North Korea

The famine in North Korea is one of the most current famines to affect the world. It began in the summer of 1995 when North Korea experienced the worst flooding in the past century. This reduced the fall harvest and more flooding in 1996 hurt the country even more. Atleast one third of North Korean children under the age of six are suffering of critical malnutrition.

The communist government of North Korea has not been the easiest government for international aid agencies to work with. In the very beginning the government was critical of where the food came from and how it was distributed, but the situation has not gotten any better. Already $96 Million in aid has been given and another $46 Million is expected to be added to that total.

The United States and South Korean government's have been trying to help end the hunger by offering food in exchange for peace with the South. This plan has not been very successful but the country is becoming desperate, and has become increasingly flexible for help from foreign aid groups. In early August the two Koreas , China and the United States are scheduled to hold a preliminary meeting in New York to discuss a permanent peace treaty. If this comes through there will possibly be more aid for the hungry in North Korea.

There are a lot of people worried about the situation in North Korea, worried that if more help is not given soon the country will lose a large portion of its population. This is definitely a country to watch in the coming months especially with the fall harvest of 1997 coming soon.