Seoul (AsiaNews) – A North Korean newspaper today called for increased food production. In an editorial, Minju Choson, the newspaper of North Korea’s cabinet, calls for “food self-reliance” to prop up socialism and overcome the challenges facing the country.
To this end, the article urges maximum support for rice production as planting season begins whilst blaming the lack of full "food self-reliance" on "murderous" UN sanctions against the country’s nuclear programme.
Although North Korea claimed it had a bumpber crop last year, outside observers say that the country suffers from chronic shortages due to extreme weather conditions and restrictions on imported farming materials like fertiliser.
This year, with the border with China shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation could get worse. China is one of the few countries to have friendly ties with North Korea.
According to a recent UN report, at least 10 million North Koreans will suffer from food shortages this year.
A day before the editorial calling for food self-reliance, Russia delivered 25,000 tonnes of wheat donated to North Korea.
Sources in the Russian embassy in Pyongyang report that the wheat came from Novorossiysk to the port of Nampo. From there, 40 freight cars carrying the grain are leaving for Pyongyang every day.
