NORTH KOREA: Students must pick medicinal herbs

In addition to requiring university students to help in the construction of 100,000 houses in Pyongyang, the North Korean authorities have placed another heavy obligation on students - they must help collect medicinal herbs - writes Kang Mi Jin for the Daily NK.

Students have to collect medicinal herbs for the purpose of "loyalty foreign currency earning"; that is, to help the government procure foreign currencies before the regular summer vacation, during a period known as the 'medicinal herb vacation' in late June and early July.

According to the source, the reason why the medicinal herb vacation started later than usual this year was because the 'rice planting battle', the time in June when most residents, including students, are mobilised for rice planting, was completed belatedly. Since residents in farming areas have not been able to fully concentrate on rice planting for private trade and the period of the 'battle' has dragged on, students have been mobilised to collect herbs.
Full report on the Daily NK site