The ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs assessed that North Korea is on pins and needles over the latest food shortage crisis while trade with China remains below pre-pandemic levels.

At a parliamentary committee session on Wednesday, Seoul's unification ministry said Pyongyang has mobilized all resources and personnel toward grain production, which is the first of its 12 key tasks this year, and is striving to prevent damage from typhoons and heavy rains.

This comes amid reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un strongly chastised Premier Kim Tok-hun and the Cabinet during a visit to typhoon-damaged areas in Gangwon Province and South Pyongan Province.

North Korea's trade with China is assessed to have returned to 85 percent of pre-pandemic levels, but growth has recently stagnated due to a slowdown in shipments of processed goods on commission.