[imText1]Expectation of mass starvation this spring in North Korea is increasing as the country is under UN Security Council-ratified sanctions and last year\u2019s crop fell sharply due to flood. Some even speculate on worst case scenario- worse than that happened in mid 90s. Whatever occurs in this spring, it would follow the epidemic that has hit the country since last autumn. <\/p>\n
Seoul\u2019s Buddhist aid organization \u2018Good Friends\u2019 released estimation of last year\u2019s crop production in North Korea, and concluded 2007 might be the most disastrous year for many North Koreans. Some scholars expected death toll could reach up to 6 million. <\/p>\n
However, others reputed such extreme number because of different socio-economic circumstance in North Korea. They argued that more than 70% of North Korean residents were living off private markets and had already figured out how to survive through shortage of food. <\/p>\n
North Korea\u2019s food situation is determined by annual total consumption of food over total supply. Since there is no reliable official data, annual total consumption could only be calculated by annual (minimum) consumption per person multiplied by total population. <\/p>\n
A forty-six years old former official from food distribution office in Hamheung, Choi, told the Daily NK in a recent telephone interview that \u201cgiven daily food consumption as 550g per person, average daily consumption for 22 million North Koreans is 12,100 metric ton and annual average is roughly 4 million ton.\u201d \u2018Person\u2019 includes adult laborer, senior residents and children. <\/p>\n
Yet, since early 80s, North Korean government has deducted 8-days amount of food per every month for \u2018wartime ration.\u2019 In other words, the whole North Korean population receives 3,255,000 tons of food, rather than 4 million, each year. <\/p>\n
Of course, the figure hardly reflects reality. <\/p>\n
North Korea\u2019s official food distribution standard prior to 1992<\/b><\/p>\n