A North Korean army officer has spent years diverting morphine meant for military medical facilities to his wife. A source inside the military told Daily NK recently that her health has since raised concern among other officers’ families.
The officer works at a rear supply depot under the Fourth Corps, a large army command based in South Hwanghae province. Rear supply depots store and distribute medicine, food and other necessities to army units. This depot holds drugs bound for unit clinics and other military medical facilities. They include morphine, a powerful opioid used as a painkiller and an anesthetic.
“His wife has been using the morphine he gave her for three to four years,” the source said. “Recently she has become noticeably thin and even the shape of her legs has changed.”
According to the source, the officer has habitually taken morphine from the depot by using his rank and position. His wife often suffers from headaches and took the drug without a doctor’s diagnosis or prescription. She gradually increased her use, saying, “When I use morphine, the pain goes away and my body feels comfortable.”
Morphine is a strong opioid painkiller, and repeated or excessive use can cause tolerance and dependence. Users may need larger doses for the same pain relief, and stopping can bring anxiety and insomnia.
Families of other officers have urged her to visit a hospital for tests, but she reportedly brushes off their concerns. She has not had a thorough medical examination, so it is unclear whether her changes stem from morphine use. Long-term use can generally cause side effects such as loss of appetite and weight loss. Bowed legs, however, could also result from malnutrition, fractures or joint and nervous system disorders.
“She keeps getting thinner and even her way of walking has changed,” the source said. “Yet she is the only one who says she is fine.” Some around her even wonder whether the morphine is keeping her from properly sensing that something is wrong with her body, the source added.
Weak controls on morphine in North Korea’s military
Diverting morphine for private use over several years without anyone raising concerns has drawn criticism. Critics say oversight of military medical supplies and discipline among officials is seriously flawed. Unit clinics frequently fail to receive medicine on time, and narcotic drugs such as morphine require strict usage records. Even so, the diversion went unchecked for years, critics say.
The source said the officer’s management role makes it difficult for anyone below to challenge him. The case appears to show how corruption and weak drug controls in the North Korean military can create public health risks.
“An official’s family has used medicine meant for ordinary soldier patients,” the source said. “If that becomes known, the depot’s entire medicine management could come under scrutiny.”
Reporting from inside North Korea
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