US EditionNorth Korea Faces ‘Severe’ Drought, According to State Media
State media said workers are using water restrictions and repairs to reservoirs and waterways to limit damage to early-season crops.
- On Thursday, April 30, 2026, North Korea reported an "unusual" and "severe" drought, prompting nationwide efforts to protect early-season crops, state media said.
- Climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense, while the seasonal El Nino weather pattern compounds the drought. Natural disasters disproportionately affect the isolated country due to weak infrastructure and a struggling economy.
- North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song inspected farms in South Pyongan and North Hwanghae provinces to oversee "countermeasures to minimize drought damage." He called for identifying all available water sources.
- Cities and counties are conducting "repairs to the gates of reservoirs and waterways" to secure irrigation supplies. Workers are implementing technical measures to boost drought resistance of early-season wheat and barley crops.
- United Nations Special Rapporteur Elizabeth Salmon identified food shortages as a key concern in February, as chronic food insecurity leaves millions vulnerable to disasters such as droughts.
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North Korea races to shield crops from drought, state media says
KCNA said state agencies were mobilising officials to send farming supplies, secure irrigation water and put pumps and other equipment into use to limit damage to early-season wheat and barley crops. Premier Pak Thae Song inspected farms in South Pyongan, South Hwanghae and North Hwanghae provinces and urged officials to make full use of water sources, strengthen irrigation systems and raise mechanisation in rice planting, KCNA said.
According to the official KCNA news agency, North Korea is facing an "unusual" and "serious" drought at the beginning of the year. In this arid context, Kim Jong-un's regime concentrates its efforts "on the protection of crops". - North Korea faces an "unusual" and "serious" drought (Environment).
North Korea faces 'severe' drought: State media
SEOUL: North Korea faces an "unusual" and "severe" drought this year and is working to protect crops, state media said Thursday (Apr 30).Natural disasters tend to have an outsized impact on the diplomatically isolated country due to its weak infrastructure and economy.Elizabeth Salmon, the UN spec
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