Unlike the tranche of

the North Korean population that lives in a state of chronic food insecurity,

the lifestyles of the growing middle class in Pyongyang continue to improve, at least on the surface, a

source from the city has reaffirmed.

The affluent class can part

with many times the average hourly wage of most workers to utilize a

range of recreational facilities built in the city under the rule of Kim Jong Eun. However, in the process of promoting the leadership of the Kim regime in this manner, the authorities also illustrate the stark inequality that is permeating North Korean society.

The source

reported to Daily NK on the 21st, “Wealthy

women can enjoy a game of squash for seven Euro at Geumreung Gymnasium in the

Taedonggang District, which is where a lot of the foreigners in the city congregate. They talk

to the local foreigners as they come and go from the gym, and some are even able to exercise together.”

“The affluent people of Pyongyang live fairly

extravagant lives,” she concluded. “It’s not just the expensive exercise

facilities, either; they also hang around in decent restaurants and coffee

shops. Their buying power is hard for most to believe.”

The number of people in this class category is no longer small. According to the

source, Pyongyang’s wealthy women tend to be married to certain

types of men: ranking Party cadres and managers for trading companies that

bring in foreign currency, for example. In addition, market economic activity over nearly twenty years has given rise

to a nouveau riche class of “donju,” many of

whom inhabit some of the city’s better apartments in the Central and Moranbong

districts.

“Toward the end of last year, the authorities advertised

the new Munsu Water Park and Geumreung Gymnasium, calling them ‘physical and

cultural facilities for the people,’” she recalled. “In

reality, however, they are the preserve of the elite. Entry to the water

park is still prohibitively expensive for other people.”

“The water park is two Euro for locals and 12

Euro for foreigners, but even two euro is a burden for the average citizen,” she said, alleging, “Normal people tend to avoid going as they know they’ll have to pay this entrance fee.”