Foreign Affairs
Related: About this forumThe Cause of Food Shortage in North Korea?
North Korea is often described as having the fourth largest military on the planet. Thats quite an accomplishment for a country of 24 million but the numbers are achieved at the expense of quality and sustainability. The 950,000 personnel in the active military are four percent of the population. When you include reservists who can be called to service in wartime, over 25 percent of the population gets involved. That means the economy, as shabby as it is, pretty much shuts down until the war is over. Fortunately, that wont take long. Since North Korea has drawn on its war reserves of food and fuel over the last decade (because of bad harvests and little cash to buy oil), its likely that North Korea would be out of fuel for military operations after about a month and food shortages for the entire population would quickly become catastrophic. Thats because the military takes over much of the vehicle transport in wartime and enemy air attacks would cripple the railroads. Without transportation, food cannot be moved to areas that dont produce much of it. North Korea are in a very difficult situation domestically because of the growing famine. They have a real shortage of food.
(http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/what-food-crisis-n-korea-build-big-ben-eiffel-towe/1848758/)
defacto7
(13,485 posts)More human greed and ignorance. More pain, fear and death.
Socialistlemur
(770 posts)As seen in many other nations, collectivization of agriculture leads to reduced food output. Theoretically this can be offset by imports. For example after Cuba collectivized agriculture food output dropped considerably. They offset this drop in part with Soviet subsidies. Eventually, like the Chinese communists, the Cuban communist party realized they had to allow farmers some freedom. However they insist on somewhat restrictive rules and don't seem to understand they have to abandon Marxist theory. North Korea is still stuck in a quasi medieval state with a state religion venerating the fat Kims. This perversion of communism is truly Orwellian and they seem to have no escape unless they eliminate the Kim family and have a revolution. Or maybe the Chinese, their protector which is ruled by fascist cadres practicing ruthless capitalism will show them the way, and they will become an oriental version of Upton Sinclair's Jungle. This cycle will eventually end with a true workers' revolution, if they are lucky.