REPORT ON HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

TO THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S

REPUBLIC OF KOREA

PROJECT DURATION: MARCH – JUNE 2011

DONOR AGENCY: NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

IN KOREA (NCCK)

THE AMITY FOUNDATION

JULY 2011

1. BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION

According to the Rapid Food Security Assessment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

(DPRK) carried out by WFP/ FAO / UNICEF recently, monthly rainfalls in last August and

September were higher compared to the long-term average. While the main season for rice and

maize is from May to September. Extremely heavy rains during the last stage of crop development

and harvesting had a negative impact on the quality and yield of paddy and maize.

The winter of 2010-2011 was colder and more prolonged than usual. Monthly average

temperatures in nearly all provinces during December 2010 - January 2011 were below those of

the two previous years. Survival of the 2010-2011 winter wheat has been negatively affected by a

combination of these weather events. Experts estimated an average survival rate of 50 percent that

is likely to result in a decline of 25 percent in this year’s harvest, comparing to a normal year.

That Assessment came to a conclusion that DPRK, commonly known as North Korea, has suffered

a series of shocks in recent months, leaving the country highly vulnerable to a food crisis. The

country will run out of food at the beginning of the lean season – May, June, July. This will

substantially increase the risk of malnutrition and other diseases, particularly in food deficit

counties. More than six million vulnerable people are in urgent need of international food

assistance, due to a substantial reduction of agricultural production and commercial imports, as

well as a decrease or curtailment of bilateral assistance.

In the past several years the international community reduced food aid to North Korea. Recently

envoys from the US and EU visited North Korea to evaluate the food supply situation and so far

no country from the west has claimed to resume humanitarian assistance.

At the end of this March, the Amity Foundation received an enquiry from National Council of

Churches in Korea (NCCK) through World Council of Churches (WCC) and asked for facilitating

humanitarian assistance to North Korea. Amity, after communication with relevant stakeholders,

agreed to take this opportunity and provide support to those in need.

2. PROJECT PROGRESS

Amity started enquiries in April. After negotiations with several qualified suppliers, Amity chose

the one promising good quality and quoting the most competitive price.

On 8th May, one Amity project officer flied to Dandong – the boarder city in north China for local

coordination. The quality of the food was carefully examined. Relevant local transportation

arrangement was finished in due time.

On 18th May, the Amity Foundation transported a total of 172 ton flour along with some rice

funded by other organizations from Dandong to Sinuiju (新义州市). Four representatives from

NCCK witnessed this process.

Initially two Amity staffers were expected to go to the North Korea and supervise food

distribution on 2nd -4th June. However the formal confirmation from the North came a little later.

And it led to a 15th -17th June visit to the North Korea.

Amity staffers flied from Beijing to Pyongyang on 15 June and met representatives from city and

district level food administration and got a basic understanding of the situation there. It was told

that they had not received any food aid from international organizations in the past two years and

the county was suffering severe food shortage this year due to the active natural disasters in the

past farming season. Normally the citizen of Pyongyang could obtain 700 grams staple food per

day (400g for juvenile). This April that number was 400 grams per day, this May it’s alarming 190

grams. This number was further reduced to a shocking 150 grams per day this June.

In the morning of 17th June, Amity staffers visited Pongsu Church and met with Ms. Kim

Hye-sook (金惠淑) and Ms. Eommi (严美) from the international department of the Central

Committee of Korean Christian Federation (KCF).

On behalf of the KCF and those receiving food aids, Ms. Kim Hye-sook expressed their sincere

gratitude to NCCK, Amity and other oversea churches who provided support. She told Amity

staffers that, due to the severe flood of last year, North Korea encountered serious food supply

problem. KCF appealed to NCCK and other overseas churches for food assistance this January.

And KCF especially wanted to thank NCCK for providing food aid regardless of the pressure

from the government of Republic of Korea (ROK) and making efforts to ease the tension between

the North and the South.

Ms. Kim Hye-sook also introduced that, based on the quantity of flour, KCF worked out a

distribution plan and submitted it to the Ministry of Food Administration for approval. After

receiving permission from the Ministry of Food Administration of DPRK (朝鲜国家粮政省),

KCF itself took trains and minivans to transport the flour from Sinuiju and distributed to

respective project areas. Amity staffers asked for things like domestic delivery costs in order to

make future project arrangement more considerate. KCF said that they did not collect that

information this time. And KCF provided a statement about the total quantity received, basic

distribution plan and respective number of beneficiaries. It was told that KCF had provided the

signed version to NCCK.

Amity staffers learned that KCF actively provide services to kindergartens and nursing homes. In

Pyongyang, KCF owned one flour factory and one bread factory which enable them to provide

better service to those in need.

Amity staffers visited Baby Home of Pyongyang City and Pyongyang Orphanage where KCF

reserved some flour for Amity inspection. Ms. Kim Hye-sook stated that that flour was for

inspection only and they will transport all flour to the target areas after then. It was told that after

receiving food provided by Amity, the local Food Administration did not provide other staple

foods to these beneficiary organizations. And, during their stay, Amity staffers could not spot any

obvious sign of food shortage in the urban area. Due to time limit Amity staffers could not visit

project areas outside Pyongyang.

3. RESULTS

The 172 T flour was distributed by KCF in North Korea to baby homes and kindergartens in three

cities/towns, benefit to around 31,400 North Koreans. According to the KCF, this flour could help

to sustain life before the next harvest.

Through the implementation of this project, local people, mostly children, in the respected areas

would not be suffering from the severe food shortage for the coming months.

Food Distribution Table

Type Total

Quantity

Executing

Organization

in DPRK

Beneficiary

Organizations

No. of

Beneficiaries Quantities

Flour 172 T

Korean

Christian

Federation

(KCF)

Baby Homes and

Kindergartens in

Kimchaek of North

Hamgyong

(咸境北道金策市)

15,000 72 T

Baby Homes and

Kindergartens in

Pukchong County of

South Hamgyong

(咸境南道北青郡)

9,000 50 T

Baby Homes and

Kindergartens in Kowon

County of South

Hamgyong

(咸境南道高原郡)

7,400 50 T

Total 31,400 172 T

4. CONCLUSION

Through this project around 31,400 people, mostly children, in North Korea could be able to

obtain food and survive from the severe food shortage caused by the natural disasters last year.

And all beneficiary organizations visited expressed their high satisfaction of the quality of food

and sincere thanks to the assistance from the South. And KCF stated the food assistance not only

provided direct support to the people in the North but also helped to ease the tension between the

North and the South, and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The Amity Foundation, an independent Chinese voluntary organization created on the initiative of

Chinese Christians, was honored to facilitate the humanitarian assistance to North Korean and

bridge the hearts between the Korea Peninsula and China. Should there be any necessity Amity

would like to provide further support to those in need.

Annex 1:

Receipt

This receipt states the total quantity received and basic distribution arrangement. According to

KCF, a signed version had been provided directly to NCCK.

Annex 2:

Project Photos

Amity staffers visited Baby Home of Pyongyang City.

One of the Amity staffers was checking the food in the warehouse.

One of the Amity staffers was checking the food in the warehouse.

An overview of the warehouse of the Baby Home of Pyongyang City

Flour was piled up in the storage of Pyongyang Orphanage.

Amity staffers paid a visit to Pongsu Church in Pyongyang.

The End