Munsu Saturated While Homes Run Dry

Despite the severe water shortage in North
Korea from the spring drought that has even suspended operations at major power
plants, the country has been busy supplying water to Pyongyang
s Munsu Waterpark and other leisure facilities rather than to its
people, according to a local source. The Munsu Waterpark and Neungra Theme Park
are venues widely promoted by the state as
legacies of its leader Kim Jong Eun.

Were not simply
talking about your average household, the central district apartments have not
even been able to receive a proper supply of water,
a
Pyongyang-based source told the Daily NK on Wednesday.
The water from the Taedong River is being supplied first to the
theme park or waterpark.

The severe drought this spring crippled
North Korea
s water supply, even disrupting train
services. Pyongyang, known as the
revolutionary
capital,
which always receives priority when it comes
to public resources, has also been struggling with a lag in power and water,
according to the source.

This has led to criticism that the state
only focuses on promoting Kim Jong Eun
s projects,
instead of improving the lives of its people as it vowed the waterpark would
help achieve. Since assuming power, Kim has ordered construction of multiple
leisure facilities in his effort to build up a
people-friendly image.

As the weather gets colder, no one is even
visiting these waterparks, but the water supply is the same as in the summer,
the source said. Summertime operations
aside, more people these days are questioning why the park is open at a time
like this.

Some have even suggested residents should
have priority over the water that goes to those places [waterpark, theme park],
he asserted.

As this situation continues, more Party
cadres who live in apartments in the central districts of Pyongyang are
actively raising questions: they may have won the rights of residency in the
affluent, central area using their privileges as a Party member, but without
the proper water supply, living there becomes more of an inconvenience.  

The cadres that tried so hard to move into
these new buildings have been taken aback since they can
t get water, the source explained. Some have even said they would rather move to the outskirts of
Pyongyang instead of live in the apartments, where it
s
hard to even get your own water.

In terms of electricity, the source reported, [On Pyongyangs outskirts] there was no
power all last month, except for Chuseok [the traditional harvest festival of the Korean people] and September 9th
[National Foundation Day]. This month, we
ve have a
spotty supply following Party Foundation Day [10th].

He added,
Even in the central area of Pyongyang, the
power isn
t running consistently, so there are times
when the entire city is just blanketed in darkness.