North Korea’s city of Jungju is actively registering new market stalls and shops, allowing private commerce as part of efforts to collect taxes for local industrial development under the “regional development 20×10 policy.”
According to a source in South Pyongan Province on Monday, the Jungju People’s Committee has been promoting and repeatedly issuing instructions on the new application and registration process for market stalls and commercial shops through neighborhood district offices and the Socialist Women’s Union.
The committee is allowing not only fixed stalls in markets, but also stalls to be set up in desired places or locations. Officials in the city are also allowing shops to be set up next to house gates or within house fences for business purposes. Currently, the Jungju People’s Committee accepts applications and completes registrations once a month.
The response of local residents to these efforts has been relatively positive. Many say that “it used to take a long time to get approval for a single market stall, but this time it’s relatively easy to apply and register quickly, making it convenient to do business.”
Similar efforts are being made in nearby Taechon and Pihyon counties, resulting in a stream of new applicants for business permits.
Some people have concerns about “dark intentions”
However, some people are expressing concern. They fear that while the authorities are allowing businesses to operate, they are often demanding money under the pretext of supporting government construction projects. In fact, some people are said to have remarked, “The dark intentions of the commercial department of the people’s committee are clearly visible.”
Citing a source from North Pyongan Province, Daily NK reported earlier this month that the commercial department of the people’s committee was blatantly demanding bribes while finding various faults with store operations when granting permits for private commercial stores.
As concerns have been raised by some people, the Jungju People’s Committee is trying to reassure them by saying, “This project can support people’s economic activities and bring about local development at the same time.”
In particular, the committee is explaining that “we plan to secure funds for the construction of local industrial factories from the registration fees and location taxes paid by local residents for stalls and shops,” and that its efforts in this regard are legitimate.
“The people’s committee not only aims to secure taxes to promote the local development policy put forward by the Workers’ Party, but also says that since the conditions for business are favorable, it hopes people will participate with a patriotic spirit,” the source told Daily NK.
Meanwhile, since the implementation of the “20×10 regional development policy” in January, local governments throughout the country have expanded access to permits for commercial activities.
In March, Daily NK reported that the Yanggang Province People’s Committee had issued instructions to city and county people’s committees within the province to carry out the re-registration of market stalls and private commercial stores, as well as to accept new applications and registrations.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons.
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July 18, 2024 at 05:30AM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)