International
NORTH KOREA: 11m people undernourished as food production reduces
According to the United Nations, North Korean food production is reported to have fallen drastically for over a decade, leaving an estimate of 11 million people undernourished in the country.
The UN’s 2019 North Korea Needs and Priorities report revealed that food production decreased by over 9% from 5.45 million metric tons in 2017 to 4.95 million metric tons last year due to lack of access to modern agricultural tools and periodic natural disasters.
The UN resident coordinator in North Korea, Tapan Mishra revealed that “Widespread under-nutrition threatens an entire generation of children,” while the UN has called for $120 million worth of aid for the country.
Read also: China presses charges against Canadians held in wake of arrest of Huawei exec
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his antecedents have faced criticism for disregarding the needs of the people at the expense of other priorities, particularly the nuclear weapons program.
However, North Korean delegates have said the country plans to involve US President Donald Trump in denuclearization discussions with the aim of boosting the economy.
But discussions ended quickly after Trump walked away when North Korea demanded the removal of all sanctions levied against it.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said his country asked Trump’s administration to remove the “sanctions that hamper the economy and the livelihood of our people.”
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