Today marks the third year since former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died, and despite a relatively subdued atmosphere leading up to the day, and no announcement of an official mourning period or large-scale events, the North’s state-run media reported that from the crack of dawn on December 17th, residents lined up at Mansudae Hill to pay their respects and lay flowers at the giant bronze statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

During this period, most North Koreans are required to lay flowers down at the Kim father-son statues, as the act is considered a gauge of people’s loyalty to the leadership.

What is the cost involved in this flower-laying operation? Artificial flowers in the North usually cost about 500 KPW a stem, while fresh flowers fetch anywhere between 1,000 to 2,000 KPW, depending on the size. Large wreaths are 170 USD, and small ones are roughly 50 to 100 USD. One U.S. dollar currently trades for roughly 8,000 KPW, according to market prices as of the 15th.

There are roughly 24 million people in North Korea. Excluding children, the sick and old, and those who absolutely cannot afford to buy them, it is estimated that at least 10 million will have paid their respects with flowers during the 3rd anniversary. Indeed, an article by the Party-run publication Rodong Sinmun under the title "Be Strong and Prosperous for Billions of Years, the Land of Great Baekdu," stated that "all 10 million mourners would stand in front of the father we long for on this day."

Even with an average of 1,000 KPW being spent on flowers per person, the cost reaches a whopping 10 billion KPW [roughly 1.2 million USD] for ‘Kim Jong Il mourning.’ Given that one kilogram of rice at the marketplace in Pyongan Province goes for roughly 5,000 KPW, these offerings are akin to wasting 2,000 tons of rice in a day.

“There have been ‘loyalty projects’ in time for the third anniversary with everyone from elementary schools, factories, businesses, and farms being involved,” a source in Pyongan Province told the Daily NK on Wednesday. “Buying flowers was not forced upon us, but since it’s how your loyalty is gauged, even those without money went out of their way to buy fresh or artificial flowers for the mourning.”

She went on to explain, “There haven’t been large-scale events by organization, but all Party, government, military, and labor groups, as well as university and elementary school students, purchased flowers to go pay respects at the Kim father-son statues and offer a silent tribute.” The lack of organized events warrants more rigorous post-inspections, so everyone ends up part of the "loyalty projects" to avoid the possible ramifications in the aftermath.

“The mourning for Kim Jong Il this time is seen as an evaluation of devotion to the Kim Jong Eun leadership, so people are a bit more skittish this year," she added.

In time for the third anniversary, flowers--either artificial or fresh Kimjongilias, chrysanthemums, crape myrtles, and May lilies-- to be laid down at the statues were sold at the marketplace, at homes, and on the streets.

"People who get by a on a daily basis with the money they make from the marketplace have had to scrape up money to buy one fresh flower instead of 300 grams of rice,” the source said. “Donju [the new affluent middle class] can afford to lay down wreaths, and they see this as an opportunity to win over the Party’s trust and get something out of it.”

Party cadres have been quick to prepare large wreaths to pay their respects, anticipating the Kim Jong Eun leadership to tighten its grip on power as the traditional three years of mourning for Kim Jong Il draw to a close.

The artificial flowers sold are made using coated papers, synthetic fibers, and paint brought in from China and then sold at the markets. Fresh flowers are also grown in small plots owned by individuals who use this event to reap profits, according to the source.

Meanwhile, state-run media reported on the scores of residents paying tribute saying, “Men and women from across the entire country are overwhelmed with their longing [for the leader] and visiting the statue of the General [Kim Jong Il] and the Taeyangsang [Kim Il Sung] with bouquets and flower baskets in their arms. As it snows in the capital, Mansudae Hil is overflowing with a stream of flowers that knows no end.”