DATE=5/26/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N / NORTH KOREA (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-262846
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations says there has been a
slight improvement in the food situation in North
Korea. But, it says the crisis is far from over. And
Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports the United Nations says
North Korea will require international help for many
years.
TEXT: Food supplies in North Korea are somewhat
better. But the United Nations says there has been
little improvement in peoples' health. It says
malnutrition remains widespread because of food
shortages, contaminated water, and bad sanitary
conditions in the country.
The U-N humanitarian coordinator for North Korea,
David Morton, says no one knows how many people died
at the height of the famine three years ago. He says
estimates range widely from 200-thousand to three-and-
one-half-million.
Mr. Morton says there is no fear of a repeat of this
situation. But, he says a nutritional survey by the
United Nations and European Union in September of 1998
showed 16 percent of children under seven were acutely
malnourished and 62 percent had stunted growth.
/// MORTON ACT ONE ///
The stunting which means that the children are a
low height for their age means that they have
suffered food deprivation for a number of years.
It's not something that's recently happened and
that's of great concern because that can affect
the future physical and mental development of
these children.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Morton says that in general, there has been a big
improvement in the conditions under which foreign aid
agencies can carry out their work in North Korea.
He says aid workers always travel with an official
escort, and their travel is programmed and pre-
arranged. This discourages random visits.
Nevertheless, he says aid agencies have access to
about 85 percent of North Korea's population. The
rest of the country is off limits for what are called
national security reasons.
Mr. Morton says he does not think there is any
systematic diversion of food aid to the North Korean
army. He says he is reasonably sure that food
supplies reach the people for whom they are intended.
/// MORTON ACT TWO ///
I cannot say that we are satisfied with our
ability to monitor the aid that goes in. But,
there have been improvements and we continue to
work on that. In all, we think it's better to
remain there in the country. I don't think we
can pick and choose our emergencies. We need to
remain there to work toward improving the
situation for the most vulnerable people of the
D-P-R-K.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Morton says North Korea plans to ask for 250-
million dollars at a U-N sponsored donors conference
next month. He says North Korea is seeking support
for a three-year plan to achieve food self-
sufficiency. He says the country also will use the
money to reverse deforestation. (Signed)
NEB/LS/JWH/ENE/JP
26-May-2000 12:53 PM EDT (26-May-2000 1653 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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