Ministry of Unification: "North Korea Should Cover Food Shortages with Money for Missiles"

"Recently Launched 3 Missiles... 5 Months' Food Supply for Vulnerable Groups"
North Korea Claims to Have Launched 4 Strategic Cruise Missiles the Previous Day

The Ministry of Unification condemned North Korea's reckless nuclear and missile development and issued a warning to focus on improving the livelihoods of its people.

Lee Hyo-jung, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification, stated at a regular briefing held at the Government Seoul Office on the 24th, "According to domestic and international research institutions, if the cost of missiles launched by North Korea last year had been used to import food, it would have been enough to purchase more than 1 million tons," adding, "This is estimated to be enough to cover the entire annual food shortage of North Korea and still have some left."

Lee Hyo-jung, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification [Image source=Yonhap News]

She continued, "Even calculating just one long-range ballistic missile and two short-range ballistic missiles recently launched by North Korea, the amount corresponds to about 100,000 tons of food, enough to feed 2 to 3 million vulnerable people for approximately five months," warning, "North Korea must stop its reckless nuclear and missile provocations and devote itself to improving the livelihoods of its people."

The U.S. RAND Corporation estimates that North Korea spends 2 to 3 million dollars (260 to 390 million KRW) each time it launches a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM). Additionally, the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) analyzed that an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch by North Korea costs up to 30 million dollars (3.9 billion KRW). As of last month, international grain prices were 395 dollars per ton for rice and 264 dollars per ton for corn. The cost of one ICBM launch could purchase about 75,000 tons of rice, which means North Korea is effectively throwing away a week's worth of food for its entire population into the sea.

North Korea is reportedly facing a severe food shortage, with starvation deaths occurring even in Kaesong, considered a "wealthy area." Nevertheless, after launching more than 70 various ballistic missiles last year, it has continued military provocations this year as well. On the 18th, it launched the ICBM 'Hwasong-15,' and on the morning of the 20th, it fired two SRBMs, claimed to be 'super-large multiple rocket launchers,' into the East Sea. Furthermore, on the same morning, through a report by the Korean Central News Agency, it claimed to have launched four strategic cruise missiles the previous day (the 23rd).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.