DATE=1/30/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244874
TITLE=NORTH KOREA FAMINE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A UNITED NATIONS AID OFFICIAL BASED IN NORTH KOREA SAYS
THE FOOD SITUATION THERE REMAINS SERIOUS AND THAT MASSIVE
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE HAS KEPT THINGS FROM GETTING WORSE.
V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS DAVID MORTON --THE
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM'S REPRESENTATIVE IN PYONGYANG-- TOLD
REPORTERS IN BEIJING SATURDAY THAT ONLY BY REHABILITATING NORTH
KOREA'S OWN ABILITY TO PRODUCE FOOD WILL THE SITUATION IMPROVE.
TEXT: NORTH KOREA HAS ENTERED ITS FIFTH STRAIGHT YEAR OF FOOD
SHORTAGES, CAUSED BY A SUCCESSION OF NATURAL DISASTERS,
MISMANAGEMENT OF ITS COLLECTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM AND A
SHORTAGE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE SUCH PRODUCTS AS FERTILIZER.
ALTHOUGH MR. MORTON SAYS HE HAS NO HARD DATA ON MORTALITY
FIGURES, A U-S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION THAT VISITED THE
ISOLATED COMMUNIST COUNTRY LAST YEAR SAID THAT BETWEEN
900-THOUSAND AND TWO-POINT-FOUR MILLION PEOPLE MAY HAVE DIED FROM
MALNUTRITION AND RELATED DISEASES. NORTH KOREA'S POPULATION IS
23 MILLION.
MR. MORTON, WHO HAS WORKED ON OTHER FOOD EMERGENCIES IN AFRICA
AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, SAYS THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT NORTH KOREA --OR
THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF KOREA OR D-P-R-K, AS IT CALLS
ITSELF-- IS EXPERIENCING FAMINE.
/////MORTON ACTUALITY/////
IF FAMINE IS DEFINED AS AN ACUTE SCARCITY OF FOOD, THEN I THINK
IT'S REASONABLE TO SAY THAT, FOR MUCH OF THE POPULATION IN
D-P-R-K, FAMINE IS A REALITY.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
MR. MORTON SAYS FOOD AID HAS SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES BUT THERE IS
STILL NO SIGN OF IMPROVEMENT IN THE OVERALL SITUATION.
/////MORTON ACTUALITY/////
WHAT I SEE THERE IS A KIND OF STEADY STATE...THAT IS SUSTAINED
BY MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FOOD AID.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
MR. MORTON SAYS THAT, IF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPLIES
FERTILIZER TO RAISE FARM PRODUCTIVITY, THE SITUATION COULD BE
TURNED AROUND IN UP TO FIVE YEARS. BUT HE NOTES THAT, EVEN
THOUGH DONORS HAVE BEEN REMARKABLY GENEROUS IN GIVING
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO NORTH KOREA, THEY SEEM RELUCTANT TO
PROVIDE AID THAT COULD REHABILITATE THE COUNTRY'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
/////MORTON ACTUALITY/////
MOST DONORS ARE VERY RELUCTANT TO GIVE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE
CALLED DEVELOPMENT AID. THE ONLY AID THAT IS PROVIDED IS
HUMANITARIAN AID.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
THAT RELUCTANCE COULD BE DUE TO PERSISTENT REPORTS THAT THE NORTH
KOREAN MILITARY IS SIPHONING OFF SOME FOOD AID. BUT MR. MORTON
SAYS MOST FOOD AID IS IN THE FORM OF CORN AND THAT THE GRAIN OF
CHOICE AMONG THE COUNTRY'S ELITES IS RICE. HE SAYS THAT, IF
THERE IS ANY DIVERSION, IT IS IN VERY SMALL AMOUNTS.
MR. MORTON SAYS HE IS CONFIDENT THE AID HIS AGENCY DISTRIBUTES IS
REACHING ITS TARGETS, MAINLY SMALL CHILDREN.
/////MORTON ACTUALITY/////
IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT TO OPERATE IN. WE ARE
CONSTRAINED. THE ABILITY TO MONITOR THE FOOD IS NOT WHAT WE
WOULD LIKE IT TO BE. NEVERTHELESS, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE
FOOD AND THE OTHER AID IS WELL USED.
/////END ACTUALITY/////
MR. MORTON SAYS THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM HAS BEEN GIVEN ACCESS TO
75 PER CENT OF NORTH KOREA'S LAND AREA AND ABOUT 80 PER CENT OF
ITS PEOPLE. BUT HE SAYS ALL INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES AND
NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING THERE REFUSE TO PROVIDE
AID TO AREAS IN WHICH THEY CANNOT MONITOR DELIVERIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/PLM
30-Jan-99 5:45 AM EST (1045 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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