Students mobilized to farms in North Pyongan province’s Yomju county have returned home after completing rice planting season. Unlike previous years, work team and squad leaders prepared special meals on the final day, allowing students to end their deployment in higher spirits than ever before.
According to a North Pyongan source recently, student agricultural volunteers deployed to farms in Naejung village, Bangok village, and Yeongok village finished work on June 14. The following day, they enjoyed special meals prepared by their work teams and squads while sharing memories of their time together.
“That day, students ate various foods made from ingredients provided by squad and work team leaders—rice cakes, corn noodles, pancakes, chicken, duck and other dishes,” the source said. “Unlike the past, they spent their final day in a much more festive atmosphere.”
North Korea conducts nationwide rural mobilizations each spring and fall. Spring deployments are particularly lengthy, and rural food conditions are difficult, so agricultural volunteers typically had to bring their own food supplies, side dishes and daily necessities to deployment sites.
However, this year’s agricultural volunteers deployed to Yomju county farms were provided basic food supplies and side dishes as conditions allowed, with students only responsible for their own daily necessities.
During rural mobilizations, students go to farms designated by their schools, where they’re divided into squads and work teams and housed in local homes—one or two students per household—for about a month while conducting rice planting and other tasks.
Students’ living conditions vary dramatically depending on their squad or work team leader’s capabilities. Those with resourceful leaders can stay in accommodations with TVs for less boring evenings and don’t need to worry about side dishes like cabbage or pickled radish.
Leaders’ capabilities shine through final feast
The leaders’ capabilities were clearly demonstrated by the special meals provided on the final day, with students gathering in groups to compare and evaluate their squad and work team leaders by name, the source said.
“Students openly shared their experiences about whether squad or work team leaders provided good side dishes or snacks during the rural deployment period,” the source explained. “They also exchanged various comments about the food ingredients prepared for special meals, evaluating which work team leaders were most capable.”
Among students, word spread that “one squad leader planted zucchini before deployment to prepare” and “one work team leader made cold cucumber soup from greenhouse cucumbers for snacks.” These student evaluations of individual squad and work team leaders reportedly spread by word of mouth throughout Yomju county.
“Some residents say it breaks their hearts to see students boasting about the modest provisions they received after working without pay, celebrating over just one special meal,” the source said. “At least this deployment ended relatively well with an unexpected feast, and everyone returned home with smiles.”
