{"id":4786,"date":"2020-12-16T11:41:09","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T02:41:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4786"},"modified":"2022-05-16T18:01:09","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T09:01:09","slug":"starvation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2020\/12\/society-economy\/starvation\/","title":{"rendered":"Residents of N. Korea's Embattled Cities Face Starvation Amid Continuing Coronavirus Blockade"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The famous painting 'The Gleaners' received negative criticism in the mid-19th century. It is now regarded as a masterpiece of French painter Millet.
A rural woman gleaning grain from a cornfield, photographed by ASIAPRESS in South Hwanghae Province in October 2008.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c6 North Korea is like the scene in Millet's famous painting<\/h2>\n

One of the characteristic works of French painter Millet is a painting depicting peasants bowing down and picking up leftover grain in a barley field after harvest. At first glance, it\u2019s an idyllic pastoral scene, but it also incorporates aspects that allow modern society to imagine how poor the 19th century French peasants must have been.<\/p>\n

Walking along the Chinese border with North Korea on autumn mornings, I have witnessed Millet's \"gleaning\" scenes many times. Across the Yalu River, among the North Korean rice fields, peasants wrapped in aprons bend over with open sacks looking for rice and ears of corn.<\/p>\n

\"This year is different,\" said a reporting partner living in the northern area of North Korea by phone at the end of November. Apparently, even urban residents are now going on 'gleaning expeditions' to rural areas. \u201cEvery morning, everyone, from the children to the elderly, heads to the rural areas.\u201d This can only be seen as a desperate move by starving urban residents.<\/p>\n

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Rural women picking up grain from cornfields outside Pyongyang. Photographed by ASIAPRESS in September 2008.<\/p><\/div>\n

Another reporting partner gave a specific example of urban residents going on ''Gleaning Expeditions' as follows.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a mine worker that I know with a family of three. He has a child in elementary school and his wife sold soju from their home because the mine was closed- however, she had to stop selling due to the strict crackdown. The husband goes to work every day to a job where he doesn't get paid or even given rations and he has nothing to do. So, the wife goes to the nearby farming village every day to gather grain. The family is on the verge of becoming street beggars.\u201d
\nNextPage: \u25c6 North Koreans face a humanitarian... <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u25c6 North Koreans face a humanitarian crisis<\/h2>\n

Increasingly serious changes are happening in North Korea. It has been 10 months since the border was closed to prevent the influx of coronavirus, stopping trade and tourism, and in the aftermath, causing export production and logistical work to evaporate. With the markets losing steam, there was a sharp drop in cash imports. The most vulnerable people in cities, including the elderly, are dying of malnutrition and disease.<\/p>\n

On November 23, Chinese customs officials released trade statistics for October. The figures were shocking. During the month, the total import and export volume was only US$1,659,000, with North Korean imports only US$253,000- both figures marked a 99% decline compared to last year. China's trade has continued to decline sharply since March due to the border blockade and it seems that North Korea\u2019s current lack of foreign currency has made trade less profitable.<\/p>\n

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Trade statistics between North Korea and China published by Chinese customs authorities. The cumulative amount of imports and exports from January to October fell by 76.2% year on year. In January and February, only the total amounts were announced. Produced by ASIAPRESS<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c6There is rice at the markets but I\u2019m starving because I don\u2019t have money<\/h2>\n

On the other hand, there are exchanges that are not represented in trade statistics between North Korea and China. It seems that a large amount of food and coronavirus prevention equipment has been provided by China since June. The Asahi Shimbun reported that 500,000 to 600,000 tons of food and 550,000 tons of fertilizer were provided, and the JoongAng Ilbo reported that 800,000 tons of food were provided unofficially. If true, perhaps the military, police, party, government agencies, military, and other organizations of high importance to the regime and construction mobilization were supplied first, and some of the supplies were able to enter the market.<\/p>\n

According to reporting partners in North Korea, food such as rice and corn is sold in all markets, and prices are stable due to price controls set by the authorities. In other words, if there are people dying of starvation, it is not because of food shortages, but because people do not have money and cannot access food.<\/p>\n

It seems obvious that North Koreans are facing a humanitarian crisis. Coronavirus is still causing much concern. The Kim Jong-un regime is limiting the acceptance of humanitarian aid as well as trade, and arguing that bringing in people and goods would cause an influx of coronavirus. There has been no response to South Korea's offer of assistance.<\/p>\n

With tight border closure, quarantines, and movement controls, the spread of coronavirus can be prevented, however, people are dying of hunger and disease. International organizations and neighboring countries should propose consultations with North Korea on the method and scale for emergency humanitarian aid. This can be accomplished by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who has offered unconditional talks to Kim Jong-un. (ISHIMARU Jiro<\/em>)<\/p>\n

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