Lights out in Pyongyang? North Korea’s energy crisis



Analysis Lights out in Pyongyang? North Korea’s energy crisis Reports from in-country sources indicate capital was unable to cope over winter, plunging residents into darkness Oliver Hotham May 22, 2015 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Night Shot. Pyongyang, North Korea. by (stephan) on 2008-06-10 23:17:44 North Korea is often associated with electricity shortages. A famous satellite picture comparing the two Koreas shows how brightly the lights to the South shine at night – and how dimly they do in Pyongyang. The rest of the DPRK drowns in darkness, a fitting visual metaphor, to many, for the isolation of the country and the dysfunction of its state. NK News has learned from numerous in-country sources that the situation recently took a turn for the worse. Even in the country’s capital, one source said a harsh winter and a crippled infrastructure led to an “unusually bad” situation – and while the predicament is improving as demand drops and the weather improves, a rocky road to recovery will be required if this is not be repeated next year. North Korea is often associated with electricity shortages. A famous satellite picture comparing the two Koreas shows how brightly the lights to the South shine at night – and how dimly they do in Pyongyang. The rest of the DPRK drowns in darkness, a fitting visual metaphor, to many, for the isolation of the country and the dysfunction of its state. NK News has learned from numerous in-country sources that the situation recently took a turn for the worse. Even in the country’s capital, one source said a harsh winter and a crippled infrastructure led to an “unusually bad” situation – and while the predicament is improving as demand drops and the weather improves, a rocky road to recovery will be required if this is not be repeated next year. Become a member for less than $4 per week. Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts. Subscribe now All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by And how should we address you in correspondence? One more step! Please check your inbox, for an email we just sent you, and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily News Update. Trending

Analysis

Lights out in Pyongyang? North Korea’s energy crisis

Reports from in-country sources indicate capital was unable to cope over winter, plunging residents into darkness

Oliver Hotham May 22, 2015

Lights out in Pyongyang? North Korea’s energy crisis

Night Shot. Pyongyang, North Korea. by (stephan) on 2008-06-10 23:17:44

North Korea is often associated with electricity shortages. A famous satellite picture comparing the two Koreas shows how brightly the lights to the South shine at night – and how dimly they do in Pyongyang. The rest of the DPRK drowns in darkness, a fitting visual metaphor, to many, for the isolation of the country and the dysfunction of its state.

NK News has learned from numerous in-country sources that the situation recently took a turn for the worse. Even in the country’s capital, one source said a harsh winter and a crippled infrastructure led to an “unusually bad” situation – and while the predicament is improving as demand drops and the weather improves, a rocky road to recovery will be required if this is not be repeated next year.