While the North Korean authorities are busy creating a warlike atmosphere and maintaining a hard-line policy towards South Korea, the citizens are living without tension or instability. <\/p>\n
According to sources in North Korea, after publicly releasing the statement of the General Staff on the 17th January, the authorities began emphasizing to the people in domestic lectures and People\u2019s Unit meetings that, \u201cOur citizens have to live in a state of tension because the Southern rebel Lee Myung Bak wants to start a war.\u201d<\/p>\n
The source reported to Daily NK on the 2nd, \u201cThe upper (the authorities) are making an outcry about the \u2018North-South confrontational status,\u2019 which we have been hearing constantly. However, as the cadres are making much ado about being on stand-by and mobilizing Worker\u2019s and Peasant\u2019s Red Guards, the citizens are worrying about their trades.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly the upper makes a noise about the current state and whatever; we don\u2019t care. There are no troubles in the jangmadang these days. It is much calmer now.\u201d <\/p>\n
Another source explained the things which really matter in the jangmadang; the price of rice! \u201cThe rice price has gone down a bit. Rice produced in North Korea costs 2,200 won and imported rice is around 100-200 won more expensive than domestic rice. The rice price tends to go up gradually from April and in May or June it will skyrocket,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, \u201cAlthough a decree telling the people not to deal with Chinese domestic and industrial products in the jangmadang, only in state-run stores, was handed down to the people, they still sell them openly in the jangmadang. There are not enough goods in state-run stores and they are quite expensive,\u201d the source complained. <\/p>\n
The source released people\u2019s thoughts about the current, allegedly \u201cstrained\u201d state of affairs, \u201cIt’s just empty words. It\u2019s not like they (the North\u2019s regime) are going to do something. Now, people say they just wish a war would break out. We don\u2019t care!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While the North Korean authorities are busy creating a warlike atmosphere and maintaining a hard-line policy towards South Korea, the citizens are living without tension or instability. According to sources in North Korea, after publicly releasing the statement of the General Staff on the 17th January, the authorities began emphasizing to the people in domestic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155,"featured_media":8336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[645],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"yoast_head":"\n