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Under Kim Jong-un's rule, North Korea's farm workers eat nothing: vegetables are enough, kimchi is abundant
A glimpse of a North Korean farm: a utopia in a shop window?
The sun shines on the blue roof of the North Korean Gyocheon Vegetable Cooperative Farm, as well as on the solar panels that cover the roof. This seemingly idyllic scene made me think deeply: Is this really a true portrayal of rural North Korea? Or is it an elaborate window display of an idealized utopia?
The article depicts a near-perfect farm: brand-new bungalows, free housing and decoration, plenty of vegetables and pickles, and even a sports equipment room and a reading room. Farmers live and work in peace and contentment, actively participate in the "nursery responsibility system", and enjoy the joy of a bumper harvest. This beautiful picture is incompatible with our impression of North Korea, which lacks resources and has a backward economy.
Question 1: Is this universal?
The article only shows the situation of a single farm, but it generalizes to the entire North Korean countryside. This can't help but make people wonder if Yuquan Farm is just a carefully selected model to show the "face project" for foreign guests? Do rural areas in other parts of North Korea have the same standard of living? According to a 2020 report by the Korea Institute of Rural Economy, problems such as poor infrastructure, low level of agricultural technology, and insufficient food production are common in rural areas of North Korea. This is in stark contrast to the scene depicted in the article.
Question 2: What is the real effect of the "nursery responsibility system"?
The article said that the "nursery responsibility system" has greatly improved farmers' enthusiasm for production, but it does not provide any data to support it. In fact, this model, which is similar to the household responsibility system, has not been implemented smoothly in North Korea. According to a 2021 report by the Congressional Research Service of the United States, because state control is still strict, farmers' autonomy is limited, and market mechanisms have not really been established, the effect of the "nursery responsibility system" is not ideal, and even raises new problems of unfair distribution.
Question 3: How transparent is the information?
The main sources of information for the article are North Korean tour guides and farm leaders, and there is a lack of independent third-party sources to corroborate it. With such a single information channel, it is difficult to ensure the objectivity and authenticity of information. Imagine in a country with a high level of information control, will tour guides and officials show their true side, or will they have a whitewashed "positive image"?
Let's take a look back at history. In the late '50s and early '60s, China also experienced the Great Leap Forward, when state media promoted a number of similar "rural paradises" that ended in a painful lesson. This reminds us that we must be vigilant and conduct multiple verifications for this kind of information in order to avoid being deceived by false propaganda.
So, where is the future of rural North Korea headed?
I believe that with the advancement of information technology and the increase in international exchanges, the DPRK people will have more and more understanding of the outside world, which will promote the DPRK's reform and opening up and gradually break down the information barrier. In the future, North Korea may learn from the successful experience of other countries to gradually improve the rural economic system and increase agricultural productivity, so that all farmers can live a truly happy life.
Of course, this is just a speculation based on the available information. The future development of the DPRK is full of uncertainties and requires our continued attention and in-depth study.
We should not only see the glamorous side of the window, but also see the essence through the phenomenon, and think about the deep logic and true appearance behind it. Only in this way can we have a clearer and more objective understanding of the current situation and future of the DPRK's rural areas.
This is not a denial of North Korea, but hopes that through a deeper understanding and more rational analysis, we can better understand this mysterious country and provide some useful food for its future development.