Choe Yong Rim Visits South Hwanghae Province

Choe Yong Rim visits Samjigang Cooperative Farm on 24 May 2012 (Photo: KCNA)

DPRK state media reported that DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim visited agricultural and food production facilities in South Hwanghae Province.  Choe’s public appearances occurred amid reports of a drought in the western part of the country and starvation deaths in South Hwanghae.  On 24 May (Thursday) Choe visited Samjigang Cooperative Farm in Chaeryo’ng County.  KCNA reports:

It is associated with the leadership provided by the President and leader Kim Jong Il. It has completed rice transplanting in the right time while giving priority to harrowing according to the features of soil and thoroughly ensuring the number of rice plants for phyong and the number for rice plants. The agricultural workers of the farm are turning out as one in weeding and preventing drought, not content with their proud achievements.

The premier stressed the need to set a model of the country in farming this year, too, true to the behests of Kim Jong Il and thus remain loyal to the Songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Un with rice.

Choe Yong Rim visits Suwon Cooperative Farm in Paech’o'n County, South Hwanghae Province on 25 May 2012 (Photo: KCNA)

On 25 May (Friday) Choe visited cooperative farms and water infrastructure in Yo’nan and Paech’o'n counties:

All the agricultural workers of the counties are gaining achievements in the ongoing rice transplanting with ardent patriotism to bring about a decisive turn in settling the food issue as befitting the masters of the country’s granary true to the high intention of the dear respected Kim Jong Un.

The premier went round the Ohyon and Suwon cooperative farms and other places.

He underlined the need for the farms to carry through the behests of President Kim Il Sung and thereby continue glorifying the honor of the units of his on-the-spot guidance. He underscored the need to positively study and introduce high yields of seeds as intended by the WPK so as to set a model in grain production. He stressed the need to readjust tractors and rice transplanting machines well to keep them in full-capacity and for relevant units to provide substantial fertilizers according to periods.

Learning about water storage and provision of Lake Kuam and the Ryeui Reservoir, he underscored the need to provide substantial water to paddy and non-paddy fields as it does not rain at present and thus take concrete measures for preventing drought.

Choe Yong Rim visits Ohyon Cooperative Farm in Yo’nan County, South Hwanghae Province on 25 May 2012 (Photo: KCNA)

Choe visits Ryeui Reservoir (Photo: KCNA)

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim visits Lake Kuam on 25 May 2012 (Photo: KCNA)

Choe visits Oguk Cooperative Farm in Anhak County, South Hwanghae Province on 26 May 2012 (Photo: KCNA)

On 26 May (Saturday) Choe visited farms in Anhak and Sinch’o'n counties, as well as a salt production site:

The farms associated with the leadership exploits of the great persons of Mt. Paektu have made successes in their immediate farming by making full arrangements for finishing the on-going rice-transplantation and other farm work qualitatively in the right time with ardent desire to reap a rich harvest.

The farms have taken measures for speeding up the rice-transplantation and overcoming the drought despite unfavorable weather as required by the Juche-oriented farming methods.

The premier highlighted the importance of settling the food shortage in building a thriving nation and called on all officials and other agricultural workers to play their role as those responsible for the nation’s agricultural production.

He also stressed the need to meet technological requirements for harrowing and winding up the rice-transplanting in right season.

He underlined the need for all officials to take good care of the farmers’ living as their mothers would do by earnestly learning from the dear respected Kim Jong Un’s noble outlook on people.

He called on the relevant units to take steps for supplying farm materials needed for rice-transplantation in good time.

Then the premier visited the construction site of Hwangnam Youth Saltern in the province nearing its completion.

The construction of the saltern, covering hundreds of hectares, made it possible to produce a large quantity of salt for the economic development and improvement of people’s living standard in the province.

Looking round the saltern ensuring economic profitability, the premier called for upholding the party with increased output of salt by conducting an effective work for raising the workers’ technical skill.

