Pyongyang City overturns 530,000 pyeong of rice field and builds a house

Anchor: It has been confirmed that at least 174 hectares of farmland, or about 530,000 pyeong, have been turned over for construction so far while the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's ambitious project to build a house for 50,000 households in Pyongyang is in its third year. Nine times the size of the 5.1 Stadium in Rungrado, the largest in North Korea, has disappeared. 

There is a reason that it is because Pyongyang cannot keep up with the demand for housing due to the increase in the population, but there are also voices pointing out the move to build a house even while eliminating farmland.   

Reporter Park Soo-young looked at the construction status of 50,000 households in Pyongyang using satellite images. 

174 hectares of farmland removed by the construction of a house… 700~900 tons of rice production per year 

A construction project for 50,000 households is currently underway in Pyongyang, North Korea. 

Starting with the Songsong and Songhwa districts in Pyongyang, high-rise buildings are being built in the Seopo and Geumcheon districts, along the Potong River, and in the 9/9 section street districts. 

North Korea adopted the 'National Economic Development Five-Year Plan' at the 8th Labor Party Congress in January 2021, and set the main goal of the construction project of 50,000 households by 2025 by 10,000 households every year, but this year is the third year. 

RFA Free Asia Broadcasting  analyzed the progress of the construction of a house in Pyongyang with satellite images taken in March 2020 and July 2022 together with Jeong Seong-hak, deputy director of the Satellite Information Research Center at Kyungpook National University in Korea, In the district, it was found that the existing farmland was removed and an apartment complex was built on top of it. 

The Geumcheon District near Mangyeongdae, which is scheduled to start construction, is also a rice and corn field.

According to satellite images, it is 174.2 hectares (approximately 530,000 pyeong) of agricultural land that has already disappeared, which is about 60% of the area of ​​Yeouido (290 hectares) in Korea and 9 times the size of Rungrado May 1st Stadium (20 hectares), the largest stadium in the Korean peninsula.

An apartment complex is being built on a 120.1 hectare site that used to be a vinyl house and rice fields, centering on the 9th and 9th intersections in Daeseong District, Pyongyang. / Google Earth – Jeong Seong-hak, Kim Tae-i

Rural experts estimate this to be an area capable of producing between 700 and 900 tonnes per year, measured in terms of rice production. 

Hyuk Kim, a senior researcher at the Korea Rural Community Corporation’s Rural Research Institute, told RFA on the 15th, “It varies depending on climate and region, but about 216 to 271 tons per year in Songhwa district (54 hectares) and about 481 to 271 tons in Hwaseong district (120 hectares). It can produce about 601 tons of rice.”

It is said that about 700 to 872 tons of rice can be harvested from the farmland removed for the construction of a house in Pyongyang.

Cho Choong-hee, a former North Korean defector and North Korean agriculture expert, also explained (on the 15th) that this is an area that can produce about 885 tons of rice per year, equivalent to the annual food consumption of about 5,000 North Koreans.

[Cho Chung-hee] 885 tons are produced when considering production of 5 tons per hectare. It is almost 900 tons, which is equivalent to 200 kg of rice per capita in North Korea. So (900 tons of rice) is enough food for about 5,000 people to normally consume for a year.

In addition, Cho added that about 10,000 people can consume it for a year if they grow corn. 

[Cho Choong-hee] If you calculate it with corn, it doubles. About 10,000 residents can consume food for a year, but it accumulates every year or two. I think it is too much to build an apartment on farmland, even if the land is owned by the state.

Kwon Tae-jin, an expert in North Korean agriculture and director of North Korea and Northeast Asia at GS&J Institute in South Korea (15th), estimated the amount of rice that can be produced in the rice fields in the two regions at 600 tons per year. It was explained as a total value of 3.6 billion won.

A high-rise apartment complex is being built on 54.2 hectares of land overturning rice fields around Songhwa Street in Pyongyang. The exterior appears to have been completed, but the interior appears to have been suspended due to lack of materials. / Google Earth, Jeong Seong-hak, Kim Tae-i

Completion of a house built by eliminating farmland 'opaque'

As the North Korean authorities overturn the existing farmland and build a house, there are voices of concern that the house may not be completed due to a lack of construction materials.

Jeong Seong-hak, deputy director of the National Territory Satellite Information Research Institute at Kyungpook National University in Korea, explained (16th) that the completion ceremony for Songhwa Street was held in April of last year, but that the necessary environment for the apartment complex has yet to be created.

[Jeong Seong-hak] The Songsong∙Songhwa district is the place where the first shovel was broken for the construction of 50,000 units in Pyongyang, and it is also the only place where the completion ceremony was held. Dozens of high-rise apartment complexes have been built here, and the exterior of the apartment seems to have been completed, but it seems that there are not a few places where internal construction has been stopped due to lack of materials. In addition, trends in landscaping and environmental cleanup work around the complex have not yet been observed.

In addition, deputy director Jeong pointed out that North Korea can procure steel bars and cement, but most of the materials inside the apartment depend on imports, so internal construction seems to be delayed.

