North Korea is cracking down on corrupt provincial officials, but many people don’t believe it is having much effect.
Multiple sources in North Korea told Daily NK recently that a recent Central Committee secretariat meeting has become a major topic of discussion. The meeting, officially called the 30th Enlarged Meeting of the Secretariat of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, was chaired by Kim Jong Un on Jan. 27. It addressed two main issues: officials from Nampo’s Onchon county party committee violating party rules, and farm inspectors in Ushi county engaging in abusive behavior.
According to state media, party officials in Onchon county severely violated rules by accepting drinks at a bar, while farm inspectors in Ushi county committed “flagrant and unpardonable” violations by misusing their authority to seize residents’ property.
During the meeting, Kim Jong Un denounced these actions as “enormous crimes” – a move apparently intended to reinforce public loyalty and internal discipline. However, North Koreans seem unmoved by this theatrical punishment of officials, believing it fails to address underlying problems.
While the regime is threatening to dissolve organizations and harshly punish everyone involved, locals view these threats as mere political theater. A source in South Hamgyong province shared Hamhung citizens’ perspective: “People don’t see how getting treated to drinks could be an ‘enormous crime’ when it’s so commonplace here. If anything, they feel sympathy for the officials being made examples of.”
People familiar with the incidents in both Nampo and Ushi county argue the situations were overblown. “The officials were caught at a celebration drink after completing a local factory. It’s hardly the ‘enormous crime’ the central government claims,” a Nampo source explained.
A source in Jagang province offered similar insights about the Ushi county incident: “Those who know the details say the inspectors were just trying to secure funding and materials for a local factory. They weren’t planning to pocket the money. The whole thing’s been blown out of proportion.”
Some believe the harsh response to local officials’ misconduct is meant to deflect blame for failed regional development. “When factories are built in the provinces, they lack electricity and materials to operate. The authorities seem to be scapegoating local officials, painting their corruption and incompetence as the main barriers to regional development,” explained a source in North Hamgyong province.
February 11, 2025 at 07:19AM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)