Squid fishermen intending to get to work in

the East Sea have had their businesses put on hold by the “200-Day Battle” and

the extra burden required to bypass it. Cadres, for their part, are

effortlessly collecting revenue from residents who depend on squid fishing to sustain them for the year.

A source in South Hamgyong Province told

Daily NK on June 22 that while squid season has started in earnest on the

eastern coast of North Korea, unlike past years, factory enterprise employees

have been blocked from going out on the water because of stipulations related

to the “200-Day Battle.”

“Consequently, residents are required to pay

bribes to the relevant cadres [in exchange for time] to catch squid. Others,

unable to afford the requisite bribes, are finding excuses [fabricated medical

records, proof of employment change, etc.] for sanctioned work leave or

outright resignation,” he said.

“Fishing instruments can be pricey, costing

hundreds of thousands of North Korean won. And then on top of this, it can cost

millions of North Korean won to get all the requisite signatures, including

from the head of the work group, the manager, and the factory [Party]

chairperson. After this, you need to obtain a sea entry permit from the State

Security Department, which also costs money.”

In this fashion, many fisherman are digging

deeper into their pockets to bribe cadres, making it harder for them to eke out

a living. “The authorities are using the ‘200-Day Battle’

as a pretext to extort money from the residents, he said, adding that most people regard squid fishing as a veritable “battle to live” and the “200-Day Battle” as a gratuitous burden.

In coastal regions,

namely North and South Hamgyong Provinces and Kangwon Province, most residents

make their living by fishing between June to October, surviving on the profits

in the intervening months. A thriving squid population and relaxed

regulations made last year a particularly successful one for North Koreans, and

this year they had hoped to expect more of the same; however, only those with

enough funds to navigate the corrupt bureaucracy blocking them from going out

to sea will prevail this year.

In fact, university students are even

issuing money to professors and other university elites for permission to skip class

and participate in the business. “The duration of time students are excused

from school is commensurate with the amount of money offered. To maximize their

excused time off, students are approaching donju (nouveau riche) in order to secure

loans,” he explained.

Portside towns have also drawn in toll

processors, panic buyers, and other workers looking to get involved in the squid

fishing industry. Thousands of people from cities including Sinpo and

Dancheonhang in South Hamgyong Province or as far as away as Pyongyang gather

at seaside towns to search for jobs as crew members on the fishing expeditions,

creating a confusing and bustling atmosphere, according to an additional source in South Hamgyong Province.

At present, the source added, seaside regions house

more workers from outside the area than local ones, an environment unlikely to change for the duration of the squid fishing season. Some have even sold off the rights to

their home in order to purchase 8-horsepower wooden ships and rent a home or

room in the vicinity of the docks.