[imText1]Last year, North Korea declared that thanks to the bumper crop that came after 10 years, the food distribution system would restart. However, within only one month, the restarted system became hazy. Greeting the New Year 2006, people in North Korea are still hungry and barely scrape a living. <\/p>\n
Prices of Jangmadang (a kind of black market) in North Korea is an important aspect showing the real life of the North Koreans. Because production itself was almost paralyzed, North Korea has relied on China for most food and goods. Because Jangmadang has the rapidly changing value of currency and distribution, it immediately reflects the factors causing changes inside and outside. <\/p>\n
The North Korean workers get paid 2,000 won to 3,000 won per month for their labor. However, rice prices are over 800 won, and it costs one month’s wage to buy some meat. Currently, because of the almost complete shortage of the necessary goods, the prices cannot help but rise sharply. The situation is toilsome only to the North Koreans. <\/p>\n
Because they are experiencing such hardship, the North Koreans cannot even eat any other food except for rice, corn and vegetables. If winter arrives, the whole family is involved in providing only one set of padded clothes. In order to make some money, women usually go to market to sell some things, and men dig up medicinal herbs to sell. <\/p>\n
The DalyNK report on the North Korean prices twice. The survey was carried out from January 2th to 10th, where Jangmadang was the object of the survey. First of all, the survey below is the prices in Moosan, Onsung, Huiryeong, Lasun, Chonjin areas of North Hamkyung Province at the arrival of the new year.<\/p>\n