North Koreans are increasingly moving homes in the fall, mirroring a seasonal pattern common in South Korea. The trend may reflect the housing construction boom under leader Kim Jong Un.
Between late September and early October, Daily NK surveyed residents of 13 cities from Kaesong in the south to Rason in the north who had recently moved or knew someone who had. The question: Why move in autumn?
The answers were practical. People moved for reliable water and electricity, to be closer to work, schools or marketplaces. Some were displaced by government development projects. Others moved to escape state surveillance. Not one person said they received a new home from the state.
A couple in their 20s in Pyongyang’s Sosong district recently moved closer to work to care for their young children. Their new home is 20 minutes from work and cheaper than their previous residence.
Pak, in his 40s in Nampo, also moved closer to work. “I bought a home where I could bicycle to work,” he said. “We work in shifts, so I’m happy I moved closer to work so I could sleep a bit more.”
Baek, a merchant in her 40s in Hamhung, South Hamgyong province, moved to “a home midway between my husband’s work and the marketplace.” Her husband’s salary alone cannot support them, so proximity to the market was essential.
Lee, in her 30s in Rason, moved to within a 10-minute walk of the marketplace. “I have to sell items as soon as they come in, so I just moved because I’ll take losses if I live far from the market,” she said.
Jang, in her 40s in Hyesan, Ryanggang province, moved near the border with China. “You have to be near the Yalu River to receive items when they come in from China,” she said. Distance from the border directly affects income — a 5-minute walk versus 10 minutes makes a difference.
Choe, in his 50s in Sinuiju, North Pyongan province, moved to a relative’s home near the customs house, the Yalu River Bridge and hotels frequented by Chinese tourists. “Chinese products are plentiful nowadays, and I could make a living as long as I have plenty of Chinese customers,” Choe said. The move was a strategic response to improving North Korea-China relations.
Utilities and other factors
“I recently moved after my next-door neighbor said we should before the water pipes freeze,” said Kim, in her 30s in Haeju, South Hwanghae province. “As long as we get water, we don’t care if the home is new or old.”
Yun, in his 60s in Chongjin, North Hamgyong province, paid extra to move to a neighborhood with better water service. “At my old home, I had to go to my parents’ home or the sauna to wash when there was no water, but now I don’t have to, which is nice,” Yun said.
Electricity also motivated moves. Jong, in his 50s in Sariwon, North Hwanghae province, had a relative who moved downtown because of power outages. “In mountain villages, children can hardly do their homework because the towns receive no power, so it’s dark from early evening,” Jong said. “My relative paid a premium to move to a one-room place on some downtown corner where they get power rather than a three-room home with no electricity.”
Hong, in his 50s in Wonsan, Kangwon province, has moved almost yearly since being evicted for the development of the Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone. Hundreds of homes were demolished, but residents received no replacement housing. Hong and others now shelter in renovated warehouses or empty factory spaces.
“We had nowhere to go instead of our demolished homes, so we have no choice but to fix up warehouses or factory spaces,” Hong said.
Jo, in her 30s in Kaesong, moved closer to school after a new factory and road construction made her neighborhood dangerous. “It’s further away from the marketplace, but I only need to go to the market once a week, and our child’s safety comes first,” she said.
Climate and government surveillance also played roles. Oh, in his 20s in Manpo, Jagang province, moved away from the riverside because “the river winds were too strong,” hoping to save on heating costs.
Lee, in her 30s in Pyongsong, South Pyongan province, moved to the outskirts to escape “severe surveillance and controls by law enforcement agencies” including state security agents, police and prosecutors.
“Since moving, my kid goes to a more rundown school, but even if they graduate from a good school, they ultimately get collectively deployed to a labor brigade or mine,” Lee said. “I thought it better that they grow up in peace, without having to walk on eggshells.”
