North Korea’s spring drought had only limited impact on crops, data suggests
Satellite data reveals lower soil moisture but strong vegetation growth, pointing to improved irrigation methods
A North Korean farmer on top of sacks presumably filled with grain in a truck bed | Image: KCTV (Feb. 26, 2026)
A lack of rain in North Korea this spring resulted in lower soil moisture levels, though the dry spell appears to have had a limited impact on crop growth, according to NK Pro analysis of satellite data.
The findings — based on data from NASA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Sentinel-2 satellite — align with DPRK authorities’ repeated warnings about worsening drought conditions this spring, especially in April.
NK Pro analysis using JAXA’s Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation tool indicates that precipitation in the DPRK lagged behind 2025’s
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