The Environment
A farm where the rice fields have flooded (http://support.brethren.org/site/PhotoAlbumUser?view=UserPhotoDetail&PhotoID=19229&position=10&AlbumID=8999)
Another issue that has caused the North Korean famine is the environment. North Korea faces many environmental challenges, such as lack or arable land and constant flooding from typhoons and storms.
North Korea is covered mainly by forests, making up of 74% of the country. Unfortunately, over half of this forest land is sloped, which does allow for farming and the growth of crops. Deforestation is becoming a major concern as the government tears down trees in order to attempt to create arable land for farming.
There are other concerns as well. What available land there is for farming is in poor condition. The soil is weak and unable to yield crops due to overproduction of chemicals in the country. If crops do manage to grow in the weakened soil, they may be washed away by floods from typhoons, heavy rains, or even tidal waves, depending on the location of the crops.
Another serious cause of the famine besides lack of crops is the polluted drinking water. Because North Korea relies heavily on industry, there is a large amount of pollution in the soil and water (as well as the air). Raw sewage and industrial wastes are often dumped improperly into rivers and streams that are either meant to sustain crops or to be used by humans.
North Korea has been attempting to be more environmentally safe in order to help its citizens as well as to quell any concerns from the global community. While many countries do not feel that North Korea is suffering from a famine (South Korea in particular), many countries are concerned about the endangered species that reside in North Korea.