Vinalon

North Korean workers in a Vinalon factory.

North Korean postage stamp featuring the chemical structure of Vinalon and its inventor, Dr. Lee Seung-ki.

Vinalon is a synthetic fibre, produced from polyvinyl alcohol using anthracite and limestone as raw materials. Vinalon was first developed by the Korean scientist Dr. Lee Seung-ki at the Takatsuki chemical research institute in 1939. The fibre was largely ignored until Dr. Lee Seung-ki defected to North Korea in 1950. Trial production began in 1954.

Under the slogan of resolving the clothing problem through vinalon, North Korea constructed a vinalon plant in Hamhung, South Hamgyong Province, in 1961. Its original annual capacity of 20,000 tons has been expanded to 50,000 tons. Thanks to an all-out support from the government, it took only about a year to complete the construction of the plant, giving rise to the terminology of "vinalon speed," a new concept meaning the prompt completion of projects.

The factory complex also produces other chemicals. Some defectors from North Korea have claimed that Dr. Lee Seung-ki was involved in chemical weapons research and that the complex was used to produce them.

Vinalon, also known as Juche fibre, has become the national fibre of North Korea and is used for the majority of textiles, outstripping fibre such as cotton or Nylon, which are only produced in small amounts in North Korea. Other than clothing, Vinalon is also used for military uniforms, canvas shoes, ropes and quilt wadding. However, Vinalon is most widely used for turning out military uniforms, quilt wadding and ropes. For use in ordinary clothes, vinalon is blended with cotton, nylon or wool. Needless to say, vinalon wadding is heavier than natural cotton.

Vinalon is resistant to heat and chemicals but has numerous disadvantages: it is stiff, uncomfortable, shiny, prone to shrinking and difficult to dye. It is not produced outside of North Korea.

Riding the current flow of inter-Korean economic cooperation, vinalon is being considered in the South as a possible "pollution-free future-oriented new material."

External links

[NKChosun.com]

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