WFP Announces new DPRK Program

September 2, 2008

In a September 2 press release, the World Food Programme announced a new food assistance program to the DPRK totaling nearly half a billion dollars. The WFP reported the following contributions: Switzerland (US$970,000), Italy (US$770,000), Norway (US$395,000), New Zealand (US$347,000), Luxembourg (US$ 297,000).

Heavy Rains Hit DPRK

August 6, 2008

In July and August heavy rains hit the DPRK in areas also affected by summer 2007 flooding. According to KCNA (Torrential rains hit DPRK, August 4) it rained heavily in most parts of the country on July 20, 21, 24 and 25 and again from August 1-August 3. The August rains were particularly severe in Kangwon, North and South Phyongan and South Hwanghae provinces. KCNA reported that the "recent downpours inflicted heavy losses to various sectors of the national economy including agriculture and to the people's living in the relevant areas. In an August 5 press release ("Heavy Rains in DPR Korea"), the Food and Agriculture Organization pointed out three reasons for concern that flooding may occur including the observation that recently annual rainfall has become "heavier and more concentrated over the July and August period" and the fact that although "considerable labor has gone into rebuilding embankments, small dams, and even into dredging of major watercourses," rehabilitation from the August 2007 floods is incompete, leaving such structures vulnerable to cresting waters.

WFP Survey in DPRK Finds Widespread Hunger

July 30, 2008

At a July 30 press briefing, Jean-Pierre de Margerie, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director for DPRK said that "Millions of vulnerable North Koreans are at risk of slipping towards precarious hunger levels." His comments were based on a survey conducted by the WFP and the UN Food and and Agriculture Organization (FAO)in June of 53 counties in Ryanggang, North Hamgyong, South Hamgyong, Kangwon, North Hwanghae, South Hwanghae, South Phyongan, and Pyongyang provinces. According to the press release, rice has almost tripled in price from more than a year ago, and maize has quadrupled in price. North Hamgyong Province is one of the worst affected regions. "The last time hunger was so deep and so widespread in parts of the country was in the late 1990s," said de Margerie. This was the most comprehensive assessment conducted since 2004.

New Zeland Announces Aid to DPRK

July 29, 2008

New Zeland Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced on July 29 that New Zeland will contribute $500,000 to the DPRK via the WFP. Peters said "The World Food Programme is the only major international agency addressing the consequences of the food shortage in North Korea. They are a trusted partner for New Zealand's aid efforts and will help to ensure our assistance gets to those who need it most."

Food Aid from Russia

July 9, 2008

Food aid to the DPRK arrived this week in Sinuiju from Russia via train. The food will be distributed by the WFP. KCNA commented that the food that Russia provided to the people of North Korea is a mark of the existing friendship of the peoples of the two countries.

First Food Shipment Reaches DPRK

July 1, 2008

The first U.S. food aid shipment, 37,000 metric tons (MT) of U.S. wheat, arrived in Nampo last weekend. Half the shipment will be unloaded in Nampo, with the remainder to be unloaded in Hungnam and Chongjin, according to the International Herald Tribune. The shipment, the first of 500,000 MTs, comes following a joint needs assessment to determine commodity mix and delivery schedules. On June 30, the five US NGOS (Mercy Corps, World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, Global Resource Services and Christian Friends of Korea) that will be delivering 100,000 MTs of the assistance issued a press release about the assesment and their plans. The World Food Programme announced a new agreement governing the WFP delivery of aid, according to a posting on Relief Web: "The new agreement with the DPRK Government will allow WFP to send nearly 50 more international aid workers to the country, who will oversee and monitor the delivery of food to make sure it reaches hungry people most in need. It allows the organization to expand into 128 counties, up from just 50, including the remote and traditionally food-insecure Northeast and some counties never before accessible to humanitarian agencies." For more humanitarian news, click here.

US to Send Primarily Corn

July 2, 2008

According to Reuters, USAID's future food aid to the DPRK will consist mostly of corn. USAID plans to buy about 50,000 tonnes of food a month for a year.

Contributions to WFP in DPRK: Russia joins Italy, Australia

June 20, 2008

According to the International Herald Tribune, Russia announced on June 18 that they are sending 2,860 MT of wheat flour to the DPRK via the World Food Programme (WFP). They join Italy, which announced a 500,000 Euro contribution to the WFP (Relief Web), also on on June 18 and a June 6 announcement by Australia of a US$ 29 million commitment to the DPRK (IHT). Meanwhile, on June 30 the DPRK did not accept an offer made by the ROK government for a shipment of 50,000 MT of corn, according to the IHT.

US to Resume Food Aid to DPRK

May 20, 2008

On May 16, 2008, USAID announced that, due to reports of a major shortfall in food supplies in North Korea, the United States government will provide 500,000 metric tons (MT) of mixed commodities over a twelve month period beginning June 2008. The World Food Programme (WFP) will distribute approximately 400,000 MTs and the remainder will be distributed by US NGOs. The United States reported that the assistance will be delivered according to new agreements on monitoring, and an announcement in KCNA on May 17 commented that "The DPRK is ready to provide all technical conditions necessary for the food delivery." An upcoming "experts meeting" will determine operational details prior to the first delivery.

For an outline of the NGO, bilateral and multilateral responses to the Summer-Fall 2007 flooding in the DPRK, please click here.