wfn.org | North Americans meet with women in North Korea

[NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG]

Sept. 11, 2000 News media contact: Linda Bloom·(212) 870-3803·New York
10-35-71B{400}

By United Methodist News Service

A North American delegation of women was successful in establishing contact
with North Korean women during a recent trip to the Asian country, a member
of the group says.

In the capital of Pyongyang, the group had post-worship meetings with women
at Bongsu Church and Chilgol Church as well as members of a house church on
Tong Il Road, according to Peggy Billings, the United Methodist
representative. All are Protestant churches. The five-member delegation also
met with the vice chairperson of the Korean Democratic Women's Federation,
an organization that relates to women's activities.

The team was dispatched in late August by the Partnership with Women Task
Group of Church World Service, which is part of the U.S. National Council of
Churches. Other members were Nancy Anne Hudson, United Church of Canada;
Kathy Anne Jeffries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Wilma Samuella
Kucharek, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and Carmen Alicia Nebot,
United Church of Christ.

The group wanted to initiate contacts that could lead to more direct
relationships among women in North Korea, South Korea and other parts of the
world. The Korean Christian Federation and the international affairs staff
of the North Korean government served as hosts.

Billings, who had last visited the country in 1993, perceived a more open
atmosphere. "People were quite open to receive us everywhere we went," she
said.

Although the group's itinerary was arranged by the international affairs
staff, which also provided the interpreter, "they complied with all of our
requests as far as our schedule was concerned," she said. Besides meeting
with women, the delegation visited a noodle factory and flood control and
land reclamation projects.

"We had some wonderful opportunities to see the ordinary life of people in
the countryside, mainly just from driving around," Billings added.

Although a briefing from World Food Programme staff confirmed that
conditions in North Korea have improved a bit since famine struck, Billings
warned that "the country has not recovered from the consecutive natural
disasters, and they are experiencing another drought this year. Food aid
from the international church community and from the world community is
still needed."

A Church World Service shipment of $96,000 worth of cooking oil, rice,
blankets and other supplies arrived separately at the time of the
delegation's visit. The United Methodist Church was among the donors of
those goods.

After the North Korea visit, the group traveled to South Korea, where it was
hosted by the women's desk of the National Council of Churches of Korea and
by three other South Korean women's groups.

Billings said the team will report on Oct. 18 to the Partnership With Women
Task Group and it expects to recommend future visits, along with an
international meeting for women from the two Koreas and elsewhere.

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United Methodist News Service
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