Tag: non-tax burdens
North Korea’s donju hand over rice and cash to the state...
North Korean authorities are pressuring wealthy private traders known as donju — loosely translated as "masters of money," referring to a class of entrepreneurs...
North Korea makes parents pay to feed students forced into rice...
Parents across North Korea are being pressured to supply food for their children mobilized for rice planting season, bearing costs the state is unwilling...
North Korea cooking oil distribution falls flat as prices exceed reach...
North Korea distributed cooking oil ration vouchers to mark the April 15 birthday of founder Kim Il Sung in 2026, but the state-set price...
Middle East oil shock doubles North Korea freight costs, squeezes traders
Rising oil prices driven by instability in the Middle East are pushing up fuel costs inside North Korea, with transport fees charged by private...
North Korean parents forced to feed laborers renovating schools
North Korean parents in Chongjin are being forced to cover meals, snacks and cigarettes for laborers mobilized to renovate school facilities. The costs fall...
Hoeryong factory workers face mandatory herb collection quotas
Workers in Hoeryong have been ordered to collect 3-5 kilograms of medicinal herbs per person by the end of the month. Workers say they...
Bribes help N. Koreans dodge midnight police raids in N. Hamgyong...
North Korean police have intensified inspections of residential areas in North Hamgyong province, using heightened inter-Korean tensions as justification. The provincial Ministry of Social...
Double disaster in Hyesan: Floods destroy homes, government drains wallets
North Korean residents in Hyesan are being forced to fund reconstruction efforts following severe floods in late July. The disaster destroyed embankments and barbed...
Pyongyang enforces “wartime” measures during US-South Korea drills
North Korea has ordered more "wartime security efforts" across the country in response to the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint drills between South Korea and...
N. Korea’s cash drive for flood recovery efforts sparks tensions
North Korean authorities are demanding cash from the public for flood recovery, causing tensions between neighborhood watch unit heads and wealthy "donju" traders.
Speaking anonymously,...
