With the alarming spread of skin conditions among visitors to beaches on North Korea’s west coast, the government is urgently advising people to stay out of the water.
The skin conditions are presumably caused by wastewater spilling into the ocean from water purification facilities swamped by heavy rains at the end of July.
Speaking anonymously, a source in South Hwanghae Province told Daily NK on Thursday that people have reported strange itchiness, rashes and hives after visiting major beaches on the west coast, including on the popular resort of Wau Island in Nampo.
As a result, the North Korean authorities sent a directive to neighborhood watch units, factories and offices asking people to stay away from the beaches.
A circular sent to neighborhood watch units noted that recent visitors to the Wau Island beach were suffering from severe skin conditions. The circular attributed the skin issues to wastewater spilling into the ocean from water treatment plants overwhelmed by heavy rains.
However, while the authorities recommend that people avoid the beaches because of the high incidence of skin conditions, they are not entirely blocking access.
The source said that although the authorities believe the wastewater at the beach is causing skin conditions that can develop into serious diseases, they have adopted the irresponsible position of only asking beachgoers to exercise caution instead of closing the beaches altogether.
“Considering that the Wau Island beach in Nampo is one of the local people’s favorite places to go in the summer, the authorities have decided not to close the beach as they try to meet their yearly economic quotas. Instead, they’ve advised people to be cautious and stay away from the beach,” the source said.
Widespread dissatisfaction with government response
Locals are deeply dissatisfied with the authorities for not taking more proactive measures, such as closing the beaches, despite the severe pollution of seawater near the beaches. They feel the authorities are being too casual about public health, especially when they impose penalties and rules at the slightest provocation.
“People are saying that if the wastewater has backed up and is spilling into the ocean and causing skin conditions, the authorities should have closed the beaches and taken measures to clean up the polluted water. They’re upset with the authorities for the bizarre decision to let people visit the beach despite the potential consequences,” the source said.
He added: “The failure to close access to the beaches is stoking people’s anxiety about catching a skin disease. Their anxiety and dissatisfaction with the government’s response, or lack thereof, will worsen unless the government proactively controls the situation.”
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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