＜Interview with Two N.Koreans＞ What do people think about the military parade, missile launches, and controls on information?

◆ Most people don’t care about nuclear weapons or missiles

“B” is a housewife in her 30s. She sells goods in a local market.

——How did people respond to the military parade?

B:　People didn’t react in a special way. The government must’ve spent a lot of money, but a lot of people don’t really understand what’s going on. I exchange information with ASIAPRESS, so I get what’s going on, but many people don’t.

I watched the parade just because I was ordered to do so. I don’t really care because I’m more worried about putting food on the table. I don’t know the situation in Pyongyang, but out here in the provinces we are in a battle to survive.

——Is anyone interested in nuclear weapons and missiles?

B:　The US held talks with us because we conducted nuclear weapons tests. I think that people think that the country needs to strengthen its independent defense capabilities.

On April 30’s Saturday study session (which was held after the military parade), a cadre from the municipal branch of the Workers’ Party propaganda department repeated the following over the course of an hour: “We have acquired defense capabilities so that no one can touch us. We must focus all our efforts on economic development along with agriculture.”

——Are there many people who know about what’s happening in the outside world?

B:　Those that do are people involved in trade. I heard one person say: “We are facing sanctions because of nuclear weapons and missiles, so we should just keep them without doing any tests.” He also said that, “It would be better to shoot off our nukes onto a deserted island rather than spending money on military parades.” He added that, “Continuing to show off weapons is aimed at jumpstarting negotiations.” Regular people, however, don’t have any interest in this kind of thing.

※ Kim Il-sung participated in the creation of an anti-Japanese guerilla force made up of Chinese and Koreans in China’s northeastern region, but it is not true that he formed the Korean People’s Army in 1932.

※ ASIAPRESS smuggles Chinese cell phones into North Korea to communicate with its reporting partners.