September 30, 2023
News

In the first few years of life, 1 in 5 North Korean kids suffer stunted growth

Multiagency report suggests that the COVID-19 may be worsening malnutrition of young children

More than 300,000 North Korean children under the age of five suffer from stunted growth due to chronic malnutrition, according to a new multiagency report released on Tuesday — a crisis that may be worsening due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In that age group, roughly 18% of children suffered from “stunting” (or impaired growth) in 2020, according to estimates from UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank.