A seven-member delegation from the U.S. Congress visited North Korea this week but was not permitted to visit any of the food aid distribution centers or the countryside of the impoverished nation, delegation members said Aug. 12.

"We are obviously very disappointed that we could not see more of the real famine situation," said Florida Rep. Porter Goss, the Republican chairman of the delegation, at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.

"Our greatest concern is that the food aid provided is going to those who are most in need, not only the military and political elites, but we weren't able to see any type of food distribution center."