What do you do when you're an international pariah dependent on foreign food aid to feed a starving population? Why, develop a "special noodle" that delays feelings of hunger, of course!

Choson Shinbo, a pro-Pyongyang Japanese newspaper, reports that Kim Jong Il's new noodles, which pack more protein and fat than normal noodles, will be available soon:

When you consume ordinary noodles (made from wheat or corn), you may soon feel your stomach empty. But this soybean noodle delays such a feeling of hunger," it said on its website.

While it's nice to see North Korean scientists working on something other than nuclear weapons, a "special noodle" alone isn't going to solve the country's food crisis. It is fitting that, instead of tackling the root causes of the food shortage, the country instead found a superficial means to delay hunger.

To delve further into the mind of North Korea's Dear Leader, check out
"The Secret History of Kim Jong Il" in FP's Sept./Oct. issue, as well as the accompanying photo essay: "Inside the World of Kim Jong Il." (The former requires a subscription and the latter is free.)