N. Korea striving for food self-sufficiency in the face of sanctions

North Korea has called on the nation to secure self-sufficiency in food as the international community moves to impose stiffer sanctions on the country for its nuclear provocations, the country's main newspaper reported Friday.

Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), said food self-sufficiency is "like a hydrogen bomb that can intimidate enemies trying to suffocate North Korea through various sanctions and threats."

The daily urged the people to make their utmost efforts to solving food problems by all means possible.

In recent articles, the newspaper claimed farmers, agricultural workers and volunteers are all banding together to increase crop yields, which can solve the country's food shortage problem.

"Our farmers suffered the most in the past under the extreme sanctions and oppression of the enemies," the paper stressed, adding that Pyongyang has now made all preparations to divert past misfortunes into new blessings.

It said that the country's agriculture today has changed a lot vis-a-vis the past.

The daily then said the country's agriculture this year will depend on the success of the new five year economic plan as outlined by the seventh congress of the WPK held in early May.

The North has placed top priority on solving the food issue and improving the lives of ordinary people.

It also said the country has actively introduced scientific farming methods and is speeding up the comprehensive mechanization of agriculture to double the grain production by 2030.

In another recent editorial, the Rodong Sinmun, also said, "We will devote all our wisdom and energy to solving the food problem under the guidance of the ruling party and finish the rice production as required by the Juche (self-reliant) method of farming and attain the goals of grain production for this year under any circumstances."

Grain output numbers have gained more urgency as the country has been slapped with the toughest sanctions yet by the U.N. for its fourth nuclear test earlier this year. Pyongyang's provocations have, moreover, hurt the inflow of food aid from abroad which can pose serious challenges for the country down the road. (Yonhap)