Butter once seen only in foreign dramas... North Korean resident who shouted "Long live Putin" dragged away by the State Security Department

Russia, Special Supplies Including Butter Beyond Flour and Rice
Also Wrote Critical Letter to Security Department After Shouting "Long Live Putin"

When Russia provided supplies to flood-affected areas in North Korea, a North Korean resident shouted "Long live Putin" and was taken away by the State Security Department.

The U.S. Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on the 23rd (local time) that North Korea supplied flood relief materials such as food, sugar, butter, and cooking oil, which Russia had supported last week, to the flood-affected areas and began monitoring residents' movements through the State Security Department.

Earlier, on the 4th, the Rodong Sinmun introduced a letter of consolation from Russian President Putin regarding the flood damage, reporting that Chairman Kim Jong-un said, "In the future, when help is definitely needed, we will ask for assistance from our most sincere friends, Moscow."

A source in North Pyongan Province stated, "About 50 to 60 kilograms of rice and flour were supplied as a one-month food ration for a family of four to flood victims in Uiju County," adding that these were supplies sent by Russia.

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un is visiting the flood-affected area in Uiju County, North Pyongan Province, meeting with disaster victims staying in temporary shelters. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The source added, "I heard from railway officials that relief supplies were delivered to the Tumen River Station in Rason City by freight train over two days starting from the 10th, and then transported by train to each flood-affected area."

It is known that North Korean authorities did not specifically explain that the flood relief supplies were provided by Russia. However, the source said, "Everyone knows they came from Russia because the sacks of flour being distributed had Russian letters written on them."

Some items such as soybean oil and butter were reportedly delivered in a special supply format timed to coincide with the '8.15 holiday.' The source said, "The news that special supplies came from Russia spread among residents through officials."

The source added, "A woman in her 40s who received supplies was caught shouting 'Long live Putin' inside a temporary shelter tent and was taken to the Uiju County State Security Department."

The woman wrote a self-criticism letter and was released from the State Security Department after one day, but flood victims reportedly showed discomfort, saying that the authorities had planted spies inside the temporary shelters to monitor residents.

In North Korea, butter is a food that ordinary residents, except for some wealthy classes, find difficult to encounter in their lifetime. The source said, "Flood victims think that being able to feed their children butter, which they had only seen in foreign movies or dramas, is not due to the supreme leader's love but thanks to Russia."