Food Shortages. With the prevalent poverty in North Korea, food shortages are widespread. A famine that started in the 1990s had a lasting effect, forcing the country to become reliant on international aid to feed its people. However, since 2009 food assistance has declined significantly. A study by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization found that 84 percent of households have “borderline or poor food consumption.” The food crises had resulted in thousands of deaths. According to the World Food Program, one-third of children are stunted due to malnutrition and the infant mortality rate is 33 percent. Due to the government’s “two meals a day campaign” food riots are a common occurrence.
