[imText1]In June, the peak of rice-planting season, North Korean authorities station security guards at the crossroads of Jangmadang (a type of black market), and get undercover police officers to wander the streets and regulate sellers. During the rice-planting ‘period of full mobilization’ goods that are sold secretly are all confiscated.
It has also been learned that rice in the Onsung region is trading for 1,200 won ($0.40).
Lee Hyun Sook (32), a North Korean citizen born in Onsung, and crossed the Tumen River in order to gather food, revealed to a reporter on the 5th that “The people are driving the whole rice-planting battle.”
Lee, who came to China with her 5 year old child after losing her husband, ran a small business in Jangmadang, and continues to live as a homemaker. After authorities shutdown Jangmadang in the spring, Lee says she was driven from the village, and was forced to cross the Tumen River into China, otherwise her child would have died of hunger.
The Following is an Interview with Ms. Lee
– Has Jangmadang been shutdown?
The security office did not permit the opening of the morning market at Jangmadang. Security guards were stationed at the road that intersects with Jangmadang, and police officers roamed the streets confiscating the goods that people were secretly selling.
– How will you live if Jangmadang is shutdown?
From 6 o’clock in the evening Jangmadang doors are open. People like me who earn a daily income and live off their daily income will not be sustained this way.
– How long will the period of full mobilization continue?
Every year when it is farming season, full mobilization is set up. There is no designated date, but it ends when rice-planting and weeding is complete.
– What type of people are targeted for full mobilization?
In the early morning, it is quiet and there are no people in the city. Anyone on the street, even the people from far distances engagin in long-distance selling are supervised.
– It’s said that even traveling restrictions have been reinforced…
The security office does not even issue traveling permissions. People that want to travel must get a citizen’s warrant, but security guards and police officers come stop their cars on the street, sometimes even confiscating their goods. Particularly people from other provinces are forced to do a lot of work.
– How long are you forced to work?
Some people are forced to work until a 9m by 1.6m rice paddy has been entirely harvested. Those assigned rice-planting are only relieved at night, after all the seeds have been planted.
According to Lee, after the “Rice-planting full mobilization group” is organized, executive officers go to each farm to manage the workers. “When it is morning the broadcasting car roams the streets announcing ‘You must work hard to win the fight against the Americans’, ‘You must work hard so the general will not worry about the hunger problem.’”
Price Increase during the Period of Full Mobilization
It appears that during the period of village mobilization, the price of goods rises due to operation restrictions. People wanting to buy rice wander trying to find rice sellers and people that secretly sell and buy in the alleys are taken to the security office.
The price in Onsung Jangmadang is 1,200 won ($0.40) per kg of rice and 250 won ($0.83) for corn. Fresh pork is 1,800 won ($0.60) per kg, as it can spoil easily in the warm weather, but can be bought for 1,600 won ($0.53) towards the end of day. It is of course unreasonably expensive compared to a laborer’s monthly income of 5,000 won ($1.67).
At this point, all trade at Jangmadang is in secret. People can not spread out their goods, but must sell quietly. But, Lee said, “Lunch is provided to those mobilized to the village”.
After the Resumption of Rationing, There is No News in Onsung
Lee says that it has been a long time since rationing in the Onsung region has stopped.
After being questioned “How much rationing have you seen?” Lee said that “No rations have been received since 1994.” Lee comments that last October, she knew that the rationing had been resumed, but as a non-laborer with no husband, she was not allowed to receive rations.
Last October, North Korean authorities instructed the distribution of rations according to districts, but smaller districts were given rice only for a few months before the supply ran out. The distributions to the people from factories are 15-day rations, but really only last a few days. Lee and others in the same situtaion are totally unfamiliar with ration distributions.
People like Lee who earn a daily income on which they try to live, have felt very restricted due to the forced mobilization to the villages. For this reason, there has been an increase in the number of North Korean people crossing the Tumen River into China to do suitcase business and earn money.
