Transplanted fish 'alive and well' on Mount Paektu, North Korea says

Dec. 4 (UPI) -- North Korea has "successfully" transplanted fish to Mount Paektu, where Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in took pictures during their September summit, according to state media.

Pyongyang's Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported Tuesday smelt fish are being cultivated on the North's side of Heaven or "Chonji" Lake -- a crater lake at the northern border.

According to the Rodong, the project has been "many years in the making," and signs of success were first seen in July.

"The Paektu Chonji general inspection team discovered [spawned smelt fish] near Nakwon hot springs, at Chonji Lake in Mount Paektu, at 11 a.m. on July 23," the newspaper stated. "The team was unbelievably joyous after devoting themselves to transplanting smelt fish to Chonji Lake for years."

The North Korean newspaper said the team engaged in a "struggle" to cultivate more than 100 smelts, measuring three to five inches in length.

"They were able to confirm the smelts placed in Chonji last year are actually alive," the Rodong stated, adding the new smelts have adapted to their habitat, and are smaller than fish of the same species living at sea.

North Korean cultivators have been traveling to the Chonji "every year" to grow the fish -- this year they may have successfully hatched their plans for the first time.

More than 2,000 smelts were transplanted to Mount Paektu in 2017, according to the Rodong.

The fish may be an important source of food in North Korea. Smelt was served at a summit luncheon in September, according to South Korean news service News 1.

North Korea shares Chonji Lake with China -- the country's most important economic partner.

Kyodo News reported Tuesday North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho is to visit Beijing for three days, beginning Thursday.

Ri is in Syria, following a state visit to Vietnam.