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim visits Saenal County in Sinch’o'n County on 26 May 2012 (Photo: KCNA)

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim visits the construction of Hwangnam Youth Saltern on 26 May 2012 (Photo: KCNA)

Workers’ Orgs to Hold Conferences in May and June

National headquarters of the Kim Il Sung Youth League (L) and the Korea Democratic Women’s Union (R) in Pyongyang (Photo: Google image)

DPRK state media reported on 4 May (Friday) that the four major Workers’ Organizations will hold membership conferences “from late May to early June.”  KCNA reports:

Conferences of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea, the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea and the Democratic Women’s Union of Korea are to be held here from late May to early June.

Discussed there will be the tasks of the working people’s organisations to hold in high esteem President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il as eternal leaders of the Party and revolution, carry through the decision of the Fourth Conference of the Workers’ Party of Korea and build a thriving socialist nation under the guidance of the dear respected Kim Jong Un.

It is not clear if the Workers’ Organizations’ conferences are linked to another large gathering in Pyongyang connected to boosting the country’s food supply.  Good Friends reported on its website on 2 May (Wednesday) that “the new leadership decided to hold a homeland meeting in Pyongyang early in May with the intent of preparing measures to resolve the problem of food shortages.  Three to four functionaries of related fields from each county, and even larger numbers from each city are continuing to gather in Pyongyang. . .the scale is second only to the party representatives’ conference held on 11 April.”  Good Friends also reported that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n), “personally ordered the meeting to be held, saying that good methods of food production should be sought fundamentally.”

AFP reports:

North Korean officials from across the country will meet in Pyongyang this month to discuss ways to boost agriculture in the food-scarce nation, a Seoul aid group said on Thursday.

The ‘Homeland Conference’ will focus on ways to expand farmland in the mountainous nation by cultivating rugged areas and inactive land, Good Friends said on its website.

The meeting will draw hundreds of people including central and local government officials, ruling communist party officials and other state agencies, making it as large as a party meeting last month, the aid group said.

Seoul’s unification ministry could not immediately confirm the reported meeting, for which the aid group gave no date.

The North suffered a famine which killed hundreds of thousands in the 1990s and severe food shortages continue. UN agencies said last November that three million people would need food aid this year and child malnutrition was rising.

Good Friends said the Pyongyang meeting would also consider a chronic workforce shortage in agriculture.

Many collectivised farms suffer high rates of absenteeism as farmers roam in search of roots and wild greens to compensate for grain shortages, it said.

Huichon Power Station Opened

Photo released by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 6, 2012 shows the inauguration ceremony held at the Huichon power station in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on April 5, 2012. The DPRK said on April 6 that its Huichon power station has started operations, which will help ease electricity shortages in the capital. The power station, located in Jagang Province, will also help protect cultivated land and residential areas along the Chongchon River from flooding, and ensure an ample supply of water to the industrial establishments in Huichon and Namhung areas, according to official media reports. (Xinhua/KCNA)

The DPRK opened the Hu’ich’o'n Power Station in Chagang Province on Thursday (5 April).  Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] Presidium President Kim Yong Nam, DPRK Cabinet Premier Choe Yong Rim, National Defense Commission [NDC] Vice Chairman and Minister of the People’s Armed Forces VMar Kim Yong Chun, KWP Secretary Choe Tae Bok, KWP Secretary and Director of General Affairs Tae Jong Su, Gen. Yun Jong Rin and DPRK Vice Premier and State Planning Commission Chairman Ro Tu Chol were among the members of the central leadership to attend the opening ceremony.  Choe Yong Rim delivered the keynote address.  Choe was last reported to have visit the construction site of Huichon Power Station on 20 February 2012.  Xinhua reports:

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Friday that its Huichon power station has started operations, which will help ease electricity shortages in the capital.

Premier Choe Yong Rim told an inauguration ceremony on Thursday that the Huichon power station was “a brilliant fruition of the wise guidance of late leader Kim Jong Il,” official newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported.

The power station, located in Jagang Province, will also help protect cultivated land and residential areas along the Chongchon River from flooding, and ensure an ample supply of water to the industrial establishments in Huichon and Namhung areas, according to official media reports.

The Central Committee and Central Military Commissions of the Workers’ Party of Korea sent a joint congratulatory message to builders and members of shock brigades.

