Bishops send food aid to flood-hit North Korea

First cross-border shipment since naval ship was sunk

John Choi, Seoul
Korea
October 26, 2010

Catholic Church News Image of Bishops send food aid to flood-hit North Korea

Officials of the bishop’s committee pose for a photo before sending rice to North Korea (Photo courtesy of the Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People)

The Catholic Church in South Korea has sent rice aid to flood-hit areas of North Korea, the first aid since a South Korean naval ship was sunk reportedly by a North Korean torpedo.

The Korean Bishops’ Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People committees delivered 50 tons of rice worth 95 million won(US$85,000) on Oct. 22.

Uijeongbu diocese, the Korean Conference of Major Superiors of Men’s Religious Institutes and Societies of Apostolic Life and the Korean Catholic Farmers’ Movement also assisted with the shipment.

The rice was sent to the (North) Korean Roman Catholics Association, which organized distribution of the rice in the Kaesong (Gaeseong) district.

“This is the first rice support to North Korea since the Cheonan naval ship incident last March,” said Father Baptist John Kimm Hun-il, executive secretary of the Subcommittee for Aid to North Korea under the bishops’ committee for the reconciliation.

“The food condition of North Koreans is worsening and their government is unable to support them. We need to offer more help,” he added.

Following the sinking of the naval vessel, the South Korean government banned all economic exchanges with North Korea, except for the minimum humanitarian aid.

Related report
Catholic group delivers aid to North Korea

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Anonymous

I am concerned about the complex situation on the North Korean borders as once again it has been confirmed that severe famine is gripping North Korea has reached its peak.
There is an “unusual Silence” in the neighbouring towns in North Korea. Since the previous month, there have been fewer numbers of children and adults crossing the river to beg for food. The silence along the border is interpreted to be a bad sign. People are
being left to die in the inner villages in North Korea. having received direct reports from the refugees in China and South Korea who are able to receive first hand news from their families in the North. The reports are grim indeed.
People are reported to be collapsing on the streets, dead bodies are being found in train stations and roadsides again.

I understand that in reality, if the international community will provide aid through the North Korean Government, it will not reach those who are starving. Instead, the aid will be used to prop up the regime and serve its own end at the expense of the innocent victims-their own children and people.

Let us not help the North Korean Government oppress its own people again and again. This time, we hope that the International community will not succumb to the Government’s pleas for aid, knowing that they will definitely divert these funds to serve their military programs. The lessons have been learned in the past LET US NOT REPEAT THEM.

Due to the recent situations in borders, it has been necessary to delay any delivery of food, medicine and clothing into North Korea until we find a new route away from the usual delivery avenue we have used in the past.

The last trip to the border was monitored and so we had to cut short our presence in the borders. There must be other ways of getting much needed food and clothing fro the suffering in North Korea as we approach the winter.

There are two new avenues under discussion. In the meantime we would really appreciate your input in this matter, and what can be done to alleviate these peoples’ suffering.

Thank you in advance for your co-operation in this matter and look forward to hearing from you all in the near future.

Yours Faithfully

Rosa Manson