Ministry of Unification: "North Korea, Starvation Deaths Surge in Some Areas... Severe Food Shortage"

Kwon Young-se and WFP Diverge on 'North Korea Aid Request'
"No Official Request, but Signs of Support Interest Confirmed"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The Ministry of Unification stated that the food shortage in some areas of North Korea is so severe that starvation deaths are pouring out.

At a regular briefing held at the Government Seoul Office on the 20th, Koo Byung-sam, spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, said, "We are closely sharing evaluations of North Korea's food situation among related agencies," and added, "It is reported that the food shortage is severe, with starvation deaths occurring in some areas."

Regarding Minister Kwon Young-se's remark at the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary session on the 15th that "I do not think the level of starvation deaths is widespread," he explained, "It was a response meaning that the situation is not one where large-scale starvation deaths occur as during the Arduous March period."

Goo Byung-sam, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification [Photo by Yonhap News]

In addition, he clarified the conflicting positions between Minister Kwon and the World Food Programme (WFP) regarding whether North Korea requested aid from the WFP. Spokesperson Koo said, "During the meeting with the WFP Executive Director, although it cannot be called an official request from North Korean authorities, we confirmed circumstances indicating that North Korea hopes for WFP support," and added, "The minister's statement during the National Assembly response that North Korea made a request was an answer given in the process of briefly explaining this situation."

Minister Kwon met with David Beasley, Executive Director of the WFP, in Davos, Switzerland last month to discuss humanitarian aid to North Korea, and during the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary session on the 15th, he said, "I understand that North Korea requested support from the WFP." However, Kun Lee, spokesperson for the WFP Asia-Pacific Regional Office, clarified on the 17th (local time), "We have not received an official food aid request."

It has been confirmed that WFP aid to North Korea has not been carried out because the North side did not accept monitoring, which is a prerequisite for support.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.