The hunger and economic hardships driven by COVID-19 are forcing North Koreans to resort to extreme means of survival, such as cannibalism, recent defectors were quoted as telling South Korean authorities.

This is one of the first accounts of the level of hunger in North Korea since COVID-19, given by North Korean family who came to South Korea by boat early last month.

The family consisting of a mother and two brothers, their wives and young children were found by South Korean authorities crossing the sea border off the western coast of the peninsula at night, and have been referred for screening interviews since.

They said the surge in COVID-19 outbreaks last year put neighborhoods in lockdown, leading many, even those with regular jobs, to make a living selling goods or services at marketplaces. In coastal areas, residents picked up South Korean trash or other items washed up along beaches to sell or send to factories for re-manufacturing.

As prices of rice and other essential grains spiked, access to food was severely curtailed, according to the family's accounts, which added that they had heard some had resorted to cannibalism.

They also said that in summer last year, a man in his early 20s was executed for watching and distributing South Korean films and music.

The two brothers, who initiated the family’s trip across the border, told authorities here that they began planning their defection after watching South Korean TV. They cited the talk show “Now on My Way to Meet You,” featuring North Korean defectors living in Seoul, as having had a major influence in their decision to leave the country.

One of the brothers had worked as a boat captain, which was one of the factors that made the family choose to flee by sea. They had been bribing sea guards for a few months prior to fleeing to ensure they could get away.