North Korea

A North Korean child suffering from malnutrition rests in a bed in a hospital in Haeju, capital of the area damaged by summer floods and typhoons in South Hwanghae province, Sept. 30. Isolated North Korea has appealed for food aid following the disasters and years of mismanagement. In South Hwanghae province, which traditionally produces about a third of the country’s total cereal supply, officials say a savage winter wiped out 65 percent of the barley, wheat and potato crops. Then summer floods and storms destroyed 80 percent of the maize harvest and may also impact the October rice harvest. The United States and South Korea, the North’s two biggest donors before sanctions, have said they won’t resume aid until they are satisfied the military-led communist regime will not divert the food for its own uses and progress is made on nuclear disarmament talks.

Damir Sagolj / Reuters