Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea since 2011. (KCNA)

Life in North Korea: People are Trapped in Cycle of Corruption

Another report on North Korea says that North Koreans are trapped in a vicious cycle of corruption, deprivation, and repression only to make ends meet. The report entitled “The Price is Right” was published by the United Nations human rights on Tuesday (5/28) based on interviews with 214 defectors in 2017 and 2018.

The report highlights how North Koreans must face a daily struggle to get the basics, which is further hampered by officials demanding bribes from the people. In addition, the UN human rights criticizes and accuses the economic mismanagement under Kim Jong-un's government as a factor that caused misery to the people.  

It also notes that the state-run distribution system that had collapsed since the 1990s has made everyday rations are no longer enough to survive. So that people have to turn to informal markets which exist in a legal grey area. Yet these leave people vulnerable to officials wanting bribes. As one defector said in an interview if North Koreans only follow instructions coming from the government they will starve to death.

As reported, people who earn money this way may be arrested and detained. But for those who have the resources can escape from anything, including murder.

Michelle Bachelet, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the right to food, work, shelter, freedom of movement, and liberty are universal and inalienable. Yet people in North Korea depend mainly on the individuals’ ability to bribe state officials in order to get all of this.

The World Food Program estimates that 10.1 million people are now suffering from severe food shortages in North Korea which aggravated by the worst harvest in the past decade.

Despite the problem, the report notes that the North Korean government still prioritizes its funding on the military over ensuring people have enough food.

Through its Geneva mission, North Korea responded angrily to the report and said the statements issued by defectors were just fabrication. Whereas blaming its economic woes on sanctions which are imposed due to its nuclear weapons programs.