A discussion by South and North Korean experts at the Democratic Peace and Unification Advisory Conference in Seoul concluded that North Korea has achieved minimal food self-sufficiency and that the food situation is not as dire as portrayed. They cited the development of private agriculture, the autonomy of cooperative farms, and the increased efficiency of food distribution due to the market. Despite these improvements, the Ministry of Unification forecasts a food shortage of over 1 million tons this year due to last year's flood damage and the reduction in trade with China following the new coronavirus infection.