Pyongyang, June 5 (KCNA) -- In June there are Mangjong and Haji, ones of the 24 seasonal divisions of the year in the lunar calendar, in the DPRK.

Mangjong is the ninth one of the 24 seasonal divisions. It falls on June 6 or 7 of the solar calendar. Haji, the next one of Mangjong, falls on June 21 or 22 of the solar calendar.

This year, Mangjong falls on June 6 and Haji on June 21.

In the country, the night time of Haji is the shortest and its daytime the longest in the year.

Manjong means barley harvest and rice-transplanting season.

From olden times, a proverb "Harvest barley before Mangjong" has been told, because at this time, if wheat and barley are not harvested in a short time, they may be rotted due to rain.

On the basis of this experience, the Korean people have harvested wheat and barley before Mangjong.

Haji is an important period in farming of the year.

In this period, rice-seedlings have been transplanted in the main.

Lots of edible herbs grow and vegetables are harvested in June. The Korean people made various kinds of foods with edible herbs, cucumbers and so on. Typical of them is ssukttok (rice cake seasoned with wormwood).

During this period, girls have used to dye their fingers with garden balsam. -0-