Forced Equality Trumpeted by State Media

Shenyang, China — North Korea’s currency redenomination may have been completed on the 6th, but now the authorities have started on a propaganda campaign based on the notion that “Redenomination is the moment to start the socialist strong and prosperous state.”

A source from North Pyongan Province reported on Sunday, “The authorities have been claiming, ‘Redenomination is a great socialist reform for the workers and farmers,’ through local third broadcasting and mobile speaker vans, and workers have received a decree ordering them to study state editorials and organize discussion and interpretation groups.”

Another source, this one from Yangkang Province, told The Daily NK that third broadcasting had put out a program called “The door to the strong and prosperous state has opened thanks to redenomination,” and confirmed, “My work place has also received a decree ordering us to listen to broadcasts and hold discussions.”

Lectures and conferences in factories and Party sub-organizations seem set to be held on the 7th.

The third broadcasting editorial apparently started with the line, “Now is the time when we are reaching the highest peak of the Kim Jong Il period that we are so much looking forward to.” It continued, “We have developed our unfailing strength, through which we can win any battle against any enemy, due to economic development in an ideologically strong state.”

It continued, “Our people have suffered from famine due to natural disaster and imperialist anti-republic maneuvers and irrational residents’ attempted activities to gain not social and national benefit, but private benefit.”

“This phenomenon has been generated temporarily during the completion of our socialist country, and the Party and the Fatherland have been getting through these difficulties on the principle of putting the priority on the people’s convenience.”

It assessed that, “This redenomination is a normal measure by the state to run the people’s economy smoothly by realizing equality in people’s material and cultural lives. Through the circulation of the new denominations, our fatherland has taken an opportunity to open the door to the socialist strong and prosperous state.”