[imText1]The North Korean government has issued an order forcibly mobilizing residents to rice planting through the “70 Days of Rice-Planting” between May 20th and July 30th.
According to the residents, beginning May 20th the North Korean government will restrict Jangmadangs in each city and each district, and will crack down on travel of residents.
Controlling Jangmadangs, Cracking down Sales
According to a source at the border in North Hyamkyung province, it was learned that from the 20th of last month, the government temporarily closed Jangmadangs and prohibited sales. At Sunam Market in Chongjin, sales of food and amenities have been restricted.
During a phone interview, Mr. Choi, living in Hoiryeong City said that, “From early May, a national order was issued that ‘all sales and purchases in Jangmadangs are subject to punishment until Rice-Planting ends’”. He also said that, “There was an incident in which a salesman selling corn around Hoiryeong 1 Middle School was taken to the National Security Agency”.
Mr. Kim, living in Jongsung district of North Hyamkyung province, said that, “The government threatened residents saying that ‘during the rice-planting season doing anything except rice-planting is a antinational action’, so no one goes to Jangmadangs now”.
Following this, it was learned that the price of rice per 1kg sharply increased from 750~800 won ($0.25-$0.26) to 1,000 won ($0.33) in Jongsung last April.
Without “Travel Permission”, Sent to the Labor Camps
Under the “70 Days of Rice-Planting” order, residents can only travel within the area to which they received “travel permission” from the state. Being caught traveling without permission, leads to a week of imprisonment and forced labor at designated farms in the area.
Mr. Kang, of Chongjin, North Hymkyung Province said that, “If you are caught by the National Security Agency traveling outside your designated area, being taken to a farm is a lucky break. If they choose to make you an ‘example’ to others, that is very unlucky”. He added that, “Travel permission for visits to relatives houses, weddings, and funerals is no longer issued, and only a few Foreign Currency corporations issue travel permission. As it is our only choice, working in the rice fields makes us feel comfortable”.
Increasing Complaints of Residents against Forced Mobilization
[imText2]Kim young Tae (pseudonym, 31), who defected to China in early May, said that complaints from residents about the forced mobilization for rice-planting are increasing. He also said that, “Prohibiting sales of rice makes people suffer more seriously later on, as the price rises during other periods”.
He stated that, “Who are we planting the rice for? Because we are all working, workers can not purchase any food, salespeople can not survive due to prohibitions from doing business, and students can not study… farm managers just take care of their own fields and all farming duties are passed on to the people. We can not figure out for whom we are doing all this work”.
Meanwhile, recently the Rodong Shinmun emphasized the reason for the mobilization of all residents by saying that, “With the economic sanctions in place, rice-planting is the only way to maintain the socialist system. Whatever residents are doing for themselves, their priority should be rice-planting, and only they are true patriots of the (North) Korea Workers’ Party”.
