The number of deaths caused by air pollution in North Korea is over ten times larger than that in South Korea, according to the World Health Organization(WHO).

In its annual World Health Statistics report issued for 2019, the WHO says North Korea's air pollution mortality rate is 207-point-two deaths per 100-thousand people.

That's ten times larger than the rate in South Korea, which had 20-point-five deaths per 100-thousand people, and is also higher than China where air pollution is a more well-documented phenomenon.

Nevertheless, the North's air pollution mortality rate showed an improvement since 2017, declining 13 percent from 238-point-four deaths per 100-thousand people.