'강제동원 피해' 세 갈래 해법..접점 찾을까, 후폭풍 부를까
'강제동원 피해' 세 갈래 해법..접점 찾을까, 후폭풍 부를까
김소연 입력 2019.11.27.
거센 반발 부딪힌 '문희상 안'
한·일 기업 기부금+성금+60억
입법화 추진에 피해자·단체 반대
"갈등 봉쇄 의도" 문 의장에 항의
피해자 '공동요구안'..정부는 '1+1안'
소송 피해자 논의 통해 12월 발표
"일 사실 인정·사과 반드시 포함"
정부, 문희상안 거리 두며 의견수렴
이미지 크게 보기강제동원공동행동, 정의기억연대 등 피해자, 시민사회단체 관계자가 27일 오후 서울 여의도 국회를 방문해 문희상 국회의장에게 문 의장이 제시한 강제동원 피해자 배상 해법에 대한 항의서한을 전달하고 있다. 연합뉴스
일제 강제동원 피해자 문제를 놓고 문희상 국회의장 안, 정부안, 소송에 나선 피해자 중심으로 요구안이 만들어지고 있는 등 해법을 찾기 위한 움직임이 활발하다. 하지만 ‘문희상 안’을 두고 피해자들과 관련 시민사회단체들이 강하게 반발하고 있어, 입법화가 되면 큰 후폭풍이 예상된다.
27일 문희상 의장 쪽 관계자들 말을 종합하면, 한·일 기업 기부금과 국민의 자발적 성금, 2015년 한-일 정부 간 합의로 만들어졌다가 해산된 ‘화해·치유재단’에 일본이 냈던 기금의 잔액 60억원으로 강제동원 피해자들에게 ‘위자료’를 지급하는 내용으로 입법화가 추진되고 있다.
이를 기초로 문 의장이 ‘기억인권재단’을 만들어 3천억원의 기금을 모아 소송에 나선 피해자 1인당 2억원씩 1500명에게 위자료를 지급하겠다는 방안이 보도되기도 했지만, 문 의장실은 이에 대해 “초안일 뿐, 지금은 내용과 액수 등이 많이 바뀌었다“고 밝혔다. 문 의장실은 26일 강제동원 피해자들을 비공개로 만나고, 27일에는 관련 법안을 발의한 여야 의원들의 의견을 들었다.
‘문희상 안’에 대해 일본에선 긍정적 신호가 나오지만, 정작 대법원 승소 판결을 받은 소송 피해자들을 비롯해 시민사회단체가 강하게 반발하고 있다. 소송에 참여한 피해자 쪽 관계자는 “문희상 의장 안은 전체 강제동원 피해자까지 아울러 역사적 관점으로 잘 해결하려는 게 아니라, 한-일 갈등의 불씨를 없애도록 관리를 하겠다는 것”이라고 비판했다. ‘일본군 성노예제 문제해결을 위한 정의기억연대’와 ‘강제동원 문제해결과 대일과거청산을 위한 공동행동’ 등 피해자 단체와 시민사회단체는 이날 오후 국회 정문 앞에서 기자회견을 열고 “문희상 의장 안은 일본 정부와 기업의 책임을 흐리고, 무효화된 2015년 위안부 합의를 되살리려 하는 것”이라며 “피해자들을 모욕하지 말라”고 비판했다. 이들은 국회를 방문해 문 의장에게 항의서한을 전달했다.
이와 별도로 소송중인 강제동원 피해자들은 논의의 실효성을 높이기 위해 ‘공동 요구안’을 마련하고 있다. 이에 참여하고 있는 관계자는 “일본의 사실 인정과 사과는 변할 수 없는 전제라는 것이 요구안에 들어간다”며 “12월 안에 요구안을 내놓을 것”이라고 말했다.