Senior researcher Hyuk Kim also analyzed that unlike the Songhwa district, which was completed in about a year, in the case of the Hwaseong district, more than a year has passed since the groundbreaking ceremony took place, but there is still no news of completion.

[Kim Hyuk] In the end, to hold a completion ceremony, you need to have everything in place. But I think, 'wasn't it a difficult situation to have (to some extent)? For example, there must be various problems such as window frames, windows, and tiles. In particular, there are quite a few parts that require the use of imported raw materials, and if these are not procured, it is difficult to hold a completion ceremony.

Housing supply is in short supply “Policy for the elite class” pointed out 

Experts cite 'increase in the population of Pyongyang', 'easy access to the center', and 'high-ranking-centered policies' as the reasons why the North Korean authorities are pushing ahead with the construction of 50,000 households even while eliminating existing farmland.  

Dr. Jeong Eun-yi of the Korea Institute for National Unification diagnosed (15th) that the supply of housing in Pyongyang is not keeping up with the demand. 

[Jung Eun-yi] The reason for building around it is that the center of (Pyongyang) is almost saturated. To what extent, the population density of Pyongyang is so high that you can cross it by placing a ladder. So, first of all, there is a huge shortage of housing, in other words, there is a demand.

Choi Dae-sik, director of the North Korea Research Center at the Korea Land and Housing Research Institute (LHRI), also explained (on the 16th) that most areas where 50,000 housing units are to be built are in the center and are easily accessible.

[Choi Choi] In the case of Songhwa Street, it is a newly created street, and in terms of location, it is not in the center of Pyongyang, but accessibility is relatively good. If you look at the places where 10,000 households are being built, there are many places that have easy access to downtown Pyongyang.

Seopo District, Section 9/9 Street District, Songsong∙Songhwa District, Potonggang District, and Geumcheon District, where housing construction of 50,000 units for the construction of new homes in Pyongyang is underway. Jeong Seong-hak, deputy director of the Satellite Information Research Institute at Kyungpook National University in South Korea, said on the 16th, “I am concerned that 50,000 households in Pyongyang will also step on the subway at the Yugyong Hotel, which has been neglected for about 30 years due to lack of materials.” / Google Earth, Jeong Seong-hak, Kim Tae-i

In addition, it is a natural phenomenon that the scope of the city gradually expands, and the housing supply is an important area for improving the quality of life of North Korean residents, Choi added. 

[Choi Dae-sik] In the big picture, isn't there a principle of improving people's lives? In national policy, improvement of people's livelihood is a big principle, and this includes not only food issues, but also other daily necessities and housing issues.

However, he pointed out that this construction project is a policy aimed only at the elite class who can move into 50,000 households. 

This is because farmland is damaged due to the construction of 50,000 units, and food production in North Korea as a whole is falling. 

Senior researcher Kim Hyuk also said that the construction of 50,000 households in Pyongyang goes against the North Korean authorities' encouragement and policy to increase food production. 

[Kim Hyuk] In the 1950s and 1960s, grain production was absolutely necessary due to population growth, so projects such as the search for new land were promoted in earnest. Even now, the movement to find new land and the reclaimed land reclamation project are emphasized (construction of 50,000 households in Pyongyang), but there are parts that contradict that policy. Unlike the efforts that have been made so far to secure a grain of rice and farmland, North Korea's urban development is possible because it sees a greater political interest.

While North Korea recently held a plenary meeting on agricultural production and sought multilateral efforts to increase food production, on the one hand, it is pointed out that North Korea's policy of overturning rice fields and carrying out construction of houses in Pyongyang is contradictory.  

*Satellite image reading/analysis, image production: Jeong Seong-hak, Vice Director of the Korea Land Satellite Information Research Institute, Kyungpook National University

Reporter Park Soo-young, editor No Jeong-min, web team Kim Sang-il

North Korea lifts blockade of Seohae Island after 3 years “Get out of your way to catch fish”

Anchor :  Local sources revealed that North Korea has suddenly allowed fishing in the West Sea, which had been controlled for a long time to prevent corona, and imposed a fishing plan for each fishery business to turn away from fishing.

Inside North Korea, reporter Son Hye-min reports.

A source in South Pyongan Province told Radio Free Asia on the 19th, “Since the beginning of last week, according to the instructions of the Ministry of Fisheries (Cabinet), the Provincial Fisheries Management Bureau has been urging all ships from each city and county to go fishing.” .

In response to the corona crisis in February 2020, North Korea declared the maximum emergency quarantine system and completely sealed off the border as well as fish from the East and West Seas. However, as people's livelihood deteriorated due to price confusion, such as soaring prices of imported basic food and marine products, the maritime blockade was partially eased from the second half of 2021, and some North Korea-China trading vessels were allowed to operate, providing basic food and medicines as national emergency supplies. imported into

In the midst of this, in August 2022, when Secretary General Kim Jong-un lifted the maximum emergency quarantine system related to the corona, North Korea lifted the blockade of the East Sea and allowed fish from the East Sea Fisheries Office to fish, but fish from the West Sea near Pyongyang, as well as individuals from the tidal flats of the West Sea. It is known that they have been controlling even the fishing.    

