[USFK Forums] UN sees $150 million aid for North Korea [Reuters]

[C. Y. Lee]

Uploaded by C. Y. Lee on Friday, February 24, 2006

UN sees $150 million aid for North Korea

24 February 2006

ROME (Reuters) - The United Nations' food aid agency today opened the way for its return to North Korea, with a $US102 million ($NZ154 million) two-year plan to feed hungry women and children, but said the aid depended on greater government co-operation.

The World Food Programme (WFP) ended more than 10 years of emergency food deliveries to the impoverished and isolated country at the end of last year over disagreements on conditions for supplying the aid.

The Rome-based aid agency's governing board agreed the new package but said Pyongyang would have to lift some of its restrictions on the number of foreign WFP staff allowed into the country and on the number of monitoring visits.

"We now look to the government of the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) to agree to conditions that will allow us to do our work properly, for the sake of the people who need our help," said WFP Executive Director James Morris.

"If we cannot reach a suitable final agreement on our operating conditions, we will be forced to withdraw," he said.

The WFP said the agreement of its ruling board was only the first step in getting the aid to North Korea where it would provide 150,000 tonnes of food to 1.9 million women and young children in a total population of 23 million.

In addition to an agreement with Pyongyang, additional funds would be required from WFP's donor nations, it said.



(END)

[Marko]

I believe the UN and South Korea need to wake up. The food aid, etc., primarily goes to the military and the Korean Workers' Party members/cadre. You can't buy NK off with aid; they still make threats. Sadly, the only thing NK respects is force or the threat of force.

And yes, I have been in Korea. 39 months,enlisted and officer. I was there for the 1976 tree incident. I don't believe the North Koreans have changed one iota since that unprovoked attack, and they will not change until Kim Jong Il is removed from the scene.

I believe the wisest choice is to maintain sanctions and military preparedness vis-a-vis North Korea.

[mike]

I agree on sanctions. The actual people that need the food will stave either way. Do you think the millions in prision caps will see a grain of rice?

The North Korean regime uses the food against the people and sells much of it on the black market to make more money. They feed their military and raise cash. If we must send aid, let's send farming equipment and knowledge instead of food.