Human Rights Concerns on Food Politics in the Kim Jong Un Era

North Korea ranked 118th among 136 nations in the 2025 Global Hunger Index (GHI, 2025). The Kim Jong Un regime has promoted a centralized grain management and distribution policy to take control of the ordinary citizens’ food production, management, and distribution activities in the private market since 2020. This article analyzes state-led human rights violations, particularly in connection with the right to food of its citizens, which are further exacerbated by a centralized grain management and distribution policy. Based on this analysis, this article further argues that the Kim Jong Un regime should focus on principles of good governance that protect its citizens’ right to food and take steps to abide by the International human rights norms and standards.