A heat wave swept across North Korea this week and drove temperatures to highs above 100 F in some place, leading authorities to issue heat warnings and raising concerns about negative impacts on crops.

Despite the weather, the DPRK projected strength about food production during leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to a military logistics base, where he praised officials for boosting output by raising catfish in rice paddies. However, the use of the technique likely reflects the country’s persistent fertilizer shortages, which have long contributed to food insecurity.

Meanwhile, KCNA published a statement on