This study was conducted to evaluate Korean rice cultivars to search any suitable varieties for the northern region of the Korean Peninsula (North Korea). A total of 92 rice varieties which included 74 bred cultivars from South Korea, 13 collections from North Korea and five local cultivars from China, were involved in the evaluating trials for their performance. Stability at three sites inthe northeastern areas of China, which are located in the northern border areas of North Korea, for three years from 2017 to 2019. The ecologically well-adapted rice varieties were selected at each trial site during the first year and employed again as the materials for the subsequent yield trials. A total of six varieties with relatively better performing and stability were selected through the subsequent trials at three sites for three years: Unkwang, Daejin and Taebaek at Dandong region; Hanseol and Taebong at Longjin region; Taebong and Namweon at Hunchun region, respectively. Dandong is located in the southeast parts of Liaoning, which has similar climatic characteristics to the west coastalregion of North Korea. Longjin is located in the middle-east parts of Jilin, which has also similar climatic characteristics to the northern inland region of North Korea. Hunchun is located in the northeastern parts of Jilin, which has presumably similar climatic characteristics to the northern part of the eastern coastal region of North Korea. Unkwang is characterized by its early maturity, with the heading at the 2nd of August, and reveals a yield potential of 7.11 T/ha with resistance to the blast (BL) and the bacterial leaf blade (BLB) diseases. It is predicted to be suitable for the northern area of the Suyang mountain region and the central inland region of North Korea. Daejin has asemi-early maturity heading around the 6th of August and yields of 6.06 T/ha with resistance to BL, BLB, and stripe virus (SV) diseases. Daejin will be adaptable to the northern area of Suyang mountain region. Taebaek is medium maturing variety of Indica/Japonica type. It is heading at the 14thof August with good ripening at maturity, and has yield potential of 6.84 T/ha with resistance to BL, BLB and SV diseases. It will be adaptable to the southern area of Suyang mountain region. Hanseol is early maturing, heading on the 3rd of August, and yields 6.44 T/ha with the short stature and cold tolerance (CT). It will be adaptable to the northern inland and mountainous regions of North Korea. Taebong is semi-early maturingwith the heading at the 6th of August and has a yield potential of 6.96 T/ha with cold tolerane and blast resistance. Taebong was also outstanding in theHunchun region, indicating a more or less wide adaptability in cold areas. It is expected to be adaptable to the northern inland region of North Korea as well as the northern part of the eastern coastal region. Namweon is a medium-maturing variety with aheading date of August 10, and a yield potential of 4.76 T/ha with cold tolerance and resistance to rice neck blast disease. It is expected to be adaptable to the northern part of the eastern coastal region.

This study was carried out in Suwon-central plain, and Cheorwon, mid-northern plain of Korea to evaluate agricultural characteristics including heading date and yield component for North Korean rice germplasm. The difference between two regions of the heading dates of germplasm was recognized the significance and early matured group growing in Cheorwon tended to flower earlier than that of Suwon while mid-early matured group showed an opposite result. The other agricultural characteristics such as culm length, panicle length, number of panicles per hill, number of grains per panicle, and ripened grain ratio, of the two regions of all traits were highly significant, especially culm length and panicle length in Suwon were longer than those were growing in Cheorwon. Number of panicles per hill and number of grains per panicle in Suwon were more than that were growing in Cheorwon, and ripened grain ratio in Suwon was higher than that of Cheorwon. The another difference between both the regions, of 1000-grain weight was not significant while the effect of interaction between the regions and variety was highly significant. Whereas brown/rough rice ratio and milled rice yield were highly significant; higher in Cheorwon for brown/rough rice ratio and in Suwon of milled rice yield. Additionally, the results concluded that, the North Korean rice germplasm showed susceptible response to bacterial leaf blight(BLB) races such as K2. K3, and K3a but more than mid-range resistant response to rice blast.

The purpose of this paper is three-fold: to analyze the macrotrend of North Korea’s food supply and demand; to confirm the food security situation in North Korea in various respects; and to seek the sustainable ways of agricultural production as a prerequisite for food security in North Korea. In particular, analyzing North Korea’s weather observation data, which has hardly been considered in previous studies, we investigated how North Korea’s agriculture had been affected by various natural disasters (flood, drought, soil loss etc.) caused by unusual weather. The results show the fact that the agricultural security systems of North Korea is vulnerable to both drought and flood due to extreme precipitation changes, which are closely related to the negative impacts on North Korea’s agricultural activities. In order to enhance the sustainability of North Korea’s agriculture, it is necessary to improve the system (dissolution of collectivization), increase the amount of agricultural materials, enhance soil fertility and develop agricultural machines. Most of all, this research reveals the fact that the most important and fundamental points for food security in North Korea, it needs the systematic strategies to cope with climate change.