Day labor markets have boomed across North Korea as farming season drives up demand for workers at collective farms and various agency support farms.
A Daily NK source in South Pyongan province said recently that day labor markets for construction, housework, and transportation workers are common in the Kaechon area. “Many places need workers, and people need to make money right away, so these markets are thriving.”
Day labor markets originally started with porters earning daily wages for carrying cargo between train stations and markets. They’ve now expanded so people can easily find day laborers for collective farms, agency support farms, and construction work instead of using mobilized residents, the source said.
“We now live in a world where you can hire anybody as long as you have money,” he said.
Day laborers are mostly so-called 8.3 workers—people who pay their official employers to skip work and focus on private business.
Despite low wages, day work is popular
Daily wages vary widely. Simple manual laborers who transport supplies, build brick walls, or apply mortar on construction sites make 20,000 to 25,000 North Korean won ($22-$25), while skilled work like plastering, tiling, and electrical installation can earn over 30,000 won.
“If you go to farms in the Kaechon area to do weeding as a day laborer replacing a mobilized worker, you get three kilograms of corn,” the source said. “Compared to the 15,000 won you get for helping sell food, 3 kilograms of corn isn’t much.
“People complain about getting just three kilograms of corn for farm work, but many are still willing to work for that amount, so wages probably won’t change soon.”
With market operations restricted due to general farming mobilization orders, merchants whose activities have been curtailed are heading to day labor markets, further boosting labor supply, the source said.
“There aren’t many people in markets now, so there’s not much work helping with sales,” the source said. “Market sales are poor too, so more people are going to farms or construction sites to make money replacing mobilized workers.”
