North Korean authorities have launched a nationwide campaign instructing residents to unplug their television sets in an effort to conserve electricity, prompting frustration among citizens who say the measure is unlikely to address the country’s chronic energy shortages.
Residents have been advised that electronic devices continue to consume small amounts of power even when turned off, with TVs consuming roughly 2 watts per hour while plugged in but powered down, according to a resident from Ryanggang province speaking anonymously due to security concerns.
“The authorities claim the country’s limited electricity supply is being illegally overused, insisting this issue must be resolved,” she told Radio Free Asia (RFA). Officials have stressed that even minimal electricity usage impacts the nation’s resources, describing each watt as “a valuable asset.”
However, the directive has sparked resistance from locals, who argue the move is ineffective given North Korea’s longstanding electricity crisis. Many areas in the country experience routine power outages, with electricity available only for a few hours each day—usually around meal times.
“The state does not provide enough electricity to justify demanding we save it,” the Ryanggang resident said, echoing widespread public dissatisfaction with the government’s approach.
North Korea’s energy infrastructure remains severely inadequate, and rolling blackouts have become standard across the nation, underscoring the difficulty in resolving the energy shortage through such measures alone.
