Back in January, the Daily NK reported that the Gomdok Mine - one of the largest lead and zinc mines in North Korea and indeed the world - was embarking on a “90-day battle” to boost production despite the fact that significant damage from typhoons last year had not all been repaired. The country's dire economic circumstances dictated that production targets overruled any concern for safety. There was even a cynical attempt to pre-empt any blame for accidents by suggesting that careless workers were a cause for concern:
The announcement of the 90-day battle was accompanied by a warning to prevent “accidents” at the mine. The authorities said that many accidents have occurred because miners frequently “failed to be careful,” a catchall phrase that included “drowsiness” in the mine shafts. North Korean authorities specifically singled out mine car drivers, conductors and worker safety officers as those who need to ensure they “properly conduct their jobs.”
After receiving the order, Gomdok Mine’s party committee gave notice that the mine’s workers will not be able to rest on Lunar New Year’s Day or on any national holidays until Apr. 2, the last day of the 90-day battle.
“[Workers at] Gomdok Mine have gone from battle to battle each year without rest to [meet their production goals], but now they have to [make up for] the damage done [to the facility] by the typhoons,” the source said. “Even the mine’s managers are tense because [the mine] has no choice but to make every effort to meet the production goals.”
The source added that because of the mine’s importance for the economy, its management is submitting production-related reports everyday and receiving directives from the government. “The management is suffering from stress as a result,” he added.
Well...now the Daily NK reports on a serious accident at the mine - and it wasn't caused by careless workers:
Daily NK has belatedly learned that 14 workers were killed at the end of January when a mine collapsed at the Gomdok Mining Cooperative Enterprise in South Hamgyong Province. The Gomdok Mine began a “90-day battle” to boost production at the beginning of the year.
A source in South Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Feb. 24 that “14 workers lost their lives on Jan. 26 when a mine accidentally collapsed on them as they were attempting to connect mines together at the Gomdok Mine, which has been overwhelmed by the [demands of the] 90-day battle.”
“On that day, the accident was caused by the blast that occurred as the workers were attempting to connect two mines together by boring a tunnel between the main mine and the one next to it,” the source said.
The source explained that “the main reason for the accident was miscalculating the time needed to escape after laying out the blasting line,” adding that “[the managers] would have had to set the timer to ensure that the blast could not occur until after the workers in the mine could get to a distance of more than 100 meters away. The blast, however, occurred before they were able to escape and the mine collapsed on them, killing them on the spot.”
Daily NK has also become aware that four workers who were escaping in another direction at the time were hit by rocks from the blast and taken to the provincial hospital for major injuries such as head trauma
The source mentioned that “even if accidents like this occur almost on a daily basis in both small and large mines, the mining managers are more concerned with the production goals than accident prevention.”
He also added that “comments by the managers that ‘it is natural for accidents to happen when working’ is causing dissatisfaction among the workers.”
Local residents aware of the situation showed their exasperation by saying that “the people who died, leaving their families behind, are the only ones suffering” and are asking why the managers are emphasizing meeting state-set production goals when people could die “at any time” in the mines.
Meanwhile, the bereaved families of the workers who were killed reportedly received no other compensation other than one month’s worth of food rations. The source said that “the families who suddenly lost their main breadwinners [and forced out on the streets] are left in the difficult situation of trying to figure out how to survive.”
Not so much heading into a bright socialist future as returning to the worst conditions at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.
Back then unions were formed to protect and improve the safety and working conditions of the labour force. If a society's now been created that's explicitly based on the triumph of the working class, then, ideologically, exploitation of the labour force is simply no longer possible. Problem solved. It can't happen. And therefore, in official media, doesn't get reported.