North Korean officials have declared a “70
day battle,” leading up to the 7th Party Congress set to take place in May.
While doing so, they have placed restrictions on the opening hours of markets,
which people rely on for their livelihoods, and instead have been mobilizing
residents for maintenance work on historic sites, roads, as well as
construction work, Daily NK has learned.
“The ‘70 day battle’ is from February 23 to
May 2, and in relation to this, everyone from company workers to inminban [people’s unit] and
women’s union members are facing endless mobilization,” a source from Ryanggang
Province told Daily NK on Thursday. “They are alternating between the Samjiyon
and Paekam railway construction sites.”
Women’s union and inminban associates are
being mobilized every day to clean up the areas around the ‘towers of eternal
life’ and mosaic murals and for other work. Because of this, markets are only
allowed to operate during the afternoon hours.
“This ‘70 day battle’ is different this
time in the sense that it’s happening under tense political conditions. People
are saying they don’t want to get into trouble in times like this, so despite
the frustration that they’re feeling, everyone is working hard,” the source
said.
“Still, complaints are surfacing here and there about the shorter market
operating hours.”
Another source in Ryanggang Province
confirmed similar movements in Hyesan, noting, “Women’s unions and inminban members are being mobilized to the Hyesan Mine. Because of orders from the Central Party for all residents to play a part in the state’s efforts to build
a strong nation ahead of the 7th Party Congress, markets are not allowed to
open in the morning.”
Historically, North Korea has pushed people
into concentrated periods of labor in order to attain an economic breakthrough
during times of internal and external difficulties. These movements, known as
“public innovation campaigns,” may step up productivity briefly, but with each round drive the wedge between the state and the people, who see no betterment to their quality of life emerge as a result, a little bit deeper.
Many residents, the source in Hyesan went on
to say, are already worried about potential difficulties that may come their
way due to the stronger UN sanctions, adding to the burden they have physically
and psychologically.
“At work, officials each morning emphasize
to their workers that they must offer up ‘loyal beads of sweat’ in relation to
the Party Congress,” she explained. “But workers are concerned about how the
international sanctions will affect the markets, so they’re spending most of
their days quite out of it, facing pressure on the ideological front and also
in terms of physical labor.”