이미지 크게 보기
한편, 정부 지원도 받지 못하고 소송에도 나설 형편이 되지 않는 피해자들도 해법 마련 움직임에 상당한 관심을 보인다. 지난 26일 서울 종로 일제강제동원피해자지원재단에서 문희상 의장실이 개최한 피해자 간담회에는 애초 40석이 준비됐으나 100여명 넘게 모여 “왜 우리는 못 들어가냐”며 고성을 지르기도 했다. 강원도에서 온 홍영숙 ‘태평양전쟁 한국인 희생자 유족회’ 회장은 “강제동원 피해자로 인정 받았지만, 살아 돌아왔다는 이유로 아무 지원도 받지 못하고 있다”며 “소송은 극소수만 할 수 있다. 문희상 의장 안으로 피해자 일부만 지원하면 갈등은 계속될 수밖에 없다. 보훈 혜택 등 실질적 조치를 해달라”고 요구했다. 하지만, 일부 피해자·유족단체들은 “문희상 의장의 법안이 처리돼 피해자들의 보상과 명예가 회복될 수 있도록 촉구한다”고 지지하는 청원서를 내는 등 피해자들 내부에서도 이견이 크게 엇갈린다. 강제동원 피해자는 150만~200만명으로 추산된다.
한·일 기업의 자발적 기금으로 소송 피해자 문제를 해결하자는 ‘1+1’안을 지난 6월 일본에 제안했던 정부는 아직까지 구체적 안을 만들기보다, 대법원 판결 준수, 피해자 동의 등 5가지 원칙을 지키겠다며 피해자 의견 수렴에 집중하고 있다. 정부는 ‘문희상 안’에는 거리 두기를 하는 모양새다. 정부 관계자는 “문희상 의장 안은 일본 쪽의 책임을 묻지 않는 등 대법원 판결과 어긋나는 면이 있다. 정부에서는 진지하게 검토되는 안은 아니다”라고 말했다.
김소연 이완 김민제 기자 dandy@hani.co.kr
ⓒ 한겨레신문사, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지
옆집형21시간전
문희상 헛짓거리 하지마 박그내가 한것과 뭐가 다르냐
답글 작성댓글 찬성하기25댓글 비추천하기1
들꽃19시간전
징용과 위안부 문제를 묶어 일본 속편하게 한꺼번에 면죄부 주는 참으로 매국노스런 짓이다 상식적 사고가 안되면 치매 검사좀 하고 정치은퇴하길 바란다 국민의 한을 마치 귀찮은 골치거리로 여기듯 한번에 처리하겠다는 정신병자 수준의 사고다 일본에 받아달라고 애원하는 꼴이라니 기가 차다 해법은 일본이 내는것이 아니라 상식인데 마치 한국이 아쉬운듯 저자세니 기가 차다 죽을라고 환장했나 문희상은 당장 사과하고 철회한후사퇴하라 ♬♩
답글 작성댓글 찬성하기8댓글 비추천하기0
개벽20시간전
문희상도 아베에게 먹혔구만 우리성금으로 보상을왜하고 우리기업이 왜기부를하나 완전+돌이네 일본이 정식사죄도 없고 친일처럼 생겨가지고서리 ...
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
17 北, 장애인 악기제작 지원…"보람찬 삶 누리도록"
北, 장애인 악기제작 지원…"보람찬 삶 누리도록"
송고시간 | 2017-07-12
http://m.seoul.co.kr/news/newsView.php?id=20170712800115&cp=seoul
북한, 청각장애인 위해 악기제작 작업장 마련(서울=연합뉴스)
재일본조선인총연합회 기관지 조선신보는 12일 "조선장애자예술협회에서 자체로 현악기들을 제작하고 있다"며 "지난해 악기제작 기지(작업장)를 내왔다"고 전했다. 사진은 청각장애인들이 바이올린을 제작하는 모습. 2017.7.12
--
(서울=연합뉴스) 지성림 기자 = 북한이 장애인들의 성취감 고취를 위해 악기제작 작업을 적극적으로 지원하는 것으로 알려졌다.
재일본조선인총연합회(조선총련) 기관지 조선신보는 12일 '청력장애자(청각장애인)들이 바이올린 제작'이라는 제목의 기사에서 "조선장애자예술협회에서 자체로 현악기들을 제작하고 있다"고 보도했다.
신문은 협회 관계자를 인용해 "장애자들이 일정한 직업을 가지고 노동생활을 통해 정상 사람들과 같이 보람찬 삶을 누리도록 하자는데 목적을 두고 지난해 악기제작 기지(작업장)를 내왔다(설치했다)"면서 청각장애인들이 처음으로 제작한 악기는 바이올린이라고 소개했다.
