SEOUL, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- A study says South Koreans are expected to live 11 years longer than their North Korean neighbors.
Statistics Korea reports the life expectancy for the average North Korean is 69 years, which is less than it was before the communist country was hit by a famine in the early 1990s, Yonhap reported.
The study said the life expectancy for North Korean men is 64.9 years, and for women is 71.7 years. That is 11.3 years and 11.2 years less than for men and women in South Korea.
"Generally, the population has not fully recovered from the famine and hardship although conditions have improved in the past few years," a statistics official said.
The report said North Korea's population will peak at 26.5 million in 2037, compared to South Korea's population, which is expected to peak at 49.3 million in 2018.
The report said if North and South Korean populations are combined, population would peak in 2027 at 75 million.
The study was complied from data released by the United Nations and Pyongyang.
