[Cankor] Report #212

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Dear subscriber,

Welcome to issue #212 of the CanKor Report.

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The CanKor team

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CANADA-KOREA ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SERVICE

CanKor # 212

Friday, 8 July 2005
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An international NGO conference on humanitarian assistance to the DPRK took place at the Tsinghua Uniscenter in Beijing, China from 28 to 31 May 2005. It was the fourth in a series of conferences that began in 1999, assembling representatives of the majority of non-governmental organizations, as well as UN and other agencies providing assistance to the DPRK. Organized by the Seoul-based "Korea NGO Council for Cooperation with North Korea," the conference attracted 102 participants from South Korea, Japan, China, USA, UK, Switzerland, Canada, Thailand, Australia and Germany, in addition to several international organizations based in the DPRK. There were no Korean participants from the DPRK. This full-focus edition of CanKor includes ABC news coverage, the opening address by conference organizer Kang Moon-Kyu, a personal report by Canadian participant Glen Davis, a keynote speech by Kathi Zellweger, and the final Conference Statement.
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Contents:
FOCUS: BEIJING INTERNATIONAL NGO CONFERENCE
1.   AID SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON NUCLEAR TALKS: AID GROUPS
     http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=809290
2.   OPENING ADDRESS BY CONFERENCE ORGANIZER
     Kang Moon-Kyu, original to CanKor
3.   RENEWED CONVICTION OF THE VALUE OF SMALL EFFORTS
     Glen Davis, original to CanKor
4.   DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
     Kathi Zellweger, original to CanKor
5.   STATEMENT OF THE NGO HUMANITARIAN AID CONFERENCE
     CanKor original
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1.   AID SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON NUCLEAR TALKS: AID GROUPS
     by Audra Ang, The Associated Press, Beijing, 1 June 2005

World aid agencies called for food assistance to be stepped up to North Korea despite a stalemate in talks to end its nuclear program, saying the communist regime still faces tremendous shortages affecting millions of people.

The isolated North has depended on outside support to feed its 24 million people since the 1990s. An estimated 1 million North Koreans starved to death after the Stalinist regime's state farm system collapsed after decades of mismanagement and the loss of subsidies from Moscow.

"Whether there is progress or not in the six-party talks, we feel that as humanitarian agencies, we need to continue to provide assistance to the North Korean people who are genuinely in need," said Victor Hsu of the New York-based Church World Service, one of 100 groups participating in a conference in Beijing on aid for North Korea.

"Those of us who visit regularly see that the need is very immense," Hsu said on Tuesday. 

The UN World Food Program recently launched a new appeal for food donations, saying the supplies that let it feed 6.5 million North Koreans were dwindling and forcing it to cut off aid to children and the elderly. That followed a WFP request to governments for 500,000 tons of food for North Korea this year.

Kathi Zellweger of the Roman Catholic charity Caritas said Tuesday that during her last visit to the North, in March, she learned that bad weather was likely to hurt crops this year, further straining limited resources. "We may be heading for a difficult time," said Zellweger, who also attended the briefing. 

Lee Yong-sun, secretary general of the Korean Sharing Movement, said Pyongyang's economic woes result not just from natural disasters but also from the "inherent inefficiency" of its communist economic policy. But since reforms based on market economy were implemented in 2002, some progress has been made, said Lee, whose organization is based in South Korea. 

"We believe that North Korea is moving toward the way that the international society would want them to," Lee said.

The United States is weighing North Korea's needs against those of other countries as it decides whether to provide food assistance this year. Despite tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher has said decisions on food aid are not affected by political considerations. The nuclear crisis arose in 2002 after Washington said Pyongyang admitted running a secret nuclear program in violation of an agreement giving it energy aid in exchange for renouncing nuclear development.

Three rounds of international talks ended without a settlement, and participants missed a September deadline for a fourth round after the North refused to participate. The talks include the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan. North Korea, with a history of using brinkmanship to wring aid from the West, claimed in February it had nuclear weapons and said it would indefinitely boycott arms talks until Washington drops its "hostile" policy.

The North's nuclear claim has not been verified, but US intelligence and other estimates say it has as many as six atomic weapons. US officials have said the deadlock cannot go on forever and that a resolution might require other measures, perhaps including seeking sanctions from the UN Security Council.

