One of the most frequently repeated claims about the DPRK is that its leadership is “starving people” and they're experiencing nationwide famine conditions. These claims are often accompanied by the assertion that the DPRK rejected international aid and support during the Arduous March of the 1990s. The Arduous March is also frequently presented as evidence of the inherent failures of socialist systems. The goal of this article is to investigate these claims and examine the historical conditions that shaped the Arduous March, as well as the present-day situation in the DPRK. The Arduous March: What Was It & What Caused It? The Arduous March is the name given to a period of famine and economic setbacks that occurred in the DPRK between 1994 and 1999. The famine was caused by a complex interaction of factors, including the collapse of the USSR and Eastern bloc trading partners, natural disasters, sanctions, and the geographical conditions of the DPRK. To begin, over 80% of the DP...
Okay, I pull up. 🇰🇵