Status of Maternal Nutrition in South and North Korea / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the nutritional status of child-bearing age women between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). METHODS: The data presented in the DPRK Final Report of the National Nutrition Survey 2012 was utilized for the nutritional status and food intake of North Korean women. To produce the South Korean women's data comparable to those of North Korean women, the data from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey were analyzed and the data presented in the 2010 Report of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards were utilized. RESULTS: The prevalence of maternal anemia (blood hemoglobin < 12.0 g/dL) was over 30% in all the age groups of North Korean women and 8.9%, 14.2%, 16.4% in 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 year old South Korean women, respectively. The prevalence of maternal protein-energy malnutrition (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference < 22.5 cm) was 25.2%, 21.4%, 21.8% in 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 year old North Korean women, respectively and less than 10% in all the age groups of South Korean women. Result of dietary diversity comparison showed that North Korean women consumed less food than South Korean women at all food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy. Percentage of North Korean women having consumed protein rich foods-meat and fish, eggs or dairy products-were much lower than those of South Korean women. CONCLUSIONS: The striking disparity of nutritional status between South and North Korean women indicates that nutrition support for North Korean women is essential in the process of preparation for a unified nation.

The experiences of system integration countries informing the potential unification of the Korean peninsula's healthcare system

A "system integration country" is defined as the political unification to a single national system of a country divided for a certain period of time such as Germany, Yemen, and Vietnam. Vietnam is moving to adopt the South Korean health insurance system. The process by which the Vietnamese healthcare insurance system is introduced should be applied to establishing the North Korean healthcare system after the future unification of the Korean peninsula. Yemen's political instability has resulted in poor health care indicators. Before the unification of Germany, an agreement regarding healthcare was formed and vigorous mutual exchanges of health care issues occurred. Political unification is not in itself a perfect solution for health care issues. We must make thorough preparations and develop strategies for an upcoming integration of healthcare systems. Like the experience of the unified Germany, humanitarian exchanges and cooperation of public healthcare issues should continue. A unified Korea will be confronted with many hardships, especially in health care. Therefore, a practical plan for the healthcare system before and after the unification of the Korean peninsula is needed.