March 24, 2026Mar 24, 2026
KCNA Naenara (En)

Mushroom Girl

Date: 12/02/2020 | Source: Naenara (En) | Read original version at source

In November Juche 85 (1996), a video programme “Mushroom Girl” was televised.

It was a story about Choe San Bok, a mushroom cultivator at the Moranbong District Vegetables and Fruits Wholesale Store in Pyongyang, who has dedicated herself to the research and cultivation of mushrooms for over ten years. She made painstaking efforts to develop a method of Pleurotus eryngii growing by making use of activated sludge and increased its yield by 1.5 to 2 times. She produced large amount of mushrooms every year and sent them to the honoured disabled soldiers, war veterans, nurseries and kindergartens in the district. The story caused a great sensation.

The State highly appreciated her for her contribution to improving the people’s living standards by developing mushrooms that give high yields and are easy enough to be cultivated by anyone. Her new method of mushroom cultivation became generalized throughout the country. Her working place turned into a “training centre”, which drew many people from across the country.

While keeping her cultivation and research of mushrooms, she chose every Wednesday as the day of technical workshop and ran it on a regular basis. She visited mushroom cultivation grounds over 80 times and gave technical workshops and demonstrations. She has since disseminated her new method to over 50 thousand people from all walks of life and introduced it into more than 2 000 units, including industrial establishments and cooperative farms in different parts of the country. As a result, the number of model mushroom cultivation units and families has increased.

In recent years, she developed a technique of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation based on zymotechnics that make use of waste substrates of Pleurotus eryngii and a technique of Auricularia polytricha cultivation by means of short fermentation on ondol (underfloor heating system) and high-temperature treatment and thus made it possible to increase the output of mushrooms.

She also developed a method of producing pig feed by making use of mushroom waste substrates and wrote several books, including “Mushroom cultivation and technique of using waste substrates”.

“I will render services to turning ours into a mushroom country,” she said.

The “mushroom girl” is still devoting herself to the research and cultivation of mushrooms.

She is the secretary-general of the Pyongyang Municipal Mushroom Association.

More From Naenara (En)

Nation Makes Efforts to Cope with Disastrous Abnormal Weather

Nation Makes Efforts to Cope with Disastrous Abnormal Weather

The DPRK is proactively working to cope with disastrous abnormal weather in its effort to protect state and public wealth and

March 24, 2026

The DPRK is proactively working to cope with disastrous abnormal weather in its effort to protect state and public wealth and

A New History of Rezoning Land

A New History of Rezoning Land

One day in May 1998, Chairman Kim Jong Il was on his field guidance trip in Changdo County of Kangwon Province before he suddenly

March 24, 2026

One day in May 1998, Chairman Kim Jong Il was on his field guidance trip in Changdo County of Kangwon Province before he suddenly

Saja Pagoda in Kumjang Hermitage

Saja Pagoda in Kumjang Hermitage

A pagoda called Saja (lion) is located at the Kumjang Hermitage in the Naegumgang-ri, Kumgang County, Kangwon Province. The

March 24, 2026

A pagoda called Saja (lion) is located at the Kumjang Hermitage in the Naegumgang-ri, Kumgang County, Kangwon Province. The

If You Want to Visit the DPRK…

If You Want to Visit the DPRK…

Some foreigners who have been to the DPRK advise their fellows: “If you want to visit Pyongyang, I recommend you should apply for

March 24, 2026

Some foreigners who have been to the DPRK advise their fellows: “If you want to visit Pyongyang, I recommend you should apply for

Nation Guards against Disastrous Abnormal Weather

Nation Guards against Disastrous Abnormal Weather

March 23 is World Meteorological Day. In January the World Meteorological Organization released a report that 2025 was recorded as

March 23, 2026

March 23 is World Meteorological Day. In January the World Meteorological Organization released a report that 2025 was recorded as

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Sends Greetings to Lao President

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Sends Greetings to Lao President

Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s

March 23, 2026

Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s

Cabinet Members Appointed at First Session of 15th SPA of DPRK

Cabinet Members Appointed at First Session of 15th SPA of DPRK

The First Session of the 15th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea appointed the members of the

March 23, 2026

The First Session of the 15th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea appointed the members of the

Opening Speech at First Session of 15th SPA

Opening Speech at First Session of 15th SPA

Deputy Ko Kil Son, secretary general of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, made an opening speech at the

March 23, 2026

Deputy Ko Kil Son, secretary general of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, made an opening speech at the

Flourishing Region

Flourishing Region

Jangyon County in South Hwanghae Province is well known for its successful cultivation of barley. It has become a flourishing

March 23, 2026

Jangyon County in South Hwanghae Province is well known for its successful cultivation of barley. It has become a flourishing

Main Driving Force for Agricultural Development

Main Driving Force for Agricultural Development

The Fourth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea held in late December 2021 set forth a

March 23, 2026

The Fourth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea held in late December 2021 set forth a

Korean Custom of Making Rice-and-wormwood Cake

Korean Custom of Making Rice-and-wormwood Cake

The rice-and-wormwood cake is one of the traditional Korean foods. Here is a story about it. Once upon a time a mother took out

March 23, 2026

The rice-and-wormwood cake is one of the traditional Korean foods. Here is a story about it. Once upon a time a mother took out

Yut Game

Yut Game

Yut (four-stick) game is one of the typical folk games that have been played by the Korean people since before the Koguryo period

March 23, 2026

Yut (four-stick) game is one of the typical folk games that have been played by the Korean people since before the Koguryo period

Hwasong Area Leading Civilization of Capital City

Hwasong Area Leading Civilization of Capital City

A groundbreaking ceremony for the fifth-stage construction project in the Hwasong area of the capital city of Pyongyang took place

March 22, 2026

A groundbreaking ceremony for the fifth-stage construction project in the Hwasong area of the capital city of Pyongyang took place

Model Cosmetics Factory

Model Cosmetics Factory

The Pyongyang Cosmetics Factory in Phyongchon District, Pyongyang, is the maker of the Unhasu -brand cosmetics with an

March 22, 2026

The Pyongyang Cosmetics Factory in Phyongchon District, Pyongyang, is the maker of the Unhasu -brand cosmetics with an

More Articles