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N Korea food shortage 'desperate' N Korea food shortage 'desperate'
(about 1 hour later)
A UN rights expert says the food situation in North Korea is desperate, with aid from the World Food Programme reaching only one-third of the hungry. A UN envoy says the food situation in North Korea is desperate, with aid from the World Food Programme reaching only one-third of the those in need.
A drop in international aid means that only 2m people are being helped. The UN rapporteur for North Korea said shortages had been in part caused by reactions to Pyongyang's nuclear tests.
The UN's Special Rapporteur for North Korea was giving his annual report to a meeting of the 192 member states. As a result, he said, only two million people are now getting food aid.
He also said women in particular were suffering from restrictions on their right to work, and described prison conditions as akin to purgatory. The envoy says food supplies have also been affected by the state's efforts to control economic activity, particularly by restricting the role of women.
Mr Muntarbhorn told the UN that conditions had been improving until the middle of the year; the World Food Programme had access to more of the country than before, and was reaching about six million needy people. Vitit Muntarbhorn, the UN's Special Rapporteur for North Korea, was giving his annual report to a meeting of the UN's 192 member states.
But in mid-2009 there was a shortage of international aid, influenced by the reaction to North Korea's nuclear and missile tests. He said conditions had been improving until the middle of the year - the World Food Programme had access to more of the country than before, and was reaching about six million needy people.
So the WFP could help only some two million people. But in mid-2009, he said, there had been a shortage of international aid.
Now the authorities are also planning to increase restrictions on the aid organisation. He said this was influenced by fresh UN sanctions put in place after North Korea tested a second nuclear device in May - following a first test in 2006.
The WFP could now help only some two million people, he said.
Mr Muntarbhorn added that North Korean authorities were planning to further restrict the activities of the organisation.
Only two million people are now receiving food aidOnly two million people are now receiving food aid
Mr Muntarbhorn's report said the situation has been made more desperate with efforts to extend state control by curtailing economic activity. The report argued that the situation had been made more desperate with efforts to extend state control by curtailing economic activity.
Women under the age of 49 are not allowed to trade, he said, and some general markets have been closed: this has led to several clashes between female traders and the authorities. Women under the age of 49 are not allowed to trade, it said, and some general markets have been closed: this has led to several clashes between female traders and the authorities.
Women have also been forbidden to ride bicycles, a key vehicle for getting to work, and forced to wear skirts rather than trousers. Women have also been forbidden to ride bicycles, a key vehicle for getting to work, and forced to wear skirts rather than trousers, the envoy said.
But Mr Muntarbhorn also described an atmosphere of fear and repression, dreadful prison conditions and said people were sent to labour camps for things like failing to turn up to work or watching films from South Korea.But Mr Muntarbhorn also described an atmosphere of fear and repression, dreadful prison conditions and said people were sent to labour camps for things like failing to turn up to work or watching films from South Korea.
North Korea's deputy UN ambassador Pak Tok-hun rejected the report and said the country was being singled out for sinister political purposes.North Korea's deputy UN ambassador Pak Tok-hun rejected the report and said the country was being singled out for sinister political purposes.
Are you in North Korea? Are you affected by the issues in this story? What is your reaction to the UN report?Are you in North Korea? Are you affected by the issues in this story? What is your reaction to the UN report?
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