{"id":4348,"date":"2019-10-18T12:31:48","date_gmt":"2019-10-18T03:31:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4348"},"modified":"2019-10-23T11:18:11","modified_gmt":"2019-10-23T02:18:11","slug":"special-holiday-rations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2019\/10\/politics\/special-holiday-rations\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e Hard Up on the Holidays: Government Fails Again to Supply Citizens with Special Holiday Rations"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A pack of domestically produced snacks handed out to children in 2012 to mark Kim Jong-Il\u2019s birthday. On the pack is written, \u201cWe have nothing to envy\u201d. However, the snacks were said to be rather tasteless and many tried to instead sell the snacks at the market. (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c6 No rations given to mark either the Sept. 9 National Foundation Day or Oct. 10 Party Foundation Day<\/h2>\n

The 4 major holidays celebrated in North Korea are Kim Jong-il\u2019s birthday on Feb. 16, Kim Il-sung\u2019s birthday on April 15, the National Foundation Day on Sept. 9, and the Party Foundation Day on Oct. 10. Additional holidays include: Lunar New Year, Chuseok, and Liberation Day, celebrated on Aug. 15.<\/p>\n

Traditionally, citizens would receive \u2018special holiday distributions\u2019 to mark the birthdays of the nation\u2019s leaders or on other such holidays. Up until the early 90\u2019s, citizens would receive alcohol, cooking oil, and meat, with students receiving sweets, school uniforms, and classroom supplies. In the 2000\u2019s, however, following the period of famine known as the \u201cArduous March\u201d, these special holiday rations became poorer in quantity and quality. With the state struggling financially, all that the citizens could hope to receive in their distributions were a few snacks, a bottle of cooking oil, or a set of toothpaste.
\nNext page :What about the holidays in September and October this year? <\/strong>
\nWhat about the holidays in September and October this year?<\/p>\n

A reporting partner living in Musan County, North Hamkyung Province, said by phone, \u201cThe last time we received a bottle of cooking oil was on August 15. There were no special holiday distributions given to citizens to mark either of the holidays on Sept. 9 and Oct. 10. There was nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, many party agencies, local people\u2019s committees, law enforcement agencies, and trading companies made efforts to independently procure supplies in order to distribute special holiday rations.<\/p>\n

As if quite embarrassed, the reporting partner explained, \u201cThe local authorities make money on the side, so have been distributing special rations independently. Party agencies, meanwhile, have provided cooking oil, sugar, pork, and MSG with the support of trading companies. The Musan branch of the Kangsung Company (a trading company) gave to each of its employees 100 Chinese won (roughly 16,000 South Korean won), 20 kilograms of white rice, and 5 liters of cooking oil.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMusan residents are furious, with many saying, \u2018The state agencies have given no special holiday rations to residents but state officials and trading company officials are receiving supplies- it\u2019s ridiculous!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

What about soldiers of the military? According to the reporting partner, troops stationed in Musan County were supplied with 100 grams of pork to mark the holiday on October 10. In addition, the Musan County People\u2019s Committee planned to supply children with sweets from a local factory but could not, in the end, secure the budget for the fee demanded by the factory.<\/p>\n

The reporting partner concluded, \u201cThere is no money in the country. September 9 and October 10 are important national holidays, so special rations were always supplied one way or another to residents. This year, though, residents didn\u2019t even get a single toothbrush or tube of toothpaste.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were similar reports from across the country in 2018, when residents also did not receive any special rations to mark the October 10 holiday. (Kang Ji-won)<\/p>\n

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