Conditions inside North Korea continue to rapidly deteriorate in the face of crippling UN sanctions, with Kim’s million-strong army forced to forage the forests for food as supplies dwindle and rations rapidly run dry.
According to Fox News, soldiers in Kim’s army are being given “months off” to comb the countryside in hopes of finding edible grains, fruits, and vegetables as the nation’s economy crumbles under US-led sanctions against the hermit kingdom.
[Photo] Soldiers granted leave to find foodhttps://t.co/TwXA3F7bUe #NorthKorea #DailyNK #InsideNorthKorea #Korea pic.twitter.com/85C12dfdCF
— Daily NK (@The_Daily_NK) January 2, 2018
“The officers know better than anyone that they must feed their soldiers in order to maintain morale, and that rations of cornmeal with very few calories only serve to instill disillusionment among them,” writes Daily NK.
“Even though the price of rice hasn’t changed much in the markets, people are especially worried that the effects of international sanctions will continue to mount and soon cause even more problems,” the website adds.
The United States and regional allies led the charge at the United Nation’s against Kim’s rogue regime, cutting off oil supplies and other international aid as the despot continues to test his nuclear arsenal and intercontinental missiles.
BEIJING BETRAYAL: China CAUGHT SNEAKING Oil Supplies to North Korea
South Korean authorities announced Friday it had detained a Chinese-based ship and its staff over reports the tanker was sneaking oil supplies to Kim’s regime; a violation of recent UN sanctions that barred such shipments to the communist nation.
According to UPI, officials in Seoul confirmed they had seized the Lighthouse Winmore, a ship registered in Hong Kong that allegedly smuggled over 600 tons of refined oil into North Korea last November; well after the United Nations adopted Resolution 2375 which banned the hermit kingdom from importing fuel.
President Trump weighed-in on the revelation on social media, saying he was “very disappointed” that Beijing refused to comply with the UN mandate, adding that no “friendly solution” to the North Korean crisis would be possible “if this continues.”
“Caught RED HANDED – very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!” Trump tweeted.
Caught RED HANDED – very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2017
South Korea’s seizure of a Chinese ship escalates already heightened tensions in the region; with dictator Kim Jong Un vowing to continue to test his rapidly expanding nuclear and missile programs.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: The Moment North Korean Defector DASHES Across DMZ
It’s not uncommon for North Korean defectors to find their way into South Korea, but nearly all cases involve routing through China before heading towards the staunch US ally.
Current estimates say only four people have successfully crossed the DMZ in several years.