Koreans have a long history of barley cultivation.

According to historical documents, it had been cultivated as a principal crop with rice from long ago. They used barley for sugar and in procession of various dishes and making of traditional Koryo medicines.

In recent years the DPRK people have striven to produce good strains of barley while extending the sphere of its utilization.

A high-yield strain of barley was reared in the People's Army and the Ryanggang Provincial Branch of the Academy of Agricultural Science produced short barley seed suited to the climate conditions of the province.