North Korea underscored the need for
reforestation across all mountains within the next decade in the face of severe
degradation to the country’s forests caused by the Arduous March [the North
Korean famine of 1994-1998]. This is the second time Pyongyang has called for
such efforts since Kim Jong Eun visited Pyongyang’s Central Tree Nursery in
November.
In the North’s Party-run publication Rodong
Sinmun, an article entitled “Reforestation Is a Patriotic Project that Can
No Longer Be Delayed,” ran on Monday, stating, “The lush forests in the mountains that were
present until the 1980s were stripped bare during the difficult times of the
Arduous March and have now reached a point at which we can no longer idly look
on.”
“In a country that is made up of almost 80
percent mountains, it is no exaggeration to say the good and the bad all come
from the mountains,” it went on.
Describing the damage stemming from the
degraded forests as “extreme,” outlining the landslides and floods that have
destroyed farms, homes, public facilities, roads, and even railroads during the
monsoon season–essentially leaving no part of society untouched. Attributing the severe physical and economic implications from these disasters explicitly to the lack of trees, the article described the afforestation effort as a “battle with no bullets” to win a
broader “war against nature.”
The state warned that hopelessness is the
most dangerous element that people need to be vigilant against in the battle of
reforestation. “As of now, reforestation has been greatly emphasized and [many
say] a lot of effort is being put into this project, but the reason why it has
not put out adequate results is because cities and counties are still wallowing
in their spirit of defeat,” the piece stated, urging dedication to the cause.
Asserting this “battle” to hinge largely on the devotion and responsibility of Ministry of Land and
Environmental Protection workers and the respective departments in each
province, city, and county. “Party secretaries in each city and county,
responsible for one 200th of this country, must work towards reforestation and
protecting trees in order to realize victory in the battle and act as the
engine pulling things forward,” the report read.
Meanwhile, Kim Jong Eun’s New Year’s Address
also emphasized the need for reforestation, saying, “We must carry out a strong
battle in reforestation so that the mountains’ green forests turn into lush
mountains of gold.”