조선신보가 소개한 악기제작 작업장은 우리의 장애인 사회적기업과 비슷하게 당국의 지원을 받아 운영하는 것으로 보인다.
북한은 평양을 비롯해 지역별로 상이군인을 위한 영예군인공장을 세워 상이군인들에게 노동의 권리를 보장해주고 있지만, 일반 장애인에게 일자리를 마련해준 것은 이례적인 일이다.
악기제작 기술자인 송학문 씨는 조선신보와 인터뷰에서 "(장애인) 제작공들이 손재간은 있었으나 악기제작 경험은 없었다"라며 "전문가들의 방조 속에 자체로 첫 바이올린을 만들어냈을 때 제작공들은 너무 기뻐 눈물을 흘렸다"고 말했다.
북한 장애자예술협회 관계자는 현재 장애인들이 바이올린에 이어 북한의 개량 전통악기인 소해금을 제작하고 있다며, 악기를 많이 제작해 전역의 학교에 보내줄 계획이라고 밝혔다.
장철운 경남대 극동문제연구소 교수는 "북한의 장애인 복지정책이 처음에는 장애인 치료시설이나 복지시설을 지어주는 것에서 출발했지만, 지금은 재능 있는 장애인에 대한 예체능 교육을 강화하고 나아가 이들에게 일자리까지 마련해주는 방식으로 진화하고 있다"며 "북한 당국의 의도를 떠나 현상만 놓고 봤을 때는 긍정적으로 평가할 만하다"고 말했다.
yoonik@yna.co.kr
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
[퀘이커] [북한돕기] 채소씨 보내기
Sejin Pak
19 December 2018 ·
[퀘이커] [북한돕기] 채소씨 보내기
---
- 호주퀘이커 그룹이 평양남새(채소)과학연구소를 방문했을 때, 우리를 안내한 연구사와의 이야기 끝에 우리에게 하고 싶은 이야기나 질문이 있느냐고 물었더니, 호주에 가면 채소 씨를 좀 보내달라고 하였다. 많이는 필요하지 않으나 연구용으로 있으면 좋겠다고 하였다. 경제제재 때문에 채소 씨가 잘 들어오지 않는다는 것이었다. 우리 그룹은 그말을 잊지 않고, 호주에 돌아와서 부터채소씨를 보내는 방법을 연구하고 있었다. 우선은 채소씨를 북한으로 보내는 것이 경제제재하에 불법이 아닌가, 호주 외무성에 채소씨까지 제재를 받아야 하는가고 따지는 것부터 시작하였다. 그리고 다음 번에 북한을 방문할 때는 씨를 가저가기로 했다.
- 그런데 어제 밑의 기사를 읽게 되었는데, 경남의 아시아종묘라는 법인단체가 채소종자를 2011년부터 보내고 있었다고 한다. 그리고 올해에도 10톤을 보낸다고 한다. 어떻게 경제제재하에 이 것이 가능한지는 모르겠으나, 호주퀘이커 그룹이 이런 것도 모르고 행동하면 우섭게 되겠다.
HORTITIMES.COM
아시아종묘, 올해 북한에 채소 종자 10톤 지원 - 월간원예
남북정상회담으로 평화 분위기가 고조되며, 북한의 식량난을 해결하기 위한 채소 종자 지원에도 이목이 쏠리고 있다.특히 지난 2011년부터 재단법인...
아시아종묘, 올해 북한에 채소 종자 10톤 지원
월간원예
승인 2018.10.02 10:43
무, 배추, 양배추, 쌈‧채소 등 2011년 첫 시작
지난 9월 29일 경기도 용인시 기흥구 한국민속식물원에서 열린 북한 채소종자지원 선적식
남북정상회담으로 평화 분위기가 고조되며, 북한의 식량난을 해결하기 위한 채소 종자 지원에도 이목이 쏠리고 있다.
특히 지난 2011년부터 재단법인 국제농업개발원을 통해 다양한 채소 종자를 북한에 지원해 온 농업회사법인 아시아종묘(대표이사 류경오)의 행보가 주목을 받고 있다.
