Corea del Norte: North Koreans disappointed with potato rations
North Korea distributed a ton of potatoes to each farm laborer prior to its 70th anniversary celebrations on Saturday, but the year’s worth of food supply has angered recipients, according to sources.
Potatoes are not a popular food in North Korea, according to Daily NK’s sources, because the edible tuber isn’t compatible with other Korean dishes, like kimchi, and North Koreans associate the food with malnutrition.The potatoes, however, are of such a poor quality, according to the source, a family would have to trade in 22 pounds of potatoes for just 2.2 pounds of rice.
Some North Koreans, eager to trade their potato surplus, travel as far as the coastal areas to exchange potatoes for a smaller amount of seaweed.Food has become an urgent priority for North Korea.South Korean news network YTN reported on Tuesday North Korea’s state-controlled newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported a surge in the number of Kim Jong Un visits to food-growing areas and production facilities.
Using data journalism tools, YTN found Kim’s visit to food factories more than doubled in the past year, and North Korean articles mentioned the word "corn" more often than Kim’s name.North Korea suffered a severe drought this season that has led to food shortages in the country.
Fuente: http://www.freshplaza.com/article/147435/North-Koreans-disappointed-with-potato-rations
