North Korea may be using algae to work around international sanctions

by Dramelin 9:30 PM 0 comments

One of the world`s most secretive states is going green — for national security reasons.
Pyongyang may be interested in developing algae as "a strategic resource," according to a recent note on 38 North, a website focused on North Korea that`s part of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Algae, plantlike organisms that includes kelp and spirulina, is a multipurpose resource that can produce food, fertilizer, feedstock and fuel from the same biomass.
And it makes sense for Pyongyang to be interested: Over time, an algae industry could gradually "mitigate the negative effects of sanctions both on the country`s energy supply and food security," the note said.
Research facilities dedicated to open ponds and aquaculture systems — key infrastructure for algae growth — have existed in the rogue state since the early 2000s but they have recently become more complex, 38 North said, pointing to large plants in two different areas as examples.