지난해 아시아종묘는 5.6톤가량의 채소 종자를 지원하였으며, 북한 외에 태풍 피해를 입었던 필리핀 레이테주에도 채소 종자를 지원한 바 있다.
아시아종묘가 올해 지원하는 총 종자량은 무와 양배추, 쌈‧채소 등 22개 작물 총 100여 가지 품종으로 총 약 10톤에 달한다. 이번에 지원한 종자는 중국 대련 광윤농업발전 유한공사를 통해 북한 함경북도에 7톤, 평양시에 3톤이 공급될 예정이다. 아시아종묘가 지금까지 북한에 지원한 채소 종자는 총 약 32톤이다. 종자 지원 선적기념식은 지난 9월 29일 경기도 용인시 기흥구 한국민속식물원(원장 이병화)에서 열렸다.
아시아종묘 류경오 대표이사는 “같은 민족으로서 북한 농가에 도움을 주고 싶다”고 밝히며 “향후 남북한이 함께 동남아 등 인근 국가에 프리미엄 채소를 생산, 공급하여 채소 한류를 이끌고 싶다”고 밝혔다.
Friday, November 22, 2019
JOY ELLEN YOON — Wait! Back-up! What's So Hard About Humanitarian Aid to North Korea?
JOY ELLEN YOON — Wait! Back-up! What's So Hard About Humanitarian Aid to North Korea?
JOY ELLEN YOON
Wait! Back-up! What's So Hard About Humanitarian Aid to North Korea?
For the past two years, as our family has been sharing about Ignis Community’s work in North Korea, the response to our story usually goes something like this:
“Wait, you said that the U.S. government made you leave North Korea?”
Even for U.S. citizens, most people are unaware of the geographic travel ban that was instituted by the U.S. State Department on September 1, 2017. Those working in Washington D.C. encouraged us by explaining that if the State Department did not proactively initiate this travel ban then Congress could have passed a law banning Americans from traveling into North Korea for five years! As it is, the U.S. State Department re-evaluates the DPRK and U.S. relationship every year. Thus far, the travel ban has been renewed twice. This is the third year that U.S. citizens are restricted from traveling into North Korea.
This comes as a shock not only to the average American, but it was a shock to our family, as well. We had been working in North Korea for ten years when the travel ban was implemented. Working in North Korea is not easy. It requires a lot of patience, perseverance, and flexibility. But never in a million years did we expect that our own government would force us to leave our humanitarian work in North Korea. We always thought that if anyone would ask us to leave the country, it would be the DPRK government.
The travel ban came about as a direct response to the tragic death of Otto Warmbier. After traveling into North Korea on a tourist visa, Otto was detained in the country and sentenced for alleged crimes against the DPRK government. While serving out his sentence in prison, Otto’s health drastically declined. No one knows the full story behind his tragedy. All we know is that by the time the North Korean government alerted the U.S. of Otto’s declining health, it was too late. He was evacuated back to the U.S. only to pass away shortly after.
Otto’s death was extremely unfortunate and tragic. Our family has only sympathy for his family and remorse for what happened.
However, it is because of this one incident that all Americans, including most humanitarian aid workers, are now restricted from entering North Korea. Primarily for limited humanitarian work, the State Department issues Special Validation Passports to a restricted degree. First of all, any humanitarian purpose for traveling into North Korea has to be in the interest of the U.S. government. Secondly, humanitarian workers must be providing urgent, life-saving aid to the people of North Korea in order obtain Special Validation Passports.
The two of us traveling into Pyongyang
My husband and I have been fortunate enough to receive these Special Validation Passports as well as several others within Ignis Community. But in two year’s time, we have only received these passports for four trips into North Korea. It has considerably restricted the work we are able to do inside the nation.
The travel restriction is only pertaining to entering North Korea, though. As explained in “Overcoming Obstacles to Provide Humanitarian Aid to the DPRK”, our non-profit organization, Ignis Community, first had to obtain permission from the U.S. Treasury Department to continue channeling funds into our Pyongyang Spine Rehabilitation Center (PYSRC). Then, in order to ship necessary medical equipment for the treatment of children with developmental disabilities, we had to obtain a U.S. Commerce License (BIS) and UN Sanctions Exemption Permission. The process of obtaining these three licenses took three years.
