＜Inside N. Korea＞Even Housewives Being Mobilized - New "Women's League Shock Brigades" for Farm Labor as Kim Jong-Un Regime Demands Farms Cover Labor Costs

◆ Farms Reluctant to Accept Mobilized Workers Due to Increased Burden

Authorities are also requiring farms to submit in advance the work content, duration, and number of mobilized workers needed. Farms appear bewildered by these changes.

"With the increased burden, farms are trying to avoid accepting mobilized workers and instead handle agricultural work themselves. They're planning to accept help only during critical periods like weeding," says reporting partner B.

Meanwhile, financially struggling businesses are trying to send as many workers as possible to farm mobilizations to reduce their labor costs during the mobilization period.

◆ Still Dependent on Mass Mobilization: Vulnerable Agricultural System

Since around 2022, the Kim Jong-un regime has been reforming agricultural policies. One approach involves giving farms more discretion while making them financially self-sufficient and business-oriented. The changes to this year's farm mobilization system are likely to reflect these policy shifts.

However, reporting partner B added that "not all mobilized workers will receive this treatment, and the traditional state-planned collective support will continue."

It remains unclear how thoroughly these operational changes will be implemented. Despite promoting "agriculture first" slogans every year, the North Korean government still fails to secure necessary food supplies. While showing signs of partial change, North Korean agriculture's vulnerability is evident in its continued reliance on mass mobilization.

※ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.