North Korea’s Unusual Move: Replacing Airfields with Smart Farms

Three greenhouse farms in North Korea
Why were Air Force bases transformed into smart farms?

North Korea operates three large-scale greenhouse farms, converted into smart farms to cultivate vegetables using advanced technology and systems effectively. These projects are so significant at the national level that Kim Jong Un personally visited them during their inauguration.

A common characteristic of these three farms is that they were established after displacing Air Force facilities. Why would North Korea, which desires robust military power, push out military facilities to create farms?

In 2019, the Jungpyeong Greenhouse Farm was completed in North Hamgyong Province, the Yonpo Greenhouse Farm in South Hamgyong Province in 2022, and most recently, the Kangdong Greenhouse Farm in the Kangdong region, Pyongyang. All these were constructed after pushing out air force bases.

The transformation process of the Kangdong Farm into a farm was even captured by satellite. According to KBS, as of March 10, 2022, the approximately 692-acre site housed the Kangdong Air Base and air force facilities. However, by October 22 of the previous year, the land had been turned over to establish hydroponic and soil cultivation greenhouses, and auxiliary facilities had moved in.

The Yonpo Air Base and Air Force Base, which spanned approximately 684 acres, saw the construction of 18 hydroponic greenhouses and 800-900 soil cultivation greenhouses.

North Korea has stated that this move is a “party measure to ensure fresh vegetables in mountainous areas all year round.”

However, North Korean experts analyzed that North Korea had other intentions behind this project.

The Korean Peninsula Security Strategy Institute pointed out that “the air force bases have become obsolete.”

In the 1960s, North Korea built many air force bases in an attempt to catch up with militarily advanced countries. However, over time, North Korea became so impoverished that it couldn’t introduce new aircraft, resulting in the deterioration of the bases. Additionally, North Korea chose a strategy focusing on nuclear and missile development, rendering the air bases as so-called idle lands.

The Unification Research Institute explained it as an “effort to demonstrate economic achievements.”

There are no significant achievements to mention when discussing Kim Jong Un’s economic performance. This interpretation suggests that the cultivation business was started to fill this gap, using the wide and flat air base land.

Indeed, Kim Jong Un’s recent actions include all-out efforts to revive the economy, such as establishing provincial factories and producing 5,500 agricultural machines in military factories to supply Haeju in South Hwanghae Province.

However, some predict that the vegetables grown in the greenhouse farms will serve as side dishes for party executives rather than for the people.

Meanwhile, the North Korean Workers’ Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported that the “Kangdong Greenhouse Farm is a massive greenhouse that leaped in one generation.” It can precisely control temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels and arbitrarily adjust day and night cycles.

Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae drew attention at the inauguration ceremony of the North Korean Kangdong Greenhouse Farm held on the 15th.

Holding hands affectionately with his daughter, Kim inspected various parts of the farm.

Ju Ae had previously accompanied her father on military activities, but this marks her third time accompanying him on economic schedules, following the groundbreaking ceremony of the Sopo District New Street in February of last year and the inspection of the Kwangcheon Poultry Farm in January of this year.