In the DPRK, mountains account for more than 80 percent of its territory.
For this reason, tending mountains well is consistently important in developing the economy and improving the people’s living standards.
New history of “gold and treasure mountains”
From olden times, the DPRK has been called a tapestry-like land for its beautiful mountains and clear water. But the heinous colonial exploitation of the land by the Japanese imperialists after their military occupation of Korea turned its mountains into seriously bare ones.
After achieving the historic cause of national liberation and returning home in triumph, General Kim Il Sung grieved over the terrible conditions of the mountains and rivers of the country. On March 2 1946, a spring day of the first year after liberation, he climbed up Moran Hill in Pyongyang to give instructions to plant trees a lot.
In a historic talk “Let Us Launch a Vigorous Tree Planting Movement Involving All the Masses” he had with officials taking part in tree planting on Munsu Hill on April 6 1947, he unfolded a far-reaching plan to cover all mountains of the country with thick forests and turn it into a beautiful paradise for the people.
Whenever he visited mountain villages though busy leading the building of a new country, he pointed to the need to plant many useful trees in mountains so as to benefit from them, thus making a new history of “gold mountains”.
The Korean war (1950-1953) unleashed by the US imperialists plunged the mountains, which had been turning green after liberation, into flames again.
Out of surging hatred against the enemies, Korean People’s Army soldiers on heights and the people in the rear strenuously planted young pine trees in burnt mountains with confidence in their victory.
President Kim Il Sung saw to it that forest restoration took place through an all-people campaign and recalled thousands of soldiers from the front to dispatch them as foresters. He personally grew metasequoias in flowerpots with care to spread them across the country.
Underlining the need to introduce the cyclic felling method and plant ten trees after cutting a tree, he made sure that forests of economic value and mixed ones were created a lot on mountains. Thanks to his wise leadership and painstaking efforts, mountains of the country were covered with green woods, which produced all kinds of fruits.
Always thinking of green mountains and green fields
In his childhood Kim Jong Il mounted Munsu Hill together with General Kim Il Sung to plant trees, developing love for the country. During the Fatherland Liberation War, he planted two pine-nut trees on Mt Jangja with sincerity on the occasion of the fifth founding anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
In March 1957, when he was attending middle school, he planted trees together with his fellows, saying that they had to plant acacia, which is faster in growth than other trees and which has thick foliage and fragrance, in order to heal the war wounds and cover mountains with green woods.
The classic works “On Bringing about a Fresh Change in Land Management” and “Let Us Build Our Country into a Beautiful Land of the Age of the Workers’ Party Through Effective Forest and Water Conservation” which he made public while leading the Korean revolution were the important works setting forth tree-planting as an important task in land management and clarifying the principled issues arising in afforestation.
During the Arduous March which the DPRK was compelled to make due to successive natural disasters and severe sanctions by the hostile forces, Chairman Kim Jong Il saw to it that the famous mountains of the country were turned into superb scenic beauties and inspired all the people to conduct the general mobilization movement for land management.
When he was reported about a good species of tree during a foreign visit, the Chairman, who always thought of green mountains and green fields, took measures for its transport and spread. And he put forward as patriots and heroes of the times the ordinary working people who dedicated all their lives to tending thick forests.
A big stride was made in landscaping the whole country thanks to the Chairman’s noble patriotism and ardent devotion.
To turn whole country into people’s paradise thick with green foliage
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea who is faithfully implementing the intentions of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il, saw to it that the Korean People’s Army set an example in the van of forest restoration from his early days of leading the Party and the state. In November 2014, he called upon all the Party members, people and KPA officers and men to turn out in the forest restoration campaign, regarding forest restoration as a war with nature, just as the whole country had turned out for reconstruction on the debris after the war.
On February 26 2015, he made public the work “Let the Entire Party, the Whole Army and All the People Conduct a Vigorous Forest Restoration Campaign to Cover the Mountains of the Country with Green Woods” to indicate important guidelines for the victory of the forest restoration campaign.
Under his deep concern, there were built an exemplary tree nursery on a fully scientific, industrial and intensive footing and other tree nurseries in all provinces which can produce good species of tree saplings in large numbers. Thus mountains of the country are getting green day after day.
On March 2 2022, the General Secretary planted two fir trees in the Hwasong area, where a new street would be built for the people, together with the participants in the Second Conference of Secretaries of Primary Committees of the WPK, thus making the flames of patriotism further flare up across the country.
