Implications of North Korean Forest Policy and “Golden Mountain Strategy”

Abstract

This study analyzes the implications of forest management and golden walks, which are forest policies that have stood out in North Korea since Chairman Kim Jong‐un took power. North Korea strategically uses the term golden mountain to mean “forest restoration that contributes to economic development and improvement of the living standards of its people.” This study emphasizes that the concept of forest use has changed with the introduction and implementation of forest management in North Korea. This study presupposes that since 2019, the Golden Mountain Strategy has evolved into a concept that encompasses not only economic development and improvement of the national standard of living but also forest restoration, that is, protection of the ecological environment. In addition, this strategy is not limited to forest use policies but also encompasses aspects of national development. It combines “sustainable development” with strategies to protect the ecological environment, develop local economies, and strengthen national status.