The party “will always remember the heroic feats performed by the builders who erected a gigantic structure for the country’s prosperity and its people’s happiness,” the message said.

The message said it took only three years to complete the construction of the power station, a project which normally needs more than 10 years to finish.

The Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly issued a decree on April 1 awarding the Kim Il Sung Prize for the design of the Huichon power station.

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim delivers the keynote address during an opening ceremony of Huichon Power Station in Jagang Province on Thursday, April 5 (Photo: KCNA)

Photo released by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 6, 2012 shows the Huichon power station in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK said on April 6 that its Huichon power station has started operations, which will help ease electricity shortages in the capital. The power station, located in Jagang Province, will also help protect cultivated land and residential areas along the Chongchon River from flooding, and ensure an ample supply of water to the industrial establishments in Huichon and Namhung areas, according to official media reports. (Xinhua/KCNA)

Yonhap reports:

North Korea said Friday that it has dedicated a new hydroelectric power plant in its central northern area bordering China, a project long touted as a symbol of its bid for the construction of a “strong and prosperous state.”

“The construction of the Huichon Power Station has been completed in the DPRK,” the North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, adding that a dedication ceremony took place on Thursday.

DPRK is the acronym for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“The builders finished the construction of the power station in a matter of three years though it would have taken more than a decade at normal pace,” the KCNA said.

Chronic shortage of electricity and other energy has long been one of the problems beleaguering the North’s moribund economy, which has been under sanctions by the international community due to its nuclear and missile tests.

“The completion makes it possible to more satisfactorily settle the shortage of electricity in Pyongyang, protect cultivated land and residential areas along the River Chongchon from flooding and ensure an ample supply of industrial water to the industrial establishments in the Huichon and Namhung areas,” KCNA said.

The plant, which has a generating capacity of 300,000 kilowatts, was launched by late leader Kim Jong-il, who reportedly visited the construction site eight times before his death last December to order an early completion of the project.

North Korea has designated 2012 as a moment in its history to rise as “a great, powerful and prosperous nation” — a propaganda slogan that was spearheaded by Kim Jong-il.

New economic goals were announced in 2009 that called for undertaking major construction projects as well as modernizing farms and factories in time for the centennial birth of the communist country’s founder, Kim Il-Sung, on April 15.

Earlier, North Korea announced plans to launch a satellite on the back of a long-range rocket as part of the April celebrations. The international community has urged Pyongyang to cancel the launch, warning that it would be seen as a violation of a ban on missile activity.

The Associated Press reports:

The opening of the Huichon Power Station in Jagang Province, north of Pyongyang, was the first big ceremony in a month of celebrations timed for the April centenary of the birth of late President Kim Il Sung.

The power station on the Chongchon River, which had been under construction for more than three years, was a favored project of late leader Kim Jong Il. Kim had visited the project at least five times before his December death.

Son Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s new leader, visited the construction site with his father in August 2011.

The power station is North Korea’s largest, with two dams and a network of tunnels. The dams harness water from the Jangja and Chongchon Rivers. Construction on a second power station further down the Chongchon River is due to begin soon, said the top officials who spoke at Thursday’s ceremony.

North Korea suffers from an acute power shortage.

New economic goals announced in 2009 called for undertaking major construction projects such as the Huichon Power Station as well as modernizing farms and factories in time for the April 2012 festivities.

North Korea will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Kim Il Sung’s birth on April 15.

North Korea also has announced plans to launch a satellite on the back of a long-range rocket as part of the celebrations. The United States and other nations have urged Pyongyang to cancel the launch, warning that it would be seen as a violation of a ban on missile activity.

Watching the River Overflow

Workers from the Pyongyang Railway Bureau shoveling a drainage ditch near a track bed (Photo: KCNA)

Torrential rain continues to inundate the DPRK.  The country has taken some measures to prevent damage, but now there is concern that the Taedong River will overflow.  KBS World reports:

North Korea says that the Daedong River, which runs through the North’s capital city of Pyongyang, could overflow as heavy torrential rain is pounding the North.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Friday that Pyeongyang City, South Pyeongan and Hwanghae provinces saw about 50 to 150 millimeters of precipitation until Friday and called for measures to cope with a potential flood in a reservoir in the Nam River.

