It’s time for another round of our weekly “Market Trends”,
which examines North Korea’s economic situation. Worries that the recent UN
sanctions against North Korea will cause difficulties in people’s everyday
struggle to survive are still prevalent, but, thankfully, we haven’t seen a
major impact thus far.
That being said, we’ve heard that the people are very
anxious to make it through this farming hardship period, known as the “lean
period” or “barley hump.” Today we will hear the latest from reporter Kang Mi
Jin. Could you give us some insight on how the people are coping with the shortage
of food during this challenging season?
Currently, the majority of North Koreans are most concerned
with what kinds of food to eat and how to cool off from the sweltering heat of
the late spring. Last weekend was record-setting hot and I found myself
choosing an ice-cold bowl of noodles. It definitely hit the spot, but I wasn’t
able to fully enjoy it while thoughts of North Koreans raining beads of sweat
while scrounging for food filled my mind. In the North, they say it’s a
blessing to live without worrying about what to eat, and here I am being picky
about my meals. I felt pretty embarrassed.
No matter how much the food supply situation has improved up
there, there are still many people living day-to-day, right?
For sure. I contacted one of my sources recently on the
subject and news on the domestic food situation isn’t great. Also, word on China,
once described as being as close as “lips and teeth” with North Korea, participating in the
harsh UN sanctions is spreading. People are worried about the effects of an economic blockade if the country is plagued by drought this summer, as has so often been the case in the past. It’s hard for me to hear
this; it conjures up a lot of painful images in my mind.
Based on the fact that it’s summer, what foods are
people generally seeking out?
Whether in the city or a farming village, the food North
Koreans eat most during this time of the year is rice wrapped in greens. The
greens preserve the taste of the rice, but it’s more so about eating
efficiently during a period of food shortage. In the South, people eat
vegetables for the health benefits, but in the North, vegetables are enjoyed as
a substitute for more expensive food. Two people’s worth of rice can be wrapped
in greens and it becomes enough for three to eat.
In North Korea, when friends or guests visit, it’s more
common to eat rice wrapped in lettuce, cabbage, or green onions, rather than
cook something up. In the summer, instead of eating rice by itself with side
dishes, one can place chives dipped in red pepper paste on top of some lettuce
and wrap that around some rice to eat. What’s more, the wonderful aroma of a vegetable
garden entices the senses while the sweltering heat just flies away.
It seems that rice wrapped in greens is a lifesaver for North Koreans, helping
to regulate food supply during a shortage while blowing away summer heat at the
same time. In the farming villages, people can eat the vegetables they are
growing any time they want, but I would imagine that those living in the city
must shop within the jangmadang [market economy, official or otherwise] to get
their greens. If that’s the case, they can’t really eat vegetables whenever
they want, can they?
The jangmadang really started gaining traction in 2012, and
by this point, the majority of vendors sell specialized wares. The market has
changed quite a bit. Even many of the vegetable merchants now sell their goods
at bargain values. I’ve heard that, in many cases, the farm vegetables sold
early in the morning end up in the hands of city merchants. These merchants
then sell their supply directly to the vegetable stands throughout the city.
Most of these stands see long lines of customers, as vegetables are in high
demand this time of the year.
This style of commerce has spawned a new type of merchant,
known as the “doegeori trader.” These individuals sell their products at a
slightly higher price than they purchased, which started with them carting
produce and grain from farms by bicycle back into cities; their operations have
since expanded. They work the traditional market stands, but have also started
engaging in door-to-door sales.
My younger sibling is currently living on the fifth floor of
an apartment building and when things get so busy that going up and down the
stairs to buy vegetables isn’t feasible, she lowers a basket on a rope to the
merchants below. She puts a shopping list with what she needs and the appropriate
amount of money in the basket. It really ends up being a huge timesaver. I
guess you could say the downside is that she can’t haggle with the merchant or
choose the freshest product, though.
It’s been quite a while since the regime’s distribution
system collapsed, right? It seems like, regardless of how little the
authorities do to help, the people will find a way to soothe their hunger, such
as depending on vegetables in times of shortage.
Most try to overcome the shortages with vegetables and rice
wrapped in greens, but some end up relying on what their local mountains
supply. In mountainous provinces, such as Ryanggang Province, North Hamgyong
Province, Jagang Province, and Kangwon Province, the people use the terrain to
their advantage, beating food shortages by eating all types of naturally
growing herbs. In Ryanggang Province, the deodeok herb plays an indispensable role to provide people with sustenance. North Koreans don’t grill and eat
mountain herbs like in the South; the preference is to eat them raw or dipped
in soybean paste or soy sauce. I’ve heard they are both healthy and delicious!
They say that those living in Ryanggang Province made it through the famine of
the mid 90s by eating deodeok herbs and it has been a part of their food
culture ever since.
I can’t help but think about the people that are going to be
working day and night to prepare food for the summer shortage that is
approaching. Are there any other ways to limit the impact of this upcoming
difficult period?
Actually, this makes me think of a defector I spoke with a
while back. She used to live in Kangwon Province and said that, starting in May
every year, their main source of food was rice and vegetables. This woman had a
history of stomach problems and mentioned that surviving on rice and
vegetables, at a time where rice was in especially short supply in North Korea,
was probably the secret to her staying healthy. I really sympathized with her
situation.
She told me that Kangwon Province is an exceptionally
mountainous region which lacks suitable land to grow grains, so they grew
cabbage on the hillsides, where possible. It was key to them overcoming food
shortages. The cabbage was harvested in the fall, chopped into small pieces,
dried in the shade, and stored for later. In the summer, it could be soaked in
water and placed on top of rice, both increasing the size of the meal and
helping with digestion.
I remember making pickled radish with dried cabbage, but
I’ve only ever eaten it by itself, not paired with rice. The smile on her face
when she mentioned the combo convinced me that it must be quite tasty. All
throughout North Korea, people are discovering creative ways to make through
this “barley hump,” which peaks in May.
To all North Koreans, especially the housewives, out there,
we are cheering you on. I hope that this demanding spring season, in which one
day can feel like an entire year, ends as soon as possible. Let’s close “Market
Trends” today with a run-down of prices on the jangmadang.
Food prices in most markets have not seen much change,
despite the harsh international sanctions. The price of 1 kg of rice was 5,000
KPW in Pyongyang and Hyesan, and 4,900 KPW in Sinuiju. The cost of 1 kg of corn
kernels was 2,100 KPW in Pyongyang and Hyesan, and 2,200 KPW in Sinuiju.
The USD was trading at 8,020 KPW in Pyongyang, 8,085 KPW in
Sinuiju, and 8,010 KPW in Hyesan. The Renminbi was trading at 1,280 KPW in
Pyongyang, and 1,270 KPW in Sinuiju and Hyesan – a drop from last week.
Moving along, 1 kg of pork was selling at 13,000 KPW in
Pyongyang, 12,500 KPW in Sinuiju, and 11,700 KPW in Hyesan. Gasoline and diesel
are both up from early May, trading at 12,600 KPW per kg in Pyongyang and
Sinuiju, and 12,800 KPW in Hyesan, up from a few weeks ago. Finally, 1 kg of
diesel fuel was selling at 7,500 KPW in Pyongyang, 7,630 KPW in Sinuiju, and
7,680 KPW in Hyesan.
*This segment reflects market conditions from May 22-29.
