UN, EU: ‘Ready to provide humanitarian aid to N. Korea for flood damage’

The United Nations and the European Union expressed intentions to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea, which suffered flood damage recently.

According to Voice of America on Friday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said given that aggravating concern over the North’s food security after last month’s heat wave, it is preparing to support North Korean authorities’ activities helping people who suffered flood damage. The European Union’s humanitarian assistance coordination office also told Radio Free Asia Friday that the organization is worried about food shortages due to the influence of both drought and severe floods that have affected certain regions in the North, saying that if (Pyongyang) eases shutdown of its borders to allow admission of relief supplies and humanitarian aid personnel, it is ready to provide assistance.

The North suffered damage from floods due to torrential rain that hit western regions including South Hamkyong Province from Aug. 1 through Aug. 3. The floods destroyed fully or partially some 1,170 houses, and caused more than 5,000 people to evacuate, the North’s Korean Central TV station reported.

The international community, including the U.N., have expressed interest to provide aid, but it remains uncertain whether Pyongyang will accept. Since floods last year, the North has repeatedly stressed “self-recovery and restoration” and has rejected aid from the world.


Youn-Jong Kim zozo@donga.com