If the Daedong River overflows, it could flood lowland areas and farmlands in Pyongyang.

South Korea’s weather agency forecasts up to 150 millimeters of rain in Hwanghae and Hamgyeong provinces and 20 to 60 millimeters of precipitation in Pyeongan province until Saturday night.

The premises of KPA Unit #963 showing signs of recent rain in the DPRK (Photo: KCNA)

DPRK Claims Typhoon Damage

DPRK media has reported that the Typhoon Meari caused significant damage to food production and industrial sites, and destroyed 160 homes last month.  Yonhap reports:

A powerful typhoon has caused casualties in North Korea and inflicted serious damage on farmland and other industrial facilities, the North’s state media said Tuesday, damage that could further worsen the country’s chronic food shortages.

Typhoon Meari brought downpours and gusts to North Korea last month, destroying about 160 houses and submerging or washing away about 21,000 hectares of farmland, the North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

The heavy rain has also either destroyed or submerged industrial facilities, public buildings, roads and levees, the KCNA said, without elaborating on casualties.

It said North Korea is rebuilding houses, public buildings, roads and bridges.

The development could further strain the North’s economy at a time when the North is grappling with food shortages.

North Korea has been hit hard by floods in recent years, mainly because of its lack of investment in disaster control and severe deforestation.

Last year, a massive flood swept through the North Korean city of Sinuiju on the border with China, inundating thousands of houses and a vast tract of farmland while killing 14 people, according to North Korea’s media and international relief agencies.

In 2007, North Korea was hit by the heaviest rainfall in 40 years, leaving some 600 people dead or missing and about 100,000 people homeless.

After last month’s storm, 3 box mines were discovered to have washed into ROK.  JoongAng Ilbo reported:

The South Korean military said yesterday that they found three North Korean land mines, which apparently were dislodged during the recent torrential rain. One mine was found on Gyodong Island, one on Bolum Island in Incheon, and the other in Suip Creek in Yanggu District in Gangwon. The mines were in the shape of wooden boxes.

The military warned that additional land mines might be in rivers and streams linked to North Korea. A military spokesman said that they will continue to search in areas where land mines could be found.

The military will put up warning posters and messages to inform the public about land mines in Paju and Yeoncheon in Gyeonggi, and border areas in Gangwon.

Last August, 11 North Korean mines, which were carried away during torrential rains, were found near the Imjin River. One civilian was killed and another person was injured in that case. After the accident, the military found 193 additional land mines. At the time, Kaesong, a North Korean city bordering Gyeonggi, had experienced unusually heavy rain.

“The Rainy Season Has Come”

Photo: KBS World

Typhoon-5  Meari hit the Korean Peninsula on Sunday [26 June].  The storm was expected in Sinu’iju, North P’yo’ngan Province, on Monday [27 June] before hitting China’s east coast.  Xinhua reports:

Thousands of people have been evacuated amid storm-triggered floodings, authorities said Sunday.

The tropical storm is expected to make a landing near the city of Donggang, northeast Liaoning Province, or areas to the north of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at Monday dawn, the National Meteorological Center said in its latest bulletin.

The storm was projected at the Yellow Sea, about 35 kilometers southeast off the coast of eastern Shandong Province, at 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the bulletin. The storm is moving north at 20 to 25 kilometers per hour, packing sustained gusts of 23 meters per second near its center.

Strong winds and heavy rain are forecast near the coasts of Shandong, Liaoning and the province of Jilin. The strength of the storm will be reduced after landing, the meteorological authorities said.

Off the coast of Shandong, the stormy weather sank or stranded three vessels on Sunday. Twenty-six people on board of the mishapped vessels have all been rescued, according to a spokesman with the provincial maritime safety administration.

Gales whipped through the Bohai Strait and over the northern part of the Yellow Sea while torrential rains pounded most parts of Liaoning, eastern Shandong, and part of Jiangsu Province on Sunday, raising water level of the Taihu Lake in Jiangsu to critical level at one point.

