◆ Water being supplied for only 2 hours a day
North Korea relies on hydroelectricity for about 70% of its power. Every winter, when the rivers freeze, electricity production falls, not recovering until late March.
The area from where the information was reported is home to many mountains and dams, so the power situation is generally much better than in other provincial cities.
Speaking on the worsening living conditions, the reporting partner in Hyesan, Ryanggang Province, explained, "The electricity supply deteriorated quite suddenly starting in May. I can't even charge my cell phone. None of the nearby factories are operating properly. Water is only available twice a day. Even that is mixed with dirt because it rained heavily during the rainy season. Many people drink it and get diarrhea because they cannot afford to buy firewood to boil the water beforehand." (Kang Ji-won)
※ ASIAPRESS contacts its reporting partners in North Korea through smuggled Chinese mobile phones.
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Editor’s notes on North Korean reporters
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