In one clear sign of the new mood, Seoul quickly agreed to Pyongyang's request to hold last week's meeting in Beijing. In the past, months of bickering over dates and venues typically proceeded every encounter. We plan to approach North Korea with open-mindedness. Pyongyang clearly can't afford to stay away from the bargaining table. Starvation is reported to be widespread in the countryside, although there are no reliable estimates of how bad things are.
Agriculture is in a shambles.
The World Food Program estimates North Korea's grain harvest will fall 1.7 million tons short of what the country needs to feed itself this year. So far, South Korea has pledged to donate the cash equivalent of 100,000 tons of corn, while the U.S. will give 200,000 tons of food aid. Japan and the European Union haven't promised anything yet. Pyongyang hopes Seoul will provide enough high-grade fertilizer to boost this year's harvest. The North also wants to find out if Kim means what he says about mending the relationship.