Shocker: More North Koreans Starving

So says the UN.

Conveniently omitted from the story is the one man responsible, Kim Jong-il. You'd think he'd actually merit some mention.

HUNGER in North Korea is at its worst since the 1990s, the United Nations said today, prompting the resumption of emergency UN food shipments after a two-year hiatus.

Devastating floods last year wrought havoc on the impoverished country, forcing millions to resort to eating grasses and roots to stay alive, according to the UN's World Food Program.

"I won't say that we are seeing an impending famine, (but) hunger levels are at their worst since the late 1990s,'' said Jean-Pierre de Margerie, the WFP's country director for North Korea.

"Between five and six million Koreans are in need of food assistance right now.'

In a just completed survey, he said, the WFP found that up to half the country was having to forage for foods and resorting to eating edible grasses and roots.

Meanwhile food prices at tightly controlled markets had in some instances quadrupled over the past three months, while the state-run government food distribution system had cut daily rations by nearly 70 per cent, he said.

The WFP began shipping emergency food to North Korea in June, and it will make an international appeal next month for up to $US500 million ($A525 million) in aid to begin flowing in September, he said.

So another half billion dollars will flow in, and likely zero of it will go to feed starving people.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Isn't Communism wonderful?