North Korea drought: Children at risk in 'worst crisis since 2001'

North Korea is facing severe food shortages after being hit by its worst drought since 2001, a report from the United Nations says.

Crop production in the country has been hampered by a prolonged dry period and food imports are now urgently required to fill the gap, the UN has warned.

The most vulnerable, such as children and the elderly, will be worst hit.

In the 1990s, hundreds of thousands of North Koreans are believed to have died during a widespread famine.

The latest drought is serious, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Thursday, because bilateral food aid to the country has dramatically fallen in recent years.

This is due in part to sanctions implemented to punish North Korea over its weapons development programme.

The UN's World Food Program (WFP) has also seen a steep drop in contributions, the agency says........http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40669026
 BBC
20/7/17
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• UN agency concerned about food security in North Korea