N. Korea's food shortage worst in four years, says UN

Picture taken 12 April 2016 and made available 14 April 2016 shows men at work plowing a field in Pyongyang suburbs, North Korea. /Yonhap

By Lee Jin-a

North Korea is suffering its worst food shortage since 2012, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

“North Korea has to secure 694,000 tons of food to overcome the shortage,” said the U.N. “Food production has drastically fallen due to severe droughts last year.”

The organization said total grain production --including cereals, soybeans and potatoes -- stood at 5.42 million tons last year, down 9 percent from 2014.

About 18 million North Koreans, -- 70 percent of the population -- depend on the government for their living.

However, the amount of food distributed to the people has not met daily needs in the last few months, the U.N. said.