Pyongyang drivers scramble as gas stations limit services

[jpak]

Source: Washington Post

PYONGYANG, North Korea — Car users in Pyongyang were scrambling Friday to fill up their tanks as gas stations began limiting services or even closing amid concerns of a spreading shortage.

A sign outside one station in the North Korean capital said sales were being restricted to diplomats or vehicles used by international organizations, while others were closed or turning away local residents. Lines at other stations were much longer than usual and prices appeared to be rising significantly.

The cause of the restrictions or how long they might last were not immediately known.

North Korea relies heavily on China for its fuel supply and Beijing has reportedly been tightening its enforcement of international sanctions aimed at getting Pyongyang to abandon its development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pyongyang-drivers-scramble-as-gas-stations-limit-services/2017/04/21/dfb44ab0-2698-11e7-928e-3624539060e8_story.html?utm_term=.5ec364d207b6

[NewRedDawn]

1. I feel sorry for the North Korean people

But the sooner that evil regime topples the better.

[Yavin4]

4. That's the problem. For most North Koreans, all they have ever known is their "evil regime".

Hell, they have no idea that it is evil. To them, this is how life is and always will be. Toppling it would create mass chaos and confusion and would invite an even worse leader.

The only sane strategy moving forward is direct negotiations with the North Korean government.

[metalbot]

6. What would we be negotiating for

and how would it be different this time?

https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/dprkchron

We've been negotiating for the last 4 presidencies.

I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't negotiate, but I can't even fathom what path we'd go down that we haven't gone down before.

As for an "even worse leader", if China were able to take out Kim, I suspect we'd be dealing with a military junta that would be a lot more amenable to negotiation.

[Javaman]

2. military is hoarding fuel. preparing for the worst and as always...

the people suffer.

[jmowreader]

5. Military vehicles don't run on gasoline, and the North Korean Army has always hoarded diesel

The Korean People's Army has a year's supply of all necessary war stocks - food, uniforms, medical supplies, ammunition and fuel - cached in storage facilities located very deep underground.

The big problem is, the DPRK is flat broke without a convertible currency (translation: no one wants North Korean Won) and relies on barter for the materiel it needs to import, and the amount of...oh, gasoline...they get is very dependent on the world price for rare earths.

[keithbvadu2]

3. They must have to be high in the social ranking to have a car.

[Sunlei]

7. what is it really? Russia and China fighting it out over who sells military stuff to NK? To make USA

spend more billions in Asian Pacific area?

I think Russia and China are 'playing' the USA game. IMHO,IMHHHHO.

[EX500rider]

8. N korea can't afford to buy weapons from anybody.

[Sunlei]

9. doubt they're hand forging missile cases. launchers and building guns from scratch.

Uniforms, those hats look handmade

[EX500rider]

10. They have domestic weapons production..

...so yes, they do build from scratch, that why most their missiles don't get very far off the pad.
However, there are no indigenous aircraft built in North Korea, factories supply components or parts to aircraft flown.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_industry_of_North_Korea

When they say ".. to supplement those purchased from China.", they mean purchased awhile back.

Most equipment are copies of Soviet and Chinese built military hardware.

[Sunlei]

11. China and Russia back NK and everything NK currently does to irritate Japan/USA is controlled by

Russia and China.

IMO.

[EX500rider]

12. Unfortunately no one controls what NK does but their maniac leader.

[Sunlei]

13. I don't believe that at all. IMO this current issue is about asian pacific trade, Japan, China & R

Russia.

IMO NK has always been Chinas/Russias customer & 'owned obedient bitch'

[moonscape]

14. As an aside, heard a defector on PBS who is

now in the US after escaping into China, finally working her way to S Korea and now here. She speaks about human rights (if memory serves) and was saying in grammar school, math class, simple math problems are framed like this:

There are 4 American bastards. Two are killed. How many American bastards remain?

They were required to give the full answer, "Two American bastards."