ABSTRACT

The Korean peninsula was once referred to as the embroidered land of 3,000 ri, full of treasures from its fertile soil and rich natural resources. Since 1971, North Korea has promoted a program of basic construction, with emphasis on mining, metals, and chemicals. North Korea’s principal trading partners are the People’s Republic of China, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Romania, and the U.S.S.R. Mineral exports in 1975 totalled possibly $600 million, and the major items were iron concentrate, steel, lead-zinc, barite, cement, refractory clays, magnesia, and coal. North Korea’s industries are all state-owned enterprises, and each plant is responsible to the State Planning Bureau for meeting production targets and standards. North Korea converts most of the magnesite to magnesia before export. Nickel, precious metals, and mercury are also extracted. The North Korean labor force consists of 7.5 to 8 million people, about half of whom are in industry and the rest in agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, and related fields.