Since the start of the new year, Pyongyang residents have been suffering from a slew of mobilization orders and government-ordered collection quotas, Daily NK has learned.
A source in Pyongyang told Daily NK on Friday that January is a “tough time” because the state asks for so many contributions, and “it’s the time when there are the most mobilizations, events and organizational efforts.”
“Nowadays, even Pyongyang residents are suffering from cold and hunger,” he said.
North Korea conducts mass mobilization events to achieve major policies or decisions at the start of every year.
In fact, the authorities held a “Pyongyang City Rally” at Rungrado 1st of May Stadium on Jan. 5 to achieve the decisions of the Sixth Plenary meeting of the Eighth Central Committee.
According to the Rodong Sinmun, 100,000 party members, workers and students in Pyongyang attended the event.
People face many other social mobilizations and tasks in January, too, with individual government agencies and enterprises holding small-scale events and the authorities tasking people with collecting discarded resources like scrap metal and glass. They are even ordered to collect manure.
North Korea is mobilizing Pyongyang residents to take part in all these collection drives while telling them they must “stand on the front line.”
Daily NK’s source in the city said districts in Pyongyang have been ordered to collect scrap metal and discarded plastic, glass and paper, and members of neighborhood watch units must also engage in labor at the new housing construction site in the Hwasong area.
“Because they’re pestering people by forcing them to clean up local school playgrounds, fixing up the streets and railroads, and composting – so much so that almost nobody is relaxing at home – people are quite unhappy,” he said.
Moreover, Pyongyang residents reportedly face difficulties in their economic activities due to the frequent mobilizations and tasks.
Daily NK’s source said that although the Tongil Market is open from 1 PM to 6 PM, merchants can enter the market for the day or week only after they have submitted to the market management office receipts proving that they have sold scrap metal and manure to state collection centers.
“They say if you haven’t fulfilled plans for socialist patriotic activity, you shouldn’t do personal business or make money,” he said.
This means the authorities are restricting access to markets so that only people who have completed their social tasks may do business.
Daily NK was unable to confirm whether these measures apply across the entire country.
The source said that while the authorities issue individual New Year quotas in terms of items, categories, and amounts, most people simply buy the receipts to prove they have “fulfilled” them.
“Because of this, differences inevitably emerge between the actual amount going to the state and the reported amount, and [government] claims that goals have been achieved are all lies,” he said.
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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