N. Korea has population of 24 million: U.N. report

SEOUL, Feb. 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has slightly increased in population,
topping 24 million last year, a United Nations report said Saturday, despite
ongoing food shortages reportedly taking the lives of hundreds of people each
year in the hunger-stricken country.

The number of people in the communist state reached 24.05 million as of October
last year, an increase by nearly 200,000 from the previous year, the U.N.
Population Fund said in a preliminary report. North Korea's population is still
less than half of the 48 million in South Korea.
About 3.2 million people lived in the country's relatively well-off capital of
Pyongyang, while 702,000 resided in military facilities. The impoverished
country, which depends largely on outside food aid, has the world's
fourth-largest military and an arsenal of long-range missiles, including one
believed capable of reaching Washington.
North Korea has about 600,000 more females than males, with 12.3 million women
and 11.7 million men, the report said.
It was the first time since 1993 for the international body to conduct a
comprehensive census on North Korea. The final report with more precise numbers
is to be disclosed at the end of this year.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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