[imText1]While North Korea is expected to experience the worst food crisis this winter since ’98 as a result of the U.N. Security Council’s North Korean Resolution following the nuke experiment, Kim Jong Il is saying “South Korea will supply us with rice,” and commanding “First, fill the rations.”
On October 18th, the day directly after the nuke experiment, Kim Jong Il is known to have said to his director in charge of military operations, “Food supplies will come from South Korea, supplement the lacking rations when the rice arrives.”
In an exclusive report, Professor Nam Sung Wook of the Department of North Korean Studies, Korea University revealed two official documents containing information on the “Words spoken by the honorable leader, comrade Kim Jong Il to his director in charge of military operations” and “Chosun Wokers’ Party, Central Committee’s decision, Charter 122.” (November 3rd, 2006)
The document revealed an interview with the director of military operations, in which Kim Jong Il said “On seeing this report, authorities have raised the target (of war reservations) 83%…” and “Now, though it is unlikely that we will receive food assistance from other countries, in the end we will receive food assistance from South Chosun. Let’s supplement the insufficient rations when the rice arrives.”
He seems to be expressing his confidence in the South Korean government who would not easily discontinue food assistance, indifferent to the international community who will end their aid as a result of the U.N. North Korea Resolution.
The documents also predicted “The oil issue will be solved shortly.” Regarding this, Professor Nam said “They have increased the amount of military equipment in preparation for war, under the notion that China will supply them with aid.”
[imText2]Furthermore, he said, “First, the rations in underground storehouses need to be well ventilated so it does not perish” and “Just as the people are surviving with their own willpower, they must not become greedy and steal nor waste the reservations prepared for war.”
The report outlined “Recently, Central Committee officials have been discovered to be making farmers report falsified large amounts of agricultural production through fraud” and “The agricultural production for this year has also been fabricated as 3.5mn tons when the actual is 2.1mn tons… This has created a disturbance in the people’s economy plan.”
In addition, the report stated “A total of 13 people were found to be in a conspiracy including agricultural secretaries in the provinces of South Hwanghae and Pyongan, and accountants from South Hwanghae and North Pyongang. These people were removed from their position and sent to be educated.”
In one sense, North Korea estimates its annual agricultural production to be 6.5mn tons whereas North Korean economic analysts argue that this is impossible and that the actual is 4.5mn, with the remaining 1~1.5mn tons of produce dependant on foreign sources.
However, following North Korea’s missile launch in July, Korea guaranteed only half a million ton of aid. Hence, North Korea’s aid took a massive nosedive and it is forecasted that North Korea will be lacking in a minimum 1.5mn tons of aid this year.
In response, the World Food Program Director for the Pyongyang office Jean-Pierre DeMargerie declared “Though North Korea may survive this winter’s severe food crisis, once the rations in storage are all depleted, by next April, the new season of spring harvest will be a long and hard one.”