"The confrontation between the DPRK and the outside powers over this issue affects the climate of cooperation for the humanitarian organizations," Hsu said.
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2.   OPENING ADDRESS BY CONFERENCE ORGANIZER
     by Kang Moon Kyu, Organizing Committee Chairperson, 28 May 2005

It has been nearly ten years since severe damage from floods compelled DPRK authorities to appeal to the international community for assistance in food donations. The first International NGO Conference on Humanitarian Assistance to the DPRK was held in May 1999 here in Beijing for the purpose of improving efficiency, exchanging information and building a consensus on policy and approaches. Subsequent conferences held in Tokyo and Seoul, and we now find ourselves back in Beijing for this 4th conference. I want to underline three points that I consider important to keep in mind during the next two days.

The first point concerns the current food situation in North Korea and the support provided. One of the problems we faced early on was our inability to accurately assess the agricultural situation and reality of the food crisis there. Combining assessments made by the WFP and the South Korean government, based on North Korea's population of 23 million, it was assumed that 5 to 5.5 million tons of grain were needed to support the food needs of the population. At that time, the DPRK was able to provide for itself 3.5 million tons, which left the international community to make up the difference of 2 million tons.

After the onset of the food crisis, steady efforts by the DPRK authorities and assistance from the international community during these last ten years have gradually led to an improvement in the food situation. However, according to recent reports from the WFP and FAO, the minimum food requirements for the population are still not being sufficiently met. According to one recent report from the Korea National Intelligence Service, although North Korea's food requirements are now estimated at 6.45 million tons, the current supply is about 4.5 million tons, which leaves a 1.65 million ton shortage.

Even with the situation still bleak, the international community's efforts at long-term food assistance to North Korea are resulting in the reduction of assistance or in some cases the complete cessation of assistance due to "donor fatigue." According to a recent report of the WFP, if sufficient international assistance for North Korea does not materialize soon, the WFP will have no choice from mid-June but to discontinue assistance to some of the elderly population, elementary school students, and poorer households.

One of the things the international community is now beginning to realize is that while long-term food shortage in DPRK has been brought on by natural disaster, the root cause of the crisis stems from the overall failure of the North Korean agricultural system. The DPRK agricultural system suffers from a number of problems, including underdevelopment in the breeding of livestock, a complete lack of fertilizer and pesticide, as well as a lack of proper farming equipment and know-how in advanced farming techniques.

With this new understanding of the problem, NGOs are starting to think less about emergency aid and more in terms of structural reform and developmental assistance for DPRK. A UNICEF report shows that the long-term food crisis in North Korea is reducing the average life span of the population and bringing malnutrition levels of North Korea's youth to a dangerous level.

The second issue I wish to mention is the reality that both the ongoing North Korean nuclear issue and the food crisis in DPRK are acting as catalysts that are attracting more and more attention from the international community. For example, in 2003 the UN Human Rights Commission stated in its proposed resolution on the DPRK that the issues of human rights, North Korean refugees and the six-party talks aimed at resolving the nuclear issue should be areas of concern for all humanitarian organizations and NGOs that seek to help North Korea. 

All of these issues have significant implications for ensuring peace and security in Northeast Asia as well as reconciliation between the two Koreas. The interconnectedness of these highly politicized issues is a challenge for those non-political organizations that are seeking to offer humanitarian assistance to North Korea. According to recent reports in the foreign media, it is feared that tensions on the Korean peninsula will increase due to the continued stagnation and lack of progress in the six-party talks. Moreover, if the United States decides to refer the North Korean nuclear issue to the UN Security Council, it is expected that a hard-line policy of containment will prevail to pressure North Korea into submission.

With a proper understanding of the reality we face, our organizing committee has decided to expand the scope of this conference from simply a focus on humanitarian assistance to the broader theme of "Regional Peace and Development Cooperation." The looming danger of North Korea's obsession on developing nuclear capability to ensure its regime survival, as well as the continuing political conflict between countries in the region does not paint a positive picture for peace and co-prosperity in Northeast Asia.

The third task is not new to us, but it is still important. In connection with the first two points I made, as international NGOs we have to more clearly define our role and responsibility both domestically and with respect to governments. In regard to the many issues surrounding DPRK, we realize that any final solutions are not expected to come from NGOs but rather from organizations like the UN or representatives from the different governments in the region. However, with the increasing possibility that another round of six-party talks will not materialize, I believe that NGOs have an important role to play in providing an international safety net to help prevent a worsening or catastrophic crisis. I hope this point is also given further consideration in our conference.