Besides, he ensured that the capital city of Pyongyang became the first to set an example in landscaping and clearly indicated the orientation and ways for properly doing landscaping to suit the surrounding environments and topographical features of relevant areas in implementing the programme for the rural revolution in the new era and the regional development policy. As a result the appearance of the country has changed for the better beyond recognition.
The General Secretary’s idea of further beautifying the country as a socialist paradise better to live in and a precious asset to be handed down to posterity is turning into reality.
More From Pyongyang Times
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued on March 10 a decree on establishing in the State Council a committee taking charge of the
March 17, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued on March 10 a decree on establishing in the State Council a committee taking charge of the
Hong Kyong Ryong and An Kum Byol of the DPRK took the third place respectively in the 48kg and 50kg categories of the IBA Women's
March 17, 2025
Hong Kyong Ryong and An Kum Byol of the DPRK took the third place respectively in the 48kg and 50kg categories of the IBA Women's
Japan persistently carries out the unethical discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean. On March 12, the Tokyo
March 17, 2025
Japan persistently carries out the unethical discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean. On March 12, the Tokyo
An agreement on economic and cultural cooperation between the DPRK and the USSR was concluded on March 17 1949, providing an
March 17, 2025
An agreement on economic and cultural cooperation between the DPRK and the USSR was concluded on March 17 1949, providing an
Choe Son Hui, foreign minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, met and had a friendly talk with a delegation of the
March 17, 2025
Choe Son Hui, foreign minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, met and had a friendly talk with a delegation of the
The 38th Festivals of Science and Technology took place in all provinces (cities under direct jurisdiction of the government) of
March 17, 2025
The 38th Festivals of Science and Technology took place in all provinces (cities under direct jurisdiction of the government) of
The US is getting ever more undisguised in its intention to become the most hostile and confrontational entity to the DPRK through
March 17, 2025
The US is getting ever more undisguised in its intention to become the most hostile and confrontational entity to the DPRK through
Hundreds of graduating-class students of senior middle schools in Ryanggang Province volunteered for military service at frontline
March 17, 2025
Hundreds of graduating-class students of senior middle schools in Ryanggang Province volunteered for military service at frontline
Talks were held in Pyongyang on March 15 between Kim Jong Gyu, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's
March 17, 2025
Talks were held in Pyongyang on March 15 between Kim Jong Gyu, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's
With the will to mercilessly punish the US and the puppet ROK clans with arms of revolution as they are hell-bent on the reckless
March 17, 2025
With the will to mercilessly punish the US and the puppet ROK clans with arms of revolution as they are hell-bent on the reckless
A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea issued the following press statement titled
March 17, 2025
A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea issued the following press statement titled
Large numbers of trees were planted across the DPRK on the occasion of Tree-planting Day. Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium
March 16, 2025
Large numbers of trees were planted across the DPRK on the occasion of Tree-planting Day. Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium
Thanks to the capital city construction strategy set forth at the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the
March 16, 2025
Thanks to the capital city construction strategy set forth at the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the
A delegation of the Russian Foreign Ministry led by Vice-Minister Andrei Rudenko visited the Liberation Tower in Pyongyang on
March 16, 2025
A delegation of the Russian Foreign Ministry led by Vice-Minister Andrei Rudenko visited the Liberation Tower in Pyongyang on
A delegation of the Russian Foreign Ministry led by Vice-Minister Andrei Rudenko arrived in Pyongyang on March 14. They were
March 16, 2025
A delegation of the Russian Foreign Ministry led by Vice-Minister Andrei Rudenko arrived in Pyongyang on March 14. They were
Working people's organizations of the DPRK planted trees on the occasion of Tree-planting Day. Officials and members of the youth
March 16, 2025
Working people's organizations of the DPRK planted trees on the occasion of Tree-planting Day. Officials and members of the youth
The games in the general field (category of ministries and national agencies) for the 14th National People's Games began on March
March 16, 2025
The games in the general field (category of ministries and national agencies) for the 14th National People's Games began on March
President Kim Il Sung made the 1 000-ri (250-mile) Journey for Learning at the age of 12 and its historic significance is great
March 16, 2025
President Kim Il Sung made the 1 000-ri (250-mile) Journey for Learning at the age of 12 and its historic significance is great
Kim Myong Chol, an international affairs analyst of the DPRK, issued the following article titled "'America first' prioritizing th
March 16, 2025
Kim Myong Chol, an international affairs analyst of the DPRK, issued the following article titled "'America first' prioritizing th
The Third Session of the 14th National People’s Congress of China took place at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing between Ma
March 16, 2025
The Third Session of the 14th National People’s Congress of China took place at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing between Ma
More Articles