Radio Free Asia reported that laborers of North Korea’s factories and enterprises, which just stopped operating, are working as day laborers and their daily income is around $1.

Recently, many factories don’t have work. Workers in these factories go out during the day and perform manual labor such as planting grass, digging sewers, constructing water pipes, etc., the RFA’s source in North Korea reported. These factories, which have stopped operating, don’t urge employees to come to work since there is nothing to do; however, the factories send the workers to perform side projects and claim them as present to receive monthly wage rations.

The daily wage of an employee at a factory or enterprise in North Korea is around 3,000 won. A day laborer’s daily wage is around 10,000 won. With 10,000 won, they can buy 2 kg of corn; so, people are saying that it is better to perform manual labor during the day than to work at a factory or enterprise, the source reported.