North Appeals to South Korean NGOs | PIIE

North Appeals to South Korean NGOs | PIIE






NORTH KOREA: WITNESS TO TRANSFORMATION
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North Appeals to South Korean NGOs
Stephan Haggard (PIIE)
February 7, 2011 3:30 PM


There are more and more signs of a coordinated North Korean push for food assistance. Among the most recent indicators are efforts to bypass the LMB government and appeal directly to South Korean NGOs. The Ministry of Unification denied a request in August from the Korea NGO Council for Cooperation with North Korea to undertake a four day visit, and the shelling of Yeongpyeong-do shut off all aid in November. But the Korea Times reports that North Korea has recently made direct contact by fax with the NGO Council, seeking talks as early as next week in either the North or China. The Ministry of Unification has nixed the idea, no doubt waiting to see the outcome of the preparatory military-to-military talks scheduled for February 8. The North has also proposedinter-parliamentary talks, a resumption of tours to Kaesong village and Mt. Kumgang as well as a resumption of family visits; the latter strikes us a particularly shameful way to extract payments.
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