The term "Arduous March" refers to the severe famine that struck North Korea from 1994 to 1998, one of the deadliest humanitarian crises in the country’s recent history. The disaster followed the collapse of the Soviet Union, cuts in aid, reduced fuel and chemical fertilizer imports, floods, droughts, and the inefficiencies of the state‑run economy. The government’s food distribution system broke down, leaving millions without adequate nutrition. Estimates of deaths range from 600,000 to one million, though some studies suggest higher figures. Reports of people eating grass, tree bark, plant roots, and even instances of cannibalism surfaced in certain areas. Despite the crisis, the regime largely refused foreign aid and concealed the true scale of the emergency. The legacy of the famine continues to affect North Korea’s economy and population.