North Korea Intellectuals’ Solidarity (NKIS), an NGO led by defectors with contacts inside the North, released a video last month detailing a snapshot or two of life inside
Sinuiju, the capital of North Pyongan Province. The material, gathered by secret camera, provides a glimpse of everyday lives in May, from the beginning of
the working day until nightfall.
The recording begins at 7:50 a.m. with a clash between cyclists and a security patrol in front of Sinuiju Youth Station.
The dispute ostensibly stems from the cyclists decision to cross in front of a
construction site within which statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are being refurbished in commemoration of three years since the death of Kim Jong Il.
 A traffic patrol stops some cyclists, resulting in a clash in front of Youth Station. | Images: NKIS/Daily NK capture |
At around 1 p.m. the camera pans out to
offer a full view of Sinuiju Customs House. This customs point handles more
than 70% of trade between China and North Korea; no surprise given its
proximity to Dandong. This used to cause incessant traffic congestion in the area.
However, the latest footage portrays a very different scene. The small
number of vehicles coming and going from the house is striking, and
overall activity appears noticeably diminished.
A closer view into a city alley closes in
on a woman selling smuggled Japanese and American branded cigarettes. North
Korean currency is not used in these transactions; people have no faith in it,
and so Chinese Yuan is preferred. Even change is given in foreign currency
these days.
 Women sporting hiking gear reminiscent of the trend in South Korea. |
Back in front of Youth Station, a group of
women sport hiking bags, suggesting that South Korea’s “outdoor
craze” may have finally found its way into border areas of the North.
 Sinuiju Department Store’s main sign glowing brightly. |
Finally, a little after 8 p.m. and with night falling over the city, a few lights and a lone “Sinuiju Department Store” sign pierce the
darkness. Even as night deepens, however, vendors can be heard advertizing their wares: “Buy cucumbers!” and “Water parsley for sale.”
