[imText1]It has been known that the “Samjiyeon Precision Machine Factory (military supply factory No. 95)” will stop production due to its proximity to Kim Jong Il’s privately-used station and is set to be relocated.
An inside source in Yankang Province said in a phone conversation with the “Daily NK,” “Under the General’s recent orders, factory No. 95 will be moved to Baekwoon-ri in Gusung County, North Pyongan Province. Production has been stopped for the transfer of the factory and the dismantling of equipment will begin on April 1st.”
The Samjiyeon factory is the largest military supply factory that produces specialty shells and all kinds of cartridges, including the 7.62mm AK automatic rifle shells which is the basic arms of the North Korean army. The annual volume of production is 5 million bullets and all production facilities are located underground. In the beginning of 1990, a significant amount of cartridges were exported to the Middle East and to Africa.
The source said, “The reason for the relocation of the Samjiyeon Factory is due to Wangduk Station, which is also called the No. 1 Station as Kim Jong Il’s exclusive station, in Gumsan-dong, Haesan. Actually, we tried to move Wangduk Station, but it was hard to find a proper location, so it was determined that the military supply factory would be moved.”
The Wangduk Station is only 800 meters from the Samjiyeon Factory and is Kim Jong Il’s private station which is connected to a private road passing through the Baekdu Mountain and the Baekdu villa. Every year, Kim Jong Il inspects Yankang Province after arriving in Wangduk Station via train and seeks out the Baekdu Mountain villa during the summer vis-a-vis the exclusive road connected to the station. It is known that he spends his vacation at the villa.
The source explained, “Originally, Kim Jong Il could inspect Yankang Province through Wangduk Station and he gave the high evaluation that in the case of an emergency, war materials could be quickly moved through the private station. By being connected to the private road, Baekdu Mountain could be easily frequented, so the station was in more ways than one in a good location.”
However, the source relayed, “After the explosion at Yongcheon Station in North Pyongan Province in 2004, the situation changed. Kim Jong Il, immediately after the incident, entirely ceased onsite inspections of the military supply factory which handled warehouse, fuel oil tank, and explosive firearms.”
The source also said, “If an explosion occurs in a factory which handles a lot of gun powder, not only the iron bridge and roads running adjacent to the factory, but Kim Jong Il’s exclusive station will also be blown up. Due to this uncertainty, it was ordered that the private station should be moved to an appropriate location.”
He added, “However, when an appropriate location for the station which is connected to the private road could not be found, it was decided that the Samjiyeon Precision Machine Factory had to be moved.”
The source relayed, “After the Yongcheon explosion incident, the General (Kim Jong Il) did not use the Wangduk Station even when going on an onsite inspection of Yankang Province. The leaders say, ‘This is an issue directly linked to the General’s safety and because he has been experiencing significant discomfort, the factory has to be moved as soon as possible.”
Also, he said, “Wangduk Station was only used one or two times on average per year. During the summer season, Kim Jong Il arrives on his exclusive train and went up to the Samjiyeon Villa via his private road. Essentially, the factory is being moved so that he can reach the villa with convenience.”
He also relayed the public sentiment, “Citizens have been complaining. The military supply factory is mostly constructed underground, so the cost of construction has been exorbitant. Moreover, according to rumors, the underground facility of the factory has not been completed yet, so production will have to take place outdoors for a while. It is unclear how citizens will get by, so does it make any sense to move the factory at such a huge expense?”
