/begin my translation
N. Korea: Drug Addiction On the Rapid Rise Last Year [Analysis By Lee Young-hwa]
[Japanese Expert Analysis: Part I] Overseas sale blocked by PSI; outfits such as N. Korean security now resorting to domestic sale
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Recently, drug addicts in N. Korea are rapidly increasing. According to some experts, the drug addction in some border area (with China) is so widespread that it reminds them of waning days of Ching Dynasty(translator's note: late 19th century China.)
N. Korea is the only country in the world which makes the cultivation and sale of drugs a official national policy for earning hard currency. N. Korea's drug industry in under state control. Until recently, N. Korea smuggled drugs into Japan and Australia. However, after PSI(Proliferation Security Initiative) went into effect, smuggling routes were blocked. Then there has been sudden increase of 'domestic demand' in recent years, it is suspected.
The author of this article, Lee Young-hwa(Economics Dept., Kansai Univ.,) is an ethnic Korean in Japan who used to study in N. Korea. He is currently a head of RENK(Rescue The North Korean People ! Urgent Action Network), a N. Korean human right organization. He has been a longtime observer of what goes on inside N. Korea. We will publish his report on N. Korean drug addiction in two parts. (Editor's foreword)
Corruption, Inflation, and Drug Addiction: Three Major Ills To Destroy N. Korean System
I have pointed out in the past that The 'Triad of Collapse' for 'Kim Jong-il Dynasty' are corruption of officials, runaway inflation, and drug addiction. Since last year, drug addicts are on the rapid rise in N. Korea. A hangout for smugglers(of goods) in border area is reminiscent of 'Opium Den' in late Ching Dynasty.
Why is the sudden rise of drug addicts inside N. Korea recently? This holds a key to the collapse of Kim Jong-il regime. Let us look into this phenomenon, based on materials RENK gathered from inside N. Korea and internal reports of S. Korea we are able to obtain.
The sudden widespread wave of drug addiction started in 2004. It is the synthetic drugs, potent stimulants, that are the mainstay of 'drug wave.' What is in large circulation is synthetic drug which can be manufactured in factories, not natural drug(note: opium,) which can be viewed as a substitute for medicine (which is in short supply.)
As we can see from 'the Sinking of an Unidentified Ship' in Japanese waters on Dec., 2002, N. Korean synthetic drug(note: METH) is targeted for 'drug markets' of Japan and S. Korea. In N. Korea, drug is a state-sanctioned goods for smuggling, thus under state control.
Under N. Korea conventional wisdom, the clandestine domestic sale of drugs in large quantities is absolutely impossible. N. Korean drugs are 'strictly for export.'
However, we are seeing large number of drug addicts in N. Korea now. Furthermore, the most addicts are not ordinary people in depth of poverty, but businessmen and privileged elites, that is, well-to-do folks. How did synthetic drug become a fashion?
Illicit Drug Sales First Mentioned in N. Korean Law in 2004
We can deduce from N. Korean official documents when drug addition suddenly rose in N. Korea. Let us examine N. Korean official documents which RENK(www.bekkoame.ne.jp/ro/renk ) obtained.
In Nov., 2003, Party Committee of N. Hamkyong Province submitted a document titled <Our Stepped-up Struggle for the Eradication of Smuggling>. It said that they would absolutely prohibit 'the activities of profiting from diverting and selling, at knock-off price, state secrets, aluminium, precious metals, and hard-currency-earning agricultural products."
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| N. Korean Document for Political Management of People along the Border |
In Nov., 2003, <Document for Political Management of People along the Border> emphasizes, 'Let us fight against using and spreading exotic recording materials and publications(note: bootleg S. Korean videos).' Until this time, 'drug' was never mentioned when addressing smuggling activities in the border area.
However, beginning 2004, 'drug smuggling' emerged as an issue. In the revised edition of <The Criminal Code of DPRK> announced on Apr. 9, 2004, drug-related provision appeared.
The code stipulates that 2~5 year in prison for 'illegal cultivation of opium and drug manufacture' (216th provision), 2 years or less in prison for illegal use of drug' (217th provision), 5 years or less in prison for 'drug smuggling, and illicit sale.' The appearance of drug-related provision in their code is a proof that the number of drug addicts are rising. stimulants
Provision for Reporting Drug Addicts?
Drug smuggling as state industry is not a crime. Instead, it would deserve a medal from Kim Jong-il because exporting large amount of drug means earning supply of hard currency.
According to <Cabinet Decisions No. 39> issued on Sept. 21, 2004, the section titled 'On Adopting the Regulation of Informants' encourages citizens to snitch(report) on violations of revised Criminal Code.
Of course, there is provision for 'illegal use of drug.' <Cabinet Decisions No. 39> only encourages the snitch(report) on 'illegal possession and sale of drug,' but none on 'drug users.'
N. Korean authorities used to deal stiff punishment to the illegal drug sale as well as drug use. In the past, drug users were publicly executed. However, in the revised Criminal Code, there is no provision containing 'execution.' This is quite different from the situation in China where drug-related criminals are executed.
Furthermore, there is no provision for encouraging 'citizen reporting' in order to track down a 'drug user.' What is the secret behind this strange 'generosity' on drug users. The reason is simple.
It is due to too rapid increase of drug addicts to be curbed by death penalty, and the 'original sin' that N. Korean authorities are peddling drug.
State Security Dept., Security Command, and even Yakuza Enter Drug Market
The last Jan. 11th of a Japanese Daily contained an article titled 'N. Korean METH smuggling now targets China.' When PSI(Proliferation Security Initiative) blocked the drug smuggling, N. Korean authorities switched their market to China and Russia.
Until recently, the drug smuggling via sea was done exclusively by intelligence outfit belonging to 'Party Office Building No. 3.' After the sea route was blocked, Kim Jong-il expand the (drug) operation to include State Security Dept. and Military Security Command.
He reasoned that the two organization, which are familiar with the border area with China and Russia, can establish new smuggling routes, and the competition between them would lead to more sales.
Once the competition started, the directors of both organizations are under heavy pressure to meet monthly 'quota.' Eventually, both ended up touching the 'forbidden fruit.' That is, the 'massive sale of drugs' inside N. Korea.
Every month, both organization earned millions of dollars in sales, and even received commendation from Kim Jong-il. Thanks to their strenuous efforts(?,) the drug market inside N. Korea started to grow at an exponential rate. Then, a third organization entered into this lucrative market. It is Japanese crime syndicate 'Yakuza' (to be continued (in Part II))
Lee Young-hwa (Professor at Economics Dept., Kansai University, Japan)
Editing/Park In-ho
