"Symbol of Deification, Reduced to Cheap Merchandise"
North Korean Authorities Launch Secret Investigation
[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] It has been claimed that badges (emblems) featuring portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, symbols of deification in North Korea, are being traded at bargain prices. Reports have also emerged that North Korean authorities have begun identifying leakers after news spread that these badges, given to Workers' Party officials, are being sold for less than the price of 1 kg of pork.
A source in South Hamgyong Province told Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 7th, "These days, party badges and double badges have become cheap goods in the black market of Hungnam District," adding, "It is the first time that party badges and double badges, symbols of deification, are being traded at such low prices."
In North Korea, a party badge refers to an emblem containing Kim Il-sung's portrait inside the Workers' Party flag. A double badge refers to an emblem depicting the portraits of both Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il on the party flag or the national flag of the republic.
The source said, "Double badges are portrait badges specially awarded to party officials and are recognized as symbols of power. Their black market price once rose to 400,000 North Korean won (50 USD, about 66,000 KRW), but now it is lower than the price of 1 kg of pork," adding, "The price of 1 kg of pork is 26,000 North Korean won, but double badges are 20,000 won and party badges are 10,000 won."
He continued, "More people are bringing party badges and double badges, which were symbols of deification and power of the Kim family, to markets for black trade, bartering them for food like corn," and added, "Judicial authorities are secretly investigating which party officials leaked party badges and double badges to the markets."
In North Korea, 10,000 North Korean won is roughly equivalent to about 1,650 KRW. So double badges are being sold for around 3,300 KRW, and party badges for about 1,650 KRW.
The fact that symbols of the North Korean regime's maintenance and the deification of the Kim family, known as the "Baekdu bloodline," are being traded at prices lower than pork is something the North Korean authorities find unacceptable.
A source in South Pyongan Province also said, "These days, the prices of party badges and double badges traded on the black market in Unsan County are lower than the price of cabbage," adding, "A bundle of cabbage (10 kg) costs 30,000 North Korean won, but party badges are 10,000 won and double badges are 20,000 won. The value of party badges and double badges, symbols of deification, is less than that of cabbage."
The source added, "Party badges and double badges were originally supplied only to party officials, so they were not common enough to be traded as cheap goods in markets," and said, "It seems that more than 100 badges have been leaked to military markets, but if the officials who leaked the badges to the markets are caught in the investigation, it is uncertain what kind of punishment they will face."
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