The source said, “The measures that had been blocked for three years (more than a little) were lifted, saying that the West Sea was also strengthening corona quarantine measures, and ships from fisheries establishments were allowed to go out.” A plan was imposed,” he added.

In carrying out the national plan, the Mundeok-gun Fisheries Office is repairing and servicing large and small fishing boats and sending them out to the nearby sea.

“Aquatic products such as anchovies and clams caught in the sea are immediately transported to the refrigerated warehouse of the fishery business and dedicated to the national plan,” the source added.

In the case of state-run fisheries offices located in the West Sea of ​​North Korea, it is known that they generally have about 40 large and small vessels. In the case of the larger Donghae Sea Fisheries Office, it manages up to 100 vessels.

On the same day, another source in North Pyongan Province also reported, “In Uiju-gun, fisheries businesses have fully resumed fishing in the West Sea, which had been blocked due to COVID-19 quarantine measures, and large and small fishing boats anchored in the port are concentrating on departing.”

The source said, “In order to properly carry out the plan imposed by the authorities to bring back the fish storm, the priority is to repair the engines and equipment of the ship that has been docked for a long time, and to repair the nets.” Managers are having trouble with the authorities’ instructions to resolve it on their own,” he said.

A source said, “The executives of the fisheries business office are forced to go to private donju and turn (borrow) the necessary funds for ship engines and equipment, etc. to quickly repair the ship and send it to the nearby sea.” I sell my lamps in the marketplace to pay off my personal funds first.”

The source said, “The large vessels are entirely rented out to private donju,” adding, “The donju who leased the state-owned vessels buy nets and fuel necessary for the vessel to depart, and go out to sea to catch fish. We give 10% and sell the rest in the market,” he emphasized.

The source continued, “However, the authorities are promoting that by lifting the blockade of the West Sea and starting fishing in the West Sea in earnest, fish side dishes will be on the table of the people and their dietary life will improve.” Have you ever done that?” he said, laughing.

North Korean youth dissatisfaction with the longest military service in the world

Anchor : In North Korea, which recently extended  the military service period to  8 years and 11 years by adding  3 years of rural deployment to the  5 and 8 years of military service for female and male soldiers, the authorities are forcing young people to serve the longest in the world. Local sources said they were expressing strong dissatisfaction with the . 

Inside North Korea Reporter Kim Ji-eun reports.

A resident source in North Hamgyong Province said on the 17th,  “ Recently  , all young people across the country have become targets of military service changes according to the Central Military Commission’s measures to change  military service . I do,” he told Radio Free Asia .

A source said  , “ Mothers ( enlisted )  and residents are complaining about the greatly extended military service period.  Because of that,” he testified .

Resident testimony:  These days  ( graduating class )  kids don't want to go to the military . 11 years . In January (  the changes in military service )  I ( Pochi ) came . It is said that it is 11 years, but who would go to the army ? These days, if you give money, you can join the party ...

The source said   ,  “Here ( North Korea ) ,  when  you graduate from  an  advanced middle school at the age of   17 , you first enlist in the military.” Anyone above that must enlist . ” 

The source also  added, “The period of military service has increased by  3 years,  11 years for men and   8 years for women , and the amount of bribes to be exempted from military service has also increased significantly from  3,000 won to  6,000 won ( about $  870 ) .” it is

A source said   , “As the number of people avoiding military service increased,  the provincial military mobilization department recently decided not to accept medical certificates issued  by doctors  . I have no choice but to register as a patient and try to be exempted from military service due to illness,” he added .

The source  said, “Even if you are exempted from military service by paying bribes, another trap called the assault squad  awaits .  ” Even if it is excluded, it does not mean much,” he emphasized .

In this regard, a resident source in North Pyongan Province  said  , “Due to the newly changed military service system, most young people have to spend their youth in the military  . ” ”he told Radio Free Asia .

The source said  , “According to the recent  instructions from the Central Military Commission, the military service period for men and women has been extended by  three years, so men must serve for  11 years and  women for  eight years.” He testified that he is working hard to get his children to enlist in a unit they are comfortable with . ”  

The source also said  , “Some of the officers ’ children are doing their military service by giving money and supplies to the unit and playing at home for about  six months at a time. ” They are fulfilling their military service period while playing in Korea . ”  

The source said  ,  “ Nowadays, even  women have compulsory military service, and residents who have daughters have high complaints   . ” They are blaming the authorities . ”

The source said,  “The authorities are trying to fill the shortage of military personnel by extending ( extending )  the period of military service for young people and to solve the shortage of construction and  farming manpower.” It is because they give birth to  one child, but it is questionable whether this problem can be solved by extending the military service period . ” 

Radio Free Asia reported on March 7 that the North Korean authorities decided to change the military service system and extend the military service period so that even if you complete your service after joining the military, you must work in a rural area for three  years to  be discharged .