In North Korea, the gift-giving culture of exchanging high-priced

goods amongst officials is growing rapidly, just in time for the Chuseok holiday.

Daily NK has learned through informed sources within the country that officials

are bribed with payments of beef, despite the illegality of slaughtering cows,

and even worse, a drug locally known as “ice” (crystal methamphetamine, or

“crystal meth”).

A source in South Hwanghae Province reported to Daily NK on September 7th, “When Chuseok draws nears, officials and the donju [newly affluent

middle class] become engaged in working their way to the head of the line for

bribes. Currently, the most opulent bribe one can give at the holidays is a

gift of meat and cash.”

He went on to say that during holiday season, officials now spend

more time in the markets, working on maintaining their connections and

influence, than with their families. In the old days, a person’s rank was the

indicator of his influence and power; now, it’s the era of money in North

Korea.

For Chuseok and other holidays, there are officials that

must be, without fail, approached and given bribes. This includes the

following: the market manager [in charge assigning merchants to their

locations, collecting fees, etc.] the State Security Department [SSD] member in

charge of surveillance and regulations, and fuel wardens who manage gasoline

and diesel oil.

North Korea’s rampant bribery culture has contributed to a spreading awareness of the

importance of good relations with officials if one wants to remain untroubled

while taking part in market activities. Although giving and receiving bribes is

now considered a matter of course, the kinds of bribes given are diverse, and the

price of bribes is increasing.

During the build up to Chuseok, “Most utilize the Beijing to Pyongyang train to bring in the fiery Chinese spirit baijiu,

liquor, premier spirits, pineapples, bananas, and other prized items,” the source elaborated. “People

use holiday gift giving as an opportunity to surreptitiously present a bribe to

an official. Not so long ago, cash and a gift of nutritious carp or cigarettes

[for men] would have been an adequate bribe. Lately, the drug ‘ice’ is also

seen as an ideal gift.”

“Ice” is also referred to as “bingdu” in North Korea and is

mass-produced in Hamheung, South Hamgyung Province by pharmaceutical companies

like Nanam Pharmaceuticals. As of late, illegal transactions and distribution

have spread to the point that even members of the SSD are known to sometimes partake

in the consumption of the drug.

A gram of ice costs 100 RMB

[approximately 130,000 North Korean Won]. Though the price is formidable, it is

not prohibitively so for officials who use the drug. It is regarded as simply

the cost of also maintaining influence and connections in the market. He went

on to say, “Because enforcement isn’t very strict, officials can comfortably

receive drugs as gifts. Generally, the amount of ice given depends on the

status and rank of the person being gifted; higher-ranking officials receiving

larger amounts of ice. If you just need something stamped, one gram of ice is

sufficient. If you need to do business with an official, the usual method is to

give a gram of ice along with a U.S. dollar. What’s more, even though the

slaughter of cows is officially prohibited, beef is being given as a bribe;

when delivering the meat for bribery purposes, they have to keep up a pretense about the cow

having been sick.”

In North Korea, people are forbidden to slaughter cows for

their meat, as cows are extremely important and deemed a “means of production.”

However dead cows can be utilized as provisions, usually for officials or

soldiers. These days on Chuseok officials don’t want the usual songpyeon [small

rice cakes with various fillings), they want meat. There are some people who

are willing to do whatever it takes to procure meat to sell. Really clever

merchants time their endeavors to coincide with holidays like Chuseok. They go

and offer bribes to managers in charge of meat to disguise fresh meat as being

from a cow that has died of a disease. Then the merchants are able to purchase the

beef,” he concluded.