Children and the elderly are reported to be at risk of starvation as North Koreans living under coronavirus restrictions face a growing food crisis.
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In his report to the UN General Assembly, UN inspector Thomas Ojea Quintana said the country faces many challenges.
The agricultural sector has been affected by the decline in imports of fertilizers and other agricultural products from China, international sanctions caused by nuclear weapons, and the African swine fever epidemic.
Quintana noted that the strict restrictions on the spread of the emerging coronavirus since January 2020 have led to “serious economic difficulties.
and increased vulnerability to human rights violations among the general population.” He stated that the import of intangible items was restricted.
He stressed that before the pandemic, more than 40 percent of North Koreans had problems getting food.
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Many of them were malnourished, and Quintana noted that the country’s elderly and children, in particular, are at risk of starvation.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, while noting that the rate is increasing, Quintana stressed the need for urgent measures to increase the prices of rice and maize.
The report said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un urged the authorities to address the challenges facing the country and make stronger efforts to improve the food and living conditions of its people.
Quintana noted that families are unable to earn a living, and are increasingly borrowing and selling household items to survive.
He said many factories and mines have closed due to a lack of power, machinery parts, and raw materials.
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Quintana urged the UN Security Council to consider lifting sanctions that negatively affect humanitarian aid and human rights.
