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A FAO/WFP assessment team visits a public distribution center (PDC) in Sinchon County, South Hwanghae Province, in April 2019
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Government to gauge public opinion regarding North’s short-range projectile launches
On May 10, the Blue House, the South Korean government, and the ruling Democratic Party said that their plans to provide humanitarian food aid to North Korea remained unchanged despite the North’s launch of a short-range missile. During a meeting with reporters on Friday, a key official at the Blue House was asked whether North Korea’s launch of what was presumably a missile the previous day would bring any changes to the plans to provide food aid. “The remarks made by President Moon [Jae-in] during the KBS interview yesterday can be regarded as the final word on North Korea’s projectiles and [food aid]. We’ll let you know if anything changes,” the official said. “I think we’re obliged to provide food to the North [. . .] because of our love for our fellow Koreans,” Moon said during the interview on the previous day. “I think this could also have the effect of breaking through the deadlock in the dialogue.” “[US] President [Donald] Trump [said] we have his absolute blessing for providing humanitarian aid to North Korea and that he thinks this is a really good development,” Moon also said. The Democratic Party and the government have also been coordinating their message with the Blue House. “Humanitarian food aid to North Korea is something that the administrations of Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye were also happy to do. Since the issue of food aid is separate from the missile issue, it should be given favorable consideration,” said Lee In-yeong, floor spokesperson for the Democratic Party, who talked to reporters after a meeting of the party’s supreme council. “The recent agricultural yield in North Korea has been poor, and the food shortage there might amount to as much as 1.5 million tons. That could be fatal for children, pregnant mothers, invalids, and the elderly, which is why we need to immediately provide humanitarian food aid,” Lee said. “Given the severe food crisis in North Korea, the government continues to hold that the North Korean people should be provided with food aid both for humanitarian reasons and because of our feelings for them as fellow Koreans,” said Lee Yu-jin, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification. S. Korea hesitates to specify timing of food aid amid public opinion toward launches But in apparent awareness of public anger at North Korea’s recent two projectile launches, the Blue House, government, and ruling party have declined to specify the exact time or method of the support. The day before, Moon himself spoke of the need for “public consensus and support because of North Korea’s second launch” after he and US President Donald Trump agreed on food aid. Moon also said he hoped this would create an opportunity for him to meet with the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, even if the meeting’s agenda was limited to the issues of food aid or security. Lee Yu-jin said that “the plan would be implemented after adequately canvassing the opinions of the public,” hinting that its timing could be adjusted after reviewing trends in public opinion about North Korea’s short-range missile launch. Some members of the Democratic Party support the idea of food aid but think that the government should be cautious and wait to see how the situation unfolds. “Since treating politics and humanitarian aid separately is an international practice and the recommendation of the UN, it’s basically the right thing to provide aid. But in light of the severity of this situation, we need to slow down the support, while still moving forward with it,” said a lawmaker who is on the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee. “While I agree with the need to provide humanitarian support, it’s unclear whether the public will be inclined to agree so soon after North Korea fired a missile,” said another lawmaker who is also on the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee. By Seong Yeon-cheol and Kim Kyu-nam, staff reporters Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
