Shortage of funds for the WFP: a quarter of North Koreans in danger of starvation

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) – "International donors should give development assistance as well as food, medical and humanitarian aid," affirmed Kathi Zellweger, director of International Co-Operation for Caritas-Hong Kong after returning from a visit to Pyongyang March 2.  Zellweger has visited North Korea on more than 50 occasions during the last 9 years, and says that the atmosphere is changing due to the persuasion of aid agencies convincing the government to reform its economic policies. Foreign aid is important, she stated, "because the country is now more open, and the first steps of reform are underway. The lives of many people still depend on it."  Zellweger pointed to the billboards in North Korea now advertising the new national car called the Whistler as evidence of the new shift in the governments approach. Previously, such billboards were reserved for government propaganda only.

It remains important, however, that aid organizations continue and increase their support. "There are 1.5 million people who are likely to go hungry between now and the end of March as the World Food Programme (WFP) through whom we here at Caritas distribute food, has had to cut back its shipments because of a shortage of funds." She indicated that Masood Hyder from the WFP has said financial shortages have broken the pipeline of food aid to 6.5 million people in North Korea, more than a quarter of the country's 23 million people.

"Only 100, 000 people are still receiving anything from the WFP apart from the 2500 ton shipment of Caritas rice which goes to 75,000 pregnant women and nursing mothers. She said the shipment is only a "drop on a hot rock" since she said it "provides less than half the recommended daily calorie intake for the women, and for just a period of 175 days."  Zellweger lamented that young children may be hardest hit by the shortage, though through previous aid, cases of malnutrition among the youngest citizens had been reduced. April and May will be a "critical time" to make reinforce the aid  brought to the North Korean people, the Caritas director indicated.

Caritas received only 73 per cent of it's requested US$ 2.67 million for North Korea last year as of this month. A new appeal for funds will begin in April.

The WFP distributes about 40,000 tons of food a month at a cost of more than US$ 14 million.

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• korea
• caritas
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• crisis
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• rights