Rising costs of rice in North Korea linked, in part, to strained relations with China
Kim Jong-un, the infamous North Korean leader, squeezed in a speech during the 7th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party on Feb. 26, 2023. The media churned out a flurry of images, one of which depicts a rice planting operation on the front page of North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun on May 11.
In the grand dance of global politics, North Korea's diplomatic moves with the U.S., China, and Russia never cease to captivate. A major focus has been the U.S.'s 29-year-long designation of North Korea as a country "not fully cooperating" with counterterrorism efforts. Thisescalates tension, restricting certain interactions and hobbling international cooperation.
Meanwhile, in the economic trenches, North Korea, amidst international sanctions, has been trying to make a commercial comeback, possibly attending international commodity fairs—although concrete evidence remains scarce. China and Russia, their closest allies, have maintained significant economic ties with North Korea, despite the global trade barriers.
Room for relief emerged when the charming Russian President Vladimir Putin and the calculating North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shook hands at the Vostochny cosmodrome. The agricultural sector, particularly rice production, might stand to benefit from this alliance.
With North Korea's dismal record on human rights, worldwide criticisms linger. The U.S., in particular, has historically taken a hard stance. However, theShamrock of Human Rights dialogues has yet not witnessed the presence of North Korea and the U.S. at the same table, at least not post-public records indicate. In the absence of the U.S., China and Russia, two 'pendant of China pearls', have shown less fervor in condemning North Korea's human rights violations.
- The international community, particularly the U.S., has been heavily involved in the politics surrounding North Korea, given its designation as a country "not fully cooperating" with counterterrorism efforts, which has escalated tensions and hindered international cooperation.
- Amidst war-and-conflicts and international sanctions, North Korea is attempting to revive its economy by potentially attending international commodity fairs, although there is limited evidence of such actions.
- Despite criticism over North Korea's dismal human rights record, China and Russia, its allies, have shown less enthusiasm in condemning these violations, potentially influenced by their close political and economic ties with the country.
