February 26, 2011 Yahoo!
Five charities who visited North Korea released a statement saying they "observed evidence of malnutrition, food shortages and people foraging for wild grasses and herbs." Up to 80% of crops have died after a harsh cold winter.
November 17, 2010 World Food Program (WFP)
North Korea faces 542,000 tonnes of uncovered food deficit. "The cereal rations provided by the government through its Public Distribution System (PDS) in 2010/11 would likely contribute about half the daily energy requirements" said Joyce Luma, Chief of WFP's Food Security Analysis Unit. Those who are most vulnerable to food shortages include children, pregnant women and nursing mothers, the elderly and food insecure in regions with high malnutrition.
October 28, 2010 News 24
WFP said more than a third of children in some parts of North Korea suffer form malnutrition. Each year 40,000 children under the age of five become "acutely malnourished." The severe cuts in international aid has left WFP's nutrition-focused program with a 80% funding gap. The WFP, which once provided nutritional supplemnts to children in more than 130 counties, is now operating in only 65.
