Seoul (AsiaNews) - The North Korean regime has ordered the primary school children - aged 5 to 10 years - to participate in the seasonal planting work in the rice fields. The schools for this age group were closed on May 1, and for now show no signs of wanting to reopen. The decision reveals the desperation of Pyongyang, mired in an ever worsening economic and food crisis.
A source tells the DailyNK:
"Usually the high school and university students are forced to work in
the fields, but this time all help is needed. Children are used to carry the
bags of seeds, which are very heavy. This is not so bad if the field is close
to home, but many children are sent away and then have no way to eat at work.
"
The North Korean regime, led by the young dictator Kim Jong-un, is in a dire
situation: after leaving six-party talks on nuclear disarmament, in 2008, the
international community reduced humanitarian aid to the country. The continuing
military provocations and the missile crisis of last month brought remaining
aid to halt. Even China, Pyongyang's last remaining ally, has tightened the
purse strings.
The authorities, says
a second source, "have even the limited opening hours of the Pyongsung market,
the largest in the country, to send people into the fields. The general
mobilization began on the first day of May and will continue until the end of
the month . But it could go on until the end of June. "
To "raise the morale" of the children, the national Propaganda office
has prepared a special program: "Ac hildrens band have been sent to the
fields to play the gongs and drums to encourage their peers to work hard in the
fields" .