＜Inside N. Korea＞ "Vehicle Vandalism" Surges — Resentment Over Wealth Gap Boils Over — "Veterans and People in Their 40s–50s Are the Main Perpetrators"

Since private vehicle ownership was permitted in North Korea in 2025, incidents of vehicle vandalism and assault have surged in the northern regions, prompting discussion at party organizational meetings and emergency enforcement action by police. Crimes including slashed tires, smashed windows, keyed bodywork, and physical attacks have occurred in rapid succession, with veterans and people in their 40s and 50s said to be the primary perpetrators. A reporting partner living in the northern region described the situation in early April as "an outpouring of frustration over economic inequality and the widening wealth gap." (JEON Seong-jun / KANG Ji-won)

◆ Security Forces on Emergency Alert Over Vehicle Vandalism — "Envy of Car Ownership Is the Biggest Factor"

Reporting Partner A, a Workers' Party member living in North Hamgyong Province, reported in early April that crimes against private property have been rampant in the area.

"There's been a surge in property destruction and unprovoked assaults on individuals, and the security forces are on emergency alert. Among the most common incidents are people puncturing tires on private cars, smashing windows, keying the bodywork, and spitting on vehicles. Car owners have been responding by parking near CCTV cameras or installing dashcams."

Reporting Partner A said that envy of car ownership is above all the driving factor.

"Cars are the biggest source of jealousy. How nicely someone furnishes their home isn't that visible, and going out to restaurants isn't either — but driving a car is out there for everyone to see. People who thought they were on the same level as everyone else are suddenly living in a completely different world, and that's what's causing the resentment."

Reporting Partner A went on to emphasize the seriousness of the situation: "People who've made some money — running restaurants and the like — and drive their own cars are the targets. At first I thought it was just personal spite and jealousy, but now it's being raised at party meetings, which tells you how bad it's gotten."

◆ Conduct Officially Labeled "Subversive Behavior" at Party Cell Life Reviews

As the problem grew more serious, it was officially addressed in early April at a saenghwal chonghwa — a party life review session held for party members.

"The agenda item was that 'subversive behaviors appearing across various sectors are acts that undermine the socialist system,' and the cell secretary [the official responsible for the lowest-level party unit] spoke to the issue. The message was that criminal acts targeting specific individuals, enterprise officials, and commercial vehicles must be dealt with severely, and that party members must take the lead in conveying the party's intentions to the public so that these problems don't arise in their communities. They said, 'commercial vehicles,' but in practice, they mean private cars.

The gist of the meeting was: 'Some degenerate individuals are venting their resentment at their own circumstances by physically lashing out at the changes happening around them and committing various crimes — party members must take the lead in conducting ideological education so this doesn't become a social problem.' But after the meeting, people were turning to each other saying, 'Who could possibly stop this?' and 'How are we supposed to educate anyone out of this?' — they were at a loss."

◆ Veterans and People in Their 40s–50s at the Center of the Incidents

A notable question is who is committing these acts and why. Reporting Partner A analyzes the underlying cause as deepening economic disparity and inequality, and shared candid thoughts:

"Most of the people detained by the security forces for similar incidents this time were said to be veterans and people in their 40s and 50s. Ordinary workers have no hope of owning a car, and there's a widespread sense that if you don't become a cadre, you're condemned to live and die that way forever.

You head to work in the morning having barely managed a bowl of corn rice, and then you see someone driving past kicking up dust or strutting around in clean clothes with a bag full of money — the contrast couldn't be starker.

Is this socialism or capitalism? What do we get for working hard? I catch myself thinking that too. Some people struggle no matter how hard they try, while others were born to the right parents, have the right connections, and eat out at restaurants every day. I'm sure plenty of others feel the same way I do."

◆ Authorities Preparing a Compensation System?

When private vehicle ownership was abruptly permitted in early 2025, large quantities of vehicles flooded in from China through state-sanctioned smuggling channels. Cases of the powerful and the wealthy snapping them up and driving them around multiplied rapidly.

With the wealth gap being thrown into stark relief by cars, frustration among local residents is boiling over. Veterans and the working class — groups who were supposed to be among the privileged — are now emerging as a discontented faction, turning aggressive.

As the situation deteriorates, the authorities are working on countermeasures, the reporting partner said.

"In response to these incidents, it's said that a compensation system is being established — through state support and insurance (seemingly vehicle damage insurance) — to cover losses to state and social property. They're not calling it private property; they're calling it social property."

※ ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.