Abroad: Ryongyon Farm Rehabilitation Program

Ryongyon Farm is one of Dr. Pilju Kim Joo's agricultural rehabilitation programs in North Korea. Dr. Pilju is working with the North Korean government to build a farm that is sustainable. Ryongyon Farm aims to support not only sustainable crops but sustainable lives for its tenants. In addition to having a school for children, Ryongyon Farm supplies food and housing for its workers. The farm embodies the local food movement in many ways that are superior to many American businesses promoting a local food ethos.

cotton fields

Dr. Pilju Kim Joo

Abroad: Beijing and Pyongyang

This is the first part of an eight part post covering Brian's travels to Beijing, China and Pyongyang, North Korea. Brian was part of a six person group that accompanied Eungie Joo, New Museum's Head of Education and Public Programming, through Beijing to Pyongyang. The group spent five days in Pyongyang, one day in Kosong, and one day in Mount Paektu (the birth place of Kim Jong-Il) with Eungie and her mother, Dr. Pilju Kim Joo, founder and president of Agglobe Services International Inc. These experiences foster curiosity as well as criticism, not only of China and North Korea but also of America, all of which carry serious flaw and merits. Rather than being chronological, the posts documenting this trip will be focused on eight specific topics. Topics include: Dr. Joo's Farm, Food, Murals, Monuments, DPRK Architecture, and the Mass Games. For this first post we introduce the group:


From left to right: New Museum curator Eungie Joo, artist Byron Kim, Dr. Pilju Kim Joo, Hu Fang and Zhang Wei Wei of Vitamin Creative Space, sound artist Tarek Atoui, Brian Butler of 1301PE, & actress Kate Butler.