Food price in North Korea at the end of spring held steady against food prices in March, and worries about an impending famine proved unfounded. <\/p>\n
The Daily NK has looked at market food prices in Pyongyang, Shinuiju, and Chongjin over the first week of July. Everywhere, rice cost about 500 won while corn cost about 400 won. Compared to food prices in March, during the period when food is traditionally in the shortest supply, rice prices were much the same, whereas corn prices had risen by 50 percent. <\/p>\n
A source inside North Korea explained, “Since the redenomination, some people have dropped from ‘middle income’ to ‘poor.’ As a result, demand for corn has increased, and that is the reason why corn prices have gone up. Some people still eat rice; however, many of those who used to eat rice are now feeding their families on corn.”<\/p>\n
“Because of the planting battle, market hours were made shorter, but the market is running smoothly and food prices are stabilizing.” <\/p>\n
However, the source conceded that the food security of senior citizens with no family support and homeless children seems to be very bad. The source said some of these people are indeed dying of malnutrition and disease, though not outright starvation. <\/p>\n
So, while the food supply situation in North Korea is not in unusually poor shape, it seems that the aftereffects of last year’s redenomination are still taking effect, <\/p>\n
Corn prices have increased by almost 100 won on average in the last month, and flour prices have also increased by about 200 won. <\/p>\n
However, the price of fuels such as gasoline and diesel either remained the same or decreased slightly. Gasoline remains at 900 won, which is a hundred won less than it was in May. Diesel remains at 400 won, which is 200 hundred won less than it was. <\/p>\n
Since last year, North Korea has been pursuing various construction projects as part of its goal of building a strong and prosperous state by 2012. It is possible that fuel heading for construction sites is finding its way into the markets. <\/p>\n
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Food price in North Korea at the end of spring held steady against food prices in March, and worries about an impending famine proved unfounded. The Daily NK has looked at market food prices in Pyongyang, Shinuiju, and Chongjin over the first week of July. Everywhere, rice cost about 500 won while corn cost about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":167,"featured_media":12585,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wikipediapreview_detectlinks":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[645],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"yoast_head":"\n