"3 meals a day" in North Korea is "luxury" ... 42% population is "malnourished" = UN

Amid the worsening food shortage in North Korea, a report has been released stating that "about 42% of the population is suffering from malnutrition." In addition, the reality is that "North Korean women are not protected from domestic violence and sexual violence", and that "marital sexual assault is not treated as a crime."

In a report submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) on March 9th, Elizabeth Salmon, UN special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, analyzed that "the issue of food and services is a top priority concern for human rights in North Korea."

The report estimates that "by the end of 2021, 60% of the North Korean population will be facing food shortage concerns," based on data from the United Nations Agriculture and Food Organization (FAO). It also found that "the proportion of the population reporting food insecurity has increased by 20% from 40% before the COVID-19 virus outbreak."

"Between 2019 and 2021, 41.6% of the North Korean population suffered from malnutrition," and "for most families, eating three meals a day has become a luxury."

The "problem of medicines and medical services" was also raised as a serious human rights concern.

The report said, "North Korean hospitals lack basic medicines, anesthetics, disinfectants, and intravenous injections, and cannot perform even simple medical procedures. After the penalties were introduced, the problem became even more serious."

"Domestic violence is prohibited, but there is no legal definition of when it is punishable," the report said. In particular, explained, "North Korea's women's rights protection and promotion law also focuses on reconciliation rather than punishment of perpetrators." In addition, sexual assault between husband and wife is not treated as a crime.

"Sexual assault has heavy penalties, but only a minority of men have been convicted," the report said.