North Korea is forcing discharged soldiers and young people to fill gaps at the country’s mines, offering housing, matchmaking services and material assistance to encourage workers to settle down. But attrition rates remain high, with occupancy in new mining district apartments below 30%.
A source in South Pyongan province told Daily NK recently that new apartment buildings ranging from three to eight floors were going up in a mining district near the city of Kaechon. Most of these apartments have been allotted to discharged soldiers and young people assigned to the mines, but the apartments’ actual occupancy rate is below 30%.
“If you look at the apartments at night, hardly any lights are on. The buildings are bright and shiny, but mostly empty,” the source said.
As part of North Korea’s push for “balanced regional development,” the regime is relocating many people to farming areas and the uplands. Given the severe shortage of workers at farms and mines, the authorities offer various incentive packages to convince young people to fill those gaps.
But few young people are taking the bait, the source said.
Housing and matchmaking can’t overcome harsh reality
The North Korean authorities are all but forcing young people to take hardship assignments at farms and mines under the slogan “the production front is the proving ground of patriotism.” With the goal of persuading those workers to settle down in those locales, the ruling party is providing them with houses and even organizing a matchmaking service to help them find a spouse.
In parts of South Pyongan province, discharged soldiers and young couples assigned to the mining area are receiving food and everyday items through an “assistance program.”
Nevertheless, hardly any young people are willing to settle down in those challenging locations. Over the past three years, there have been no fewer than ten welcome ceremonies for volunteers at major mines near Kaechon, but only about 30% of those workers reportedly remain on the job today. No matter what incentives are offered, in other words, workers leave the mines almost as fast as they are brought in.
“Workers get housing, but it doesn’t actually belong to them, and they’re afraid that settling into a position means their children will be doomed to stay there. So they try to escape by any means possible. Even married workers often live alone while their family stays back in the city. Nobody wants to put their family through all that,” the source said.
“While the work environment at the mines is better than it used to be, these are very inconvenient places to live. So young people who are roped into a mining job are generally determined to leave after completing a three-year term,” the source added.
But it is common for workers to split without even making it to the three-year point. Regarding this as an ideological shortcoming, the regime is forcing young people to attend more ideological study sessions.
“People are running off despite being given free housing, but the authorities keep talking about ideological issues. Who would want to stick around when you’re always being dragged off to study sessions?” a frustrated local said.
“No young people want to work at the mines despite the various benefits and aid programs. The government keeps harping on ideological failings as it tries to tie young people down, but that’s just driving more resentment,” the source said.
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