Public demand for telephone services in North Korea has surged recently, prompting the North Pyongan Province Post and Telecommunications Bureau to bring forward its annual revenue targets, Daily NK has learned.
“Smuggling and travel have increased in the border areas following the gradual easing of border restrictions since last year. With more goods in transit and a corresponding increase in demand for telecommunications, the provincial Post and Telecommunications Bureau is moving to meet its annual revenue targets in the first quarter of the year,” a source in the province told Daily NK on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The provincial Post and Telecommunications Bureau has asked post offices across the province, especially those in border counties such as Sinuiju, Ryongchon, Uiju, and Cholsan, to work hard to meet their annual revenue targets in the first quarter, noting that public demand for telephone services is much higher this year than last year.
According to the source, the easing of border controls has led to a quiet increase in traffic in nearby areas such as Sinuiju, Ryongchon, Uiju, and Cholsan. As a result, more wholesalers in these areas have installed two phones at home as they prefer landlines, which are cheaper to use than cell phones.
In addition, more families want to install their own home phone instead of sharing a phone with another family, as they are concerned about confidential matters being leaked and their phones being tapped by the authorities. As a result, post offices have been inundated with requests for phone installations since the beginning of the year.
The surge in demand leads to increased costs
Under the circumstances, the provincial Department of Posts and Telecommunications has raised the cost of installing home phones while pushing post offices across the province to meet annual revenue targets within the first quarter.
“Last month, the cost of installing a home phone was USD 350-450 in Sinuiju and USD 400-500 in Ryongchon County, where both legal and illegal trafficking is particularly prevalent due to its geographical location,” the source said.
Telephone installation costs twice as much in the border area as in Pyongyang, where it costs only USD 100-250, the source said.
“Goods imported from China have to pass through customs in Sinuiju before being distributed throughout the country, making Ryongchon County a major bottleneck for shipping. Since it’s the area where goods are distributed the fastest and wholesale prices are set, home phones are in high demand and installation prices are also high,” he said.
Amid these developments, residents of Ryongchon County who were upset that the post offices were charging so much for the installation of home phones filed a complaint with the provincial party committee, but the matter was closed without results.
“The provincial party committee responded to the complaint by sending officials to conduct an on-site inspection. But because the committee officials are in cahoots with the head of the provincial post and telecommunications bureau, the matter was swept under the rug, outraging local residents,” the source said.
Translated by David Carruth. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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