
North Korea runs short of ingredients for winter kimchi supplies - fisherjeff
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/10/north-korea-runs-short-of-ingredients-for-winter-kimchi-stores
======
Someone1234
This is just a reminder of how much stuff we take for granted due to
international trade. While one country's supply of something could be all but
wiped out it is "unlikely" that several countries will lose their supply.

So while we do definitely see price increases, they aren't often in the order
of a 100% increase as is this case.

Random question: How much can/do NK import from China? Is their ability to
import limited by financials or has China limited food imports?

PS - I feel bad for the NK people. Nobody should literally starve.
Unfortunately international aid is unlikely, charities are unlikely, and
importing foods from non-China/Russia is extremely unlikely.

~~~
Albright
But don't worry about the Kim family - they won't lose a kilo.

Kim Jong-un is probably the only person in his nation who is seriously at risk
of type 2 diabetes.

~~~
Zirro
There is actually a growing middle class - the Donju - earning money through
the black market. They certainly have enough resources to (over)feed
themselves - and buy expensive electronics.

As for the larger population, while most of the country still suffers from
food shortages, starvation is not the problem it was in the 90s.

See for example: [http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/06/04/uk-northkorea-
chang...](http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/06/04/uk-northkorea-change-
consumption-idUKKBN0OJ2UY20150604)

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BorisMelnik
I hate to say it, but crises like these are going to be what pushes North
Korea to reach out for help. They are slowly pissing off their closest allies,
and it won't be long before they at least have to play by the same rules as
(China, Russia, etc) who at least pretend.

~~~
smacktoward
Back in the mid-1990s they went through a four-year-long famine called the
"march of suffering" in which somewhere between hundreds of thousands and
several million people starved to death (see
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korean_famine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korean_famine)).
Nobody really knows how many died.

But the regime is still there, you know? The North Korean people are so
thoroughly indoctrinated not even an apocalyptic famine could shake them. I'm
not sure exactly how bad things would have to get to pierce that level of
belief.

~~~
harigov
Hopefully internet and mobile phones change some of that.

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odiroot
Isn't cabbage actually pretty inefficient food anyway?

As far as I remember it takes a lot of energy to digest it, barely leaving a
positive balance.

~~~
Mikeb85
Fermenting it improves digestibility. As does cooking it.

~~~
odiroot
Thanks, but then again I guess it removes some nutritional value and buffs it
up with water.

~~~
Mikeb85
Fermented foods are generally thought to be quite nutritious due to the
benefits from the added bacteria.

[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-
parenting/post/ferme...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-
parenting/post/fermented-foods-bubble-with-healthful-
benefits/2012/11/19/db70ea76-329b-11e2-9cfa-e41bac906cc9_blog.html)

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tw04
Interesting, that's ~$120 to feed a family of four for the winter. I
apparently need to re-think my budget.

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josu
>At Chongjin’s Sunam Market, 1kg of cabbage now goes for 3,000 North Korean
won ($0.35)

Anybody knows where that exchange rate came from?

~~~
Alupis
Appears to be very off. xe.com has it at 3,000 KPW to about 22.49 USD[1]

[1]
[http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=3000&Fro...](http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=3000&From=KPW&To=USD)

~~~
Quinner
That's probably an official exchange rate, with the currency being much weaker
unofficially.

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ccvannorman
That headline ... #nottheonion

