# Reports of people ‘starving’ as N Korea struggles to feed itself | Food News | Al Jazeera

> North Korea faces severe food shortages caused by UN sanctions, a COVID-19 border closure with China, a 2020 drought and typhoon damage. Kim Jong Un acknowledged the tense food situation at a June party meeting, and experts report people starving. The article raises concern about malnutrition on a scale similar to the 1990s famine.

- Date: 2021-07-01 · published 2021-07-01T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: geopolitics · region North Korea · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/12906-reports-of-people-starving-as-n-korea-struggles-to-feed-itself-food-news-al
- Commodities: [Rough Rice](https://feedsoft.ai/c/RICE.md)

## Why it matters

North Korea is a small grain importer, so the shortage has little direct effect on global feed or grain prices. The main effect is on aid and humanitarian grain flows.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| RICE | 2020-03-26 | [Concern mounts that exporters will curb sales of food staples amid lockdowns \| The Straits Times](https://feedsoft.ai/events/54090-concern-mounts-that-exporters-will-curb-sales-of-food-staples-amid-lockdowns.md) | +3.2% | +22.4% |
| RICE | 2026-03-05 | [How West Asia conflict has hit India’s rice exports, left thousands of containers stuck at ports \| Explained News - The Indian Express](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12572-how-west-asia-conflict-has-hit-india-s-rice-exports-left-thousands-of.md) | +5.1% | +8.1% |
| RICE | 2026-05-01 | [It's not just oil: Why Iran war also threatens Asia's food security](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10732-it-s-not-just-oil-why-iran-war-also-threatens-asia-s-food-security.md) | +8.1% | +16.8% |
| RICE | 2020-02-29 | [Coronavirus in Iran takes a toll on basmati exports, domestic prices fall \| Commodity - Food & Edible Oils - Business Standard](https://feedsoft.ai/events/54551-coronavirus-in-iran-takes-a-toll-on-basmati-exports-domestic-prices-fall.md) | -4.7% | +3.4% |
| RICE | 2026-04-30 | [From surplus to strain: Iran war and El Nino threaten global rice supply - The Japan Times](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10153-from-surplus-to-strain-iran-war-and-el-nino-threaten-global-rice-supply-the.md) | +12.1% | +22.7% |

## Sources

- aljazeera.com: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/1/humanitarian-disaster-looms-in-north-korea

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.