Squid for sale on the street. Taken by Lee Song-hee, Sadong District of Pyongyang in December 2008. (ASIAPRESS)
*Cash hungry North Koreans rushing to crew fishing vessels
“The fishing base,” built by Donju capital, provides fishing vessels, fishing equipment, and fuel, but hires civilians to man each vessel. A reporting partner in North Hamkyung Province reported in late November, “Young men are eager to join these fishing crews because it’s hard for them to find paid employment.”
A relative of the reporter got a job on a fishing boat. What’s the pay like?
“I heard that the catch is divided 6:4, between the owner of the vessel and the crew. 15kg of rice per month is distributed to the crew.” While the captain and the chief engineer know how to sail and navigate, the crew has no knowledge about the sea. It is extremely dangerous to sail in deep waters using such a small vessel, but the catch promises a valuable income, it’s possible to earn several hundred dollars in just one sailing.
*Effect of the economic sanctions?
Some commentators have speculated that the wreckages washing up on Japanese shores are the result of excessive North Korean fishing to overcome the food shortages, the result of the economic sanctions. In reality, however, food items are traded in large volume in markets across North Korea. The price of rice and corn recently hit a low point for 2017, due to the completion of the annual harvest. Seafood is not a substitute for every day staples. It doesn’t make sense to eat the fish as a source of calories, caught using valuable fuel. Catching squid is purely for economic gain, not to feed hungry people.
The ripple effect of international economic sanctions is impacting on the cost of fuel in North Korea, causing a sharp rise in prices. The North Korean government began to control the supply of fuel from April, as it anticipated the decrease of foreign earnings and the sanctions on the oil imports, which in turn prompted a doubling in the cost of gasoline and diesel. “As the fuel prices increased sharply, they use fuel mixed with low quality oil for sailing. It causes a lot of engine troubles,” our reporting partner explained.
Two squid seasons a year offer opportunities to make money for even the small fishing bases and the crew on board.
The reporting partner in Yanggang Province explained: Squid is expensive this year because of the poor catch. Even though trading companies don’t buy the squid, the price is still high. The price per a kg used to be 30 Chinese Yuan (KRW 4,900), this increased to CNY40 (KRW 6,500). Squid can be easily preserved and smuggled because its lightweight. Are they trying to smuggle squid to meet the demands of Chinese consumers as we approach the Lunar New Year?
Drifting North Korean fishing vessels are not spy ships. They are fishing boats from the “Fishing Bases” who are willing to risk ship and crew each season in a bid to get-rich-quick.
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* Editor’s notes on North Korean reporters
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