wfn.org | NCCCUSA/CWS Send Food, Plan Team to North Korea

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact:  Betty Thompson,  212-870-2048

NCC12/20/96            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES TO SEND TEAM TO NORTH
KOREA;
CHURCH WORLD SERVICE AND WITNESS SENDS 660 TONS OF
FOOD

 NEW YORK, N.Y., Dec. 20---A ten-member team
from the National Council of Churches of Christ in
the U.S.A. (NCC) will visit North Korea January 21-
28 under the leadership of the Council's president,
Bishop Melvin G. Talbert, Sacramento, California.

 The National Council of Churches has been
selected to be the responsible agent on behalf of an
ecumenical coalition of non-governmental relief
agencies seeking to provide food assistance to the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

 Church World Service and Witness shipped 660
tons of rice from Bangkok to North Korea on December
19.  The food shortage in North Korea has been
caused by two years of devastating floods.

 The Rev. Dr. Rodney Page, New York, N.Y.,
deputy general secretary of the National Council of
Churches and executive director of Church World
Service and Witness, says that this gift is in
keeping with CWSW's commitment to serve people in
need without regard to political or religious
affiliation.

 "This Christmas finds us sending shipments of
food to hungry people in Iraq, Cuba, and North
Korea," said Dr. Page.  "We hope that the Christmas
message of compassion will light the way for
reconciliation and peace on earth for all of God's children."

 The team visiting the DPRK includes Dr. Page
and the Rev. Will L. Herzfeld, Chicago, Illinois,
chair of CWSW and director for global community and
overseas operations of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America.  Other CWSW staffers are Victor
W.C. Hsu, director of the East Asia and Pacific
Office, and the Rev. Melvin H. Luetchens, director
CWS - Elkhart, Indiana.

 Former president of the NCC the Rev. Syngman
Rhee, Louisville, Kentucky, who visited the DPRK on
a 1992 NCC visit, is in the delegation.  He is
associate director of Ecumenical Partners in the
Worldwide Ministries Division, Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A).  Dr. Insik Kim, coordinator for East Asia,
and the Rev. Daniel Owen Rift, associate director
for Worldwide Ministries, Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.), Louisville, KY.; Dr. Chien-fen Hsiao, Asia
Pacific executive secretary of the United Church of
Christ/Christian Churches; and the Rev. Linda
Petrucelli, secretary for global sharing of
resources, United Church of Christ, both of New
York, complete the team.

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