wfn.org | Famine in North Korea

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3406 notes).

Note 3405 by UMNS on Jan. 31, 1997 at 16:36 Eastern (3552 characters).

SEARCH: famine, North Korea, National Council of Churches, flood,
shortage, Talbert
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Linda Bloom                       51(10-21-33-71B){3405}
          New York (212) 870-3803                    Jan. 31, 1997

EDITORS NOTE: Photos available upon request

Christians have moral duty
to respond to North Korea famine

                    by United Methodist News Service

     Christians have a moral obligation to respond to the growing
famine in North Korea, according to a United Methodist bishop who
led a 10-member U.S. delegation there Jan. 21-28.
     Bishop Melvin Talbert of San Francisco Area, also president
of the National Council of Churches (NCC), said although the NCC
delegation's visit was under some government control, the group
received enough independent evidence "where we can say the famine
is real."
     The food shortage was created by food production problems
compounded by severe flooding in 1994 and 1995, devastating crops.
"My assessment is that people already are dying of starvation,"
Talbert said.
     One example offered by reliable sources, he said, was a story
of bodies of starvation victims being piled up near a railroad
station because the frigid weather prevented burial.
     Food rationing there is down to 200 to 400 grams a day, even
though 450 is the minimum needed to maintain nutrition.
     Church World Service (CWS), the NCC's relief agency,
collected more than $400,000 for rice, beef, antibiotics,
blankets, hospital supplies and rehydration tablets for North
Korea. Talbert's delegation witnessed the unloading of a CWS rice
shipment at the port of Nampo during its visit.
     CWS launched a new $500,000 appeal for North Korean aid in
January and has become the implementing partner for the ecumenical
effort of ACT, an international coalition of "churches acting
together."
     Talbert said he believes they were able successfully to
negotiate for establishment of a CWS liaison office in North Korea
and expects its approval from the government soon.
     On its last night in North Korea, the group was hosted by a
top government official, Kim Jong Sun, who "wanted us to be sure
to tell the story to the world that they are in need."
     Talbert acknowledged that North Korea remains a closed
country with its own brand of socialism. But, he declared, "as
people of faith, we need to remember that when brothers and
sisters are in need we dare not limit our response to those who
think like us religiously or politically."
     Besides assessing the famine, another of the delegation's
goals was to meet with Christians in North Korea, specifically,
the Korean Christians Federation.
     "They aren't strong, but they are growing, they are beginning
to exert their influence," Talbert said.
     Although he couldn't assess "how free they are really to be
the church in a way we are the church here," the bishop
characterized the federation members as desiring to be faithful
followers of Christ.
     He said he was impressed with the leadership of the Rev.
Young Sup Kang, chairman of the federation's central committee,
and with the faithfulness of churchgoers who attended Sunday
worship at the Bongsu Church in Pyongyang. Because of a severe
energy shortage, the church and many other buildings in North
Korea are unheated, despite the bitter cold.
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