U.N. Launches Aid Appeal for North Korea

The United Nations on Wednesday launched an appeal for $111 million dollars to help 70 percent of North Korea's population now facing a food crisis.

The funding will help five U.N. agencies working on the ground to continue providing North Koreans with food, clean water and other basics in 2015.

About 70 percent of North Korea's population, or 18 million people, "are not able to access an adequate and diverse nutritious diet to live healthily," a U.N. statement said.

Malnutrition rates are high, with 27.9 percent of children under five suffering from chronic malnutrition, according to a 2012 national nutrition survey quoted by the U.N.

North Korea has suffered regular chronic food shortages, with the situation exacerbated by floods, droughts and mismanagement.

Hundreds of thousands are believed to have died during a famine in the mid- to late-1990s.