FREE KOREA NEXT:

Millions face death in N Korean crisis (BENJAMIN MORGAN, 3/13/03, Daily Telegraph au)

MILLIONS of women and children need urgent help to survive in North Korea despite signs of an improving humanitarian situation, UNICEF's Asia-Pacific Regional Director Mher Khan warned yesterday.

UNICEF's plea comes despite a substantial improvement in conditions following a famine in the late 1990s that aid specialists estimate killed about two million people.

"We are in a critical situation in terms of essential support," Mr Khan said. "Medicines, vaccines, food are desperately needed.

"Without these basic supplies we could see malnutrition rates go up in the next few months.

"We believe there are millions of vulnerable women and children who continue to need external assistance in order to survive."

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 12, 2003 6:19 PM