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| North Korean farmers work hard to provide water during the drought in this file photo from the country's party mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun on Aug. 2. Yonhap |
By Jung Da-min
North Korea is yet to recover from damage caused by unusually hot weather that struck the country from mid-July to August, according to a recent report by an international aid agency.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) DPRK Country Office Friday announced a two-month extension of the emergency plan that has been operated since Aug. 9.
"The extension is to allow sufficient time for expected delays in procurement and delivery of goods to DPRK," it said.
Earlier on Aug. 2, the North Korean government declared an emergency situation due to the heat wave that added to the country's food crisis after years of natural disaster such as drought and floods.
The IFRC report said about 13,768 people in South Hamgyong Province and Sough Pyongan Province have received assistance from the agency, after the regions' agricultural producers had been seriously affected.
About 62 and 206 hectares of cornfields had initially been affected in South Hamgyong Province and South Pyongan Province, respectively, according to the report. About 56 hectares of rice paddies had also been affected in South Hamgyong Province. One hectare is equivalent to 0.01 square kilometers.
The report came as North Korea's state media have been encouraging farmers and workers to prepare for next year's farming, highlighting the importance of building proper irrigation systems as well as better seeds and fertilizers.
On Monday, the party mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun published a front-page editorial on the country's agricultural situation, saying the unusual heat wave and drought had aggravated food production this year, driving demands for water security.
"In the rural area, it is necessary to qualitatively repair water pumps while building natural-flow waterways, reservoirs, water detention facilities and irrigating pumps as well as digging wells and building dams to improve the watering system," the editorial said.
"We should encourage cultivation of rice paddies and take measures to introduce various water-saving farming methods in large scale."
