Jang Chon cooperative farm has a large, colorful mural of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, a man whose portrait is omnipresent in every North Korean home and public building.
Jang Chon cooperative farm has a large, colorful mural of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, a man whose portrait is omnipresent in every North Korean home and public building.
Will Ripley/CNN
North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, who died in 1994, and his son Kim Jong Il, who died in 2011, are surrounded by beaming children in this popular painting. The supreme leaders visited the Jang Chon cooperative farm on multiple occasions -- the founder himself made 16 trips.
North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, who died in 1994, and his son Kim Jong Il, who died in 2011, are surrounded by beaming children in this popular painting. The supreme leaders visited the Jang Chon cooperative farm on multiple occasions -- the founder himself made 16 trips.
Will Ripley/CNN
Chili peppers, used for making kimchi, are drying in the sun at the Jang Chon cooperative farm. September and October typically yield the most abundant harvests. Winter is coming and North Koreans will soon stock up on cabbage to make kimchi, the fermented dish that is a staple of the Korean diet all year round, but especially during the long, cold winter months.
Chili peppers, used for making kimchi, are drying in the sun at the Jang Chon cooperative farm. September and October typically yield the most abundant harvests. Winter is coming and North Koreans will soon stock up on cabbage to make kimchi, the fermented dish that is a staple of the Korean diet all year round, but especially during the long, cold winter months.
Will Ripley/CNN
One of North Korea's very first greenhouses, first visited by Kim Il Sung more than three decades ago, and again by his grandson Kim Jong Un recently, is pictured. This greenhouse provided a model for year-round indoor farming to allow North Korea to grow vegetables throughout the warm, humid summers and cold, dry winters.
One of North Korea's very first greenhouses, first visited by Kim Il Sung more than three decades ago, and again by his grandson Kim Jong Un recently, is pictured. This greenhouse provided a model for year-round indoor farming to allow North Korea to grow vegetables throughout the warm, humid summers and cold, dry winters.
Will Ripley/CNN
Kim Myong Yon, left, longtime manager of the Jang Chon cooperative farm, sobs as she gives North Korea's current supreme leader Kim Jong Un a tour of the greenhouse. "I was crying very heavily. It was so hot inside (the greenhouse). We felt so sorry for the leader's health," she said.
Kim Myong Yon, left, longtime manager of the Jang Chon cooperative farm, sobs as she gives North Korea's current supreme leader Kim Jong Un a tour of the greenhouse. "I was crying very heavily. It was so hot inside (the greenhouse). We felt so sorry for the leader's health," she said.
Will Ripley/CNN
Kim Myong Jon has earned a prominent position in North Korea's agricultural community. She is something of a national celebrity. Pictures in the farm museum show many of her 44 meetings over the years -- with all three North Korean leaders.
Kim Myong Jon has earned a prominent position in North Korea's agricultural community. She is something of a national celebrity. Pictures in the farm museum show many of her 44 meetings over the years -- with all three North Korean leaders.
Will Ripley/CNN
Pak Myong Sim works full-time at the farm -- her job is to show visitors around. She said this auditorium holds events for entertainment and political education. Tables are built-in to the seats to facilitate note-taking. The ubiquitous portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are of course present, hung over the center of the stage.
Pak Myong Sim works full-time at the farm -- her job is to show visitors around. She said this auditorium holds events for entertainment and political education. Tables are built-in to the seats to facilitate note-taking. The ubiquitous portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are of course present, hung over the center of the stage.
Tim Schwarz/CNN
A sink with two faucets is spotted inside a model apartment -- an innovation not often seen in farmers' apartment. Unfortunately, the hot water faucet was not working when CNN visited. Hot water is only supplied at certain times, we were told.
A sink with two faucets is spotted inside a model apartment -- an innovation not often seen in farmers' apartment. Unfortunately, the hot water faucet was not working when CNN visited. Hot water is only supplied at certain times, we were told.
Tim Schwarz/CNN
A man feeds a fishing pond stocked with thousands of fish -- one of many newly built amenities for farming families at the Jang Chon cooperative farm. Jang Chon is leaps and bounds ahead of the majority of North Korean farms.
A man feeds a fishing pond stocked with thousands of fish -- one of many newly built amenities for farming families at the Jang Chon cooperative farm. Jang Chon is leaps and bounds ahead of the majority of North Korean farms.
Will Ripley/CNN