[imText1]Since the North Korean government has begun reinforcing control over Jangmadang during the past year, it has been making North Koreans increase trade of retail goods in their own homes, which were remodeled as retail shops for themselves.
According to Korean-Chinese Lee Chul Man (pseudonym, age 44) who recently came back to China after a visit to his relatives in North Korea, while only necessities such as vegetables and corn were sold in Jangmadang in North Korea, industrial products such as clothes, medicines and electronic appliances were traded in each merchant’s own house in secret.
People in Jangmadang were prohibited from selling industrial products, but since a shortage of food occurred, various industrial products which come from China in general were traded actively. Whenever the government cracks down on them, the trend of traders withdrawing from Jangmadang and selling goods in secret is also repeated on a regular basis.
Lee, returning from a visit to Taechun district of North Pyongan Province said, “This individual trade is expanding because people in Jangmadang were prohibited from selling and the related officers would not blame them for the trading activities, adding that “Such trading activities are illegal. Yet if you offer a bribe to each officer concerned, it is not a problem.”
“Eighteen Thousand Won for Removing the Seals of Audio Frequency”
Lee stated, “There is a case where traders around a village share a telephone installed in one house,” adding that, “I heard that in many cases, they install telephones and mobile phones for the retail trade.” Lee added, “Mobile phones which have phone numbers registered in Chinese telecommunication companies are traded in secret anywhere from one hundred fifty thousand won to three hundred thousand won (50 dollars to 100 dollars) in Shinuiju”.
On the other hand, a well-informed person living in Shinuiju said, “Such trade (retailing the industrial products in traders’ houses) are carried on by people who have relatives sponsoring money or goods. Especially the rich overseas Chinese.”
One can often purchase reasonably priced goods of quality through such private retail shops. Also, those people considered ‘patrons’ are increasing.
Last December, Lee Soon Bok, who defected from Hamhung, also testified in an interview with DailyNK last February that even though they cannot trade at their own stands at Jangmadang, they provide the necessities gained from other traders, and in most cases, install telephones.
Lee, who traded medicines made in China in Hyesan of North Hamkyung Province, said, “We traded in the way that if someone orders privately, we deliver it to him or her in person, and because of the personal delivery, I had a lot of regular customers.”
At the same time, Lee said, “North Koreans cannot listen to radio programs, for the North Korean government sealed the audio frequency. However, if you give eighteen thousand won ($6.20) to a sealing remover, he removes the seals.”
