How illegal North Korean farms could fend off the next famine



Columns How illegal North Korean farms could fend off the next famine Private hillside fields known as ‘sotoji’ have long been a major source of sustenance but undercut reforestation efforts Andrei Lankov March 16, 2023 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Farmers work on a small plot \| Image: NK News (June 17, 2016) North Korea marked its annual Tree-planting Day on Tuesday mobilizing workers across the country to plant saplings in depleted forests as part of a long-running reforestation campaign. But while leader Kim Jong Un has made the project a priority, the planting campaigns have long come into conflict with the practice of using hillside areas in the countryside for private farms known as “sotoji.” North Korea marked its annual Tree-planting Day on Tuesday mobilizing workers across the country to plant saplings in depleted forests as part of a long-running reforestation campaign. But while leader Kim Jong Un has made the project a priority, the planting campaigns have long come into conflict with the practice of using hillside areas in the countryside for private farms known as “sotoji.” Become a member for less than $5.75 per week. Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts. Subscribe now All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by And how should we address you in correspondence? One more step! Please check your inbox, for an email we just sent you, and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily News Update. Trending

Columns

How illegal North Korean farms could fend off the next famine

Private hillside fields known as ‘sotoji’ have long been a major source of sustenance but undercut reforestation efforts

Andrei Lankov March 16, 2023

How illegal North Korean farms could fend off the next famine

Farmers work on a small plot | Image: NK News (June 17, 2016)

North Korea marked its annual Tree-planting Day on Tuesday mobilizing workers across the country to plant saplings in depleted forests as part of a long-running reforestation campaign.

But while leader Kim Jong Un has made the project a priority, the planting campaigns have long come into conflict with the practice of using hillside areas in the countryside for private farms known as “sotoji.”

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How illegal North Korean farms could fend off the next famine

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Andrei Lankov

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