Recently, the numbers of kkotjebi in public places continue to rise as they leave their provided facilities because of low rations and insufficient food. 

Since the beginning of the year, with the intention to improve the city’s environment, North Korean authorities have forced the kkotjebi into isolated living facilities. However, the isolated kkotjebi might as well have been left alone because supply of food for them was so inadequate a Daily NK source from Yanggang province shared. The source explained that the children weren’t able to bear the hunger and not even corn-rice was provided sufficiently and as result the children are leaving the facility. 

The North Korean source stated “recently in North Korea too, those who are well off are living even better whereas those in poor circumstances are struggling even more and that even more children, youth, and adult kkotjebi can be seen.” The source further explained that “in other areas there are people who will give food to the kkotjebi, but for the most part people don’t care.” Additionally, the source added “most citizens think that the kkotjebi need to fix their situation themselves given that a citizen who offers them food could get into trouble by the authorities who consider the kkotjebi a nuisance. 

At the end of February, a propaganda campaign shared how North Korea was a great republic for children to be raised and how North Korean officials were even making facilities, namely ‘Children’s Academy’ and ‘Wanderers Training Camps’ for the kkotjebi to get them out of the market.

[Source: Daily NK]