Sanatorium director in N. Pyongan Province arrested for selling bottled water at inflated prices
North Korean authorities recently dismissed the director of the Tongchang Sanatorium in Tongchang, North Pyongan Province, for filling his pockets by selling mineral water at a much higher price than state-mandated pricing, Daily NK has learned.
Kwon, the director of the Tongchang Sanatorium in Taedong, Tongchang County, was dismissed in mid-March for greed and self-interest because he filled his pockets by selling mineral water to everyone outside the area surrounding the sanitorium at more than ten times the government-set price.
According to the source, an Academy of Sciences report published a year ago categorized water from the Taedong aquifer as “healing water” due to its slight acidity. Slightly acidic water allegedly has health benefits, especially for people suffering from chronic gastritis, pyelonephritis (a severe organ tissue infection), stomach ulcers, and duodenal (small intestine) ulcers.
The government priced the water at KPW 600 per 10 liters in Taedong. However, Kwon came under fire for making a profit by selling the water to people from other regions for a much higher price.
In fact, Kwon sold the water for 13 times the government-mandated price, or KPW 8,000, to all customers from outside Taedong, including travelers. He justified the price increase by claiming that the profits would increase the budget for a factory attached to the sanatorium. ......
[Source: Daily NK]
