The United Nations is sending humanitarian chief Valerie Amos to North Korea next month to take a first-hand look at the isolated state's food situation.

The UN says Amos will travel to the North for five days starting October 17th as part of a trip that includes a stop in China.

North Korea has pleaded for international help to deal with chronic food shortages caused, in part, by floods and sanctions over its nuclear weapons program.

The UN has issued a $218 million appeal for aid for the North, but says it has raised just 10 percent of that amount.

The State Department has said the United States is withholding food aid to North Korea until it can fully assess what the North needs.