, there are emergency calls for Worker’s and Peasant’s Red Guards and local reserve forces, encampment drills, blackout drills and citizen air-raid drills. However, only blackout drills and citizen air-raid drills have been conducted.”
The source said that, “Every night, at nine, through Central Broadcasting (cable audio broadcasts for all residents) the siren sounds to let people know it is time for the blackout drill. Everybody, even in factories and office buildings, has to draw a curtain.”
He added, “From 1 to 3 PM, the National Security Agency controls movement; it does not allow the people to go out on the streets.”
