North Korean Economy Watch

From the Daily NK
10/30/2006
Kim Young Jin

A number of sources in North Korea told the Daily NK on Wednesday about an epidemic spread along the northern border area of NK including Hyesan, Bochun and Baek-am counties, all in Ryanggang Province. The area was closed and quarantined.

An anonymous former defector in Seoul reported, based on a telephone conversation on Wednesday with her family living in Hyesan, because of a spread of scarlet fever, transportation around the region was interrupted.

Break out of scarlet fever in that area was, reportedly, the first time since 1945.

And “residents of Hyesan do not possess any medical knowledge about the disease,” the informant continued.

North Korean health officials closed the border north to Hyesan and administrative body of the regional government stopped issuing travel permits.

In addition, Railroad Agency and People’s Security Agency (NK police organization) ordered operation of regional transportation system to be suspended. Merchants from other regions were prohibited to enter Hyesan and adjacent area. Also, transaction with Chinese people across the border was banned.

The family of the informant said the local government announced travel permits would not be reissued by Nov. 5.

Besides, due to the temporary travel ban rule, commodity prices in black market skyrocketed; exchange rate reached 100 Chinese yuan per 40,000 NK won and 1 kg of rice cost 1,500 NK won.

Another former defector analyzed that North Korea authorities were trying to regulate the residents after the nuclear test, preventing them from defecting to China.

“In the mid 90s,” the ex-defector continued, “inland residents mass-defected across the border, so the current control of border might be a preventive measure against possible wave of defection after the UN sanction.”

From the Daily NK:

North Koreans “1 out of 10 Households Have Diseased Patients”

Paratyphoid, an acute illness of the digestive system, is spreading over North Hwanghae province, including Haeju City.

Paratyphoid is an epidemic which spread throughout Hamkyung, Jakang, Yangkang provinces during the ‘March of Tribulation’ in the mid-90’s.

“Just Education, No Inoculation”

On July 12, Choi Gil Yeo (pseudonym, 59, Haeju of South Hwanghae province) who returned from visiting her relatives in Dandong, China said that, “Since May, the number of Paratyphoid patients has been rising in Haeju city, Chongdan-gun and Shinwon-gun. At least 1 out of 10 households has a Paratyphoid patient”.

Regarding the measures the North Korean government has taken, Choi said that, “the administration and the Public Health administration instructed people “to drink boiled water” and “confine patients to houses”, but did not take any action on vaccination or prevention of the epidemics”.

On the 13th, Kim, a Chinese trader staying in Shinuiju, said during a phone interview that, “In Shinuiju, rumor has it that Paratyphoid is spreading over Hwanghae province, and wholesalers from Haeju, Sariwon, and Nampo have been purchasing increasingly more antibiotics, dextrose packs and syringes.

An interview with Choi is as follows:

To what degree is Paratyphoid spreading?Have there been any deaths?

“Some people have died. I heard from a people’s unit (a neighborhood association) meeting that some have died in Seohae-dong, Gwnagsuk-dong, Yeonha-dong, and Sukmi-dong of Haeju city. Chongdan-gun and Shinwon-gun have had a few deaths. I do not know what the number is, yet at least 1 out of 10 houses has a patient. In the apartment where I live there are two patients.”

The Main Causes Are Polluted Water and Malnutrition

How did the North Korean people discover the causes of the illnesses?

“Originally, tap water from Haeju city and South Hwanghae province was not sufficient to drink. Tap water is salty and has rust as well as some earthworms and insects in it, but that has been the case since two or three years ago. Each district has dug wells to solve the problem. People think that polluted water is the cause of the epidemic, although the more important cause is malnutrition.”

What symptoms do Paratyphoid patients experience?

“A woman living in the house below me had begun to get sick in mid-June, with a 41℃ temperature. She had a high fever, and for one or two days at a time she would be delirious, then would be herself again. But if diarrhea begins, there is no chance of survival. Surviving would mean living without normal brain capacity for the rest of your life.”

How are hospitals treating patients?

“Hospitals? At the moment, Haeju does not have any fully-functioning hospitals. No medicine, no doctors, no patients who want to go to the doctor. Only for surgical operations do people go to the hospital. These kinds of epidemics are not curable even at hospitals. People just treat themselves at home as much as possible. The Haeju 1 hospital and Haeju medical university are also hopeless.”

