{"id":4824,"date":"2021-01-27T18:25:02","date_gmt":"2021-01-27T09:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4824"},"modified":"2022-05-16T18:01:09","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T09:01:09","slug":"denryoku","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2021\/01\/society-economy\/denryoku\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e Running out of Juice: Regional Cities Receiving Just 2 Hours of Tap Water and Electricity per Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Photo) With no running water due to power shortages, fetching water is an important part of the daily routine. A young girl lifts a carrying pole, photographed in South Hwanghae Province in October 2008 by Shim Wichon (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

In North Korea, the economic paralysis is becoming more serious due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the electric power situation is becoming more severe as the country enters the cold season. Each year, the supply of electricity usually worsens drastically until March because hydroelectric power generation is reduced due to the freezing off rivers. In mid-January, we investigated the electricity and water supply situation in the northern region of North Korea.\u00a0 (Kang Ji-won)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u25c6Electricity is available only for two hours a day in Hoeryong City.<\/h2>\n

Hoeryong City in North Hamgyong Province is the birthplace of Kim Jong-suk, the mother of Kim Jong-il. As a result, the area has often been favored regarding urban and infrastructure development. A local factory worker gave the following explanation:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe electricity supply is available for an average of only 2 hours a day, sometimes 4 hours on days when the electricity supply is high. The voltage is so weak that the fuses often blow. Acts of \u2018stealing\u2019 electricity for industrial use without permission continues, so the authorities have warned that they will punish anyone, even officials, regardless of their position. Tap water is available twice a day for about 30-40 minutes, but some houses are completely unable to use it due to freezing. Many people do not have enough cash to buy firewood for heating. Since electricity is also not working, people are almost freezing to death.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u25c6Musan County, home to the largest iron mine in North Korea<\/h2>\n

Musan County, which is also located in North Hamgyong Province, is the home of North Korea\u2019s largest iron mine and has been a priority recipient for electricity. However, due to the economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council, the export of iron has been banned, and Chinese companies, which are North Korea\u2019s joint venture partners, have withdrawn from the market and left the industry in a slump. \u201cLast year, we only produced a little iron for the domestic market, and every day we are asked to do nothing but maintenance,\u201d<\/strong> says a miner.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe electricity supply for residents is only 2 to 3 hours a day and some days it only comes for an hour. During the \u201880 Day-Battle\u2019 at the end of last year, the electricity supply was concentrated in the iron mines and rural areas during the threshing season, so the general public barely received any electricity. Water service is only available in the apartments up to the second floor at the moment as the water pressure is too weak to go up. It comes out for about 30 minutes to an hour in the morning and evening.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Next Page: \u25c6Hyesan, the central city of ...<\/strong><\/p>\n

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

\u25c6Hyesan, the central city of Ryanggang Province<\/h2>\n

The city of Hyesan, in the northern Ryanggang Province, is the capital of the province and one of the hub cities for trade with China, but it has been hit hard by the coronavirus quarantine that has blocked the border. A relatively affluent resident living in the centre of the city said:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe electricity supply is about 2 hours a day. About once a week it comes for 4 to 5 hours. I can\u2019t even charge my cell phone. People who steal electricity used to let us charge our phones for a fee, but lately they don\u2019t offer to do so anymore because they are afraid of being tipped off. Also, the water supply runs for about 2 hours a day, but because of the typhoid epidemic, it is mixed with disinfectant and smells too bad to drink.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u25c6Progress in Installing Electricity Meters<\/h2>\n

Electricity bills are determined based on the number and type of appliances, but not based on the amount of electricity used. However, there is an officer from the electricity distribution department of the government who comes to check appliances from house to house.<\/p>\n

After Kim Jong-un\u2019s regime came to power, a system of charging based on the amount of electricity used was introduced, which means that electricity usage must now be monitored. Although the authorities planned to install electricity meters in all households from around 2017, all costs were to be borne by individuals. Since Chinese meters cost 20-30 US dollars, and the lack of electricity is an ongoing issue, Pyongyang residents have been highly resisting calls to install them and, as a result, the installation was delayed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like the \u2018user charge system\u2019 has started recently,\u201d <\/strong>says a reporting partner living in Musan county.
\n\u201cThe installation of electricity meters, which started in Pyongyang and the big cities, is now being strongly promoted in the provincial cities and counties as well. From now on, people will be asked to pay only for what they use. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we can no longer buy Chinese made meters and we have to use meters made at the Daean Heavy Machinery Factory which is located at South Pyongan Province.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u203b ASIAPRESS contacts its reporting partners in North Korea through smuggled Chinese mobile phones.<\/p>\n

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