LACK OF FUNDS FORCES WFP TO CUT ASSISTANCE TO HUNGRY
NORTH KOREANS
BEIJING - A slump in donations for its emergency operation
in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is forcing the UN
World Food Programme to halt cereal distributions to three million hungry
women, children and elderly people. An additional 1.5 million beneficiaries
will be deprived of rations in the depths of winter unless substantial
fresh pledges are made soon.
“Such across-the-board cutbacks would cause acute suffering on
a massive scale”, said Rick Corsino, WFP Country Director for
the DPRK. “As we head into the harsh North Korean winter, those
affected will find it very difficult to cope. The tragedy is that the
people most at risk stand to bear the entire burden. They are already
on the edge.”