After the fall harvest, North Korea’s North Hamgyong province distributed rations to workers at major enterprises to mark the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea’s establishment, but many employees are upset about receiving less than expected and the unequal distribution methods used.
“At the beginning of the fall harvest in October, North Hamgyong province made plans to distribute potatoes and corn to workers at large enterprises in the province, and rations were in fact handed out early this month. This step was taken on the grounds that ‘labor productivity on the ground must be preserved for the maintenance of the state,’” a source in the province said on Monday.
According to the source, corn was distributed at the Musan Mine in Musan county early this month, but workers reportedly grumbled when the amount distributed fell short of expectations.
When potatoes were handed out early this month at the Songjin Steel Mill in Kimchaek, workers griped that the rations “were barely enough to last a few days.”
Many company workers ground the corn into cornmeal or sold the potatoes and used the proceeds to buy other kinds of food, the source said.
“Since the food that was distributed was poor quality and liable to rot after a few days, workers were generally inclined to grind it into meal or sell it for other foods that could be turned into porridge. These were the first rations in some time, but they weren’t enough to stabilize workers’ livelihoods,” the source said.
Performance-based system sparks outrage
The source explained that workers were also displeased by how the rations were distributed. In the past, each company was given a certain amount of food to distribute evenly, but this time, the amount of rations depended on workers’ attendance and performance.
“Workers who were absent because of sickness didn’t receive any rations. Outraged workers demand to know whether they and their families are supposed to starve to death,” the source said.
Locals who are not part of those large enterprises were also jealous about not receiving any rations.
More grievances were voiced by the farm workers who had grown the crops in question.
“Since big companies were the first beneficiaries of this year’s corn and potato crops, farm workers complain about struggling to afford a bowl of gruel after slaving away all year on the farm. The party claims that boosting productivity is the goal of giving the first rations to company workers, but farm workers complain they just feel more jealous than ever,” the source said.
There is also grumbling about potato prices at the country’s informal marketplaces staying stubbornly high despite the rations.
When rations are distributed, some of the food is typically released to marketplaces, which often brings prices down, at least temporarily. But this time, prices have remained high, leaving North Koreans to struggle under the burden of high prices.
“The price of potatoes remains in the 3,500-4,000 won range at major marketplaces in North Hamgyong province. Locals complain that prices don’t decrease when most of the supply is given to companies instead of being dumped on the markets. People had hoped things might be different on the 80th anniversary of the party’s establishment and are disappointed they aren’t,” the source said.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: dailynk.com
