On December 23rd, the weather forecast indicated that snow
would fall in Pyongyang, Wonsan, Hamhung, Chongjin, and Samjiyon. For North
Korean residents, what sort of implications are there for a snowy day?
Just like in South Korea and around the world, the people
who tend to greet the snow with the greatest enthusiasm are the children. The
kids head outside to go sledding and play folk games. Those without a proper
means of transportation are excused from going to school for the day, leading
to anxious anticipation as soon as the first snow hits the ground.
However, for most ordinary adult residents, news of an
impending snowfall is no happy event, according to defectors. That’s because
the residents are responsible for tirelessly sweeping and shoveling away snow
that accumulates around Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il statues and murals. To
ensure that the job gets completed, the authorities assign shifts and make
inspections.
Performing these idolization feats with no gloves on is a
way to show off one’s devotion to the Kim family. “We needed to wipe the snow
off the statues so they wouldn’t freeze. We did it barehanded to emphasize our
loyalty. We didn’t even get a brush to wipe off those huge statues; we had to
use a little towel,” said one defector who formerly served as a shock trooper
in the North.
The residents complain about this activity not only because
it’s hard to endure the cold, but because they are forced to forego market
selling activity. One defector with experience in the jangmadang markets said,
“We felt that all the time we spent cleaning the statues was time lost earning
money in the marketplace. Residents who are so poor that they are scraping by a
living by working in the marketplace certainly don’t have the luxury of playing
in the snow, and they don’t feel any particular loyalty either.”
South Korean armed forces are ordered to shovel snow for
many days after a large snowfall. North Korean troops are no different. One
defector with experience as a cadre in North Korea explained that, “troops near
the South Korean border in Kangwon Province and North Hwanghae Province have to
clear snow all day. During the Songun [military-first ideology] era, there was a
lot of idolization buildings and facilities, which means even more time spent
shoveling.”
“On the other hand, the border guards near the Chinese
border up north do not work as hard shoveling snow,” she explained.
“There aren’t enough soldiers to do the work and clearing out too much snow
would actually help defectors to sneak out of the country. Leaving the snow
helps the border guards to track their footprints and discovered escape
routes.”
 Kim Jong Un inspects the facilities created for the Masikryong Ski Resort. Image: Rodong Sinmun December 31, 2013. |
Things are much different for North Korea’s upper crust,
including Kim family relatives and high level cadres. Kim Jong Il was said to
have enjoyed hunting in the wintertime as a hobby. There is evidence that Kim
Jong Il even ordered soldiers from his guard headquarters to comb snowy
mountain passes in search of game for him to hunt.
Kim Jong Un inherited his father’s taste for high-end hobbies. In this spirit, he ordered the completion of the Masikryong Ski Resort. Kim Jong Un’s justification for the resort’s construction was that it was “a place for the people.” In reality, the ski resort is known for its pricey rental fees and inaccessibility to ordinary people. The only people who can afford to spend time and money on such a luxurious expenditure are high-ranking Party cadres.
