A UN report finds that one out of every three North Koreans does not have access to safe drinking water.

According to the report released last week by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, 67 percent of North Korea's population were accessed to have access to safely managed drinking water as of 2017.

The figure is slightly down from 69 percent in 2000.

There was also a wide gap between cities and rural areas, as 77 percent of urban dwellers and 50 percent of rural residents had safe drinking water.

The report said the installation ratio of water pipes, the most basic of all water facilities, stood at only 68 percent nationwide.

The report also raised concerns of excrement contaminating drinking water because in North Korea, it is not handled properly and is used as fertilizer without being treated.