North Korean authorities have mandated a severe new agricultural quota on urban workers. This directive imposes a system of forced labor to collect critical farming supplies. Consequently, this effort prioritizes political objectives over realistic worker capacity.
The order reportedly originated from officials in the city of Nampo. Factories and enterprises must now take charge of collecting agricultural supplies. Furthermore, each worker must unconditionally gather five hundred kilograms of compost weekly.
This mandate will continue until the upcoming Ninth Party Congress. Therefore, the Taean Friendship Glass Factory and similar workplaces remain on high alert. The factory had already secured raw materials and produced compost since last autumn.
Workers believed they had practically completed their state compost quota. However, their burden is now growing significantly with this new directive. They face intense pressure to fulfill this nearly impossible weekly requirement.
Workers must also submit written proof of compost delivered to farms. Additionally, they must provide various tools like straw rope and shovels. Realistically, carrying out all these ancillary tasks proves extremely difficult.
Failure to meet these demands carries serious personal and political risk. With the major Party Congress approaching, failure could become a political issue. This atmosphere creates immense pressure on already strained laborers.
As a result, a corrupt secondary market for compliance certificates has emerged. Workers unable to meet quotas must bribe farms for fake paperwork. Alternatively, they can pay two hundred thousand North Korean won to their factory.
This monetary penalty equates to roughly twenty-eight US dollars. Many workers simply lack the time or circumstances to complete the labor. Therefore, they feel they have no choice but to pay these extortionate fees.
Workers are expressing significant frustration about this situation. They complain the authorities are essentially robbing them in the name of aid. This annual burden does not result in improved or timely food rations for them.
Instead, workers feel strangled by the compounding demands on their lives. They must assume this agricultural burden on top of regular factory production. Meanwhile, many struggle profoundly to feed their own families.
This policy highlights the state’s extractive relationship with its industrial workforce. The system of forced labor redirects urban resources to the agricultural sector. It also reveals the government’s acute focus on political pageantry before major events.
The Ninth Party Congress is a pivotal political gathering for the regime. Ensuring agricultural productivity ahead of it is a clear state priority. However, achieving this goal relies on coercive and unsustainable methods.
Looking ahead, this pressure will likely intensify as the congress nears. Workers may face even stricter enforcement and monitoring of their quotas. The corrupt market for certificates could become more expensive and pervasive.
Ultimately, this mandate underscores the regime’s reliance on mobilized forced labor. It sacrifices worker welfare for perceived political and economic stability goals. The long-term impact may further erode morale and productivity within key industries.
This incident reflects broader patterns of economic mismanagement and coercion. Observers will watch for signs of unrest or inefficiency stemming from these policies. The coming months will test the limits of this state-driven mobilization model.
