--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: North Korea spends billions of dollars to…" description: "\"North Korea spends billions of dollars to make this nuke test system. If they would spend just 20 percent of what they spent on making nuclear weapons,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/park-yeon-mi-5169_die_north-korea-spends-billions-of-dollars-t_1206887.jpg" --- # North Korea spends billions of dollars to make this nuke… ![“North Korea spends billions of dollars to make this nuke test system. If they would spend just 20 percent of what they spent on making nuclear weapons, nobody would have to die in North Korea from hunger but the regime chose to make us hungry.” quote by Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/park-yeon-mi-5169_die_north-korea-spends-billions-of-dollars-t_1206887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/park-yeon-mi-5169_die_north-korea-spends-billions-of-dollars-t_1206887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/park-yeon-mi-5169_die_north-korea-spends-billions-of-dollars-t_1206887.jpg) > “North Korea spends billions of dollars to make this nuke test system. If they would spend just 20 percent of what they spent on making nuclear weapons, nobody would have to die in North Korea from hunger but the regime chose to make us hungry.” [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. North Korea’s massive nuclear spending diverts resources from basic needs, causing hunger while the regime prioritizes weapons. **In simple terms:** Huge nuclear budgets in North Korea cause hunger by starving citizens. Key Takeaway Advocate for reallocating resources to humanitarian needs. Themes human rights resource allocation authoritarianism starvation Mood urgent somber Type political humanitarian When to use this quote - policy advocacy - international aid - public awareness campaigns - sanctions Key Concepts political economy military spending food security Questions to Reflect On - What strategies can pressure regimes to cut military spending? - How can the international community address famine caused by militarization? A Different Perspective Changing a regime’s spending priorities is extremely difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/korea/) [North korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-korea/) [Nuclear weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-weapons/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [If there is no word that means you don't have the concept. In North Korea they eliminate the words: depression, stress, dictatorship, human rights.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/if-there-is-no-word-that-means-you-don-t-have-the-concept-in-north/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [In North Korea, people who are actually oppressed don't even know they're oppressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/in-north-korea-people-who-are-actually-oppressed-don-t-even-know-they/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I have visited slums in Mumbai, I have visited slums in other countries, but nothing is like North Korea because North Korean starvation, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-have-visited-slums-in-mumbai-i-have-visited-slums-in-other/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [We can agree that Kim Yo Jong is not taking over North Korea and I don't think that is in her interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/we-can-agree-that-kim-yo-jong-is-not-taking-over-north-korea-and-i/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Everything in North Korea was about the leader, all the books, music and TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/everything-in-north-korea-was-about-the-leader-all-the-books-music/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [North Korea is a very Confucius country. We respect the elders, the hierarchy. It's not like America where anyone can step up and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/north-korea-is-a-very-confucius-country-we-respect-the-elders-the/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [North Korea publicly denounced me as an enemy of my people and punished all my relatives. They have this guilty by association policy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/north-korea-publicly-denounced-me-as-an-enemy-of-my-people-and/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [North Korea is a religion. We are told that Kim is a god and that he knows what you are thinking and how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/north-korea-is-a-religion-we-are-told-that-kim-is-a-god-and-that-he/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I know the truth of North Korea. The oppression and their tragedy. It cannot be silenced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-know-the-truth-of-north-korea-the-oppression-and-their-tragedy-it/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [In North Korea, it was actually an oppressive regime and that's why I escaped with my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/in-north-korea-it-was-actually-an-oppressive-regime-and-that-s-why-i/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Other paths would include making nuclear fission cheap enough and safe enough that people broadly embrace it, so that could be scaled up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/other-paths-would-include-making-nuclear-fission-cheap-enough-and/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I argue that for every country to have an independent fuel cycle is the wrong way to go. Because any country which has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/i-argue-that-for-every-country-to-have-an-independent-fuel-cycle-is/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [It is most regrettable that nuclear energy is being harnessed for making nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lal-bahadur-shastri/it-is-most-regrettable-that-nuclear-energy-is-being-harnessed-for/) [Lal Bahadur Shastri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lal-bahadur-shastri/) > [Countries are making nuclear weapons like there is no tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/countries-are-making-nuclear-weapons-like-there-is-no-tomorrow/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [The American government is making nuclear weapons like there's no tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/the-american-government-is-making-nuclear-weapons-like-there-s-no/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) ## More by Park Yeon-mi > [Risking your life is not an easy thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/risking-your-life-is-not-an-easy-thing-to-do/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Going to Columbia, the first thing I learned was 'safe space.' Every problem, they explained us, is because of white men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/going-to-columbia-the-first-thing-i-learned-was-safe-space-every/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I was a slave. I was sold in China in 2007 as a child at 13 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-was-a-slave-i-was-sold-in-china-in-2007-as-a-child-at-13-years-old/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My mum was sold for $65 and I was sold for $260 - at the age of 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-mum-was-sold-for-65-and-i-was-sold-for-260-at-the-age-of-13/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [If there is no word that means you don't have the concept. 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