Under 49 years Prohibited from Trading Beginning December 1st.
Beginning on the December 1st, anyone 49 years and younger is not allowed to engage in market and/or commercial activities across the country, according to a new central directive on market management. It instructed city administrations in major cities to examine the current state of market counter/transaction space usage and crackdown on anyone who have access to them. Furthermore, they are urged to keep a close eye on the overall climate of the market and report to the local police superintendent anyone who is non-cooperative so as to ensure a smooth operation of the markets. When notified of this latest directive, the residents expressed strong displeasure.
Prohibition of trade should come after the Welfare of the People
After a series of recent directives imposing age limits on people who can engage in market activities, countless people are complaining that these directives are unfair. Joining them - although not always out loud - are many government officials and police officers tasked with enforcing the directives, who say they have no choice because it is an order from above. People say, "How are we to live if they don't let us trade in anything contraband, in the markets, and force us to go to work when they don't give any public distribution or pay salaries? If this is not a world in which only the bad people thrive, then what is it?" Other voices complain even more belligerently, "They should prohibit market trade only after they make sure people are living well. Otherwise, the only people who are well-off will be the government officials , intelligence agency , and police officers ."
Phone Tapping makes Trading Difficult
Intelligence Agency officials in the border regions are tapping the phones of the residents. It is inevitable that the people who engage in trade will be more exposed in phone tapping operations. Especially, trade people who engage in contraband items are understandably more anxious over phone tapping than others. This reflects an overall trend among the National Intelligence Agency and police stations. This past October 28th, a state-of-art phone detection device from Israel was installed between Onsung and Hoeryung . High-tech phone detection devices have also been installed not only in border areas such as North Hamgyung Province but also in Sinuiju , Hyesan , and other regions.
Residents complain cell phone search as human rights abuse
Officials in Hoeryung City of North Hamgyung Province are stepping up inspection in time with the Day of Mother Kim Jung-sook. Recently, inspectors from the National Intelligence Agency came to Hoeryung to conduct a thorough search of cell phones. The agents have been carrying around a portable phone detection device and checking houses for possible cell phone use. In one instance, agents forced themselves into a house, searching and demanding the people in the house to hand over cell phones. Recently, the agents did a surprise inspection of a neighboring house when the first house they searched didn't turn up any cell phones. Neighbors, who were upset by the sudden forced searches, gathered around to witness the commotion. Although some complained that these searches were a violation of their personal rights, the agents paid no attention to them and yelled out to the people gathered as they were leaving after failing to find any phones, "Next time we detect any phone signals, we will levy fines no matter what!" To this, the neighbors expressed their anger and resentment.