An informant inside the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League in Yangkang Province told Open Radio for North Korea on May 8th via a phone call that, “The situation on the railroad that carries construction materials to Baekdu Military-first Youth Power Plant is extremely harsh.”

 

This informant also said, “The train cannot operate due to a shortage of electricity, so a freight train (with construction materials for plant construction), which has to go to the Baekam region in Yangkang Province, can only go to Kilju region in North Hamkyoung Province, where the materials are then carried by steam train from Kilju to Baekam.”

 

Based on Kim Jong Eun’s plan, the Ministry of Railways ordered the transport of materials be completed by the due date; however, it is quite difficult to fulfill this command in-time due to the insufficient supply of electricity.

The informant said, “The distance the steam train moves is dependent upon how much you bribe the people in charge of the railroads, not on orders from Kim Jong Eun or the Ministry of Railroad.”

 

In this situation, the insider said that, “Some staff officers gave bribes to the Director of Railways, the engine driver, etc. in order to ensure that materials arrived faster than other brigades.”

 

The informant also added, “They even need to give a bribe to the train inspector, who approves the freight train. Also, since inspectors are at every station, they need roughly 40kg of rice to get to their destination.”

 

The informant said, “A freight train also carries food, however, after rampant bribing, the remaining food for laborers is insufficient. They even dig up and eat the potato seeds that the villagers planted.”

 

The informant shared this information with the center; however, the center replied that since “It is because of electricity shortage, we can’t blame anyone.” Without any solution, the suffering of villagers near Baekdu Military-first Youth Power Plant is increasing, the informant added.  

 

Source: Open Radio for North Korea