Mick Hartley

From the Daily NK:

As North Korea endures a severe food shortage, desperate North Koreans have been selling their blood, a practice that has surged recently after the fall harvest failed to improve the food supply.

“In Hamhung, the number of hungry families has increased sharply, so more people are selling their blood just to afford at least one meal a day,” a source in South Hamgyong province told Daily NK recently.

The source said that if one out of every 20 people used to sell their blood to cover their expenses, that number has recently increased tenfold.

“The fall harvest is typically a time when more food is available. But this year, public access to food has not improved at all,” the source said.

All this suggests that North Korea’s food crisis is severe enough to endanger people’s survival.

Kim Jong-un is in no danger, of course. The Pyongyang elite aren’t queueing up to sell blood. We can be sure that the scientists developing and building the huge rockets that feature in those regular parades are well-fed and well looked after

Another serious issue is that blood donations pose health risks for many North Koreans. Blood is collected not only at ordinary hospitals but at tuberculosis and hepatitis clinics. In most cases, the medical examination is perfunctory, if one is conducted at all.

“Good health is essential for making a quick recovery from a blood donation. But most people selling blood are on the verge of malnutrition. There’s supposed to be a six-month interval between blood donations, but some people give blood every two or three months, leading to serious health problems,” the source said.…

“Poverty-motivated blood sales are occurring not only in Hamhung but in other parts of North Korea, including Ryanggang and North Hamgyong provinces. Rumors going around about people starving to death are creating extreme anxiety.”

It’s happened before, in living memory: it can happen again.