Severe drought has hit North Korea

North Korean Prime Minister Pak Thae Song visited the provinces of Pyongannam-do and North Hwanghae to assess local authorities’ efforts to combat the unprecedented drought that has hit the country, Yonhap reported on Thursday.

“Pak Thae Song inspected key agricultural areas in the provinces of Pyongannam-do and North Hwanghae to assess the prospects for the wheat and barley harvests and discussed measures to prevent crop damage with local officials,” the agency wrote.

Water trucks are being dispatched daily to rural areas to improve irrigation of large crop fields. Authorities are making efforts to preserve the harvest that was harvested before the drought.

The situation is complicated by the fact that the drought hit the country just before the spring rice planting season.

Yonhap recalls that North Korea has been on the list of food-deficit countries requiring external assistance compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for 19 consecutive years.

Tags: drought, North Korea