• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=7/9/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235197
TITLE=NORTH KOREA / FOOD (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:   
INTRO:  NORTH KOREA HAS ADMITTED IT FACES MORE FOOD SHORTAGES 
THIS YEAR DUE TO  NATURAL DISASTERS AND A COLD SNAP. JOHN LARKIN 
REPORTS FROM SEOUL THAT  THE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT SAYS MORE 
PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO FEED THEMSELVES  AND THEIR FAMILIES.
TEXT - NORTH KOREA'S OFFICIAL CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY REVEALED DRY 
WEATHER  DURING THE PLANTING SEASON AND A SUBSEQUENT COLD SNAP 
HAS DAMAGED MANY  CROPS.   THE NORTH HAS BEEN STRICKEN BY FAMINE 
FOR THREE YEARS AFTER SUCCESSIVE  DROUGHTS AND FLOODS DEVASTATED 
CROPS AND RUINED ARABLE AREAS. 
THE LATEST ADMISSION BY THE AGENCY WAS UNUSUALLY DETAILED AND WAS
VIEWED  BY AID AGENCIES AS A SIGNAL OF INCREASING DESPERATION. 
POLITICAL ANALYSTS SAY IT WAS AN OBVIOUS PLEA FOR MORE FOOD AID.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, NORTH KOREA DOES NOT EXPECT A HARVEST OF
EARLY CROPS LIKE POTATOES, BARLEY AND WHEAT.  IT SAYS AN 
INCREASING NUMBER OF  PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING FROM THE FOOD 
SHORTAGE, AND PREDICTS THE SITUATION  WILL NOT IMPROVE THIS YEAR.
ALTHOUGH POINTING OUT THAT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN TO 
FARMING THIS YEAR TO BEAT THE FAMINE, THE AGENCY SAID A LONG DRY 
SPELL DURING THE  SOWING SEASON HAD STUNTED CROP GROWTH.  THIS 
WAS FOLLOWED BY TIDAL WAVES AND COLD SPELLS IN JUNE, WHICH HIT  
DIFFERENT AREAS INCLUDING THE EAST COAST.  THESE TWIN DISASTERS 
HAD WIPED  OUT THE EARLY CROPS.
INTERNATIONAL DONORS HAVE ALREADY PLEDGED ABOUT 800 THOUSAND TONS
OF  AID, WHICH AID GROUPS SAY IS NEEDED TO TIDE THE NATION OVER 
UNTIL THE  MAIN OCTOBER HARVEST. THEY SAY NORTH KOREA NEEDS A 
TOTAL OF ONE POINT EIGHT MILLION TONS OF  FOOD TO SURVIVE UNTIL 
OCTOBER. 
LAST WEEK AN INTERNATIONAL AID WORKER SAID THE CRISIS HAD EASED  
SLIGHTLY, BUT AID WAS STILL NEEDED.  AID GROUPS SAY NORTH KOREA 
HAS BEEN  RELIANT ON FOREIGN ASSISTANCE SINCE ITS GRAIN STOCKS 
WERE EXHAUSTED IN APRIL.  (SIGNED)
NEB/JL/FC
09-Jul-98 4:45 AM EDT (0845 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America