From satellite at night, North Korea and South Korea. Ah, the glory of socialism!
Posted on 09/30/2006 7:01:40 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
/begin my translation
Life of N. Koreans
We find out the life in N. Korea from N. Koreans who came to China.
People do not go to work because government cannot give out food rations. The authorities cannot come down strongly on them, either.
N. Koreans mainly use Chinese products, but many of them turn out to be health hazards, leading to boycotts. For example, lipsticks can cause fever, and skin to be peeled off. Brazier can cause rashes and itching. Worse, one newly-wed couple died after eating apples in 2005, or children got their gullet damaged and even went blind from chewing gums. Some turned mute after eating a candy.
These all contributed to the depressed business. Daily toll for doing a business at a market is 500 won. When the market manager is taking a round to collect the toll, everybody is running away along with their merchandise. They used to earn 2,000 ~ 3,000 won a day at a market.
Up until recently, salaried workers envied those doing business in the market. Their one-month salary was equal to a day's sales at the market, making them grumble a lot.
N. Koreans often say that they would manage to get by this year, but worry much about the next year. Even with money in your hand, you cannot buy rice because there is none available. To earn hard currency, they have nearly depleted minerals and forestry. All these make people fear that they could get starved to death. Price of rice skyrocketed in a span of a month or two this year, which added more worry.
Panhandling children are ever-increasing. In a place like Shinuiju, they made it virtually impossible to do business at a market. Electric power is provided in Shinuiju between 5am and 7am, 1pm and 2 pm, 7pm and 11pm. No power is provided in southern Shinuiju and the surrounding farms.
Schools and Hospitals are given some rice and corn, but factories and people's residential units are not. If rice is given, it should be peeled, 5 won per kilogram. Grain office gave out rice in return for corn or wheat.
Last year, salaried workers were given plots where they were asked to farm, then the authorities set average yield from plots, and ordered them to provide workers at the workplace regardless of their actual yield. They refused to listen when some people protested. No way to turn to if such unfair decisions are made.
People cannot be treated in time due to lack of medicine. In the midst of epidemic, no quarantine was enforced, and patients were left unattended, infecting family members. The weak and the old tend to lose their life.
Since July missile launches, people are especially upset that their life would get worse due to UN economic sanction. At first, people did not know the missile launches, but they learned that UN sanction was imposed due to missile launches from those who go to China. Realizing that their already bad living condition would get worse, working class and middle class are both upset.
"What do we gain by firing missiles?", people talk among themselves, even though N. Korea is a controlled society. Some complain, "This is like a chicken fight. Like children's petty fighting, war stuff goes on again and again. Our future is really bleak. Our people are just too nice and patient. For 10 years, we put up with lack of rice, running water, and electricity. This is going too far."
High party officials are hinting at people around them in increasing frequency, "Please be patient a little more. Dear General(Kim Jong-il)'s health has deteriorated." They all expect the collapse of N. Korean regime. They used to think that it is 3 years away. Now they say it is only one and a half year away. This expectation turns people more restive and aggravate the conflict between different classes of people.
Dandong = Lee Duk-soo
/end my translation
Getting boycotts from N. Koreans whose living standard is atrocious, says volumes about business culture of China.
High party officials are hinting at people around them in increasing frequency, "Please be patient a little more. Dear General(Kim Jong-il)'s health has deteriorated." They all expect the collapse of N. Korean regime. They used to think that it is 3 years away. Now they say it is only one and a half year away. This expectation turns people more restive and aggravate the conflict among different classes of people.
Gee, I do hope so. We all want Kim Jong-il to die soon.
Ping!
Ahhhhhhhhhh,a good old fashion socialist state.Sounds like the eutopia that Ted Kennedy,Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton dream about !!!
Eating Chinese produce is right up there with organic spinach. Caveat Emptor.
Only stupid people would complain about a State that has free health care, government sector employment for life and first rate gun control.
And 10-year mandatory military service.:)
From satellite at night, North Korea and South Korea. Ah, the glory of socialism!
AH GOOD OLD Fashioned market for Socialist LOL!
No problem. The UN will shortly intervene and toss out the corrupt, oppressive NK govt and oversee installation of democracy and honest elections.
After all, the vast majority of UN members are enlightened, democratic, humane govts.
No way place to turn to if such unfair decisions are made.
Grain office gave gives out rice in return for corn or wheat.
It was either invade Iraq, or invade North Korea. The president chose Iraq.
"Our people are just too nice and patient"
Time for the people to rise up has come and passed many times.
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