Sources say that North Korea is struggling to maintain food supplies, with reports claiming prices of everyday goods are skyrocketing. Speaking at a party meeting this week, Kim said the food situation was “now getting tense” because of grain shortages brought about by typhoons last year, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday.
Experts have warned over the past month that food was running short in North Korea. The Seoul, South Korea-based outlet NK News reported that price spikes had been seen in Pyongyang, the nation’s capital, with a kilogram of bananas now costing $45. That would mean that a banana most likely costs just over $6.40.
It is rare for Kim to acknowledge food shortages and though such shortages are concerning, experts don’t believe they will lead to a country-wide famine. Earlier this month, Tomás Ojea Quintana, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, told the UN Security Council that it should consider lifting sanctions on the country.
Source: businessinsider.com