There are increasing challenges in comprehending trends inside North Korea and what North Koreans are thinking due to the Kim Jong-un regime’s extreme measures to isolate the country following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020.
Despite this situation, ASIAPRESS was able to hear about conditions inside the country in early June through a reporting partner in the northern region of the country. Over the course of a two-part series, ASIAPRESS will publish the audio of the interview conducted with this reporting partner.
In May, the National Intelligence Service reported to South Korea’s National Assembly that starvation deaths and suicides have increased due to the worsening of North Korea’s food shortages. The American media outlet RFA and the South Korean media outlet Daily NK have also reported on food shortages in the country, which is so severe that it has led to starvation deaths.
ASIAPRESS has long reported on North Korea’s humanitarian crisis. We will now publish the audio of the interviews we conducted with North Koreans by phone about starvation deaths. (HAN Ha-yu)
※ ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.
Interview About Conditions Inside North Korea Pt.2 -What people think about the satellite launch-
- ＜Inside N. Korea＞ Regime demands provincial party cadres to write self-criticisms regarding failure to social chaos, including starvation deaths
- ＜Inside N. Korea＞Police decided to use gun to combat rash of robberies…Soldiers also frequently take part in robberies, using “knives to threaten people and take away their bicycles, phones, and even their clothes”
- ＜Inside N. Korea＞ The Kim Jong-un regime prevents news of frequent suicides from spreading
- ＜Investigation Inside N. Korea＞Famine in the provinces : “Many people have died from the start of May due to starvation and disease…” (1) The state’s food supplies have hit rock bottom
- The Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Act calls for execution of violators in a bid to eliminate South Korean style speech from the DPRK