Let me conclude by expressing my appreciation to all those who worked so hard to make this conference possible. Thank you once again.
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3.   RENEWED CONVICTION OF THE VALUE OF SMALL EFFORTS
     by Glen Davis, Canada-DPR Korea Association, 15 June 2005

A series of plenary presentations opened the conference. Richard Ragan, WFP Country Director and acting humanitarian coordinator, the only American allowed to reside in the DPRK. After giving a general overview of the food situation and the operating conditions in the DPRK, he outlined the DPRK government's new policy of de-emphasizing "aid" and "assistance" and emphasizing "development". They want an increase in development support, a decrease in monitoring missions and a decrease in the number of international staff (now about 120). Major economic changes are necessary, and Ragan feels these will come more quickly than most people think. Humanitarian work becomes increasingly important in this situation. It is the major avenue of engagement with the North.

Victor Hsu of the US-based Church World Service addressed "Humanitarian Assistance and Security Issues". Because of the DPRK famine (a humanitarian issue) and its nuclear program (a security issue), the widely criticized but often practiced tactic of using food aid as political leverage has once again come into play. Hsu called for self-criticism, new perspectives and a new framework. 

"We have tended to objectify the DPRK by citing its security concerns as petulant or illegitimate," he said, "and we have also been condescending in our motives for working in the DPRK. My premise is that as NGOs, as governments, and as international institutions, we have, in the main, insisted on our own security concerns and principles and allowed them to supercede the legitimate security concerns of the DPRK, which has its own set of dilemmas."

Park Kyung-seo, Ambassador-at-large for Human Rights of the ROK government addressed "Humanitarian Assistance and Human Rights Issues". Kathi Zellweger of Caritas spoke on "Development Cooperation in the Context of the Changing Environment". 

The second plenary consisted of a four-hour marathon featuring nine brief presentations from NGO staff that live and work in the DPRK, and thirteen presentations by South Korean NGOs. Cumulatively, they represent an impressive level of support and commitment to making life better for the people of the DPRK, and to peace and harmony in the region.

Three working groups met simultaneously to develop tasks and strategies in three major areas: 1. Agriculture and Environment; 2. Nutrition and Health; and 3. Inter-agency Cooperation. The group I attended suggested that the humanitarian table be broadened to include organizations of academics, as well as groups promoting cultural exchanges.

IMPRESSIONS, FEELINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

I was deeply impressed with the sheer number of NGOs, especially from the ROK, that is doing humanitarian work in the DPRK, and also by the strong network of international cooperation that was evident at the conference.

I observed that underlying all the humanitarian assistance is a strong hope that, in the long term, the work in the DPRK will help to build trust between the people and governments of the North and South, playing a role in the eventual peaceful and sustainable reunification of the Korean peninsula.

I found myself alternating between my natural attitude of hopefulness and an attitude of despair. On the one hand, the many presentations on projects in the DPRK were seen as "a thousand points of light" that will certainly one day contribute to peaceful reunification. On the other hand, one presenter referred to a speech by Kim Jong Il that warned against the "yellow winds" of the infiltration of ideological diseases, and described humanitarians as tools of the enemy, bent on destroying the people of the DPRK. One ROK friend dismissed this as one more piece of propaganda, but it could certainly discourage some agencies from continuing their efforts at engagement. I continue to hope for long-term change someday, but I despair at the not-so-short term suffering of the people in the DPRK. I am encouraged by some of the signs of economic reforms, but I despair at the slowness of these changes.

I came away with no great sense of optimism about the immediate future, but with a renewed conviction of the value of small efforts such as ours to promote contacts, understanding and friendly relations, even through one person at a time. There is no other way. We are at a crossroads: we can choose the way of life and lasting peace or the way of win-lose confrontation that leads to deepening distrust and eventually to more violence and war. The people of the Korean peninsula have seen too much of war and the effects of war. The choice for us is clear.
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4.   DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
     by Kathi Zellweger, Caritas Hong Kong, 28 May 2005

[Kathi Zellweger is Director of International Cooperation at Caritas Hong Kong. She presented this paper at the 4th International NGO Conference on Humanitarian Assistance to the DPRK.]

