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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Nork Scrap Iron Drive Ramped Up for '12 |
| 2012-03-23 |
| The North Korean authorities have issued orders demanding the collection of 10kg of scrap iron per person in advance of this April’s major national events. A source from North Hamkyung Province today Daily NK yesterday, “The authorities are shouting about how we must collect more than 10kg of scrap iron per person from factories, schools and homes in every area of North Korea, including Pyongyang.” Scrap iron collection is not a new idea; North Korea ordinarily carries out similar drives twice a year in spring and autumn. However, right up until last year the amount requested was ordinarily less than 5kg and the policy was not implemented very strictly. People who did not submit their share were simply told to make it up six months later, or in many cases were overlooked completely. However, the atmosphere this year is different. According to the source, “Our local people’s unit leader is putting strong pressure on, saying ‘don’t come to me with reasons or excuses’ and emphasizing that the authorities will regard not contributing to the celebrations in April as an ideological problem.” “They are asking for money from people who can’t find iron,” the source added. “They are calculating 200 won per 1kg so want 2,000 won for 10kg, and are threatening that those who don’t participate in the project will be excluded from holiday distribution.” Naturally, this is unwelcome. “These days, special distribution means at best a day or two day supply of corn,” the source pointed out, “so a lot of people are thinking, ‘How about we don’t request special distribution and you just leave us alone’.” In 2004, the Union of Democratic Women Organization was told to gather fully 30kg of scrap iron per person. At that time the authorities told the women, “We can live without candy but not without bullets.” Then, on November 18th, 2005, the founding day of the union, a tank called the ‘Women’s Union’ was publicly unveiled, with the authorities claiming it was the result of their hard work. As a result, this year’s stricter than average drive has caused women who remember those days to comment, “Are they planning to make another ‘Women’s Union’?” The scrap iron collected in the drive is normally sent to North Korea’s main iron and steel works, including Kim Chaek, Hwanghae, Sungjin and Gangsun, to be turned into items for use in construction projects. |
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| #6 "We can live widout Candy, but not widout Bullets" > Oh, yeah, that'll convince the Babes. WE MISSED THE MEAT-EATERS-DEPENDED-ON-THE-PLANT-EATERS DINOSAUR SEMINAR THAT DECADE, DIDN'T WE??? Perhaps its all going to Mainland China, courtesy of the new SINO-DPRK FTAS??? * E.G. CHINESE MILITARY FORUM > THE MYSTERY OF BHARAT [India] EXPORTING MORE COPPER TO CHINA THAN ITS ENTIRE [national]PRODUCTION | COPPER INFLATES BY US$6.3BILYUHN IN NEVERENDING EXPORTS MYSTERY. * BHARAT RAKSHAK > LIFE AFTER FUKUSHIMA:NUCLEAR POWER REMAINS THE BEST BET FOR ASIA'S GROWING ENERGY DEMAND, espec Rising China's. No surprised here - never was convinced Nippon/Japan was truly serious about getting clsoing down + rid of all its CivNucEnergy Reax ["Yeah-h-h Right-t-t ..."]. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-03-23 22:07 |
| #5 If you blow me apart with a mortar, who gets to claim the scrap shell? |
| Posted by: manversgwtw 2012-03-23 20:48 |
| #4 And pray tell, how are Ordinary Norkies too weak from eating grass gonna have the physical strength to lift iron + other scrap metals??? Just askin'. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-03-23 20:03 |
| #3 Hope the military has their motor pools securely locked down, there's probably a lot of iron in your average T-55 or even GAZ-64. If they don't just steal the fences, and the barbed-wire on top of 'em. And while we're at it, keep an eye on the minefields. Shrapnel comes per-demolished, in easy-to-carry chunks. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2012-03-23 16:53 |
| #2 That would be my thought TW, just dismantle the place and turn it in. |
| Posted by: Spot 2012-03-23 11:04 |
| #1 How about scavenging all those empty buildings the previous regime built? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2012-03-23 10:54 |