It was once a barren, windswept land, locals say. Now thanks to employees of the Sunchon City Department Store, it has turned into a forest of fruit trees full of scents of flowers and fruits from spring to fall.
The department store is well-known for efficient commodity supply service for local people.
The store staffed mostly with women started reclaiming the stony land in 2011.
It set the goal of planting over 10 000 fruit trees in 10 hectares of land by 2017 which marked the 50th anniversary of Chairman Kim Jong Il’s visit to it and mapped out a phased plan.
“With the thought that the more we exert ourselves, the more people will benefit, we carried out the uphill tasks as we pulled out rocks and stumps, dug pits and carried manures on our backs,” said Kim Jong Ae, manageress of the store.
They managed to achieve the first-stage target in three years and harvested 700 kilograms of fruits from dwarf apple trees in the fall of 2013.
As they found pride of their labour in the happy faces of citizens and children who were supplied with the apples, they planted more fruit trees every year to finish the plan by 2017 as scheduled. So far, they have planted more than 15 000 fruit trees in 12 hectares.
They have introduced different methods to make an effective use of land under cultivation and manure and cultivate trees in a scientific way.
They plant such crops as bean and sweet potato between fruit trees and feed their by-products to domestic animals in winter. They also trim and prune trees and thin out flowers and fruits according to their characteristics. Especially, they prevent plant diseases with the lime-sulphur mixture they make.
They have also planted thousands of Changsong larch and other trees of good species and created a herb garden in two hectares of land. And they produce a large number of saplings and herb seedlings every year at their nursery covering an area of hundreds of square metres.
More From Pyongyang Times
The Workers’ Party of Korea is constantly increasing its policies for the people to promote their wellbeing and realize their
March 18, 2026
The Workers’ Party of Korea is constantly increasing its policies for the people to promote their wellbeing and realize their
The Russian permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on March 12 disclosed and denounc
March 18, 2026
The Russian permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on March 12 disclosed and denounc
Former Taekwon-Do star becomes competent coach Sa Ok Jin, a coach of the Ryongaksan Taekwon-Do Team, was selected as one of top
March 18, 2026
Former Taekwon-Do star becomes competent coach Sa Ok Jin, a coach of the Ryongaksan Taekwon-Do Team, was selected as one of top
Officials and workers in the metallurgical industry of the DPRK are making innovations while taking development-oriented measures
March 18, 2026
Officials and workers in the metallurgical industry of the DPRK are making innovations while taking development-oriented measures
Final-year students of senior middle schools in South Phyongan Province have volunteered for military service in the forefront
March 18, 2026
Final-year students of senior middle schools in South Phyongan Province have volunteered for military service in the forefront
The Central Election Committee for the Election of Deputies to the 15th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's
March 17, 2026
The Central Election Committee for the Election of Deputies to the 15th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's
The First Session of the 15th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK will be convened in Pyongyang on March 22 2026. The SPA
March 17, 2026
The First Session of the 15th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK will be convened in Pyongyang on March 22 2026. The SPA
Senior Party and government officials went to sub-constituencies in different parts of the DPRK to take part in the election of
March 17, 2026
Senior Party and government officials went to sub-constituencies in different parts of the DPRK to take part in the election of
The First Session of the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK will be convened in Pyongyang on March 22 2026. The session
March 17, 2026
The First Session of the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK will be convened in Pyongyang on March 22 2026. The session
The election of deputies to the 15th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK took place at all the constituencies across the country
March 16, 2026
The election of deputies to the 15th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK took place at all the constituencies across the country
Dear voters,Workers and officials of the Chonsong Youth Coal Mine, who are working with devotion for the country’s prosperity at a
March 16, 2026
Dear voters,Workers and officials of the Chonsong Youth Coal Mine, who are working with devotion for the country’s prosperity at a
Tree planting was conducted across the country on the occasion of Tree-planting Day. Officials of the State Planning Commission,
March 16, 2026
Tree planting was conducted across the country on the occasion of Tree-planting Day. Officials of the State Planning Commission,
Working people’s organizations planted trees on the occasion of Tree-planting Day.Officials of the central committee of the youth
March 16, 2026
Working people’s organizations planted trees on the occasion of Tree-planting Day.Officials of the central committee of the youth
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a birthday spread to Kim Su Il living in Neighbourhood Unit No. 9 in Ryongjam-ri, Tanchon
March 16, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a birthday spread to Kim Su Il living in Neighbourhood Unit No. 9 in Ryongjam-ri, Tanchon
The international community is raising voices against Israel as it recently decided to officially register the land in the West Ba
March 15, 2026
The international community is raising voices against Israel as it recently decided to officially register the land in the West Ba
A long-range artillery sub-unit of the Korean People's Army in a western area conducted a firepower strike drill on March 14.
March 15, 2026
A long-range artillery sub-unit of the Korean People's Army in a western area conducted a firepower strike drill on March 14.
People began to move into new houses on Pyongyang’s Saeppyol Street. The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un attended the inaugural
March 15, 2026
People began to move into new houses on Pyongyang’s Saeppyol Street. The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un attended the inaugural
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's
March 15, 2026
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's
Russian President Vladimir Putin made public a letter on March 10 to set forth the tasks facing the State Anti-terrorism
March 15, 2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin made public a letter on March 10 to set forth the tasks facing the State Anti-terrorism
The 2026 Spring Amateur Bowlers Tournament took place at the Pyongyang Gold Lane from March 10 to 12. In the tournament, divided
March 15, 2026
The 2026 Spring Amateur Bowlers Tournament took place at the Pyongyang Gold Lane from March 10 to 12. In the tournament, divided
More Articles