DPRK development cooperation poses a special challenge because of internal and external factors affecting plans and actions taking place there. North Korea first appealed for international assistance in the summer of 1995, after devastating floods had ruined the harvest and the food stocks, even further weakening an already frail economy. During the decade since then, UN agencies and NGOs provided humanitarian assistance to the North Korean people. Emergency aid continues to play a vital role in safeguarding and promoting the well-being of millions of North Korean people, but tackling the underlying causes of poverty and suffering must be the future task of the DPRK government, with the assistance of the international community. NGOs can make a contribution towards improving the situation of the people and perhaps sow the seeds of change, but humanitarian aid agencies cannot solve the problem. This needs commitment on the part of the DPRK government to bring about change. It also needs a less hostile international environment, with shared mutual interests and mutual responsibilities.

Humanitarian aid and development assistance are not simply moral obligations based on a sense of international solidarity. It is in the interest of all of us to provide safeguards so that future generations can develop and grow. Donor and recipient governments, civil society organizations and institutions, private citizens, and the business community in both developed and developing countries must join together to develop coherent policies for action. 

IS NORTH KOREA READY FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION?

According to an EU document, development cooperation is a multidimensional process that covers broad-based equitable growth, capacity and institution building, private sector development, social services, environment, good governance and human rights.

In September 2004, the DPRK government informed the international aid community in Pyongyang that it would no longer participate in the CAP (Consolidated Appeals Process), and that monitoring activities and international staff numbers should be decreased. At the same time the government indicated that it would welcome more technical assistance as well as development-oriented support, focused on strengthening local capacity building. Development cooperation is not perceived equally by all partners, however. Often it is more of a willingness to discuss long-term commitments and a shift away from the quick impact agenda.

Years ago, the DPRK itself was involved in providing development aid, particularly to African countries, and most recently it provided funds for disaster relief for Tsunami victims. DPRK officials who had been exposed to these projects (possibly even spending some years in recipient countries) are not only familiar with aid programs, but have had to accept the fact that their own country has slipped from the level of being a donor to that of becoming an aid recipient. 

The DPRK is not the typical developing country. An infrastructure is in place, for example -- albeit in desperate need of modernization. Social services are available. It is impressive to see that despite all the difficulties, children are attending school. A literacy rate of almost 100 percent has been achieved. The role of the inter-Korean relationship and the economic support received from South Korea in the past few years (and planned for the years to come) need to be taken into account when planning development interventions, requiring coordination among all partners.

North Korea's transition from a planned to a market economy started in July 2002 with price and wage adjustments, expansion of marketing channels, allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) and adjustments to government provisions and supplies (reduction of subsidies and greater enterprise autonomy).  The impact of these reform steps may be obvious, but is difficult to quantify. The changes impose strains on the livelihoods of the population, with "haves and have-nots" developing. All the same, they also offer opportunities, hopes and dreams for people to move forward. 

North Korea is changing, albeit at a slow pace. After a decade of being a humanitarian aid recipient, the North Korean government's wish to receive development assistance is understandable. Development assistance, however, requires an improved quality of interaction. A real shift from humanitarian to development aid calls for better transparency, more data and information, policy dialogues, and a change in the working relationship to that of a partnership and a participatory approach.

Most major donors are reluctant to support development activities until a solution to the political issues has been agreed upon. The present period can be considered a bridging phase between humanitarian aid, rehabilitation and long-term oriented development projects. Involvement in capacity building programs (e.g. the Project Cycle Management Training provided by the Swiss Development Cooperation Office), technical assistance, technology transfer, and small-scale pilot projects in development maybe the best way to make use of this period. Such cooperation will set the stage for the time when North Korea will receive large-scale development assistance, with access to international financial institutions (IFI).

SHIFTING GRADUALLY TO DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

Humanitarian aid and development cooperation are both needed in the present DPRK environment and Caritas believes that relief, rehabilitation and development work belong together and need to take place simultaneously. It is also important to keep in mind that the local population, the aid recipients, will not and cannot differentiate between the classifications used in the international humanitarian or development "enterprise". Does it matter to a poor family if aid received is paid through humanitarian or development money? What does count is receiving help that reduces their daily struggle for survival.

The first Caritas rice shipment reached North Korea on 24 November 1995. By now, after 10 years of working with the DPRK, quite a number of Caritas involvements  (and I believe also other NGO projects) are implemented under the heading "humanitarian aid", but are in fact somewhat development-oriented. A few examples:

-- We are in the process of establishing a workshop to train farm mechanics and tractor drivers.

