Recently, it has been reported that forest destruction by residents in North Hamgyong Province has been on the rise.
According to a source in North Hamgyong Province of NK Times on the 21st, an emergency has been declared for forests in Hoeryong City and other regions recently.
It is said that this is because, although tree planting was carried out on the 14th to mark Arbor Day, tree damage has been on the rise since the next day.
For this reason, supervisors from the Hoeryong City Forestry Supervision Office are known to be inspecting the condition of newly planted trees by walking around the mountains from morning until late at night.
While asking residents to manage the trees well so as not to kill them, they are also threatening residents by imposing a fine of 50,000 won per tree and, in serious cases, even sending them to a labor training camp. Because of this, it is reported that residents are using various methods to prevent trees from growing without damaging them or removing them by the roots.
In the past, trees were uprooted or broken at the waist, but starting this year, branches are being cut off or herbicides are being sprayed to prevent trees from growing. According to sources, these methods are widely used by residents because they can suppress tree growth while avoiding crackdowns by forestry authorities.
The source said, “Now, there are various ways to kill trees,” and “They are using methods that can avoid crackdowns and punishments while removing obstacles to crop growth without killing the trees by cutting branches or spraying herbicides.”
He continued, “Crops need to grow to eat and live, right?” and “They are using methods to limit growth even if they do not remove trees that interfere with crop cultivation.”
***This article is a translation by Google, so the content may differ from the Korean article.
