North Korean officials desperate to feed Kim Jong Un’s hungry army are ransacking the homes of drought-stricken farmers to collect every last grain of food inside, according to a report that highlights rising tensions between the regime and the public.
The raids come weeks after news surfaced that soldiers in Kim’s army are being given months off at a time to scrounge around fields to find food.
“Officials carried out home searches in Paekam County to determine how much food some families had,” a North Korean source told Daily NK. “As an excuse to enter and demand bribes, they said to the residents, ‘Are we just going to let our military starve while the Americans lick their lips and prepare to eat us alive?’”
The Seoul-based website, which covers the Hermit Kingdom through a network of informants, published a photo last month purportedly showing North Korean soldiers rummaging through a corn field.
Despite drought conditions and a poor harvest last year in parts of North Korea, government officials are still demanding farmers fulfill a mandatory quota for military provisions. – READ MORE
[give_form id=”79809″] [divider][/divider]Americans can travel to North Korea, if they wish — but it may just be a death wish, the U.S. State Department cautioned.
The State Department last week issued a stark warning to people setting out for the Hermit Kingdom, cautioning that anyone heading to the dangerous dictatorship should prepare for the possibility of not returning.
“The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in North Korea as it does not have diplomatic or consular relations with North Korea,” the State Department published Wednesday on its website.
Those who wish to travel to North Korea must be approved for a special validation, which are handed out on “very limited circumstances.” U.S. travelers given the approval to experience Kim Jong Un’s regime should then prepare for the worst — including drafting a will and making funeral and property arrangements with family and friends.
“Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney; discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care/custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.,” according to the recommendations.– READ MORE
[divider][/divider]It seems that despite the hysteria surrounding President Trump’s rhetoric back and forth with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, and fears from some across the political spectrum that the rhetoric might ignite a thermonuclear war, President Trump is doing something just right; not only is China reducing its trade with North Korea, but for the first time in two years, North Korea and South Korea are holding talks.
NEW: Trump administration "pleased that China is sharply reducing its trade with North Korea," White House says. https://t.co/vkp7I6Y6dH pic.twitter.com/pkZErdwaEh
— ABC News (@ABC) January 12, 2018
As Bloomberg reports:
China’s trade with North Korea shrank by more than half last month, as Beijing implements United Nations sanctions against Kim Jong Un’s nuclear weapons program. The value of Chinese goods exported to North Korea last month fell 23 percent year on year, according to data released Friday by China’s General Administration of Customs. Imports from the country also plunged 82 percent in December. All told, trade between the two sides fell almost 51 percent during the month. – READ MORE
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