News

North Korea is facing chronic economic hardships and food shortages that have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and UN sanctions. Despite this, the country has conducted a record number of missile tests in the past year, raising suspicions about the funding of its weapons programs through illegal cyber activities and covert exports of banned items.

According to the National Intelligence Service (NIS), North Korea’s economy has contracted each year from 2020 to 2022, with its gross domestic product in 2021 being 12% lower than in 2016. Experts believe that the current food shortages and economic troubles are the most severe since Kim Jong Un assumed power in 2011. However, there are no indications of a major famine or public unrest that could pose a threat to Kim’s leadership over the country’s 26 million people.

The food scarcity has worsened due to government attempts to restrict market activities, declining personal incomes, and pandemic-related restrictions that have severely impacted foreign trade. The NIS reported that North Korea has covertly exported about 1.7 million tons of coal, an increase of over 300% compared to the previous year, and 580 kilograms (1,280 pounds) of gold, a 50% increase, in violation of UN sanctions. It is estimated that North Korea has also stolen more than .5 billion in virtual assets since 2015.

The intelligence service warned that Kim Jong Un is likely to resume weapons testing in response to major US-South Korean military drills scheduled to begin soon. Unusually heavy activities have been detected at a facility producing solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and another site related to liquid-fueled ICBMs. There are also indications that North Korea may attempt to launch a spy satellite to mark the 75th anniversary of the country’s founding in September.

North Korea’s missile tests in recent months, exceeding 100, aim to strengthen its military capabilities in response to the US-South Korean exercises. While North Korea has demonstrated the potential ability to reach the US mainland with its ICBMs, it still faces technological challenges. Its shorter-range missiles pose a threat to South Korea and Japan. The use of solid fuel makes the missiles more mobile and difficult to detect before launch.

The post North Korea’s Economic Hardships Worsen Amid Covid-19 Pandemic and Sanctions appeared first on ISP Today.