As the end of the year approaches, North Korean Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), occupational and labor organizations have begun their end-of-year criticism sessions and yearly send-off parties, which has led to a rise in alcohol and food prices. The required end-of-the-year criticism sessions are held to discuss whether each work unit has met its state-set quotas and to criticize mistakes made during the past year.
After the criticism sessions, an after-party is held with alcohol and food, and this typically leads to a rise in the prices of vegetables and meat throughout the country.
The number of work units eating meat has increased this year, which has led to a 4,000 KPW increase in the price of 1 kilo of pork from 12,000 KPW to 16,000 KPW.
”Following the recent beginning of end-of-year events, the price of a kilo of pork has increased to 16,000 KPW,” said a Ryanggang Province-based source on November 6. “North Koreans aren’t able to eat as much pork as they want because the prices have continuously been rising since last year.”
“All of the major alliances like the Socialist Women’s Union of Korea, Occupational Alliance and Youth Alliance are holding end-of-year criticism sessions, so merchants have all raised the price of pork collectively, it seems,” he said.
It appears meat sellers are taking full advantage of the opportunity to make larger profit margins the end-of-the-year parties provide. According to market data tracked by Daily NK, the price of pork increased to 20,000 KPW per kilo in November last year at Hyesan Market, but soon fell to 13,000 KPW in December.
“Pork wholesalers are selling a lot of the meat they acquired from local farms,” said a source in North Hamgyong Province.
“People try to buy the best quality meat even if it all costs the same, so merchants are in fierce competition to find the best quality meat.”
Merchants also remove bones from the meat and sell these cuts to noodle restaurants because the demand for boneless meat is rising, he said.
During post-criticism session parties, meat and alcohol are generally consumed. Recently, alcohol has been added to the menu at Socialist Women’s Union of Korea parties in an attempt to improve the atmosphere.
“The end-of-the-year criticism sessions focus on improving people’s ideological education by discussing what mistakes were made, but nobody really likes being criticized. So alcohol and meat is provided during the after-session party to help soothe people’s hurt feelings after the sessions,” said a source in South Hamgyong Province.
“Women these days typically drink at least one glass of alcohol, so sales have increased,” said the source. “While tipsy, they [the women] now make fun of their husbands or tell the others personal stories.”
