American and South Korean troops on duty at the DMZ have noticed that North Korean soldiers are looking scrawnier, and displaying lower levels of discipline, than in the past. American soldiers, returning for another tour of duty in South Korea, notice that past pictures of North Korean soldiers shows better fed troops. And the general decline in discipline among the northerners has been noticed by the southerners, who compete with the North Koreans to present a more soldierly appearance. All this is indicative of nearly ten years of famine and economic collapse in the north.