North Korea leader Kim Jong-un has urged citizens to prepare for a “difficult” crisis, following human rights groups’ warnings that the country faces dire food shortages and economic instability.
Kim was speaking at a party conference, he appeared to compare the situation to an infamous deadly famine in the 1990s.
North Korea has shut its borders due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It has brought trade with China, its economic lifeline, to a standstill.
It is also on top of existing international economic sanctions over Pyongyang’s nuclear programme.
The authoritarian leader on Thursday called on party officials to “wage another more difficult ‘Arduous March’ in order to relieve our people of the difficulty, even a little”.
The Arduous March is a term used by North Korea officials to the country’s struggle during a devastating famine in the 1990s, when the fall of the Soviet Union left North Korea without crucial aid. It is estimated that 3 million people died during that period.
“It is not unusual for Kim Jong-un to talk about difficulties and hardship but this time the language is quite stark and that’s different,” said Colin Zwirko, North Korea analyst at NK News.
“Last October for instance, he gave a speech where he said that he himself failed to bring about enough changes. But mentioning explicitly that he’s decided to carry out a new Arduous March is not something he has said before.”
There’s been warnings for months that the people of North Korea are struggling.
Reports of hardship appear to be coming especially from towns near the Chinese border, where smuggling would have been a huge earner for many.
