Open News on North Korea’s Drug Problem

Open News has a series of interesting reports on the rapid rise of drug use in North Korea, and a very worrisome rise in meth use in Sinuiju in particular. The government has responded with a crackdown, using specially selected Anjeonbu officers who aren’t stationed in the area long enough to “go native” and turn corrupt. North Korea’s idea of rehab is a bit severe, but there are no recidivists before firing squads.

It’s worth remembering that North Koreans learned to manufacture their favorite street drugs from their own government, which still exports them for foreign exchange, though probably not in as much quantity as ten years ago.