Starving North Koreans want to know where money for missiles came from

Starving North Koreans want to know where money for missiles came from. Photo / Getty

By Julian Ryall

North Korean state media continues to celebrate the launch of two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July and the nation's status as a "global rocket power", although there are growing suggestions that ordinary people are less enthusiastic about the regime's achievements, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Quoting its network of covert contributors within North Korea, who communicate via mobile phone, the Seoul-based DailyNK news site has reported that ordinary citizens are asking - albeit quietly - how Kim Jong-un can afford missiles but continue to ration their food.

"Following the news that the regime launched missiles twice in July, locals are criticising the regime, asking, 'Where did it get the money?' ", a source in North Pyongan Province told DailyNK.

"They are feeling increasingly disillusioned by the Kim Jong-un regime, which spends more money on developing missiles than improving their livelihoods.

"Everyone is aware that whenever the regime launches a missile, economic sanctions will follow", the source added. "There's nothing to celebrate for the ordinary citizens."

"In the beginning, the residents were proud of the regime openly opposing the US with nuclear development and missiles, but these days, anti-US sentiment has weakened while respect for the regime has plummeted."

The regime has reportedly mobilised teams to travel around the country to promote the successful ICBM launches, while lectures on the importance of the regime's weapons programmes are being held at state-run enterprises.

Despite the propaganda, there is a growing sense that every new launch will be met with renewed sanctions and further international isolation.

"People are still starving and there are homeless orphans on the streets, so naturally the residents are resentful about having to celebrate a missile launch", another source told DailyNK, adding that there is also deepening resentment at the "inminban", or local politically motivated neighbourhood watch units, increasing mandatory payments from residents.

Officials claim the payments are for local construction projects, but it is widely understood that they are spent on the nuclear and missile programmes.