North Korean state media praises Kim Jong Un’s “love for the people” as flood victims move into new homes, but locals reveal they were forced to pay for both construction and housewarming gifts, contradicting claims of state support.
According to a Daily NK source in North Pyongan province on Dec. 30, provincial authorities have implemented follow-up measures to emphasize Kim’s populist image after he attended the completion ceremony for homes in flood-damaged areas.
Local party organizations are particularly pushing initiatives to prepare housewarming gifts for flood victims, collecting cash contributions from local residents.
The source told Daily NK that the Sinuiju Market Management Office ordered merchants to “voluntarily participate” in preparing support materials for flood victims.
“On Dec. 23, market officials instructed us to contribute according to our means for support materials,” said one person selling goods at Sinuiju’s Nammin Farmers’ Market.
No merchant can avoid paying, despite officials calling it voluntary participation. Market administrators make life difficult by interfering with stall assignments for those who try to ignore the orders.
People are expressing frustration over these additional financial burdens imposed under the pretext of preparing housewarming gifts, even after flood victims have moved into their new homes.
Some people are saying that “flood victims are this year’s luckiest people” and that “it would have been better to be affected by the floods.”
When major flooding hit North Pyongan and Jagang provinces in late July, North Korean authorities required households to pay 10,000 North Korean won monthly to help flood victims. Nearby residents were also forced to provide construction materials, tools, and food for construction workers building apartments for flood victims.
They were even asked to provide cleaning supplies for the final cleanup after apartment construction was completed.
“We thought these endless demands would stop after the housing ceremony,” the source said. “But now they want us to pay for gifts too. It’s exhausting. Sometimes I wonder if there will ever be an end to these forced donations.”
December 30, 2024 at 01:08PM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)