Daily NK snapshots are summaries of select articles from our Korean website. Snapshots are written by our staff and are aimed at putting even more of Daily NK’s original reporting into English.
MSS demands “self-criticisms” from detractors of military provisions collection
In rural areas, the military has been collecting military provisions from civilians in a campaign on an unprecedented scale, drawing complaints from farmers. Daily NK sources reported that farmers were summoned by the Party Headquarters Committee and Ministry of State Security (MSS) and compelled to write “self-criticisms” as punishment for expressing discontent about the military provisions collection. Several farmers condemned the behavior of a female statistician in her thirties for pouring excessive enthusiasm into the military provisions collection, in the midst of worries about insufficient rations for their own families to make it through the winter.
Full article in Korean by Ha Yoon Ah here.
Coal illegally exported from Sinuiju Port to China in blatant defiance of sanctions
An image of coal being stockpiled along the Yalu River in Sinuiju, North Pyongan Province, which borders China, corroborates recent claims of sightings of cargo ships departing from North Korea and unloading coal at Chinese ports. Daily NK sources reported that rising demand from China for cheap and high-quality coal as the winter approaches has encouraged Chinese authorities to turn a blind eye to the source of the coal. In short, the bilateral trade relationship appears to be continuing in flagrant disregard of international sanctions imposed against North Korea.
Full article in Korean by Jang Seul Gi here.
Pyongyangites attribute lack of spectators at inter-Korean soccer match to Kim Jong Un
Rumors about the inter-Korean soccer match held in mid-October are spreading quickly among Pyongyang residents, especially with regards to the complete lack of spectators present at the match. Some North Korean officials have attributed the closed-door nature of the match to their South Korean counterparts; average Pyongyang residents, however, are crediting the lack of spectators to a decision by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, sources report. Meanwhile, it appears that authorities are not cracking down on rumors related to the inter-Korean match, even as they continue to propagate throughout Pyongyang.
Full article in Korean by Jang Seul Gi here.
Land temporarily abandoned due to acidification given to farmers
A farm in Ryanggang Province has settled 70% of its allocation quotas this year by giving farmers land that was temporarily abandoned due to soil acidification. Under the “6.28 policy,” an agricultural reform measure, farmers work on collective state-owned farms and then receive individual rations in return. However, the rations are usually insufficient, as farmers are required to pay to support the Korean People’s Army and for various upfront agricultural expenses. Thus, the allocation of the acidified land has provided a creative workaround for the shortage of resources in the distribution system. Not all farmers received a land allocation, however: a few select residents applied for and were selected for this benefit.
Full article in Korean by Kang Mi Jin here.
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