Tag: humanitarian aid

This is just the trial balloon for what I expect to be a Moon administration strategy to aid North Korea if a denuclearization deal isn’t struck with the U.S. The ROK will just call all aid “humanitarian aid” in order to avoid sanctions:

The Seoul city government has become the first local government in South Korea to win the right to independently carry out humanitarian aid projects for North Korea, a unification ministry official said Tuesday.

Last month, the government revised related regulations to allow local governments to act as independent aid providers to the North. Previously, they had to join hands with private entities to engage in humanitarian activities for the North.

Yonhap via a reader tip

You can read more at the link.

Whose fault is it that people are starving in North Korea? If they can afford a nuclear and ICBM program the Kim regime can assuredly afford to buy their people food:

Humanitarian activities for millions of hungry and sick people in North Korea are at risk of being scaled back due to economic sanctions and donor fatigue amid nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang that struggle to make tangible progress.

One of the world’s poorest countries, with over 43 percent of the population undernourished, the North’s food production touched its lowest point in 10 years last year.

Tough sanctions slapped on the country by a number of countries and international bodies are believed to be deepening the economic recession as they ban its key exports and imports, including fuel and machinery that could be used for enhancing the communist nation’s nuclear capability. 

Such international restrictions adversely affect humanitarian programs, especially the pre-operational procedures as approvals for traveling to North Korea are often delayed. They also hamper the delivery of life-saving assistance as related materials are subject to sanctions waivers that take time to process.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link, but I would not be surprised if the Moon administration tries to get around sanctions on the Kaesong Industrial Complex by claiming it is a “humanitarian” project. That is why I think the Trump administration is really trying to tighten sanctions to stop people from coming up with ways to get around them.

Luckily that is less than the North Korean regime spent on luxury goods last year. Problem solved. https://t.co/Cr1KpECemX

— Bruce Klingner (@BruceKlingner) December 5, 2018

It is amazing to me that people continue to think humanitarian aid will be distributed in North Korea transparently and to the people who really need it:

Humanitarian aid for North Korea should continue to better connect the people in the country with the outside world despite heightened missile threats by its regime, civic activists said Thursday.

“North Koreans should be informed that the outside world actually cares about them,” said Kenneth Bae, president of the Nehemia Global Initiative who was once detained in a North Korean labor camp. “Helping North Koreans open their minds to the outside world is critical to prepare for a unified Korea.”

Kang Young-sik, secretary-general of the humanitarian aid group the Korean Sharing Movement (KSM), added, “Humanitarian assistance still does the role of enhancing North Koreans’ human rights. As long as transparency of the distribution process is secured, it should be further facilitated.”

These views were shared during the International Forum for One Korea sponsored by the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) and the U.S.-based think tank the EastWest Institute.  [Korea Times]

You can read more at the link, but any aid to North Korea will be considered tribute to Kim Jong-un.  Additionally every dollar of aid to North Korea is one more dollar they can invest in their military.