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68686
Thu, 07/02/2009 - 14:43
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https://oananews.org//node/68686
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N. Korea to suffer food shortage this year: report
By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is expected to suffer from a food shortage of up to 840,000 tons this year as foreign countries withhold humanitarian aid, a government report said Thursday.
The Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the state-run Korea Development
Institute said North Korea's total grain production may reach around 4.29 million
tons this year, which falls short of the minimum 5.13 million tons needed to feed
its 20-plus million people.
The report based on estimates released by the United Nations World Food Program
said the communist country may be able to produce 3.34 million tons of grain on
its own, import 500,000 tons from abroad and receive aid amounting to 450,000
tons that could bring the total to 4.29 million tons.
"The calculation is based on an average North Korean consuming 1,600 calories per
day, which is 75 percent of the 2,130 calories recommended for a healthy person
by the World Health Organization," the assessment said.
It also said that if the total took into account the 330,000 tons of grain that
Pyongyang declined to accept from the United States in March, the shortfall may
top 1.17 million tons.
Other think tanks like the Korea Rural Economic Institute said the food shortage
may reach 560,000 tons, with Pyongyang able to produce or import 4.86 million
tons of grain out of 5.42 million tons it needs.
To overcome the expected shortfall, government experts said the only viable
option is for South Korea to give aid, although the testing of a second nuclear
device in late May could hinder such a move.
"The government's position on providing humanitarian aid remains unchanged from
the past, but policymakers must consider public opinion, which is not favorable
to the North at present," said a finance ministry official.
He said Seoul has set aside 426.4 billion won (US$338.6 million) in its budget
this year to provide food assistance to North Korea, with a further 291.7 billion
won worth of funds that can be used to offer fertilizer support.
SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is expected to suffer from a food shortage of up to 840,000 tons this year as foreign countries withhold humanitarian aid, a government report said Thursday.
The Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the state-run Korea Development
Institute said North Korea's total grain production may reach around 4.29 million
tons this year, which falls short of the minimum 5.13 million tons needed to feed
its 20-plus million people.
The report based on estimates released by the United Nations World Food Program
said the communist country may be able to produce 3.34 million tons of grain on
its own, import 500,000 tons from abroad and receive aid amounting to 450,000
tons that could bring the total to 4.29 million tons.
"The calculation is based on an average North Korean consuming 1,600 calories per
day, which is 75 percent of the 2,130 calories recommended for a healthy person
by the World Health Organization," the assessment said.
It also said that if the total took into account the 330,000 tons of grain that
Pyongyang declined to accept from the United States in March, the shortfall may
top 1.17 million tons.
Other think tanks like the Korea Rural Economic Institute said the food shortage
may reach 560,000 tons, with Pyongyang able to produce or import 4.86 million
tons of grain out of 5.42 million tons it needs.
To overcome the expected shortfall, government experts said the only viable
option is for South Korea to give aid, although the testing of a second nuclear
device in late May could hinder such a move.
"The government's position on providing humanitarian aid remains unchanged from
the past, but policymakers must consider public opinion, which is not favorable
to the North at present," said a finance ministry official.
He said Seoul has set aside 426.4 billion won (US$338.6 million) in its budget
this year to provide food assistance to North Korea, with a further 291.7 billion
won worth of funds that can be used to offer fertilizer support.
