An entire generation of North Korean children face stunted growth and malnutrition, the United Nations has warned.

Food shortages, as well as a lack of clean water, sanitation and electricity, have all had grave effects on the nation's population of 24 million people.

Jerome Sauvage, the United Nations resident coordinator in North Korea, spoke of the long-term issues affecting the country.

"Now from these immediate, fill-the-gap type of needs, we need to move to the more chronic nature of the problem. We cannot just year in year out provide nothing but this kind of fill-the-gap aid. And for that, we feel a mjor need to address agrictultural weakness. This agriculture is missing mechanisation, fertilisers, irrigation, energy basically."

The United Nations is seeking 198 million dollars from the US government in order to fund humanitarian projects in the country. The US have previously announced they would suspend food aid to North Korea after the rogue state defied UN sanctions and unsuccessfully launched a long range missile in April this year.

Written and Narrated by Alfred Joyner.