Sand mining is becoming a new field of
interest to many in the new affluent middle class of North Korea, known as the
donjuLiterally "masters of money," donju refers to people who hav... More. With massive amounts of money being invested in the extraction of sand
from the Taedong River, which runs from Pyongan Province through the capital city,
workers at state-run enterprises are being hired as laborers on site, creating a
plethora of job opportunities.
While North Korea’s beaches are filled with ample sand, required for each and every construction project in the country,
transporting it to major hubs like Pyongyang is costly and inefficient; the
Taedong River, however, presents a far more accessible and economic option for sand procurement.
The Taedong River rises in Hantaeryong from
Taeheung County in South Pyongan Province, and the main stream cuts across
Pyongyang, Nampo, and Hwanghae Province, eventually flowing out to the West
Sea. The total length of the waterway is 439 kilometers with relatively deep water throughout. In
the capital Pyongyang there is a state-run enterprise that deals with Taedong
River sand, while in other areas in South Pyongan Province there are markets
jointly run by the donjuLiterally "masters of money," donju refers to people who hav... More and the state to trade Taedong sand, according to the
source.
“Since last year, Taedong River that had
been mostly ignored is now becoming a new hotbed for construction projects
backed by investment from donjuLiterally "masters of money," donju refers to people who hav... More,” a source in South Pyongan Province told Daily
NK on Wednesday. “Thanks to such investment, a rollerskating rink, an artificial beach, and
restaurants selling western cuisine have been opening up around the Taedong
River. Workers have been gathering in from all over the country to this area
with new opportunities to make money.”
Competition to invest in sand mining is rife among the donjuLiterally "masters of money," donju refers to people who hav... More, who are keen to dominate this, as the source put it,
“bedrock of a huge creation of wealth.” Labor for the effort, involving some hundreds of workers
required to build boats, extract the sand, and then sell it in the markets, is being hired from state-run factories.
“The sand mining industry is spreading at a
rapid rate, and thanks to word of mouth about ample opportunities for work, day
workers line up in the masses from the crack of dawn,” he said, adding that
wages for these workers is calibrated based on their physical condition and
gender.
Given the paltry wages workers earn at
state-run factories, working under the donjuLiterally "masters of money," donju refers to people who hav... More is a far more attractive
option, allowing laborers to not only feed their families but tuck the rest away in savings. According to the source, people are grateful for the opportunity to make
money, despite the fact that the donjuLiterally "masters of money," donju refers to people who hav... More are implementing the basic principles of a concept running directly contrary to years of state ideological indoctrination touting it as the ultimate evil: capitalism.
“As the number of day workers keep rising
into the hundreds, business-savvy food vendors have moved from the marketplace
to around Taedong River, so there’s now a new area with food stands there,” he
added. “From the early morning hours to late at night, dozens of stalls
are there selling everything from soybean pureed soup to rice cakes.”
*The content of this article was broadcast to the North Korean people via Unification Media Group.