-- We provide inputs for fish farms combined with expertise and training programs.

-- Instead of importing from China, we produce clothing locally, thus providing job opportunities and exposing the factory management to international practices.

-- We assist the Korean Association for Supporting the Disabled (KASD), a semi-governmental organization, with office set-ups, production of training materials, and organization of exposure and study tours to China.

DISTINCTION BETWEEN HUMANITARIAN AND DEVELOPMENT AID

The following table distinguishes between indicators for humanitarian aid and indicators for development cooperation:

HUMANITARIAN AID -----> DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
Emergency oriented -----> Sustainability oriented
Short-term impact -----> Long-term impact
No or few preconditions -----> Preconditions are negotiated
Needs assessment by donor -----> Needs formulated by beneficiaries
Mostly inputs delivery -----> Inputs, expertise & capacity building
Unilateral -----> Partnership & teamwork
Donor oriented ownership -----> Ownership rests with the partner

Despite the complex economic, social and political context of the DPRK, aid agencies working there (resident and non-resident alike) can play a role and assist North Korea in finding its path to change and development. Development should not be viewed as just economic growth. It should also include social development and the welfare of all people, with a focus on governance and human development. It is the participation by people that shapes a society. Involvement in the decision-making process is itself a key step in the development of a community.

Real change has to come from within the system, because change imposed often results in change being opposed. Any government under stress wants the stability of its political system and economic recovery -- aspects that influence decision-making. Genuine development programs are about people rather than about projects. Institution building and good governance, the development of indigenous civil society institutions like civic groups, professional associations, religious organizations and NGOs -- these are issues that need to be addressed in any country. 

Since development is ultimately the responsibility of the government, the recipient country must be "in the driver's seat". Donors must respect its decisions. Trust becomes crucial, and can only be established through a partnership approach, policy dialogues and continuous personal contacts. 

In recent years, more windows of opportunity have opened in North Korea, with aid agencies gaining better access to the line ministries. An increasing number of DPRK partner organizations have been given permission to deal with the outside world, to accept funding and to assist with project implementation. A certain amount of competition among counterparts has also set in. This is healthy, but it calls for a better aid coordination mechanism to avoid overlapping and duplication, and to ensure the best possible use of limited available resources. Such a mechanism will become even more important once the DPRK receives both humanitarian and development aid.

PRIORITY SECTORS FOR LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT

Agriculture and food security: Increased food production remains crucial as long as the industrial sector is not in a position to earn sufficient foreign exchange to purchase food internationally. Assistance is needed to improve farm and forestry management for environmentally sustainable use of natural resources.

Energy: The energy crisis remains the DPRK's biggest problem. It affects both industrial and agricultural output, which depends on a reliable electricity supply for irrigation, pumping, threshing and transport. Hospitals and schools are also affected, and households lack fuel for heating and cooking. The energy shortage aggravates deforestation, environmental deterioration, soil erosion and floods.

Infrastructure: The old dilapidated infrastructure will not be able to support a revival of the economy. Factories need to be modernized, the transport system updated and improved (roads, railways, vehicles, air transport and shipping). Major investments are needed for the irrigation system, as well as for water and sanitation projects.

Social welfare, health and education: The DPRK has provided for basic human needs such as food, shelter, clothing, health, social welfare, and education services. But the economic reform process of 2002 brought new dynamics. The quality of service is deteriorating. There is a need to upgrade and update knowledge, skills and educational materials, as well as to introduce new ideas, concepts and approaches at the local level for eventual replication in the whole country. 

Business and trade: The recovery and growth of the economic sector is crucial for exports and foreign exchange earnings. A significant segment of industrial capacity is under-utilized as a result of obsolete technologies. The commercial sector is underdeveloped. Overseas investors are reluctant to commit because of political uncertainties, a weak legal system, taxation regulations, etc. Systems and policies need to be developed and modern management styles need to be introduced.

Institutional support and capacity building: Strengthening key institutions and human resources is crucial for progress and development. But this requires a high level of trust on the part of DPRK authorities in those selected to receive training, and those who provide training. At present, only a small number of people are allowed to attend training sessions. Often the same people are given repeated opportunities. Unless this base is enlarged, the impact will remain limited. English language training must be increased so that North Korean students will be able to study in regular degree programs overseas, and will also benefit from opportunities provided in-country. 

