By Choi Sung-jin
North Korea is likely to experience its worst food shortage since 2011 this year, the Voice of America reported Sunday, quoting an official of the U.N.'s Food and Agricultural Organization.
North Korea will need to cover 694,000 tons by imports or foreign aid, the most since 2011, VOA reported, quoting Christina Coslet, the FAO's global information and early warning system officer for Far East Asia.
"The rice crop dropped 26 percent from the previous year, and corn production also fell 3 percent," she was quoted as saying. "The amount of food North Korea has secured remains at 23,000 ton, or 3 percent of its shortfall."
As of last month, North Korea had received 1,000 tons of corn from Norway, and 4,600 tons of wheat from Russia while importing 12,000 tons of wheat from Ukraine and 1,100 tons of corn from South Africa, VOA said.
"In North Korea, the spring farm hardship begins in May and ends in late August," Coslet said. "Unless the North Korean government imports or receives more food from outside during this period, the food shortage is expected to become more serious."
Pyongyang provided food rations of 410 grams per person last year, but reduced this to 370 grams in the first quarter of this year and to 360 grams in the second quarter, the smallest since 2010, the FAO officer said.
North Korea watchers here said North Korea's food shortfall was expected to worsen because China and Russia had joined in international economic sanctions, and the U.S., South Korea and Japan were imposing sanctions independently.
Rodong Shinmun, the official paper of the North Korean Workers Party, acknowledged the deepening isolation of the communist state amid tightening international sanctions.
In a recent commentary, the paper said, "Our enemies' maneuvers to isolate and crush this republic are becoming increasingly atrocious, while no countries are coming forward to help us."
Female teacher arrested for having sex with 12 year-old student 
Woman cuts off husband's penis 
Are Asian men 'undateable'? [VIDEO] 
Queer festival vote turns contentious 
N. Korean leader's eldest child is a boy: spy agency 
KBS MBC to begin strike on Monday 
Moon, Abe agree 'extreme' pressure on North Korea 
N. Korea leader hints at more missile launches 
British Embassy returns street along Deoksu Palace to public 
Apartment residents launch 'memo relay' to bust elusive smoker 
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
