North Korea Continues to Face Hunger Crisis Amid Ongoing Isolation and Drought

Author: Sheetal Frank

May 22, 2026

HRRC raises concerns about the hunger crisis in North Korea caused by drought and isolation and calls on the North Korean government to allow humanitarian access, respond to food shortages across all provinces, and prioritise the welfare of civilians. HRRC also calls for international attention from United Nations member states and the Security Council to explore alternative sanctions measures to ensure that food insecurity and limitations on agricultural equipment and fertilisers do not disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, such as children and the elderly, and that food production remains accessible to the general population.

North Korean farmers working in a collective field in South Hwanghae Province [Photo credit: Reuters/Damir Sagolj]

North Korea continues to face a worsening hunger crisis amid ongoing isolation and drought, raising humanitarian concerns. Recent reports show that millions of people remain undernourished as restrictions on trade, strict border controls and limited agricultural resources continue to impact civilians across the country. While North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un has acknowledged the severity of the hunger crisis and the importance of providing basic necessities, further efforts are required to ensure that the well-being of civilians is prioritised and that basic human rights are upheld.

Recent reports from the United Nations (UN) show that over 45 per cent of the population, or approximately 11.8 million people, in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea, are undernourished. This particularly affects the elderly, people with disabilities, pregnant women and those without savings living in rural areas, as North Korea continues to face a chronic hunger crisis as a result of food shortages, which began in the summer of 2023 due to weather-related crop failures and isolation following the COVID-19 pandemic.

North Korea remains largely isolated, has limited infrastructure and is prone to natural disasters. Concerns over food insecurity have intensified due to ongoing drought conditions affecting agricultural production. North Koreans have made efforts to shield crops against the drought that hit the country ahead of the rice-planting season, with rural communities working to secure water resources, install pumping equipment, and create water holes in rice-seedling beds to reduce damage to wheat and barley crops.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said during a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in 2024 that failing to provide people with basic living necessities, including food, was a “serious political issue.” 

Elizabeth Salmón, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK, also raised serious concerns over worsening conditions despite the government's efforts to increase domestic food production. She warned that political decisions, along with bad weather conditions, have contributed to food insecurity.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has also raised concerns about humanitarian aid access in North Korea. The organisation has stated that the country’s agriculture “falls short” of meeting food security needs due to limited access to modern agricultural equipment and fertilisers. Even lower-scale natural disasters can severely impact agriculture and contribute to food shortages in the country.

WFP added that political and economic issues can create further complications, including border closures and restrictions on international trade that limit imports of agricultural equipment. These conditions make it difficult for the country to cope with harsh weather conditions and produce enough food, particularly amid sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council in response to North Korea’s nuclear programme.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that food insecurity has worsened due to restrictions on market activity and rising costs, which have led many people to cut back on food consumption. HRW also noted that the government has instead remained focused on weapons development. Without significant humanitarian intervention and policy change, food insecurity is likely to remain a severe issue in North Korea.

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Glossary

• Agricultural equipment: Refers to machinery, vehicles or tools used to help with farming to make crop and livestock production.

• Border closure: Restrictions enforced by a government that prevent the movement of people and goods across the border between countries and regions.

• COVID-19 pandemic: A pandemic which was an outbreak of coronavirus, an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome.

• Crops: Plants or a product of a plant that is harvested by farmers on a large scale for food, fuel and profit.

• Drought: A prolonged period of dry weather with a shortage of water

• Fertilisers: Substances applied to soil or plants to supply essential nutrients for plant growth.

• Food insecurity: Lack of consistent and reliable access to nutritious food to maintain a health lifestyle. 

• Human Rights Watch: An independent non-governmental organisation aimed at defending and protecting human rights by investigating abuses, violations, and advocating for human dignity.

• Hunger crisis: It occurs when the rate of hunger and malnutrition has increased at a local, national or global level.

• International trade: The exchange of goods and services across national borders.

• Infrastructure: Systems and services such as transport and power supplies that a country uses in order to work effectively.

• Isolation: The state of being disconnected from other countries and left alone.

• Natural disasters: Caused by natural earth processes, including earthquakes, floods, and typhoons, impacting civilians, leading to serious harm, loss of life, and damage to infrastructure.

• Nuclear programme: A country’s structured initiative to harness atomic energy through nuclear reactions.

• Sanctions: These are penalties and restrictions imposed by governments or international organisations such as the UN to enforce international law and punish a country for non-compliance.

• Starvation: It is the extreme form of malnutrition, leading to serious health conditions and eventually death due to lack of food.

• United Nations Security Council: It is the primary UN body working to maintain international peace and security.

• Undernourished: Lack of minerals and vitamins, and required calories to maintain good health

• World Food Programme (WFP): It is the food assistance branch of the United Nations and a large humanitarian organisation addressing hunger and promoting food security.