While in Rome, she spoke with the Fides news agency about the famine in North Korea, and that country's future. If that aid were to stop, we would soon return to the horrible conditions of 1997. In 1999 the harvest was better than in the previous year, but they are still short of grain, by at least 1,300,000 tons. The government imports 300,000 tons, and another 370,000 come with humanitarian aid, but that still leaves a deficit of 600,000 tons. If this is not provided there will be serious problems for the people this summer.
Hunger is a major problem, but the whole situation is difficult.
The national health system is in poor shape, industry is weak, gasoline and oil are scarce. The coastal area has large industrial cities, but the people there are poorer than those in rural areas where the people can grow something for themselves to eat. Caritas has also food-security projects, and supports farm cooperatives that provide fertilizer, means of transportation, and equipment to increase production. In 2000 we aim to invest more in the health-care area, because nutrition and health go hand in hand. But after we managed to win their confidence, they showed us that they are very grateful for our help, and now they even ask for it.