Despite progress, nuclear proliferation, there’s plenty suffering in N’Korea, UN chief says

Mark Lowcock, the UN humanitarian affairs chief in an interview with Al Jazeera has revealed that despite relative progress in North Korea, there was “still too much suffering”.

Lowcock said North Korea made progress against undernourishment since UN’s last visit to Pyongyang in 2011, but some things need to change.

“The most recent data the UNICEF – the UN’s children’s agency – collected is [suggesting] that the stunting rate [among children] has fallen to 20 percent [from almost 30],” said Lowcock.

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“Of course though, 20 percent of children being malnourished is far too many. Nearly half the children in rural areas as well don’t have access to clean water.”

About 10.6 million people among the country’s 25 million population need humanitarian assistance, the UN said, also noting “disparities” in access to basic health services between rural and urban areas.

 

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