{"id":4114,"date":"2019-03-04T14:10:49","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T05:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4114"},"modified":"2019-03-28T13:10:30","modified_gmt":"2019-03-28T04:10:30","slug":"wait-for-electricity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2019\/03\/recommendations\/wait-for-electricity\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cKim-Trump Summit\uff1eLeft in the Dark: With No End to Sanctions in Sight, Citizens Face a Long Wait for Electricity"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Photo) A girl collects water during a power outage. With all her strength, she hoists the pails of water. Photographed in South Hwanghae Province in October 2008 by Shim Uicheon (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c6Left with little choice, citizens learn to steal electricity from the government<\/h2>\n

While their leader met with President Trump in Hanoi, North Korean citizens were left in the dark- unsure if an agreement had been made to bring an end to sanctions. With negotiations breaking down, however, North Korean citizens will be left in the dark once more- this time, literally.<\/p>\n

According to a survey conducted by ASIAPRESS reporting partners in January and February, residents in the northern provinces of North Korea have been living without electricity, almost entirely, since November of last year. While government agencies and important industrial facilities have been guaranteed electricity, residential areas across Yanggang Province and North Hamkyung Province have remained pitch black. In addition, most areas in North Pyongan Province, apart from Sinuiju City, have been without electricity as well.<\/p>\n

According to a reporting partner, \u201cThere is total darkness at night. Electricity isn\u2019t supplied to these regions- not even 1 second\u2019s worth. Some people manage to steal electricity from the government agencies, while others are bribing officials for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collecting information for ASIAPRESS, most reporting partners found that bribes for electricity in Yanggang and North Hamkyung Province typically amounted to 20,000 North Korean won per month (about 2.5 USD).
\nNext page : As 70 percent of the country\u2019s electric supply\u2026 <\/strong><\/strong>
\nAs 70 percent of the country\u2019s electric supply is produced through hydroelectric conversion, winter is usually a very difficult time for North Koreans, as rivers freeze and power plants lose productivity. Frozen rivers are not to blame for the current lack of electricity, however, as residents in the northern provinces have been without electricity for almost 2 years now.<\/p>\n

Last year, in late June, residents received a temporary reprieve from this situation, when their homes were suddenly supplied with electricity for 10 hours each day. According to an official of the South Korean government, \u201cAfter Kim Jong-un met with Xi Jinping last summer, China appeared to supply electricity to North Korea.\u201d<\/p>\n

The North Koreans\u2019 delight was short-lived however. In October, their lights were once more doused, as the electricity supply was cut off. The reason for this was that Kim Jong-un had decided to redirect electricity to Samjiyeon county, where construction for a new \u2018special tourist zone\u2019 was underway. The project eventually shuttered down, however, after builders ran out of construction materials and funding.<\/p>\n

With no electricity supplied to their homes since the start of the construction in Samjiyeon, some northern residents turned to crime, finding ways to steal the electricity supplied to local government agencies and industrial facilities. This not only hampered the operations of these sites but also resulted in several dangerous fires caused by short-circuits. To address this rising issue, a government task force was created to eradicate illegal electricity use. The group has apparently had little success, however, with residents using bribes and connections with local officials to get away with stealing electricity.<\/p>\n

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A map of North Korea (produced by ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

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