It marked an about 10 percent increase from 370 grams in the same period of last year but is only 69 percent of the 600 grams set by the United Nations and short of the North's own goal of 573 grams.

The United Nations said in an earlier report that 70 percent of North Korea's population, or 18 million people, rely on the government's public distribution system.

The report said because they receive mainly cereals and potatoes, they lack protein and fat, resulting in 10.5 million people, or 41 percent of the population, suffering from malnutrition. (Yonhap)