Some residents of Hyesan have recently been heading to Kim Jong Suk county to gather pine nuts, Daily NK has learned.
“Since July 25, some people from Hyesan have been traveling to areas where pine nuts are cultivated, such as Kim Jong Suk and Samsu counties, to collect the nuts. Nut pickers are generally men from struggling families, though some husbands and wives go together,” a source in Ryanggang province told Daily NK on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Given the risk of falling from tall Korean pine trees, men usually climb them. Couples divide the labor, with husbands knocking down pine cones and wives gathering them. Men who go alone do all the work themselves, the source said.
Many pine nut pickers are “8.3 workers” who pay to be excused from their regular jobs. The monthly fee is generally 120 Chinese yuan, the source said.
Workers who skip duties without permission to pick pine nuts risk punishment for absenteeism, potentially including labor camp sentences that require large bribes to avoid.
“Each worker can earn 400 yuan a month picking pine nuts. After subtracting 100 yuan for living expenses and 120 yuan for the 8.3 workplace fee, workers clear 180 yuan a month,” the source said.
“It makes more sense to pick pine nuts for 180 yuan than to attend work faithfully without earning anything. With 180 yuan, you can buy 60 kilograms of rice, enough to feed a family of three for over a month. It’s even better when a couple works together, earning twice as much.”
High school students join risky work, worrying parents
Some male high school students on vacation have also started picking pine nuts to help their families, the source said.
“No parents want to see their children doing such work. Parents struggling to provide are brought to tears when their children take on this dangerous task,” the source said.
The source recounted a story about a Hyesan woman whose high school son went to gather pine nuts: “His mother told him it was her job to support the family so he should focus on studies. She warned him about potential injuries from climbing wet trees. But the son couldn’t be dissuaded and promised to hand over all his earnings for winter firewood. The mother wept for a long time after this conversation.”
“Students can earn up to 300 yuan a month since they don’t owe workplace payments. It grieves parents to see their children worrying about finances,” the source remarked.
The pine nut harvest runs for about two months, from late July until late September.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons.
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