NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION?

Kim Jong Un Plans to Solve North Korea’s ‘Food Problem’ in 2022

Chronic food shortages were a problem 10 years ago under Kim’s father and haven’t abated to this day.

Kim Jong Un dedicated a significant portion of a five-day meeting of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party to discussing the state of and solutions for perennial food shortages in the nation. Chronic food insecurity was a problem 10 years ago under Kim’s father and continues to be an issue today, despite promises Kim made when he came into power a decade ago. The only significant measure Kim announced on New Year’s Day was debt forgiveness for all cooperative farms. Otherwise, the North Korean leader pledged to “increase the agricultural production and completely solve the food problem” on a “phase by phase” basis over the next 10 years. Outside of discussions of food insecurity, state media reports of the party meetings did not mention any diplomatic overtures toward the U.S. or South Korea but did note promises made to continue increasing the state’s military power.