“The government takes “No responsibility”, everything should be solved in Jangmadang”

What does home treatment consist of?

“Wealthy people just go and buy medicine, but poor people put a cool towel on their head to lower fever and then eat warm soup. The poor do not care whether they live or die…Because they have no way of receiving help. A doctor’s visit costs about 5,000 to 10,000 won ($1.67~$3.33) each. With that money, they could buy medicine in Jangmadang and try to treat themselves.”

What kinds of medicine do they buy?

“Usually they buy Chinese medicine called “Lebo” in Jangmadang. “Lebo” consists of tablets and powdered medicine which is taken with dextrose. They also take antifebriles sent by the U.N.”

How much does the medicine cost?

“Syringes are 200 won ($0.07) a piece, which can be used again with sterilization. Dextrose (25 mg) is 250 won a pack. “Lebo” is 1,500 won ($0.5) a piece. Antifebriles sent by the U.N. are 300 won ($0.1) a tablet. “Lebo” is effective if injected with powdered medicine and dextrose twice a day. Twice daily injections and a piece of antifebrile cost 3.000 won ($1), which for a month costs a patient 10,000 won.”

Is it easy to buy the medicine in Jangmadang?

The Seo Market in Yeonha-dong, Haeju city has the biggest variety of medicine. You can buy the medicine anytime if you have the money. But the price of Paratyphoid medicine and antifebriles are increasing. In Seo Market there are a couple of stalls which buy medicine from wholesalers in Shinuiju and sell it. State-run drug stores do not have medicine any more, so they are used as grocery stores. In Jangmadang, most of the medicine is from the U.S. and China, and the little medicine that was made in North Korea is very coarse.

Paratyphoid is an epidemic from malnutrition and poverty

Are families of patients preparing for the epidemic?

“Paratyphoid is an epidemic that generally the poor and malnourished people are vulnerable to. A normal monthly wage for many is less than 2000 won ($0.67), which means if the people come down with the illness, they cannot afford to buy medicine. Poverty leads to the disease, and also often leads to the worsening of the situation.”

How about tap water?

“Only in places such as Gwangsuk-dong and Haewoon-dong, does tap water still run sufficiently. altough it is only public tap water. Almost everyone must rely on wells and springs buried in the mountains.”

What kind of action has the Health administration taken?

“The only thing the government does is “education”, instructing people to drink boiled tap water, confine patients to their houses, and sterilize bowls and spoons. The government has only watched as people die of starvation and illness.”

Have you ever received medicine sent by the U.N and South Korea?

“Everyone knows that the U.N. and South Korea send medicine. However, hospitals and clinics do not receive the medicine. Even state-run pharmacies do not have any medicine. All the medicine is sold in Jangmadang.”

Epidemic in North Korea spreads despite quarantine
From Yonhap
11/15/2006

Scarlet fever has been spreading fast in North Korea for nearly a month and is showing signs of becoming a full-blown pandemic despite efforts by North Korean authorities to contain the disease, a source close to the North said Wednesday.

The disease first broke out in the communist state’s northern Yanggang Province last month, but is quickly spreading to other parts of the country, the source told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity.
 

From the Daily NK:
7/19/2006

It has recently been learned that such acute infectious diseases as Paratyphoid, Whooping Cough and Leprosy are going around Yangkang, Hamkyung, and Hwanghae provinces, and are beginning to spread all over the country.

This news came after a follow-up story reported by two special correspondents from the DailyNK, who examined N.Korean border areas and interviewed 17 North Korean residents from those areas.

“It is certainly a period of hardship. The North Korean people do not have enough to eat and so are malnourished. All kinds of unidentified epidemics are spreading out over the country. Two or three house in each area seem to have a few infectious cases. Tuberculosis is not considered as a serious disease. Women and the elderly come down with Paratyphoid, and children infected with Whooping Cough are confined in preschools”, said Choi Gil Yeo (pseudonym, 59, Haeju of South Hwanghae province).

