North Korea codifies soil pollution law, but enforcement remains in doubt
North Korea passed a sweeping law in 2025 that regulates soil pollution from initial monitoring through investigation, cleanup and punishment of violators. The move marks a rare case of Pyongyang addressing an environmental problem through its own dedicated statute. Daily NK obtained a copy of the law, called the Soil Pollution Prevention Act. The Standing […]
North Korea has enacted the Soil Pollution Prevention Act, a comprehensive law addressing soil pollution from monitoring to punishment. Adopted by North Korea's parliament on May 29, 2025, the law took effect on July 1, 2025. It defines soil pollution as harmful substances exceeding set environmental quality standards and outlines a six-chapter, 48-article process from monitoring to punishment.
Primary responsibility falls on those causing the pollution, with secondary responsibility on successors or land managers. Serious violations may result in enterprise shutdowns and criminal penalties. A nation-wide monitoring network is mandated to detect pollution hotspots, with high-risk areas including regions near hazardous facilities and those with contaminant levels above the standard.
While the law appears robust in theory, Myeong Soojeong, a research fellow at the Korea Environment Institute, doubts its practical implementation due to lack of resources, including advanced equipment and personnel.
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