North Korean crops likely improved last year, according to NK Pro analysis of satellite imagery, adding credibility to DPRK leader Kim Jong Un’s claims that the country overcame agricultural shortages in 2023.

NK Pro analysis of imagery provided by NASA’s Terra Modis satellite between March and October of 2022 and 2023 shows a rebound in general vegetation levels, including the state of crops and other plants, across North Korea. 

The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) provide an estimate of crop health during the cited periods but were unable to distinguish crops