A UNICEF official says that dysentery is sharply increasing in North Korea due to contaminated drinking water. 

Nagi Shafik, a public health inspector at the international organization, described the situation to KBS after visiting North Korea for three weeks from May eleventh.

Shafik said he observed an increase in dysentery cases caused by contaminated water in North Hamgyong Province, which lies in the country's northeast corner.

UNICEF recently said in a report that safe water is not available to 39 percent of North Koreans and that 56 percent in non-urban areas have difficulty finding drinkable water.

It also said one in ten North Korean children suffer from dysentery caused by contaminated water.
 
Shafik added that international sanctions are obstructing humanitarian aid in the form of treatment of infectious diseases and stressed that humanitarianism should be separated from sanctions against the North.