Many North Koreans are less-than-enthusiastic about an order by the authorities to complete construction of the Yonpo Greenhouse Farm by Party Foundation Day on Oct. 10.
A Daily NK source in South Hamgyong Province said Thursday that many people are giving news of the farm’s construction the cold shoulder. He said they fear a wave of mobilizations and “non-tax burdens” once building begins.
In late February, South Hamgyong Province’s party committee held an emergency meeting of managers and party workers of local government bodies and enterprises.
The head of the province’s party committee called on everyone to come together and take “ownership” of the farm’s construction. He ordered the heads of local enterprises and organizations to provide ideological and material support to realize North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s “grand vision,” warning them against simply “sitting around and crying.”
The meeting also discussed party plans to organize support for military builders mobilized to construct the farm.
In particular, the meeting underscored that officials should have proper understanding of “Friday labor” and “definitely” support construction of the farm.
“Friday labor” is a form of mandatory labor. North Korea introduced a system of “mandatory social labor” with Cabinet Decision No. 18 on Mar. 1, 1959. Under the mandate, even office workers must perform a certain number of hours of physical labor a year (much of which has fallen on Fridays, thus “Friday labor”).
The source said on Tuesday, factories, enterprises and even inminban (people’s units) across the province held similar meetings. They ordered that each household provide two pairs of gloves to support the farm’s construction.
He added that households without actual gloves should pay KPW 5,000 instead.
Basically, the authorities are once again imposing “non-tax burdens,” even after loudly calling for the elimination of such burdens.
Many people also believe it unrealistic to build vegetable greenhouses at a time when people are suffering food shortages. The authorities were trying to deceive the people with vegetable farms, which only people with full bellies would like, because they cannot resolve shortages of the foods the people really need, the source claimed.
The source further noted that only a handful of people will receive vegetables even if the farm is completed. While the facility looks like it is for the people, it could end up simply as a vegetable supplier for government workers in Pyongyang and other high-ranking cadres.
Rodong Sinmun reported that the Feb. 18 groundbreaking ceremony for the Yonpo farm — attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un himself — was held in a “grand manner.”
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