Street market in Hyesan, Yanggang Province rice sellers dollar rate, markets, market
FILE PHOTO: North Koreans are seen peddling goods at a street market in Hyesan, Yanggang Province. (© Daily NK)
North Korean authorities in Kaechon, South Pyongan province, have evaluated service industry staff and instructed them to provide dedicated support to vulnerable citizens as part of a broader “dedicated service for the people” campaign, Daily NK has learned.
According to a Daily NK source in South Pyongan province, the commercial department of Kaechon’s people’s committee recently conducted both training sessions and staff evaluations aimed at improving service quality.
The assessments targeted employees at state-run shops, supply distribution centers, amenity stands, hotels, transportation services and other service providers. The source noted that conducting formal evaluations in addition to the training was unusually thorough.
The evaluation featured 20 questions, including:
“Do you think individual business acumen is more important than customer satisfaction?”
“Do you believe other staff and customers think highly of your personality?”
“Do you think many customers are so picky they would look for bones in an egg?”
“Do you dislike such demanding customers?”
Staff members had to select one of five responses to each question: completely agree, partially agree, do not know, disagree, or strongly disagree.
Throughout the training, the city commercial department repeatedly emphasized the “spirit of devoted service” and insisted that “all service provider staff must prioritize the people’s convenience and serve the people.”
The department specifically encouraged service workers to “perform their best as the people’s service providers with a spirit of providing even a fraction of the love the Supreme Leader (Kim Jong Un) gives our people.”
Officials also directed service staff to actively support vulnerable populations.
During training sessions, the department instructed workers, “Just as the party emphasizes gentle care for orphans, the elderly, new mothers and disabled veterans, you must consider how to more deeply instill the party’s love and kindness in these individuals and translate that into action.”
However, some service workers who attended the training reportedly complained that the state “simply demands staff fulfill their duties without providing any support.”
“Everyone is struggling to make ends meet, and these times are particularly difficult for people in the service industry,” the source said. “Service workers complain they can’t survive when the state provides nothing while constantly telling them to give their all and provide free services to the people.”
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