Pyongyang car office workers busted for renting out state vehicles

Three low-ranking managers from Pyongyang's Mangyongdae Motor Vehicle Office are facing prosecution for secretly renting out state-owned vehicles to private entrepreneurs for profit, according to Daily NK. The three employees rented out vehicles from May to July and received substantial payments in return. They managed to evade detection by conducting the scheme outside of work hours and on holidays, but were eventually caught by the office's internal surveillance system.

Following the revelation of the case, party officials at the office attempted to distance themselves from any responsibility by claiming they had no knowledge of the matter. This response is described by a source as a "classic case of cutting off the tail" - shielding senior officials by blaming lower-ranking staff. The source also noted that the practice of using state-owned cars for rental business had long been a well-known secret within the office.

While the three managers are expected to bear full responsibility, the fate of the officials who enabled the scheme and the private entrepreneurs who utilized the vehicles remains uncertain. The case is anticipated to prompt a comprehensive inspection of car management offices across North Korea.