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Although the devastating floods that hit the northeast regions of North Korea have left some 50,000 homes damaged, reconstruction efforts have largely focused on restoring historic sites. In an effort to tout its concern for the people, Pyongyang has even diverted shock troops who were previously working on a major legacy project in the capital. However, the heavy emphasis on historical relics over homes is instead causing complaints.“In the downtown area of Musan County, some tens of thousands of people have been displaced as over half of the 10,000 homes have been flooded, but the state has only been restoring damaged historical buildings and propaganda billboards,” a source from North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK in a telephone conversation. “They’ve set this as their primary goal and are even using highly durable cement for the repairs.”Residents who have lost their homes and belongings are outraged, criticizing the government for “wasting materials” on such facilities despite the “impending cold weather,” reported the source. Although Pyongyang has been widely publicizing its recovery efforts through state newspapers and broadcasts, the reconstruction of homes has been designated as the responsibility of state-run factory workers sent from other provinces, as opposed to shock troopers who are relatively better equipped and trained for such work. Adding to this, the state is seeking to fund these recovery efforts by pressuring residents from across the nation to contribute money and/or provisions, reported a source in South Hamgyong Province. Goods such as blankets, clothing, and even kitchen supplies are also being forcibly confiscated from citizens and redistributed to the flood regions.“They’re demanding between 50-100 RMB from households with average income, while from those better off, they’re forcing residents to pay up hundreds,” the South Hamgyong-based source said. “When it comes to students, they’ve set a target of 5,000-10,000 KPW [0.50-1 USD] for each student and getting classes to compete against each other in a ‘loyalty race.’”
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Topic: NK: Post-flood reconstruction efforts prioritize historic sites over homes (Read 369 times)
