Drought Deepens N. Korea Famine, U.N. Adviser Says

U.N. relief workers have concluded that a devastating drought means famine-threatened North Korea can expect little from this year’s harvest, North Korea’s state news agency said Monday.

North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency quoted U.N. adviser Christin Roberto as saying any rains would come too late for this year’s crops.

On Saturday, representatives from the United Nations and relief agencies toured areas south of North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang.

“They, accompanied by management officials of cooperative farms, went around maize fields and admitted that drought damage was serious,” the agency reported.

North Korea already suffers from chronic food shortages aggravated by severe flooding in 1995 and 1996. North Korea said Saturday it now is battling a widespread drought that has laid waste to 716,300 acres of farmland and 704,300 tons of grain.

The reclusive communist state, which preaches self-reliance as a guiding philosophy, is already dependent on outside food aid. U.N. agencies estimate the country needs 800,000 tons of food assistance before October to avert famine.