The North’s domestic product experienced a significant drop of 12 per cent in 2022 compared to 2016, the agency told lawmakers during a briefing, according to lawmaker Yoo.
The number of North Koreans said to have died due to hunger between January to July was more than double the recent annual average of 110.
The North has periodically been hit by famine, with hundreds of thousands of people dying – estimates range into the millions – in the mid-1990s.
The country held a high-level party meeting in February to specifically address food shortages and agricultural problems.
As the storm approached the peninsula, the North had carried out “a dynamic campaign to cope with disastrous abnormal climate” and called for measures to minimise damage to the country’s economic output, state media reported.
Earlier this week, Kim berated “irresponsible” officials for failing to prevent damage from the storm.
Pyongyang’s recent emphasis on the agricultural sector is “seemingly out of desperation that food issues could become a serious problem”, Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification told AFP.
“Kim’s choreographed visit and admonishment of senior officials on typhoon preparation” shows the regime is aware that food shortages could impact domestic support, especially as it ramps up confrontation with the United States, Hong said.
Despite its difficult economic situation, Pyongyang has conducted a record-breaking series of weapons tests this year, including its first solid-fuel ballistic missile – which experts say is a major technological breakthrough.
Source: CNA
