A North Korean scientist working at a top national defense and science research institute has invented a machine that can reportedly identify the causes of malfunctioning in cars. His invention is receiving significant attention and the fees generated are supplementing his paltry income.
“A young researcher at Pyongyang’s Second Academy of Natural Sciences [also known as Kukpang Kwahakwon] has developed a machine using modern technology that can identify performance issues with a car based on the soundwaves produced by the engine,” a source from North Pyongan Province told Daily NK in a telephone conversation.
“He was finding it hard to survive on his official salary, so he’s investing in further development in the hopes of opening up his own repair shop.”
The steady rise in the number of taxis plying Pyongyang’s streets now dwarfs the number of auto repair shops needed to service them, which the discerning Second Academy entrepreneur quickly identified as an area of unmet need.
Although there are state repair shops in North Korea, the regime is unable to provide them with the necessary supplies. Because of this, car owners sometimes find themselves waiting days rather than hours for basic tune-ups and repairs.
The state researcher likely saw this as a good opportunity to make money – suggesting that even core personnel in North Korea’s science and weapons development industries are under pressure to secure more financial resources and improve their livelihoods.
The Second Academy of Natural Sciences is located in Pyongyang’s Ryongsong district and has been blacklisted under U.S. and UN sanctions in 2010 and 2013, respectively, for engaging in the development nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. The institute also oversees the test-launching of missiles that are prohibited by UN resolutions.
Under Kim Jong Un’s leadership, scientists and technocrats have received greater attention for their contributions to nuclear development, but examples such as this imply the compensation and benefits lag far behind expectations. Although researchers receive higher wages than average workers, in the eyes of the donjuLiterally "masters of money," donju refers to people who hav... More (newly affluent middle class), they would be considered to be impoverished, noted the source.
“They’ve made a lot of breakthroughs in weapons research, but because state factories are incapable of translating the outcomes, their research cannot be applied to production,” a source in Pyongyang told Daily NK. “They say that although Kim Jong Un says he personally ensures these institutes and their affiliated researchers receive special care, because the funds are insufficient, the institutes and their researchers still need to look for ways to make extra money.”
The Pyongyang-based source added that members of the Second Academy have worked on “supplementary income projects” to secure their own living expenses for many years.
Meanwhile, the car repair device has been dubbed the “engine acoustics diagnostic machine” and has gained a lot of popularity among car owners. “It can identify the condition of each auto part within five minutes, so drivers and even vendors who run their own repair shops are proposing that they do business together,” the source said.
For now, the researcher lives in a compound for Academy employees closed off to the public, limiting the machine’s use. However, on weekends, he reportedly takes the machine out to auto repair shops in other districts to earn some extra cash.
