Kim Jong Un confirmed that North Korea is currently facing a food shortage that is becoming increasingly tense, acknowledging the continuing challenges inside North Korea following a disastrous year that consisted of pandemic shutdowns, flood damage, and ongoing sanctions. Mr. Kim urged the country’s leaders to resolve food shortages resulting from an unexpectedly low agricultural output attributed to crop failures caused by last summer’s typhoons.
The North Korean leader’s assessment mirrors independent reporting on the regime’s food stability. Last year, the impoverished country had an estimated food deficit of about 1 million metric tons, according to an independent report conducted by the US Department of Agriculture in January. The report states that this scarcity equates to the average Noth Korean eating 445 calories less a day than the 2,100-calorie-diet recommended by the United Nations. This year, the shortage could increase to 1.35 million tons, says the Korea Development Institute.
Read More: Kim Jong Un Says North Korea Faces Food Crisis Due to Flooding