Toshimitsu Shigemura, professor emeritus of Waseda University and North Korea expert, also noted the desperation to meet fishing harvest quotas has pushed fishermen to travel farther out. Kim Jong Un is seeking to make North Korea self-sufficient in food, but its sources of protein continues to fall. The rogue nation remains vulnerable to health problems caused by the lack of a varied, balanced diet. Eight skeletal remains were found in a boat, one of the earlier gruesome discoveries. (Kyodo via Reuters) Fishermen are desperate to meet annual catch goals, which are elevated to higher levels every year, Shigemura said. Pyon added: Since then, fishermen have been frantically trying to meet [annual] catch goals, but what's different this year is that they are traveling to distant waters in their fragile boats.