>> as you suggest, senator, the north american economy is in a desperate condition t has been steadily been going downhill since the early 1990's, and it's industrial output, for example, is now only a fraction of what it might have been what it was in the late 1980's. it's agricultural output has also been very difficult. it has been inadequate to meet the needs of its own citizenry and north core korea has defendd heavily on contributions of foodstuffs to feed its own people. as you i know are aware, north korea about two weeks ago asked our humanitarian agencies, and organizations who were there to provide to deliver the food that the u.s. had agreed to make available were asked to leave by the north korean authorities, so that food, that quantity of food is no longer being provided. concerned on humanitarian grounds about the condition of the north korean population. it is not good. now the country is covered by such secrecy that one doesn't know exactly what the condition of all the population might be, but it is clear that diet is inadequate in terms of caloric intake and if they