How did deforestation contribute to flooding and poor harvests in North Korea?

In North Korea, widespread deforestation—driven largely by the need for firewood during severe fuel shortages—has left many hillsides barren. This loss of forest cover significantly diminishes the land's ability to absorb rainfall, which contributes to massive flooding during the monsoon season.1

These floods, in turn, damage agricultural land and infrastructure, leading to poor harvests and exacerbating the country's ongoing economic and food security hardships. While the northern interior still contains large forest reserves, the extensive clearing of coastal slopes and lowlands has fundamentally altered the landscape, leaving the environment vulnerable to these recurring natural disasters.12