The old ways continue to manifest themselves as pressure mounts for people to contribute to the nation's needs including a New Year's day proclamation about required contributions of manure and scrap metal. There has also been an increase in checkpoints which is just another way to put money in the pockets of officials. It is also fairly widely known that North Korea has been using illicit production of methamphetamines for sale abroad as a major source of foreign currency. This has been backfiring as an increasing number of North Koreans have been taking the drug. The number of addicts continues to increase as well as sellers even as arrests increase. There are also signs that labor camps are being expanded in the North.

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