During a meeting with senior officials on Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un admitted the country is experiencing food shortages, and the situation "is now getting intense."
Last year, typhoons caused devastating floods in North Korea, and farms were unable to produce enough grain, Kim said. North Korea closed its borders to keep COVID-19 from spreading, but the country relies on China for food and fuel, and trade between the two nations has nearly come to a standstill. There are reports that food prices have skyrocketed, with NK News saying that two pounds of bananas costs more than $30.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
4 tips for keeping your resolutionsThe Week Recommends New Year's resolutions seem made to be broken, but with a few adjustments, you can give yourself a shot at sticking with it
-
'His disdain for international rules could eviscerate the laws of war'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Getty Images and Shutterstock merge into a picture powerhouse to combat AIThe Explainer The $3.7 billion deal is one of the largest in the industry's history
-
House GOP unveils bill for Trump to buy GreenlandSpeed Read The bill would allow the U.S. to purchase the Danish territory — or procure it through economic or military force
-
DOJ releases Trump Jan. 6 special counsel reportSpeed Read Jack Smith's report details the president-elect's "criminal efforts to retain power" amid the 2020 election
-
Israel, Hamas and US say cease-fire deal closeSpeed Read A high-level cease-fire negotiation is gaining momentum in Biden's final week as president
-
Jimmy Carter honored in state funeral, laid to restSpeed Read The state funeral was attended by all living presidents
-
Trump sentenced after Supreme Court rejectionSpeed Read Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the three liberal justices in the majority
-
DOJ to release half of Trump special counsel reportSpeed Read The portion regarding Trump's retention of classified documents will not be publicly released
-
Jimmy Carter lies in state as 3-day DC farewell beginsSpeed Read The 39th president died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100
-
Giuliani held in contempt of court over forfeit assetsSpeed Read He has failed to turn over $11 million in assets to two Georgia election workers he defamed after the 2020 election
