From the UN News Center:
An estimated 40 per cent of the population of the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea (DPRK) — almost 9 million people — will be in need of urgent food aid in the next few months due to a shortage in cereals, according to a new United Nations report.
A joint assessment by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) found that agricultural production will fall short of what is needed this year because of critical shortages of fertilizer and fuel, in spite of favourable climate conditions during the past growing season.
“DPRK will face a severe food situation over the coming months,” said Henri Josserand, Chief of FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System…”The prospects for next year are bleak, with a substantial deficit of basic foods that will only partly be covered by commercial imports and anticipated food aid.”