DATE=1/30/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244874
TITLE=NORTH KOREA FAMINE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:  A UNITED NATIONS AID OFFICIAL BASED IN NORTH KOREA SAYS 
THE FOOD  SITUATION THERE REMAINS SERIOUS AND THAT MASSIVE 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE  HAS KEPT THINGS FROM GETTING WORSE.  
V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON  REPORTS DAVID MORTON --THE 
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM'S REPRESENTATIVE IN  PYONGYANG-- TOLD 
REPORTERS IN BEIJING SATURDAY THAT ONLY BY REHABILITATING NORTH 
KOREA'S OWN ABILITY TO PRODUCE FOOD WILL THE SITUATION IMPROVE.  

TEXT:  NORTH KOREA HAS ENTERED ITS FIFTH STRAIGHT YEAR OF FOOD 
SHORTAGES,  CAUSED BY A SUCCESSION OF NATURAL DISASTERS, 
MISMANAGEMENT OF ITS  COLLECTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM AND A 
SHORTAGE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE SUCH PRODUCTS AS FERTILIZER.  

ALTHOUGH MR. MORTON SAYS HE HAS NO HARD DATA ON MORTALITY 
FIGURES, A U-S  CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION THAT VISITED THE 
ISOLATED COMMUNIST COUNTRY LAST  YEAR SAID THAT BETWEEN 
900-THOUSAND AND TWO-POINT-FOUR MILLION PEOPLE MAY HAVE DIED FROM
MALNUTRITION AND RELATED DISEASES.  NORTH KOREA'S POPULATION IS 
23 MILLION.  

MR. MORTON, WHO HAS WORKED ON OTHER FOOD EMERGENCIES IN AFRICA 
AND  SOUTHEAST ASIA, SAYS THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT NORTH KOREA --OR
THE  DEMOCRATIC PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF KOREA OR D-P-R-K, AS IT CALLS
ITSELF-- IS EXPERIENCING FAMINE.  

                     /////MORTON ACTUALITY/////  

 IF FAMINE IS DEFINED AS AN ACUTE SCARCITY OF FOOD, THEN I THINK 
IT'S  REASONABLE TO SAY THAT, FOR MUCH OF THE POPULATION IN 
D-P-R-K, FAMINE IS A REALITY.  

                      /////END ACTUALITY/////  

MR. MORTON SAYS FOOD AID HAS SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES BUT THERE IS 
STILL NO SIGN OF IMPROVEMENT IN THE OVERALL SITUATION.  

                     /////MORTON ACTUALITY/////  

 WHAT I SEE THERE IS A KIND OF STEADY STATE...THAT IS SUSTAINED 
BY MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FOOD AID.  

                      /////END ACTUALITY/////  

MR. MORTON SAYS THAT, IF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPLIES 
FERTILIZER TO RAISE FARM PRODUCTIVITY, THE SITUATION COULD BE 
TURNED AROUND IN UP TO FIVE YEARS.  BUT HE NOTES THAT, EVEN 
THOUGH DONORS HAVE BEEN REMARKABLY GENEROUS IN GIVING 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO NORTH KOREA, THEY SEEM RELUCTANT TO 
PROVIDE AID THAT COULD REHABILITATE THE COUNTRY'S INFRASTRUCTURE.

                     /////MORTON ACTUALITY/////  

 MOST DONORS ARE VERY RELUCTANT TO GIVE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE 
CALLED DEVELOPMENT AID.  THE ONLY AID THAT IS PROVIDED IS 
HUMANITARIAN AID.  

                      /////END ACTUALITY/////  

THAT RELUCTANCE COULD BE DUE TO PERSISTENT REPORTS THAT THE NORTH
KOREAN MILITARY IS SIPHONING OFF SOME FOOD AID.  BUT MR. MORTON 
SAYS MOST FOOD AID IS IN THE FORM OF CORN AND THAT THE GRAIN OF 
CHOICE AMONG THE COUNTRY'S ELITES IS RICE.  HE SAYS THAT, IF 
THERE IS ANY DIVERSION, IT IS IN VERY SMALL AMOUNTS.  

MR. MORTON SAYS HE IS CONFIDENT THE AID HIS AGENCY DISTRIBUTES IS
REACHING ITS TARGETS, MAINLY SMALL CHILDREN.  

                    /////MORTON ACTUALITY/////  

 IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT TO OPERATE IN.  WE ARE 
CONSTRAINED.  THE  ABILITY TO MONITOR THE FOOD IS NOT WHAT WE 
WOULD LIKE IT TO BE.   NEVERTHELESS, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE 
FOOD AND THE OTHER AID IS WELL USED.  

                      /////END ACTUALITY/////  

MR. MORTON SAYS THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM HAS BEEN GIVEN ACCESS TO 
75 PER CENT OF NORTH KOREA'S LAND AREA AND ABOUT 80 PER CENT OF 
ITS PEOPLE.  BUT HE SAYS ALL INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES AND 
NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING THERE REFUSE TO PROVIDE 
AID TO AREAS IN WHICH THEY CANNOT MONITOR DELIVERIES.  (SIGNED)

NEB/RW/PLM

30-Jan-99 5:45 AM EST (1045 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.