For the commemoration of Kim Jong-il’s birthday in February, a kilogram of fish was provided to residents in one district, but nowhere else. At the same time, the regime sought 240,000 tons of nutritional support in its recent negotiations with the US and South Korea, though the North was forced to return 30,000 tons of rice from a previous food-aid package as part of its recent agreement with the US.
朝鲜当局将粮食作为国内权力和对外政策的通货。2月份，为纪念金正日70诞辰，某区居民获发每人一公斤鱼（其他地方的居民无此待遇）。与此同时，朝鲜当局还在于美国和韩国的最新谈判中获得24万吨营养物资，但与此同时，朝鲜也被迫从先前的粮食援助计划中返还3万吨，作为与美国最新协议的一部分。