Hyonhee Shin

SEOUL (Reuters – North Korea’s workers in the office and factory have been deployed to areas of agriculture to help fight drought. The move was made amid worries about food scarcity.

Kim Jong Un, North Korean leader, had requested measures to alleviate the tense food environment caused by coronavirus and typhoons. However there were only slight improvements in this area early last year.

North Korea has been facing drought and flooding for many years. The country lacks any infrastructure to manage water and any natural disasters could cause serious damage to its isolated economy, already suffering from sanctions international and almost no trade.

According to the North’s Rodong Sinmun newspaper, government officials as well as workers from companies and factories joined forces with farmers across the country in order to distribute pumping equipment and develop water resources for drought-prone areas.

Although it did not mention any damage, the company stated that they are working to counter an ongoing drought and prepare for a possible future one.

According to the newspaper, “Systematic and aggressive efforts are underway to raise public awareness to mobilize all resources to prevent crop losses from drought in advance.”

The official KCNA news agency reported that North Korea’s weather experts warned on Tuesday about prolonged dry weather throughout the country, up to next week.

According to the weather agency, April’s average temperature was 2.3 Celsius (36.9 Fahrenheit). This is a significant increase from its usual average of 44% annual rainfall.

Rodong explained that people in Anju and Kaechon north of Pyongyang created ponds and added fertilizer and growth enhancer to their crops. They also sent trucks, tractors and cultivators to water the farms.

According to another dispatch, young labour units known as dolgyeokdae (youth brigades), which are usually mobilised for major infrastructure projects and built waterways within Hamhung, an eastern port city, were recently involved in modernising and expanding irrigation facilities.

The United Nations asked Pyongyang in March to open its borders to humanitarian workers and imports of food. It claimed that its isolation had led to many people facing hunger.

Although North Korea hasn’t confirmed any COVID-19-related cases officially, it did close its borders and impose travel restrictions before temporarily resuming commerce with China in the early part of this year.

According to the World Food Program, more than 40% of people were still undernourished before the outbreak.