Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

A Tale of Relentless Hunger

The DPRK (North Korea) has experienced widespread food shortages since the mid-1990s. Over 10M people – 40% of the population – need food assistance. Many people suffer from chronic malnutrition due to lack of essential proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.
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Isolated and Starving

DPRK continues to face a wide range of food and nutrition security challenges, which add to the protracted humanitarian situation in the country. Agriculture annually falls short of meeting food needs, due to shortages of arable land, lack of access to modern agricultural equipment and fertilizers, and recurrent disasters. And an increase in climate-related disasters sees droughts, floods, typhoons and heatwaves causing soil leeching, erosion, landslides and damage to crops and infrastructure. Even minor disasters can significantly reduce agricultural production and the availability of food, stressing communities’ already limited coping capacities. According to INFORM Global Risk Index 2021, DPRK ranked 29th among 191 countries for such disasters, and was placed in the high-risk category.

Economic and political issues add further difficulties, with restrictions on international trade and investments imposed by the United Nations Security Council. The strong link between food insecurity and malnutrition means any negative impact on agriculture and food production has widespread and long-lasting consequences, and compounds the already widespread undernutrition that affects millions in the country

More than 40 percent of the population are undernourished and require humanitarian assistance, according to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report 2022. And many suffer from chronic malnutrition due to lack of essential proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.

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Those living outside towns and cities have worse diets, with many relying on rural relatives, improvised ‘kitchen gardens’ or market activities to supplement the food they receive through the Government’s Public Distribution System. The system consistently provides lower food rations than the Government’s daily target.

Poor nutrition is particularly problematic for young children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, as good nutrition is crucial in a child’s early years. Stunting (impaired growth and development due to chronic malnutrition) affects nearly one in five children under 5.

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Hunger Stats

WFP’s Work in the DPRK

The U.N. World Food Programme has been present in DPRK since 1995. From January – March 2021, the last round of food distributions, WFP reached over 500,000 people.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Komchon Ri, Sinwon county, South Hwanghae province, 9 May 2018 The Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), David Beasley, has concluded an official visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from 8-11 May. 'I came to DPRK to listen, look and learn with an open mind. This visit has given me a first-hand opportunity to assess the needs and evaluate WFP's operations on the ground. While there are significant challenges ahead, I am nevertheless optimistic. I see a country that is working hard to achieve food security and good nutrition. Since WFP began working here 23 years ago, much progress has been made, but much work lies ahead. There is a real need for continued humanitarian assistance, especially when it comes to meeting the nutritional needs of mothers and young children. I do believe that with hard work and support from around the world we'll be able to make a difference.' During his visit, Beasley spent two days in the capitol city Pyongyang meeting with senior government officials and two days visiting a number of WFP projects in different parts of the rural areas of the country. He travelled to Sinwon County in South Hwanghae Province where he saw a food-for-assets project in Komchon Ri village and visited a WFP-supported children's nursery. He also travelled by vehicle from Pyongyang to Sinuiju City in North Pyongan province, visiting a local factory where WFP produces fortified biscuits for its projects. WFP aims to assist 650,000 women and children in DPR Korea every month, providing highly nutritious, fortified cereals and biscuits that can address their nutritional needs. Funding shortfalls have meant that rations have had to be reduced and suspended in some cases. In the Photo: the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), David Beasley visiting a WFP-supported children's nursery and Hasong Kindergarten in Sinwon County in South Hwanghae Province, Democratic Peop
Nutrition
Each month, WFP provides specialized nutritious food to around a million pregnant women, nursing mothers and children, helping to reduce acute and chronic malnutrition. These fortified foods include blended cereals or biscuits with added protein, vitamins and minerals, which boost the micronutrients, fats and proteins in people’s daily diets. WFP targets this assistance to supported institutions including nurseries, hospitals, paediatric wards and some boarding schools. WFP also provides support to the factories that produce fortified foods.
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Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Unpa County, North Hwanghae Province, 08 April 2019 A joint FAO-WFP rapid Food Security Assessment Mission (rFSAM) to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) took place in March-April 2019, visiting counties across the country. The assessment follows concerns raised about the harvests in 2018 reportedly affected by floods and drought, and a subsequent appeal for support by the government. “Our field teams spoke to farmers, households, nurseries and local officials in counties across the country, and we have witnessed a very serious and concerning situation. What is clear is that a succession of climate shocks including drought, heatwaves and floods, in some areas affecting the same communities one after the other, has had a dramatic effect on crop production. That, combined with an agriculture constrained by lack of agricultural inputs, fuel and spare parts are pushing large numbers of people into a worrying food security situation. These communities need urgent humanitarian support to safeguard their food security and nutrition status,” said Nicolas Bidault, co-lead of the assessment mission, and WFP Senior Regional VAM Adviser for Asia and the Pacific. During the mission, teams met with senior government officials in the capital Pyongyang, and visited rural areas of the country, where they met with farmers, rural and urban households, public distribution centre staff, nurseries, county officials and humanitarian partners. In 2019, WFP is working to assist 770,500 women and children in DPR Korea every month, providing nutritious, fortified cereals and biscuits that can address their nutritional needs. These foods are targeted through institutions that include nurseries, hospitals and child institutions. In the Photo: Assessment mission team visit a cooperative farm. Members, farmers and county officials discuss the barley winter crop growth and how it has been affected by the dry conditions ov
Disaster Risk Reduction
When possible, WFP works to reduce communities’ vulnerability to climate shocks with disaster risk-reduction measures. This helps mitigate climate risk, reduce the need for humanitarian action and contribute to food security by addressing threats to agricultural land and production. Activities – which include repairing embankments, dredging rivers, planting trees and improving soils to restore and protect the environment – also support training, especially among women, creating temporary employment and supplementing families’ food stocks.
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Crisis Response
On the occasion of major droughts in 2014 and 2015, humanitarian partners responded providing life-saving assistance to 1.3 million people. Severe flooding in August 2015 and August 2016 also required significant humanitarian interventions. WFP maintains the capacity to provide in-kind emergency food assistance to crisis and disaster-affected communities when required, ensuring those affected have access to food in times of emergency.
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