On Friday, North Korea’s Tree Planting Day, the regime urged citizens to plant trees, emphasizing that patriotism must accompany these efforts to achieve maximum results.
The Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, published an article titled “Today is Tree Planting Day,” asserting that the nation’s patriotic fervor and dedicated efforts have driven progress in afforestation.
It stressed that planting and nurturing trees is an essential task that cannot be delayed or interrupted under any circumstances. It also underscored the urgency of expanding reforestation initiatives, particularly in response to ongoing climate-related disasters.
Referencing the “Local Development 20X10 Policy,” the piece called for the large-scale planting of fast-growing trees with high economic value and aesthetic appeal, even in developing local industrial raw material forests. The piece added, “When we devote our patriotism and conscience to tree planting, future generations will enjoy the benefits of the forests we cultivate today.”
It also spotlighted the progress of ongoing forest conservation efforts, claiming that central nurseries under various ministries and regional nurseries have cultivated hundreds of millions of high-quality tree seedlings. Additionally, it reported the dissemination of afforestation and forest management strategies through technology and the production of tens of millions of saplings from over 50 species for this year’s planting season.
In a separate editorial titled “Challenges in Afforestation and Conservation,” the newspaper urged adherence to forestry regulations and outlined specific directives. It emphasized restructuring breeding and seed collection systems to mitigate forest pest infestations and promoting specialized seed production and distribution through corporate methods.
It further called for bolstering wildfire prediction, monitoring, and response systems. Authorities directed enterprises and organizations to construct firebreaks, rock barriers, and water reservoirs as planned while ensuring regular maintenance of forested areas vulnerable to flooding and typhoon damage.
In 2021, during the 16th plenary session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly, North Korea tightened criminal penalties for illegal logging and other forestry-related offenses. The regime also mandated integrating advanced scientific technology in forest surveys and management, including establishing one-year and ten-year forest monitoring plans.