State’s Fishing Control Leads to Fatal Decisions
Noth Korea’s close control over Fishing in the East sea make more fisherman and their families struggle to make ends meet, and in some cases, have resulted in people taking their own lives, according to a local source.
“With the start of the New Year, people from district offices in Chongjin City and inminban [people’s unit] heads are going around from door to door getting people to sign documents stating that ‘under no circumstances will anyone in this family will ever commit suicide’,” the source based in North Hamkyung Province told the Daily NK on Wednesday.
“People in North Hamkyung Province and those who live on the east coast near the ocean have never struggled so much to get by,” he said. “This is because of State Security Department officials and coast guards blocking people from going out to fish last year during the season.”
In order to go out fishing in the East Sea, residents need to receive "ocean entrance permits" from the local unit of the State Security Deparment [SSD] , according to the source. However, authorities would not issue the permits--even with substantial bribes. For those already in possession of permits, who should be allowed to go out fishing relatively unfettered for the duration of a year, the coast guard often refuses to recognize the permits as valid.
[Source: Daily NK]
