North Korea food aid concern
Updated
A decision by North Korea to place a ban on free markets and food stalls in has aid groups worried food security problems in the country could worsen.
Some analysts say the decision is motivated by regime fears the markets pose a threat to the socialist system. Others believe it's the deteriorating relationship between North and South Korea
Presenter: Stephanie March
Speakers: Erica Kang director of Seoul-based aid group Good Friends, North Korea watcher John McKay
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MARCH: Accessing food in North Korea isn't easy. Food crops are often severely damaged from floods and bad weather. International aid agency's calls for emergency food aid for the socialist country often go unanswered.and the collapse of the official food distribution system in the mid-90s forced citizens to establish markets and stalls across the country.
The markets serve a duel purpose - to supply demand but also provide additional income for people having to source food outside of the government system. Erica Kang director of Seoul-based aid group Good Friends says despite its dysfunction, the state food distribution system has never officially been abolished.
KANG: But nobody in public - or I guess ordinary population other than Pyongyang population - really expect the state to provide any food stuffs.
MARCH: At the moment most market sellers operate daily. Under the 2009 ban, they will only be allowed to open one day in every ten. Even then they will only be permitted to sell agricultural products, and not manufactured goods. Erica Kang says the regime sees the markets as an increasing threat to their socialist system.
KANG: Because there is no other sources of communication or gathering places other than markets so the government is trying to gain control over the people and food stuff control is a way for government to gain control back.
MARCH: She says closing down the markets will not only reduce availability, but negatively affect the secondary income many North Koreans need to survive. Despite North Korea reporting a better than average harvest for the past year, Erica Kang says it's not clear if the government will try - or even be able - to fill the gap created by the ban.
KANG: It is not a surplus they can actually rely on. And without any foreign assistance even as we speak their food stocks can't last and we are wondering what the North Korean Government will do to meet food needs for people.
MARCH: North Korean leader Kim Jong Ill's health has been the subject of much debate over the past year. The regime has released photographs of the leader reading an electronic newspaper dated December 16, to quash rumours he has not recovered from a heart attack earlier this year. North-Korea watcher and partner with think tank Analysis International John McKay says the health of the regime itself, and Pyongyang's deteriorating relationship with Seoul could be behind the proposed ban.
MCKAY: The reason given for this action by the North Korean government is that they are protesting against the bellicose and precipitous actions by the South Korean Government. I think the North Koreans regard the new South Korean Government as being much less open to negotiation and much more pro-American and hard line.
Analysts say the regime has attempted various crackdowns on the markets in the past, and at other times let them flourish.
John Mckay says if the government is serious about this latest ban, they will have no trouble enforcing it.
MCKAY: I think there is no doubting the ability of the North Korean authorities to control the situation. The military and police resources are quite large relative to the population so I think there is no doubt they could crack down if they want to.
The food security situation, however, is dire and John McKay says the government would not like the international community to think it was allowing the situation to get any worse.
MCKAY: Although, we always have to accept that the first priory for any North Korean regime is to survive and to maintain hard control over society and issues such as welfare of the population come a relatively distant second.
