Los Angeles Times
on Sunday, June 8, 1997.
Cho Koo village, Unpa County, North Korea--Yang Soo Bok, 61, picks lettuce in preparation for her dinner from her front yard garden. She has 12 edible vegetables growing in her front yard which she uses to supplement meager ration of 400 grams per week per person. She cooks for her family of three; her husband and a daughter at this house which was built for her after her family lost their home in August 19, 1995 flood. She also raises a pig, two dogs and three chickens (plus another half dozen chicks) at her home. According to a local official, people ate arrow roots from the local mountains during winter months when they did not have vegetables.
Soo Koo village, Koo Jang County, North Korea--Villagers plant rice over a newly rebuilt rice patty over 1996 flood damaged farm land in Koo Jang County located one and half hour by car north of the capital city Pyongyang.180 villagers were organized to plant rice on this day. A local resident admitted to eating "pool-jook" (plant porridge) while trying to overcome the country's food shortage problem with this year's strong harvest.
These photos ran on Sunday June 8, 1997
More photos from North Korea?