코로나-19 이후 경제적•인도적 위기 직면한 북한<br /><br />North Korea appears to be facing an economic and humanitarian crisis after closing its borders in late January following the COVID-19 outbreak.<br />Struggling with financial difficulties, the regime has reportedly forced wealthy entrepreneurs to purchase bonds.<br />Our Hong Yoo reports.<br />For the first time in almost 20 years, North Korea is issuing bonds to overcome economic difficulties .<br />But these bonds are different from those issued in OECD countries.<br />The OECD says North Korea is forcing its wealthy entrepreneurial class, known as "donju", to buy bonds with hard currency.<br />Because Pyeongyang closed its borders at the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the North's trade balance is worse than usual.<br />The International Trade Commission said North Korea's exports to Russia in February totaled just 8-thousand U.S. dollars.<br />That is a 96 percent drop compared to same month last year.<br />The North's exports to China for the month of March were only 616-thousand dollars, dropping around 95 percent on year.<br />As well as an economic crisis, a humanitarian crisis is brewing.<br />For more than three months, international relief organizations have not been able to ship humanitarian supplies to the North because of the closed borders due to COVID-19.<br />The American Friends Service Committee, which has been providing farming technology to the North, says its operation is on pause due to the border closure.<br />Another relief organization helping the regime treat Tuberculosis said its medicines cannot be shipped from India until it gets confirmation the medicine will be cleared through China.<br />Meanwhile, North Korea is demanding efforts from the military to tackle economic difficulties.<br />The regime's official newspaper said Thursday that its military needs to spearhead major construction projects and economic development.<br />North Korea had focused on improving its economy and becoming economically independent since its leader Kim Jong Un said during a party meeting last December that he does not think the U.S. will be lifting sanctions anytime soon.<br />Hong Yoo, Arirang News.<br />
