How many people died during the North Korean famine of the late 1990s?

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Great Famine — famine Starving Irish people raiding a government potato store; drawing from the *Illustrated London News*, June 1842.

During the latter half of the 1990s, North Korea experienced a devastating famine known as the "Arduous March," which was exacerbated by the loss of economic support following the collapse of the Soviet Union, as well as severe floods and droughts.21

While exact figures are difficult to verify, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people died of starvation during this period. The crisis also led to a dramatic increase in infant mortality and a substantial decrease in life expectancy across the country. In response to the widespread suffering, international organizations such as the World Food Programme provided emergency food and medical assistance to help the population.2