Jonwi Street, which is located in northern Pyongyang. (Rodong Sinmin, News1)
Large quantities of meat were recently distributed to select official markets in Pyongyang, creating unusual scenes of crowds swarming around meat stalls.
A source in Pyongyang told Daily NK recently that markets in Hongjesan, Songyo and Sadong districts “were suddenly flooded with meat for several days between 4 and 6 a.m. starting on Aug. 20.” With the markets selling the meat at roughly half the regular price, so many people rushed to the stalls that it created what the source described as a “human avalanche.”
According to the source, the meat distributed to Pyongyang markets included pork, duck, chicken and dog. Merchants said it was the first time such a large quantity of meat had ever appeared in the market.
People rushed to buy supplies, though they questioned how so much meat in so many varieties could suddenly appear. The stalls emptied almost immediately.
The source of the meat windfall
It took several days for people to learn that the Central Committee’s Finance Accounting Department had distributed the meat to markets.
The Finance Accounting Department typically distributes meat, grain, fish, vegetables and other foodstuffs to Central Committee officials and their families. However, when this latest batch of meat spoiled due to poor storage, it was dumped on wholesalers at low prices.
The Finance Accounting Department urged people to stay quiet about the transaction while handing over the meat, but rumors of what happened spread everywhere anyway, the source said.
The meat released into the market wasn’t fresh—it was discolored and had an unpleasant odor. However, people bought it immediately because the chance to purchase meat at prices far below market rate is extremely rare.
“Cooking tips to reduce the smell of the spoiled meat are popular among Pyongyang residents,” the source said. “I heard that if you boil the meat five or six times, drain the water, season it heavily with vinegar and garlic, then simmer it with soy sauce or red pepper paste, it doesn’t smell and tastes fine.”
Some people who panic-bought the meat prepared it with soy sauce for resale—this also sold out quickly.
“You only get about 1 kilogram of meat on holidays, so you can eat meat maybe once or twice a year, and even then you receive so little that you can only taste the broth,” the source explained. “So of course people’s eyes lit up. Many said they wished they could have this much meat every day, even if it was rotten.”
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