Mar week3, 2025 Prayer for North Korea
1. FAO: North Korea Designated as a Food Aid-Dependent Country for 19 Consecutive Years
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has expressed concerns over North Korea’s ongoing food crisis, particularly after its recent rejection of U.S. food aid. The photo depicts a North Korean woman receiving food rations at a distribution center in Kaesong in October 2007. (Photo: Yonhap News).
○Article Summary
According to the “Crop Prospects and Food Situation” report released by FAO on March 7, North Korea has been identified as one of 45 countries requiring external food assistance. Since the FAO began its assessments in 2007, North Korea has consistently been classified as a country in need of food aid for 19 consecutive years.
The report highlights that low food consumption and poor dietary conditions continue to afflict North Korea, with the country facing heightened food insecurity during the lean season from May to August. North Korea’s rice production lags significantly behind South Korea’s, producing only 36% of the latter’s output. After dropping from 2.8 million tons in 2019 to 2.11 million tons in 2020, rice production has been in continuous decline.
Agricultural experts stress that North Korea must import grains, fuel, and fertilizers from the international community to address its food crisis. Cho Chung-hee, a North Korean defector and agricultural expert at the Good Farmers Research Institute, emphasized that international exchanges are essential. However, he noted that even if agricultural production improves, North Korea’s food crisis will not be resolved under Kim Jong-un’s dictatorship, as reforms and international cooperation remain difficult under his rule.
Jerry Nelson, an emeritus professor at the University of Missouri, also stated, “To improve North Korea’s agricultural productivity, modern farming techniques, high-quality seeds, and adequate fertilizer are necessary. However, these resources are severely lacking, making external assistance and cooperation essential.”
March 7, 2025 – RFA Read the full article: https://url.kr/8ljvsq
○Prayer Topics
“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.” (Psalm 33:18-19)
2. "North Korea Sees Its Greatest Opportunity Since the Post-Cold War Era" – Prospects for 'Pendulum Diplomacy' Between the U.S., China, and Russia
Kim Jong-un, Chairman of North Korea’s State Affairs Commission, inspected the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 8. (KCNA/Yonhap News)
○Article Summary
Since Trump’s inauguration, the global order has been shifting, creating what some analysts see as a strategic opportunity for North Korea. As power politics among major nations (U.S., China, Russia) take precedence over international norms, North Korea is expected to engage in ‘pendulum diplomacy’—leveraging rivalries among major powers to its advantage.
Despite violating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and enduring international sanctions, North Korea has seized the opportunity presented by the Russia-Ukraine war. In June last year, North Korea signed a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement' with Russia and even dispatched troops to assist the Russian military. Analysts suggest that North Korea is using Russia as a shield to evade international sanctions and secure regime stability.
Additionally, North Korea’s strong alliance with Russia could serve as leverage in negotiations with the U.S. If U.S.-Russia relations improve, Moscow might even act as an intermediary for North Korea-U.S. dialogue.
Meanwhile, North Korea’s leverage over China has weakened compared to the past. However, as the U.S. increases pressure on China, Beijing may seek closer ties with Pyongyang to counterbalance Washington’s influence. China may also tighten its relationship with North Korea to prevent a U.S.-North Korea agreement that undermines its interests.
This situation raises the possibility of North Korea achieving a favorable outcome in U.S.-North Korea negotiations, where it only freezes or reduces its ICBMs and nuclear warheads—which threaten the U.S. mainland—in exchange for sanctions relief and other concessions.
March 11, 2025 – Kyunghyang Shinmun Read the full article: https://url.kr/fowkj1
○Prayer Topics
"Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, 'Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name, we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.'" (2 Chronicles 14:11)
3. "Families of Abductees Urge Zelensky to Send Captured North Korean Soldiers to South Korea"
○Article Summary
The families of abductees and North Korean human rights organizations sent a letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the 11th, urging him to respect the free will of North Korean prisoners of war who wish to go to South Korea. In the letter, they stated, “This is not only the right thing for Ukraine to do, but in the long term, it could also encourage more North Korean soldiers to surrender or defect, ultimately aiding Ukraine’s war efforts.” They proposed informing North Korean soldiers of this fact through methods such as leaflet distribution to induce their surrender.
From Kim Jong-un’s perspective, he is concerned that news of North Korean soldiers’ deaths could cause unrest among their parents and North Korean society. Moreover, the situation would be even worse if hundreds of captured North Korean soldiers were sent to South Korea, leading to unwanted family ties between the two Koreas. As a result, Kim Jong-un may have no choice but to reconsider the deployment of North Korean troops altogether.
This letter was co-authored by Kim Gyuri and Kim Hyuk, the sister and cousin of Kim Chul-ok, who was repatriated from China to North Korea in October 2023; Kim Jung-sam, the brother of Pastor Kim Jung-wook, who has been detained in North Korea since 2013; as well as organizations including the Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights, the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, Justice for North Korea, the Korean War POWs’ Families Association, Mulmangcho, No Chain, Stepping Stones, THINK, and the Transitional Justice Working Group.
The South Korean government is currently in discussions with the Ukrainian government regarding their relocation to South Korea.
March 11, 2025 – Chosun Ilbo Read the full article: https://url.kr/qz8cln
○Prayer Topics
"Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter." (Proverbs 24:11)
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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has expressed concerns over North Korea’s ongoing food crisis, particularly after its recent rejection of U.S. food aid. The photo depicts a North Korean woman receiving food rations at a distribution center in Kaesong in October 2007. (Photo: Yonhap News).)
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