[3] Life at the American gold mines in northern Korea: When tigers reigned
Situated in the mountainous region of northern Korea, the Oriental Consolidated Mining Company (OCMC) was surrounded by rough, unforgiving terrain that was both isolated and beautiful. Many of the immediate rugged peaks were bare, their forests stripped by the concession’s incessant need for timber. Further away, other hills and mountains were still covered with trees and thick brush — a…
![[3] Life at the American gold mines in northern Korea: When tigers reigned](/img/7001392)
The Oriental Consolidated Mining Company (OCMC) operated in the rugged mountains of northern Korea, where the landscape was both harsh and picturesque. Timber was in high demand, leading to the decimation of forests on the immediate peaks, leaving only a few patches of trees and underbrush to provide shelter for wildlife. The area was teeming with diverse bird species, including pheasants, pigeons, ducks, and geese, which not only inhabited the skies but also found their way onto the tables of the miners.
However, the mining concession was not devoid of danger; other predatory animals, such as large birds of prey, stalked the forests in search of food and occasionally targeted humans. Charles John Pedersen, a future Nobel Prize laureate, recounted his first and only winter spent at the mines when he was merely four years old. The region was notorious for its harsh weather conditions, exacerbated by the convergence of Siberian winds, making life at the mine a challenging and perilous experience for the residents.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