According to KCNA, the storm affected areas of South Hwanghae Province early Sunday morning:

Typhoon-5 Meari is moving northward at speed of 60 km per hour in the DPRK.

Strong wind of 10-13 m per second hit Haeju and Kaesong cities, Ongjin and Sepho counties and other areas from 03:00 to 09:00 Sunday.

Rainfall of 105 mm was registered in Hoeyang County, 90 mm in Kosong and Pongchon counties, 79 mm in Thongchon and Chongdan counties, 76 mm in Yonan County, 73 mm in Kosan County and 70 mm in Changdo County from 12:00 Saturday to 12:00 Sunday.

Tidal waves are foreseen to hit coastal areas of South Hamgyong Province and Kangwon Province on Sunday afternoon.

Even as Meari weakens and makes its way to the PRC, heavy downpours are expected in the Peninsula (at least the southern part) on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to KBS World:

Typhoon Meari has passed over waters west of Baeknyeong Island and is soon expected to reach the North Korean border city of Sinuiju.

The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasts the typhoon to weaken into an extratropical cyclone once it reaches Sinuiju Monday afternoon.

Rainclouds left by the typhoon will hang over South Korea on Monday, bringing five to 20 millimeters of more precipitation in the central region.

Skies over the nation will gradually clear up in the afternoon, but the monsoon front will return on Tuesday with showers falling over Jeju Island in the morning and the southern coastal regions by night.

People are urged to take precautions as a heavy downpour is forecast nationwide Wednesday.

On Friday Rodong Sinmun published an editorial about various instructions and measures to mitigate flooding and rain damage.  KCNA reported about Kim Cho’ng-il’s instruction “to establish measures well to prevent rainy season damage”:

A nationwide campaign has been launched in the country to prevent damage from heavy rainfalls.

Collieries and mines throughout the country are working on setting pit drainages in good condition.

In the sector of land and environmental conservation, necessary measures have been taken to improve reservoirs and streams and dredge rivers and waterways.

In the railway transport sector, a deep attention has been paid to protecting iron bridges, railways and other structures and facilities from flood and landslide.

Meanwhile, cooperative farms have directed much effort to preventing damage from flood and strong wind possible in the rainy season.

During the summer of 2010, the DPRK saw several hundred deaths and widespread damage due to heavy rains.  Some of the problems resulting from the rain could not be contained, and crossed the DPRK-ROK border such as box mines washing up in ROK, as well as malaria-infected mosquitoes caused by stagnant water.

A flooded village in Sinhu'ng, South Hamgyo'ng Province in KCTV footage from July 2010. (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

DPRK Premier Goes to South Hwanghae Province

DPRK Premier Choe Yong-rim visits a farm in South Hwanghae Province, as part of a tour there which KCNA reported as taking place during 13 to 15 May (Photo: KCNA)

DPRK Choe Yong-rim visited cooperative farms and production sites in South Hwanghae Province between 13 and 15 May.  KCNA also reported that Choe visited Hamhu’ng, South Hamgyo’ng, where he toured and conducted meetings at the 8 February Vinalon Complex, the Hu’ngnam Fertilizer Complex and the Yongso’ng Machine Complex.   KCNA reports:

He went round farms in several counties including Jaeryong, Kangryong, Yonan and Paechon and held consultative meetings at relevant units.

The important of the province in attaining the goal of grain output for this year was stressed at meetings and measures were taken for the Cabinet and relevant units to aid the farming in the province.

Earlier, Choe got familiarized himself with production and technological updating in major enterprises in Hamhung City.

He went round the February 8 Vinalon Complex, Ryongsong Machine Complex and Hungnam Fertilizer Complex and made some economic organization to implement important tasks given by leader Kim Jong Il during his field guidance.

Choe also made sure the measures were taken concerning technical matters after learning about the production at the Sunchon Cement Complex and the reclamation of Ryongmaedo Tideland.

North Korean Premier Choe Yong-rim (C wearing cap) visits the February 8 Vinalon Complex in South Hwanghae Province. The (North) Korean Central News Agency released the photo but did not elaborate on when the visit was made. (Yonhap)