In North Korea, the government is cracking down on the sale and transport of pine mushrooms to monopolize foreign currency earnings from their exports. Management Office No. 5 has set up collection centers in key mushroom-picking areas to control transactions, under orders from Room 39, the Workers’ Party’s main foreign currency agency.
Local party committees are warning against unauthorized mushroom picking to prevent private buyers from undercutting official collection centers. Anyone caught selling pine mushrooms independently could face harsh penalties, including labor camp sentences. Despite government efforts to control the market, private sales of mushrooms are likely to continue due to the higher prices offered by private purchasers.
While the government aims to consolidate foreign currency earnings, ordinary citizens are feeling the pressure as they rely on mushroom picking for income. The source emphasized the need for fair prices at official collection centers to discourage private sales. This ongoing struggle reflects the tensions between government control and individual livelihoods in North Korea’s pine mushroom industry.
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