[imText1]North Korean authorities have been anxiously concerned about the great influx of foreign information around the border regions and the increase of defectors. As a result, punishment against defectors has increased as well as investigation teams strengthened. At the end of last year, Kim Jong Il even decreed a special order to \u201cClean-up Hoiryeong, the mother\u2019s (Kim Jong Suk, Kim Jong Il\u2019s mother) hometown.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, despite the government\u2019s efforts to enforce control, it has been difficult to restore trust from the people. <\/p>\n
The correspondents of DailyNK recently met with 4 defectors who came from the districts of Hoiryeong and Chongjin in January. These defectors are currently hiding in China. Following is their interview in which they tell of common feelings amidst the northern North Korea. <\/p>\n
– What are the people\u2019s current attitude towards the military and the Party? <\/b><\/font><\/p>\n While arguing that the developments in nuclear weapons were a success, North Korean authorities have been claiming devotion to a republic. However, the people are uninterested in nuclear weapons. They are solely absorbed with work that will get them food to live. Trust is at its lowest as distributions are not delivered on time,<\/p>\n In particular, as soldiers are taking advantage of food plunder, attitudes towards the military is the worst. Throughout the night, soldiers secretly steal corn and other crops planted by the North Korean people. That\u2019s why, it\u2019s come to the point that the people say, \u201cIf a war breaks out and we are given guns, first we\u2019ll kill the soldiers then fight the Americans!\u201d<\/p>\n – How severe is corruption amidst high ranking government and military officials?<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n Corruption amongst the elite and government is relentless. It\u2019s a well known fact that bribery can get you anything in North Korea. Even if you trade, you must offer some money. To trade, you must offer soldiers and safety agents a bribe. <\/p>\n – What are the people living on?<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n At the least, you don\u2019t miss a meal if you trade. A businessman contacts a trader in China and requests for the necessary goods. Then the goods are sent secretly through the bridges along the border. People who trade are mostly smugglers. <\/p>\n – What kinds of information have been flowing into North Korea recently?<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n Most of the stories you hear are that people don\u2019t hungry in China and that you can live a good life if you go live in South Korea. VCR\u2019s containing information of a capitalist society flow into North Korea and videos are frequently watched. As a result, many people are changed by this kind of information. Though authorities are strengthening punishments and intensifying control, they cannot block people who defect in order to live. <\/p>\n – How does the general population regard China?<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n In general, people think that China is a country who keeps its promises. On the other hand, people hate Japan unconditionally. In the past, authorities have advocated the supremacy of our (North Korea) political system. Nonetheless, the more people trade with China, the more they realize that this was merely a lie. Nothing heard from China is a lie. Not only the North Korean people who trade with China, but the general population also hears many things about China, and hence fantasies about China have only grown. <\/p>\n – What is the market cost of rice?<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n Since early Feb, rumors spread from Pyongyang that foreign aid would restart and so the price of rice has been declining in the areas of South Chongjin. On Feb 8th, it cost 900~950won per kilo in the districts of North Hamkyung such as Hoiryeong, Musan and Onsung, whereas rice costs 900won in Chongjin. <\/p>\n The cost of rice in Pyongyang remained at 650won and 700won in the districts of South Hamkyung such as Hwanghae and South Pyongan. After the nuclear experiment last year Oct until Dec, the cost of rice at Jangmadang showed a sign of increase. At the time, people worried that \u201ca time will come where 1kg rice will cost 2,000won (approx. US$0.65)\u201d but since early Jan, prices have stabilized,<\/p>\n – Many say that contagious diseases are spreading all throughout North Korea\u2026<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n In January, there were some rumors which suggested that measles was spreading throughout Chongjin. Similar rumors were heard about Eunduk. Though I don\u2019t really know, it does seem that contagious diseases are spreading. Because of these contagious diseases, it is not easy to travel to the border regions or the capital, Pyongyang. Travel permits aren\u2019t issued, yet inspections have increased.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [imText1]North Korean authorities have been anxiously concerned about the great influx of foreign information around the border regions and the increase of defectors. As a result, punishment against defectors has increased as well as investigation teams strengthened. At the end of last year, Kim Jong Il even decreed a special order to \u201cClean-up Hoiryeong, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":169,"featured_media":3627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wikipediapreview_detectlinks":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[644],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-analysis-and-opinion"],"yoast_head":"\n