North Korea Asks Mongolia For Food Aid During NK Ambassador's Diplomatic Visit
Last week, North Korea asked Mongolia to send food to help its starving population survive. North Korea is notoriously famine-stricken, and Mongolia is the latest country they've turned to for help.
During a diplomatic visit to the Mongolian president, Pyongyang's new ambassador made a request for food aid, according to the official Mongolian website for the president.
April through September is the time of year in North Korea when supplies run low because food stored for the winter is gone, but new crops are not yet ready. The corn harvest begins in September, and last year's yield is already running low.
According to the website, Ambassador Hong Gyu told President Elbegdorj that "North Korea may face (a) severe food shortage," according to the account. The Ambassador, Mr. Hong, then asked for Mongolia to consider investigating the possibility of giving food aid to North Korea.
Kwon Tae-jin, ahe director of the Korea Rural Economic Institute in Seoul, South Korea and a scholar on North Korean agriculture in Seoul, South Korea, spoke to the Wall Street Journal about the situation. He said that last year's harvest in North Korea was successful, but that there was still not enough corn to feed the entire country.
Dr. Kwon said, "We've learned that while rations are being delivered, it varies region by region. But it isn't sufficient to go around for everyone."
North Korea is notoriously tight-lipped about news within the country to foreigners, but there have recently been other signs of food shortages. Reports indicate that Pyongyang didn't distribute food to the northernmost province for the biggest holiday of the year. The holiday, which takes place on April 15th, celebrates the birthday of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung.
Daily NK, a website staffed by North Korean defectors, reported that ordinarily, special foods such as bottles of alcohol and treats for children like cookies and candy are traditionally delivered. An anonymous source told NK News "This is the first time I can recall there being nothing on the Day of the Sun." The source continued, "People appear to be shocked that the country is in such a condition that it cannot provide holiday supplies. They say that 'all they have to do to raise a festive mood is give a drop of alcohol or some rice for making 'ddeok' (Korean-style rice cakes), but they can't even manage that.'" Local markets were also closed on the 14th, furthering disappointment.
North Korea has struggled to feed its people since the severe famine in the 1990s. In recent years, international assistance has been less forthcoming, due, in part, to strains in international relations and North Korea's human rights violations. South Korean President Park Geun-hye has pledged to continue providing aid to the North, although the relationship between the countries has been strained recently.