Korean Job Discussion Forums

[smurfystew]

Over the last several years, there has been a steady increase in the number of reported drug smuggling cases along the Chinese/North Korean border. Most of the suspects have been North Koreans, but Chinese authorities have been reluctant to react to the cross-border dealings of it�s close ally and neighbour. The surge of narcotics, mostly methamphetamines, coming into China from North Korea has created wide-spread addiction problems in Chinese provinces along the North Korean border.

According to a Newsweek article that ran in June of 2011, the number of drug addicts living in Chinese cities that border North Korea has sky-rocketed in recent years .

Twenty years ago, Yanji (50 miles from the North Korean border) had only 44 registered drug addicts. Last year, the city registered almost 2,100 drug addicts, according to a 2010 Brookings Institution report, with more than 90 percent of them addicted to meth or similar synthetic drugs. Local officials acknowledge that this is very likely a gross undercount and that the actual number may be five or six times higher. �Jilin Province is not only the most important transshipment point for drugs from North Korea into China, but has itself become one of the largest markets in China for amphetamine-type stimulants,� the Brookings report said.

Newsweek went on to quote a Chinese anti-drug official on the matter,

�We don�t publicize� the drugs coming from North Korea because it would touch on �the good relationship between China and North Korea,� an official, requesting anonymity, from Jilin�s anti-drug unit says. But he adds, �Of all the drugs we�ve seized this year, it�s mostly been ice, because that�s our main drug here.�

Read more on this story over @asiapundits - http://www.asiapundits.com/regions/korea/china-and-north-koreas-growing-drug-problem/

[cdninkorea]

I've seen posts on One Free Korea (great blog!) about the growing drug addiction middle class North Koreans have. I was surprised enough to find out they have a middle class of more than a few dozen, let alone that they have a drug problem.

[fermentation]

I haven't seen any concrete evidence, but a Korean documentary I saw said that the NK government is the one that actually manufactures and trafficks these drugs. It's a part of their revenue although they can't say how much. It seems to be a synthesized drug like meth. I can just imagine a bunch of Walter Whites working in a huge government chem lab except they get paid much less. Imagine having that job.

[Menino80]

The NY times just ran a story detailing NK's tricks to get more funding to ensure the Politburo-level guys have enough cash to keep the rest of the elite in line, and how these tricks usually involve Mafia-like activities

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/opinion/sunday/a-north-korean-corleone.html?pagewanted=all