North Korean authorities have issued nationwide directives to secure rail transportation and inspect rail facilities. The move, spearheaded by the Ministry of Social Security and the Ministry of Railways, appears to be focused on ensuring the uninterrupted flow of goods through the country’s rail network.
In the directive, the Ministry of Social Security warned of severe punishment for rail vandalism and cargo theft, and announced its intention to increase security around locomotives and other types of rolling stock. The ministry also warned that it would closely monitor and punish any actions that undermine the safe operation of trains, such as throwing rocks at trains or placing barriers on the tracks.
North Korea views its railways as a vital artery for the development of the national and regional economies. As such, the regime continues to stress the importance of safe rail operations.
“These measures are aimed at solving problems such as equipment shrinkage and cargo theft, which are rampant in the railway sector. The focus seems to be on ensuring the transportation of goods for reconstruction in areas damaged (by floods),” the source said.
“The central government continues to receive reports from the field that reconstruction is being delayed due to lack of supplies. One of the suspected causes is a series of cargo thefts that occur during railroad operations. For these reasons, North Koreans say that ‘ensuring the transportation of goods is the best way to speed up the reconstruction effort.’”
In early October, shortly after the Ministry of Social Security’s directive, the Ministry of Railways ordered workers to inspect and repair railroad facilities, locomotives, passenger cars, and freight cars. These inspections and repairs were issued internally, rather than being ordered from above.
Following these orders, the Kaechon Railway Bureau immediately initiated a discussion on how to inspect, repair and maintain railroad facilities to ensure smooth rail transportation. The bureau also ordered each repair team to gather the materials needed to repair railroad facilities, including rails, spikes, sleepers, steel, cement and wood.
“While it may be possible to inspect the railway facilities, it’s not realistic for the repair teams to make up for the shortage of equipment and parts on their own. In the end, there are few ways to secure rail service and shipping other than increasing security and patrols and assigning more guards to monitor cargo,” the source said.
The Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.
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October 16, 2024 at 12:00PM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)