Institute for Far Eastern Studies (IFES)
2013-8-16
North Korea began to develop the wasteland in Gangwon Province from the late 2012 into a large-scale livestock-breeding base and is reported to be at the final stage of construction.
North Korean Workers’ Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported on August 2, “Soldier-builders and shock brigaders are busy building the Sepho tableland in time to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic.”
North Korea will celebrate the 65th anniversary of birth of its regime on September 9, and there are speculations that the flat wastelands of Sepho, Pyonggang and Ichon districts will be transformed into pastures in time for the anniversary.
Meanwhile, young people in the North, including soldiers and personnel in various agencies drafted the ‘shock brigade’ organizations, as they were brought into the construction project to meet the deadline of completion by early next month.
So far, about 20,000 ㏊ of natural grassland is being developed into artificial grassland over a period of six months and is about 96 percent complete, reported the Rodong Sinmun.
Furthermore, to prepare for the seasonal torrential rain in the region, approximately 230 ㎞of drainage system was constructed, and 50,000 tonnes of fertilizer made out of manure and compost was produced, to prepare for the autumn sowing.
Rodong Sinmun, reported on July 3, “As of the end of June, more than 10,000 jongbo (roughly about 9,917 ha) of natural land were cleaned up,” which reveals that in just over a month, land converted to pastureland had doubled in size.
At the North Korean Workers’ Party Central Committee Politburo meeting in February,a decision was reached that “the battle to open the Sepho Tableland and development of grassland must be completed by this year, in time to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement and 65th anniversary of establishment of the North Korean government.”
Kim Jong Un has directly ordered the development of Sepho Tableland to improve the lives of the North Korean people. Kim Jong Un has entered his second year in power and it is critical that the projects that he embarked on produce good results.
As an accomplishment of his first year, the construction of Huichon Power Station, Pyongyang Folk Park and Changjon Street in Pyongyang could be named, although these projects were originally launched by his father, Kim Jong Il.
Kim Yong Nam, the 85-year-old chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly has visited the construction site of Sepho Tableland and encouraged workers on the site. DPRK Premier Pak Pong Ju and the KPA vice-marshal Choe Ryong Hae are also reported to have visited the site, signifying the great importance of Sepho for the North Korean regime.
