North Korea Demands More Farmland to Increase Food Production Amid Food Crisis

Kim gave instructions to revamp irrigation systems, build modern farming machines, and create more arable land as the ruling Workers' Party's powerful Central Committee concluded its seventh enlarged plenary meeting on March 1.

On Sunday, the meeting began to discuss the "urgent" task of improving the agricultural sector. South Korea has warned of a worsening food crisis in the isolated North, citing a recent increase in hunger-related deaths in some areas.

Floods and typhoons have wreaked havoc on North Korea's economy, as have sanctions over its nuclear and missile programmes, as well as a sharp drop in trade with China due to border closures and COVID-19 lockdowns.

According to South Korea's rural development agency, crop production in the North fell nearly 4% last year compared to the previous year, owing to heavy summer rains and other economic conditions.

Kim outlined plans and tasks for establishing "rich and highly civilized socialist rural communities with advanced technology and modern civilization," according to the Korean Central News Agency.

He emphasized the importance of maintaining strict discipline in the implementation of the national economic plan, warning against "practices of weakening the organizational and executive power of the cabinet," and directed all party units to "get their working efficiency verified."

The Central Committee also discussed ways to improve the country's financial management, according to Korean news agency, without going into detail.