The following report is nearly three years old (August, 2005). But the situation has only scarcely improved in North Korea, and now threatens to worsen again. No exaggerations. The article comes from the Research Institute for North Korean Society, and is easily obtained from Open Doors. Simply order the DVD "Seoul Train," and as a part of the "Bonus Features" , you will find not only this article, but scores like it, charts, graphs, legal documents, a video of a North Korea public execution, and much more. Not only that, every North Korea lover should have by now seen the excellent documentary by Jim Butterworth and Lisa Sleeth that this DVD is all about. Now, the article: [from a translation, with corrections by House of Chosun]
Food Substituted for Thin Maize Soup with Wild Vegetable - Seturi
A Farm worker from the fourth unit at the Sansung Farm in Onsung County says the food situation for local farmers is being extremely aggravated.
The shortage of food urges the locals to substitute or add wild vegetation to their daily food. Boiled Seturi (a dialectical variation of North Hamgyung province - otherwise it is called Se-tu-rae in South Hamgyung province: a kind of dandelion) with a handful of powdered maize is added to substitute for a proper meal. Since there is a marked increase of the price of grain, this state of affairs for the ordinary people should persist for awhile.
Methods of Purchasing Food
People who have more money buy the food in large quantity during the harvest period when the grain cost is relatively low. The price of rice inflates as high as 1000 won during the year, but in the harvesting period, rice prices are 400-450 won (300-400 won in Hwanghae Province). Hence this is the time to buy the rice in bulk.
People who buy rice in bulk store it in a built-in storage in the house, a secret storage with iron bars. This room is disguised as part of the wall - one could not access it without going through another room of the house. Most of the families who buy the rice in bulk buy the maize and rice in 6:4 or 7:3 ratio, respectively.
Purchased rice is consumed for one's own family or some is sold at the marketplace in June to August of the next year when the price of rice is at its highest. The profit from selling the rice is then spent on buying rice in the next harvest season. For instance, the price of maize increases in July, so with the profit from selling 100 kg of maize in the harvest season, a person can buy 200 kg of maize. This is the way that some ‘better-off' people are providing for themselves.
Food Situation in Booyun District, Chungjin
Families under the poverty line are mostly from the Booyun district or Ranam district. Particularly the Booyun district has infertile soil with stones so plentiful that it is difficult for any one to farm decent vegetation. Most families in the area do not even have a proper set of household goods.It almost is impossible to find a household with proper bedding, since anything worthwhile was exchanged for food long ago. People do not trade in the market because they do not have cash to begin with.
In a situation like this, seventy percent of the people in the area are consuming potatoes and wild vegetable for their major source of food. They travel 16 km to Mayang-ri in Musan County, where they get potatoes. It takes an entire day for the return trip.
A few weeks ago there was a big scare in America. Sam's Club and Costco said they would start "rationing" rice. No more than FOUR BAGS per VISIT. No matter what the size of these bags were, the comparison to North Korea and others in the world is ludicrous. Thank God for prosperity, but we have become addicted to over-supplies of everything.
It would seem North Korea is in a different world, but it really is a part of the globe that is included in John 3:16. Many of those affected are Christian family. Earnest prayer is still the order of the day. Will you check out my "what to do" page also? God have mercy on North Korea.
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