Kim Jong-un blames food shortages on cyclones and Covid-19
Regime claims growth in economy, but there is still a food shortage. Kim Jong-un calls on party to step up efforts to provide clothes and housing for the population due to the protracted pandemic. The regime debates future direction in "international situation".
Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - North Korea's economy has improved, but the food situation continues to be very difficult, said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un yesterday during a plenary meeting of the Workers' Party Central Committee.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reports this morning, industrial production grew by 25%, but "the agricultural sector was unable to meet the objectives of the wheat production plan due to the damage caused by cyclones. last year,” said the leader, who then called for measures to reduce the impact of natural disasters.
North Korea is known for its chronic food shortages: one in five North Korean children is malnourished and even the soldiers who preside over the borders are starving.
Yonhap News writes that North Korea could face a shortage of about 1.3 million tons of food by the end of the year.
Although the North Korean regime claims it has not recorded any cases of contagion, Kim has asked the Party to step up efforts to provide food, clothing and shelter to the population due to the protracted pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, Pyongyang has also imposed tight border controls and other anti-pandemic measures, including restrictions on internal travel.
The KCNA stressed that in yesterday's plenary the Party also discussed the "international situation", although the United States and South Korea were not mentioned. In the coming days, Pyongyang could reveal its political direction towards Washington and Seoul, after South Korean President Moon Jae-in and American President Joe Biden agreed that they would diplomatically resolve North Korea's nuclear issue.
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