By Kang Seung-woo North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's unusual acknowledgement of a food shortage is stirring up legitimate questions about the current situation inside the reclusive state and the reasons behind his admission. Pyongyang watchers also believe the country is facing a quite serious food shortage, and they see Kim's failed major policies as the culprits for the ongoing crisis, along with the triple whammy of last fall's typhoons, COVID-19 and international sanctions. When it comes to humanitarian food assistance from South Korea and the United States, experts also question whether, if accepted, such aid will be distributed to the intended end recipients.