In many regions of North Korea, a lack of
fertilizer and the spring drought have resulted in a poor vegetable crop, making kimjang, the preparation of kimchi [a traditional fermented Korean side dish] for the winter, extremely
difficult for residents.
“The drought this year was so bad and the cabbage
is infested with worms; we’ve got a lot of radishes, but not much else,” a source in Yangkang Province reported to the Daily NK on October 30th.
“As kimjang season approaches, people are seriously worried about what they’re
going to do.”
“Some residents, in collusion with military
officers and border guards, are bringing in cabbage and other vegetables from
China at night to deal with the issue,” he explained.
According to the source, the state has
imposed strict rules on the harvesting of cabbage and other vegetables, citing
concern over contracting possible contagious diseases carried by the rampant bug infestation of the crops. Plant and animal products coming in or going out
of the country are strictly forbidden as part of the quarantine efforts, so
customs officials and quarantine personnel are currently playing crucial roles in
smuggling these products into North Korea.
“The crops can live without fertilizer, but
without water, fertilizer is pretty pointless for growing vegetables,” the source elaborated on the dismal harvest. “Because of the drought,
the power supply decreased and so the water pumps are hopeless.”
This being the situation, the price of
vegetables at the market is up to the whims of the seller. “A kilogram of
radishes is 700 KPW [0.09 USD], with a kilogram of cabbage going for
1,200-1,500 KPW [0.15-0.19 USD]; most refer to the exorbitant prices as
the ‘price of gold,’” he reported.
Last year, despite slight variances among regions, the average price of one kilogram of cabbage at the
beginning of the winter season was 1,000 KPW [0.12 USD]; this year it’s risen
by 200-500 KPW [0.02-0.06 USD].
In order for a family of five to prepare
sufficient kimchi for the winter requires 500kg of cabbage and 100-200kg of
radishes–the cabbage alone costs up to 750,000 KPW [93 USD]. Add to that the
necessary red pepper powder, garlic, and other seasonings and the price quickly
skyrockets.
The kimchi prepared during kimjang must
last a family through the winter until the arrival of spring in the North. During
the period of preparing the spicy dish, residents work together to help each other complete the task, and most take
a short break from work as part of the preparations. Despite the aid from the collaborative effort, the financial burden is steep: the source remarked that many residents refer to spending such a large amount of money
at as the “kimjang battle.”
