Almost all mountains in Hoechang County of South Phyongan Province are rocky with low soil depth.
Patches of land were seen in disarray here and there in the bald, barren mountains in the past. It took years, decades in fact, for the county population to reap benefit from the mountains.
Forests planted in large acreage
The county newly planted over 16 200 hectares of forests in the past 10-odd years.
In recent years alone, it has planted more than six million trees in the mountains every year, which is several times more than the number six years ago.
“Our county has not only produced this much tree seedlings at the parent tree nursery. All the county population have turned out in producing saplings,” said Han Pyong Ik, vice-chairman of the county people’s committee.
The factories and enterprises in the county have set up small tree nurseries of their own to suit their specific conditions and are planting and growing seedlings they cultivated in the forests in charge.
The county recently applied a new tree planting method which enabled it to raise the rooting rate of trees even in severe drought.
In the past the locals stored Changsong larch seedlings grown in seedling beds in underground cellars in winter to plant them in the tree nursery in spring the following year. But now they are transplanting the one-year-old seedlings from the seedling beds to the furrows newly made in the nursery on the spot in autumn without storing them after soaking them in water mixed with the powder of elm tree roots and covering them with humus powder.
After growing them for one more year, they planted the healthy seedlings in the mountains in the third year, with the rate of rooting reaching over 90 percent.
Now the county is introducing an advanced tree sapling production method to increase the rooting rate of trees planted in summer.
It has also taken appropriate measures to prevent forest fire.
In the past it ensured that all the population strictly observe the rule on entering the mountains, while setting up additional forest fire observation posts and sending more personnel for observation.
Hundreds of water pools were built and water tanks recently buried in the dangerous places to mitigate the damage to be caused by forest fire.
In the special forest reserve, cameras were fixed to establish a forest fire monitoring system along with the nationwide forest fire monitoring information service system. And a stone barrier was built along the several-kilometre firebreak and a biological fire prevention forest was planted with Alnus glutinosa and gingko trees which do not catch fire easily.
‘Gold, treasure mountains’ pay off
“With forests growing thicker, factories run at full capacity, consumer goods production increases and they all bring benefits to us,” said Jong Jae Sop, an old man living in Yangchun-ri.
A characteristic feature of afforestation in the county is that timber, oil-bearing tree, wild fruit, pulp and paper raw materials and firewood forests have been planted as mixed ones.
Every year it produces thousands of cubic metres of timber and provides the people with similar amount of firewood.
The county foodstuff factory is making foodstuffs from acorns, wild grapes, fruits of tara vine and others.
It has recently added a production line to increase the production of wild fruit juice.
The county furniture factory produces chests of quilts, cupboards, desks, chairs and other furniture and school fixtures with trees grown in the county.
Laundry soap widely used by the county population is also made from the fruits of Evodia daniellii. The county gathers in dozens of tons of these fruits every year in the Evodia daniellii forests it planted in the mountains.
It also makes dozens of kinds of medicines from wild fruits and medicinal herbs and produces paper by itself.
More From Pyongyang Times
The German chancellor asserted in a speech on February 2 that Europe should cope with the change in transatlantic relations.
February 09, 2026
The German chancellor asserted in a speech on February 2 that Europe should cope with the change in transatlantic relations.
Hungary brought a legal action to the European Court of Justice on February 2 in protest against the decision of the European
February 09, 2026
Hungary brought a legal action to the European Court of Justice on February 2 in protest against the decision of the European
“Jingmaeng” farm machines, provided by the trade union organizations ahead of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, w
February 09, 2026
“Jingmaeng” farm machines, provided by the trade union organizations ahead of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, w
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a birthday spread to Ri Son Ae, a woman resident in Neighbourhood Unit No. 33, Soryong-dong
February 09, 2026
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a birthday spread to Ri Son Ae, a woman resident in Neighbourhood Unit No. 33, Soryong-dong
Groundbreaking ceremonies of the construction projects for the regional development policy for the new year were held in Sinphyong
February 09, 2026
Groundbreaking ceremonies of the construction projects for the regional development policy for the new year were held in Sinphyong
Preparations are now under way in the DPRK to successfully hold the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, which will mark
February 09, 2026
Preparations are now under way in the DPRK to successfully hold the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, which will mark
Groundbreaking ceremonies took place respectively on February 6 in Songhwa County in the granary on the west coast, Musan County
February 09, 2026
Groundbreaking ceremonies took place respectively on February 6 in Songhwa County in the granary on the west coast, Musan County
The 27th Meeting of the Political Bureau of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held at the
February 08, 2026
The 27th Meeting of the Political Bureau of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held at the
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry at a press conference on February 2 censured the US for oppressing Chinese citizens.C
February 08, 2026
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry at a press conference on February 2 censured the US for oppressing Chinese citizens.C
The residents of Ragwon County, which is widely known throughout the DPRK along with Ragwonpho associated with the legends of
February 07, 2026
The residents of Ragwon County, which is widely known throughout the DPRK along with Ragwonpho associated with the legends of
New standards and new records were set one after another at many units of the national economy, the national economic plans for
February 07, 2026
New standards and new records were set one after another at many units of the national economy, the national economic plans for
Seyed Ali Khamenei, leader of Iran’s Islamic revolution, expressed his stand to counter the US’ hostile act in a large-scale mass
February 07, 2026
Seyed Ali Khamenei, leader of Iran’s Islamic revolution, expressed his stand to counter the US’ hostile act in a large-scale mass
Ten years have passed since the earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong 4 was successfully launched in the DPRK.When Kwangmyong
February 07, 2026
Ten years have passed since the earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong 4 was successfully launched in the DPRK.When Kwangmyong
Over ten years have passed since the distance education system was launched in the DPRK. This system which is being actively
February 06, 2026
Over ten years have passed since the distance education system was launched in the DPRK. This system which is being actively
A department director of the Iranian Foreign Ministry called the German ambassador to Iran on January 29 to denounce and reject
February 06, 2026
A department director of the Iranian Foreign Ministry called the German ambassador to Iran on January 29 to denounce and reject
The 2026 National Winter Games opened with due ceremony at the ice hockey gymnasium of the Mt Paektu area sports village in
February 06, 2026
The 2026 National Winter Games opened with due ceremony at the ice hockey gymnasium of the Mt Paektu area sports village in
The prime minister of Qatar visited Iran on January 31 to discuss the issue of regional peace and stability at the time when the
February 06, 2026
The prime minister of Qatar visited Iran on January 31 to discuss the issue of regional peace and stability at the time when the
DPRK players returned home after taking part in the 2026 International Freestyle Wrestling Tournament "Ivan Yarygin Cup" held in
February 06, 2026
DPRK players returned home after taking part in the 2026 International Freestyle Wrestling Tournament "Ivan Yarygin Cup" held in
New public and production buildings have appeared at the Taechong Farm in Unpha County of North Hwanghae Province, giving a
February 06, 2026
New public and production buildings have appeared at the Taechong Farm in Unpha County of North Hwanghae Province, giving a
The Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea worked out a yearly plan for building 10 000 flats in Pyongyang every year
February 06, 2026
The Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea worked out a yearly plan for building 10 000 flats in Pyongyang every year
More Articles