North Korea marks 77th anniversary of national founding with a one-day break… Farm workers mobilized for harvest
Young people in Pyongyang dance in celebration of the 80th anniversary of Liberation. Image / KCTV.
On the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the national foundation day on September 9, workers at factories, enterprises, and farms were officially given the day off.
According to an internal source in North Korea cited by NK Times on the 8th, the regime instructed all factories, enterprises, and farms across the country to observe a one-day holiday to mark the anniversary.
It was not all fun and relaxation, however. Citizens were expected to watch a commemorative report session on the founding of the Republic between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
However, it has been reported that farm workers are unable to take time off due to the fall harvest. Although national holidays are meant to be days off for everyone, the circumstances of farmers differ from those of factory workers.
While workers could take the day off and watch the commemorative report session, farm workers were unable to rest due to the busy harvest period.
The source explained that because agricultural work is highly dependent on the seasons, failing to harvest crops during this critical time could lead to significant losses. As a result, farm laborers were required to continue bringing in the harvest despite the national holiday.
The regime reportedly declared a “special security period” for 24 hours, from 5 p.m. on September 8. During this time, factory workers and farm laborers across the country will be assigned to guard revolutionary historical sites, instruction boards, and propaganda boards.
Kang is a reporter at NK Times, a Seoul-based media outlet focused on North Korean issues. He was born in 1978 in Chongjin and graduated from Chongjin 1st High School in North Korea. After 10 years of military service in the 4th Army Corps, he attended Chongjin Agricultural University before defecting.
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