Following heavy rains in July, North Korea distributed two batches of food rations to residents of the flood-stricken Uiju county in North Pyongan province in late August, a source said Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Central Committee ordered the food distribution, which included high-grade grain (wheat grains, wheat flour and corn), biscuits and bread. Each person was given food for one month.
North Pyongan province’s party committee told the flood victims that the grain they received “was not imported from other countries but was produced and processed in the country” and that “the biscuits and bread were also processed and packaged in domestic factories and only the best quality was selected for distribution.”
Party officials also stressed to the flood victims that the food distribution represented North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s “great kindness and deep love for the people.”
The provincial party committee had families express their gratitude to Kim in person by standing in front of their rations and shouting, “Long live General Kim Jong Un, the bright sun of Juche Korea!”
Recipients forced to write letters of thanks
The provincial party committee also had the recipients of the rations write letters expressing their gratitude for the free food.
After receiving orders for the thank-you letters, the propaganda and agitation department of Uiju county’s party committee informed the recipients of the main ideological points they should cover in their letters. After the letters were written, they were collected by party officials.
“At present, the provincial party committee and Uiju county’s party committee have received all the letters of thanks from those living in the flooded areas. They’re also preparing an event where these letters can be delivered to the marshal to express the appreciation of the provincial residents after the flood reconstruction work is completed,” the source said.
Although the flood victims in Uiju county are still living in tent shelters and have not received as many benefits as those who were brought to Pyongyang, most of them are still grateful that the state is trying to solve various difficulties such as distributing free food, the source said.
“People who have not received rations for years are very grateful to receive a month’s worth of food for free. They’re also excited because they’re supposed to get more food at the end of September,” he added.
The Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.
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