“It is similar to what occurred during the ‘March of Tribulation’ 10 years ago”

Last spring, the diseases appeared in Hwanghae, Yangkang, and North Hamkyung provinces, and they have been spreading to inland areas since.

in addition, some people living in Yangkang province came down with ‘unidentified epidemics’ whose symptoms are oozing skin sores. resembling leprosy. Many in the North Korean government fear that the disease is a rection to infected beef or pork ingested by people who were subsequently stricken with the illness.

During the last 3 months of research, all of the North Koreans (11 defectors and 6 travelers) interviewed in the border areas around the Yalu and Tumen Rivers expressed the same opinion that, “Various epidemics are going around. It is similar to the March of Tribulation period (when numerous North Koreans died of starvation in the mid-90s). During the period, all kinds of epidemics were going around”.

Present travelers to China are already aware of the names, symptoms and causes of the epidemics thanks to local household educators and medicinal peddlers in Jangmadang, illustrating that the epidemics have already begun to spread all over the country.

People who are infected with Paratyphoid experience high fever, diarrhea and acute digestive problems. The epidemic seems to have began in Hwang Hae province and later spread to Pyongan and Hamkyung provinces. Deaths due to Paratyphoid have been increasing.

On June 12, Choi Gil Yeo, who came back from visiting her relatives in Dandong said that, “Since the end of May, the number of Paratyphoid patients and deaths has been rising in Haeju city, and the Chungdan district and Shinwon districts. I do not know how many people are infected, but at least 1 out of 10 households is infected with Paratyphoid”.

Prevention through nutrition: “the disease appears only in poor countries”

Whooping Cough is an acute respiratory disease which often affects children under the age of 10, and has spread to some areas of North Hwanghae, Hamkyung, and Pyongan provinces. In Hamheung province a few children have died from the illness.

Park Chul Man (pseudonym, 62, South HamKyung province), who came into China via Tomen maritime customs in Yanbian reported that, “Since the middle of April, Whooping Cough has been going around among children in preschools, and in June, a few infants died. In Hamheung and Chungjin provinces, even elementary school students are restricted from traveling due to fears of the disease spreading”.

In Haesan, in the Kim-hyeong-jik district of Hangkang province, unidentified epidemics are spreading.

Defector Lee Sung Hee (pseudonym, 25) said that, “Some infected cows and pigs were sold at butchers in Jangmadang, and people who ate the diseased meat showed symptoms of peeling and oozing skin. We do not yet know what it is, but people are calling it leprosy”.

Lee said that, “The North Korean government has restricted meat sales in Yangkang province. In addition, Haesan, Kim-hyeong-jik, Kimjongsook and Bochun districts are also under tight control in order to prevent the diseased meat from being introduced into those areas”.

In the meantime, defector Park Jeong Hwa (pseudonym, 36) added that, “I spoke with my family in North Korea over the phone and heard that leprosy was going around. Now, when people are issued a travel certificate by the police, a “personal hygiene certificate” from the health administration is also necessary”.

The North Korean government systemically deprives citizens of medicine provided by the international society

The North Korean people see malnutrition as the main cause of the epidemics.

Generally, diseases in North Korea have come from malnutrition, and are considered diseases that occur only in poor countries. An important note regarding the current epidemic is that the diseases are similar to the ones that prevailed during the period of famine in the mid-90s.

Kang Sun Mi (pseudonym, 59, Sariwon) from Yanji said that, “Tuberculosis, typhoid fever, paratyphoid, and whooping cough are the same diseases that prevailed during the March of Tribulation, which many people fear is beginning again”.

Defector Kim, working as a doctor in Longjing, said that, “North Korean hospitals do not have medicine or medical instruments, and doctors do not receive food rations, forcing them to go to Jangmadang or to work for the Foreign currency department”.

Kim said that, “officers working at National organizations monopolize all medicine and food aid so that normal citizens do not have access to them”.

Kim also said that, “medicines are light and small, and are therefore easy to exchange for cash. National organizations and the foreign currency department therefore want medicines more than food aid. if the international society would like to provide medicinal aid, it should be given to local clinics directly rather than big hospitals in cities”.

On the other hand, some North Koreans, including those interviewed since July 5, responded that it was natural for them to have been informed about the missile test from a wired broadcast aired by (North) Korean Central Broadcasting, the only broadcasting channel operated in the North.