“Everyone Is Hopeless”

[imText1]I moved to Tumen, Jilin Province of northeast China to cover the flood damage in North Korea. There, I met Park Ki Chang (pseudonym) a forty-year old man living in Bukchang country, South Pyongan province of North Korea. He was visiting his relatives in China with a legal passport, since the end of August.

Park testified that he observed Shinyang, Yangdeok, and Gowon counties in South Pyongan province, in which the worst flood damage devastated the area. According to Park, due to lack of manpower and equipment in flooded area, recovery is delayed.

Now, it is known that college students are organized and deployed into the flood damaged area. Park was pessimistic about North Korea’s repair capability and expected it would take long to rebuild the damaged region with current equipment and resources. Moreover, spread of epidemic exhaust people.

Below is the full text of interview with Park.

– Did North Korean government officially announce the scale of flood damage?

“Through state television, the government announced that there was a flood. However, the number of victims and property damage were not broadcasted.”

– What about the situation in Shinyang, Yangdeok, Hoichang and Deokcheon counties, which are known to be most heavily damaged by the flood?

“Average population of those counties is about 100 thousands each. Not all of the houses are destroyed, but those located near river or on mountain slope.

So we can estimate the damage. I guess several hundreds died or are missing in each county. And total amount of the victims, including refugees, is about 50 thousands, I guess. It is hard to calculate the property damage.”

– Have you actually been in the flooded area?

“I participated in reconstruction of the flooded area. I saw buried houses in the riverside. Railroads were sporadically severed every 300 to 1000 meters. I saw a piece of broken rail left alone on the banks. And the road condition was bad as well.”

– Railroad is known as the only means to connect the western part of North Korea and the East Sea, then how can people move from west to east or from east to west?

“Since the railroads are severed, it is difficult to move around. But still it is possible to use on-ground transportation by riding cars. Merchants are in trouble, though.

Ordinary people cannot even use train because it is harder for them to obtain travel permit only merchants are provided with travel certificate, but it is still very difficult and Kangwon and Hamkyong provinces suffer lack of goods due to poor transportation.”

– What kind of people is mobilized into the reconstruction site?

“Workers, college students and vocational school students in Southern Pyongan Province are mobilized. In August, (North) Korean universities go on vacation for 10 to 15 days, but this year, students are not sent to home but organized to a reconstruction task force.

A small amount of food is provided for the students working in the flooded area. Other supplies and lodging are paid by themselves. Generally, KPA is called into reconstruction, but not a single soldier is yet, at least by the end of August.”

– Why is the army not called into reconstruction?

“The situation has become tenser. Like the rumor about American invasion. All 1.9 million armed forces are in combat readiness.”

– What are the mobilized college students doing?

“On the reconstruction site, dugouts are built and students live in there. They reconstruct flood damaged area with pre-modern tools. I can’t say when the reconstruction would end.”

– Is there any equipment, such as truck, excavator, or bulldozer?

“I have never seen such equipment. Even if there is one, it can’t be operated because we have no gas. Even large cities lack equipment, then what about smaller ones? I think the armed forces must be mobilized in reconstruction sites.”

– It is reported that waterborne epidemic spreading.

“Epidemic includes Para typhus and typhoid. In every province, city and county, there is sanitation office. But they are inactive. Probably, they got no resources for vaccination.”

– What do you suppose the reason of the flood?

“First of all, it occurred because of heavy rain. And also, there is no tree in mountains. So if it rains, mud is gone uncontrollable. And since there is no bank revetment, rivers overflow, too easily. The state has no resource to build dams.”

– Until last year, North Korean government boasted accomplishment in land development in Kangwon and Hwanghae provinces. You mean land development is not finished in Southern Pyongan province?

“That is true. Originally, in (North) Korea, every city and county has a ‘river-stream management office.’ The office’s task is to manage rivers and streams to prevent inundation. But those offices can’t do their jobs.

For example, currently in (North) Korea, Ryanggang Province’s Samsoo hydroelectric power plant is one of the largest national construction buildings. Local construction offices, including river-stream management ones, provide manpower for the construction of the power plant. So there are not enough workforces left in local offices. And river management is neglected, accordingly.

The other problem is technology and equipment. Even though there is a new technology developed, equipment is too inferior, so can’t be operated with full efficiency. Also if there is equipment, we’ve got no gas and technology can’t follow the equipment. Everything is in difficulty.”

– What is most deficient after the flood?

“Most of all, we need food. And then other basic supplies. And lastly, tools that can improve working efficiency. Construction materials are needed, too.”

– How about medicines?

“Of course need. There are many unknown epidemic diseases spreading in (North) Korea, other than Para typhus and typhoid. It’s different from China. If any of us get disease, there is no medicine. But people misinterpret the disease as a result of starvation. We definitely need medicine.”

– I guess people are deprived of hope.

“10 years ago (during the Great Famine), nobody could do anything while a bunch of people were dying. Since then, not as many people died as ten years ago, but we’ve had hard time. The problem is that the hardship would descend to our next generation. Government is stealing our money that we earned from collecting herbs and trading. Every one is hopeless, now.”