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North Korea's Agricultural Development during the Post-War Period

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2009

Yoon T. Kuark
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Extract

It is important to know the structure of the Korean economy prior to the division of the country in order to understand agricultural development in North Korea in terms of its capital expenditure and output during the post-war period.

Type
Research Article
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 14 , June 1963 , pp. 82 - 93
Copyright
Copyright © The China Quarterly 1963

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References

1 Even in 1956 the farm population in North Korea was reported to comprise 56·6% of its population of about 10 million, and in 1960, 44·4% (see Facts About Korea [Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1961], p. 9Google Scholar), while in South Korea nearly 63% of its population of about 22 million was engaged in agriculture in 1956 and about 58% in 1960. See Economic Statistics Yearbook 1961 (Seoul: Bank of Korea), p. 138Google Scholar and Monthly Economic Research (Seoul), 03 1961, p. 220.Google Scholar

2 Zaichikov, V. T., Geography of Korea, translated into English by Parry, A.. (New York: Institute of Pacific Relations, 1952), pp 52–53.Google Scholar

3 McCune, G. M. and Grey, A. L., Korea Today (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Un. Press, 1950), pp. 56–57Google Scholar. Figures available for the later years of the Japanese occupation show that while the North accounted for 86% of Korea's output in the heavy industry sector, the South was the source of about 75% of total production in light industry (food processing, textile and other consumer goods) sector.

4 According to the North Korean régime “the damage inflicted upon the (North Korean) economy by the war amounted to 420,000 million (old) Won [approximately $3,000 million].” See Post-war Rehabilitation and Development of the National Economy in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1957), p. 75Google Scholar. See also Kyongje Konsol (Pyongyang) 05 1957, p. 5.Google Scholar

5 JPRS, Economic and Statistical Information on North KoreaGoogle Scholar, JPRS 901-D, 01 15, 1960, p. 79.Google Scholar

6 North Korea's Economic Development Since Liberation (Japanese edition) (Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1960), pp. 25–26.Google Scholar

7 JPRS 901-D, op. cit., pp. 80–82.Google Scholar

8 North Korea's Economic Development Since Liberation, op. cit., p. 26.Google Scholar

9 Ibid. p. 26.

10 However, in the later years, especially after the Korean War, state investment in agriculture was reduced. The ratio of capital expenditures between industry and agriculture to the total are shown as follows. From the table one can easily see that the Communist régime put far more emphasis on developing industry than on agriculture in the post-Korean War period. The data below are in percentages.

11 Kyongje Chisik, No. 2, 02 1960, pp. 11–13Google Scholar. Kyongje Chisik, No. 4, 04 1960, pp. 24–28.Google Scholar

12 Ibid. No. 2, February 1960, pp. 11–13. See also JPRS, Economic Report on North Korea (No. 29 of series), 08 15, 1960, pp. 81–86.Google Scholar

13 The work-team is not authorised to reduce or increase the use of labour, nor to buy or sell intermediate goods or raw materials. These are supplied by the higher echelon organs. It is not in a position to prepare a complete profit and loss statement, because it is not even allowed to open its own settlement account. The team just prepares its balance sheet for plan fulfilment within the limit of given factors of production, wage funds and budgets. Ibid. No. 4, April 1960, pp. 11–14.

14 In this connection, the Ministry of Agriculture published “Standard Regulations Concerning Material Preferential Treatment and Indemnities,” ibid. pp. 11–14. See also JPRS, Economic Report on North Korea (31st of series), 10 14, 1960, pp. 88–90.Google Scholar

15 Chae-bok, Ahn, “Material Incentives and Penalties in Agricultural Co-operatives,” Kyongje Konsol, No. 10, 10 1959, pp. 34–37Google Scholar. See also JPRS, Economic Report on North Korea (No. 23 of series) 02 25, 1960, pp. 31–32.Google Scholar

16 Kyongje Chisik, No. 1, 01 1960, pp. 47–48Google Scholar. See also JPRS, Economic Report on North Korea (No. 28 of series) 07 25, 1960, pp. 5–10.Google Scholar

17 Ibid. pp. 9–12.

18 Kin-am, Kim, “Life of the People under the Socialist System,” Kulloja, No. 6, 06 1960, pp. 24–33Google Scholar. See also JPRS, Economic Report on North Korea (31st of series) 10 14, 1960, p. 88.Google Scholar

19 Chosen Chungang Nyongam 1958 (Pyongyang), 12 1958, pp. 102–137Google Scholar. See also JPRS, Economic and Statistical Information on North Korea, 901-D, pp. 79–104.Google Scholar

20 Refer to McCune, S., “Korea: Geographical Parallels, 3950–60,” The Journal of Geography, No. 5, 05 1960, p. 204.Google Scholar

21 Il-song, Kim wrote for Pravda in 10 1957Google Scholar that “experience in agricultural co-operativisation in the Soviet Union became the guiding compass of our Party's agricultural co-operativisation policies.” Il-song, Kim, Selected Works, V (1960), p. 209Google Scholar. The North Koreans have always used the term “hyopdong-wha (co-operativisation)” instead of “Kongdong-wha (collectivisation)” in agriculture.

22 The direct translation is Thousand-ri Horse Movement (one ri equals about one-third of a mile). The flying horse image was perhaps taken from a popular Korean legendary novel about ancient China, The Samguk Chi (Tales of the Three Kingdoms). See Paige, , Glenn, D., “Building Socialism in North Korea: The Emergence of the ‘Korean Model’” (Mimeograph), Princeton University, 1962, p. 13Google Scholar. The Chinese, influence in North Korea was perhaps most pronounced in 1958, as Chinese innovation and assertiveness in building socialism were hailed in North Korea, a Sino-Korean friendship association was established in that October, and the Chinese Volunteers' Army withdrew at the end of the year.

23 Narumoto, K., “Political Story,” Kita-Chosen no Kiroku (Record of North Korea), Tokyo: Shindokusho-sha, 1960, p. 67.Google Scholar

24 Korean Workers' Party. Problems Concerning the Political and Economic Strengthening of the Agricultural Co-operatives, Pyongyang: KWP Press, 1960, p. 190.Google Scholar

25 Paige, , Glenn, D., op. cit., p. 14.Google Scholar

26 Il-song, Kim, Let Us Grasp the Central Link and Concentrate All Our Forces in Solving All Problems, Pyongyang: KWP Press, 1959, p. 12.Google Scholar

27 Kyongje Konsol, No. 11, 11 1959, pp. 7–13Google Scholar. See also JPRS, Economic Report on North Korea (24th of series), p. 58.Google Scholar

28 So Song, Shin, “Problems in Connection with the Organisation and Operation of Mess Halls for Families and Unmarried Persons,” Sangop, No. 7, 07 1960, p. 8–11.Google Scholar

29 Kyongje Chisik, No. 3, 03 1960Google Scholar, Editorial titled “Let us Acquire More and Save More Foreign Exchange,” pp. 2–4Google Scholar. Also refer to Vneshnyaya Torgovlya (Foreign Trade) (Moscow), No. 9, 1958, cited by Karshinov, L. N.Google Scholar, in his People's Democratic Republic of Korea, JPRS 3822, 09 6, 1960, pp. 68–69.Google Scholar