11 million North Koreans are undernourished: UN investigator

United Nations, October 23

Food insecurity in North Korea “is at an alarming level”, with nearly half the population—11 million people— undernourished, the UN independent investigator on human rights in the country said on Tuesday.

Tomas Ojea Quintana told the General Assembly’s human rights committee that 140,000 children are estimated to be suffering from “undernutrition”, including 30,000 who “face an increased risk of death”.

Quintana said the government, which had primary responsibility for ensuring access to food, “is violating its human rights obligations due to its failing economic and agricultural policies”.

In addition, he said, “climate conditions, infertile land, natural disasters and the negative impact of sanctions have contributed to further food insecurity”.

More broadly, Quintana said he had seen no improvement in North Korea’s human rights situation during his three years as special rapporteur.

“The country’s economic resources are being diverted away from the essential needs of the people,” he said. “Pervasive discrimination in the public distribution system means that ordinary citizens, especially farmers and people in rural areas, have not been receiving any rations.” AP