Severity 4 โ Severe๐ฐ economy1998
"Military-First" Policy Prioritises the Army Through the Famine
Kim Jong-il formalised "Songun" (military-first politics) as state doctrine in the years immediately following the famine's worst point, directing scarce resources toward the 1.2-million-strong armed forces even as international food aid was being rationed to a starving civilian population.
W
Kim Jong-il โ Workers' Party of Korea
In power 1994โ2011
Source
Council on Foreign Relations โ North Korea's Military Capabilities๐ See this event in context
This event is one entry in North Korea's accountability record. Open the interactive map to see the full timeline, polling data, and every documented event.
๐ View on the map