CONCLUSION

Considering the magnitude of problems and opportunities, where do we NGOs start? Improving the living standard of the population is considered one of the major and most pressing tasks of the government. NGOs can assist with small-scale, innovative pilot projects in most of the sectors. Some will be successful. Others will fail. But there is always a learning process, which is valuable in and of itself. 

I am convinced that in the long term, the role of South Korea will become more important. At the same time, we should also work to improve the international environment. The problems on the Korean peninsula are not a "Korean internal affair", but are of concern to all of us.

If we truly have the wellbeing of the North Korean people at heart, we need to continue to provide humanitarian assistance and find ways to gradually shift to longer-term cooperation designed to foster sustainable development. The in-between phase should be used to provide capacity building, training and human and institutional development of partner organizations -- measures which are crucial to their empowerment.

A concerted and continuous effort is needed from all partners involved in development work -- North and South Koreans and international organizations alike -- for the preparation of a national development strategy with an aid coordination mechanism. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the South Korean NGOs for organizing this conference and I would also like to encourage all here to assist with the integration of the DPRK into the international community and to find ways to promote peace and reconciliation on the Korean peninsula.
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5.   STATEMENT OF THE NGO HUMANITARIAN AID CONFERENCE
     Beijing, 31 May 2005

[Statement of the 4th International NGO Conference on Humanitarian Assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Regional Peace and Development Cooperation.]

The 4th International NGO Conference on Humanitarian Assistance to the DPRK was held in Beijing, China from May 28-31, 2005. There were 102 participants from NGOs, UN agencies and other organizations representing Asia, Europe and North America.

Under the theme of "Regional Peace and Development Cooperation" discussions were held on the following topics: 1) Humanitarian conditions and activities of organizations in the DPRK, 2) Humanitarian assistance and security issues, 3) Humanitarian assistance and human rights issues and 4) Development cooperation in the context of the changing environment. In addition, concurrent sessions covering agricultural and environmental issues, nutrition and health, and cooperation amongst agencies were also held.

Chronic food shortages in the DPRK came to the fore after severe flooding in 1995-96. The international community responded to the DPRK's request for assistance. This aid has continued for nearly ten years and there have been improvements in the overall situation. However, there is still an immense need for assistance to the DPRK. Reflections on and evaluations of the past ten years of humanitarian assistance have led many aid agencies to gradually shift their focus to development cooperation for the purpose of long-term sustainability and capacity building, which the DPRK now also requests. While there are still obstacles in providing development aid, such cooperation will require a closer relationship amongst aid organizations, the DPRK and donors. Ultimately, we should work for the promotion of peace, reconciliation and development on the Korean peninsula.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. NGOs and aid agencies should remain committed to continued engagement with the DPRK. We recognize that the welfare of the people of the DPRK is our first priority and that humanitarian aid is still needed as a food and health crisis persists.

2. Ultimately, we should aim for a transition from humanitarian assistance to development cooperation. However, we recognize that conditions need to be right for this step to be successfully taken, and we are aware that the political and human rights issues are complex and of special concern to the international community.

3. In order to promote continued engagement in the DPRK, we encourage organizations to engage in advocacy and seek support for humanitarian aid, as well as capacity building programs. Capacity building can include activities such as exchanges, technical training, and development of human resources.

4. We wish to continue sharing information, increase communication and strengthen coordination amongst South Korean organizations, international NGOs and UN agencies in order to build a more constructive partnership with the DPRK and amongst ourselves.

5. Our ultimate aims are to contribute to bringing peace and reconciliation to the Korean peninsula and help the people of the DPRK successfully overcome the existing challenges.
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End CanKor # 212

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CanKor is an electronic information service for readers interested in the issues of peace and security on the Korean peninsula, published by Weingartner Consulting. Financial support is received from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Views expressed on the CanKor website or weekly digest are those of the respective authors, and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of CanKor, CIDA or Weingartner Consulting. CanKor accepts no liability for inaccuracies, errors or omissions.  Copyright of all items listed or reprinted rests with the original publishers.  CanKor provides links to originals when available. To subscribe or unsubscribe, and for all other communication, please address the CanKor editorial team by e-mail at editor at CanKor.ca. Editor: Erich Weingartner; Managing Editor: Miranda Weingartner; Research: Marion Current, Ilene Solomon; Web developer: David Seguin. Please visit our website at: www.CanKor.ca
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