There were several reasons for why these licenses took so long. First, Ignis Community is a non-profit organization that focuses on work on the field. We had to build up the connections and network in Washington D.C. in order to learn how to navigate all of these requirements. Secondly, the U.S. Treasury License (OFAC License) alone took one year to obtain. Third, because of the political climate and current UN Sanctions, donors stopped supporting the PYSRC. It took two years to raise the funds necessary to complete the PYSRC and ship medical equipment to Pyongyang. Once the PYSRC was nearing completion, then we applied for the U.S. Commerce License and UN permits that allow shipments to go into the DPRK.
Indeed, the current political climate is the greatest challenge to continuing our humanitarian work in North Korea. Specifically, UN Resolution #2397 that restricts all metal from entering North Korea is the biggest challenge for the PYSRC. This resolution is the reason why we had to apply for a UN Sanctions Exemption. Without it, we would not be able to ship any stethoscopes, needles, gait trainers, walkers, or many other medical and rehabilitation supplies. But when considering overall humanitarian work in North Korea, the largest obstacle to overcome for American organizations is the U.S. geographic travel restriction.
Long-term presence on the ground is necessary for any humanitarian work in North Korea to be effective. Originally, we had several U.S. citizens on the ground living in North Korea. Ignis Community was able to monitor day in and day out how supplies were be distributed, who was receiving the aid, and what the greatest needs were. More than anything, it allowed Ignis Community to develop trusting relationships with North Korean counterparts. This opened up doors to providing humanitarian assistance in both the medical field and disaster relief areas to a greater extent than we otherwise would have had the opportunity to do so.
As it is, we are awaiting our fifth application for Special Validation Passports to continue our work in Pyongyang. Although we are grateful for these valuable passports, the application process slows the progress and development of the PYSRC, and as a result, much-needed life-saving treatment for children with developmental disabilities in North Korea. The fact is that without timely medical intervention, children with developmental disabilities in the DPRK often do not survive.
Every year our goal is to open the PYSRC to full capacity. Once the building is completely equipped and the doctors are fully trained, the PYSRC will have the capacity to treat 450 out-patients and 40 in-patients daily. It will be the first training and treatment center of its kind for children with developmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy and autism, in the entire nation of North Korea.
It is beginning to look like next year our dream may finally become a reality. If the medical and rehabilitation equipment is able to successfully make its way to Pyongyang, we can potentially open the PYSRC. Of course, all of this is dependent upon many factors. We never know how the political tides may turn, but we do hope and trust that as the U.S. State Department continues to engage in discussions with the DPRK, the current difficulties for humanitarian workers in the DPRK will steadily improve.
September 14, 2019
PREVIOUS
Filipino Doctors Provide Medical Training in the DPRKNEXT
Overcoming Obstacles to Provide Humanitarian Aid to the DPRK
U.S. NGO granted sanctions exemption for work with disabled North Korean children | NK News
U.S. NGO granted sanctions exemption for work with disabled North Korean children | NK News
U.S. NGO granted sanctions exemption for work with disabled North Korean children
Ignis community plans to import materials for new Spine and Rehabilitation Centre in Pyongyang
SHARE
Oliver Hotham September 15, 2019
A U.S.-based Christian NGO was earlier in the month granted an exemption from international sanctions against North Korea, in a move aimed at facilitating the group’s work with children suffering from developmental disabilities.
The exemption, reported in a letter from the United Nations 1718 Sanctions Committee dated September 5, sees Ignis community granted permission to bring materials into the DPRK to be used in completing the construction of the Pyongyang Spine and Rehabilitation Centre (PYSRC).
The exemption, requested on the 24 July, covers “vital medical and rehabilitation equipment,” and is valid for six months.
It covers a range of goods, including exercise machines, spine adjustment tables, and ultrasound machines, sourced from both the U.S. and South Korea and is valued at $599,267.47, according to the letter.
The PYSRC, according to Ignis Community’s website, “was birthed out of a vision to see children with cerebral palsy (CP) in North Korea realize their full potential as contributing members of their society.”
“Prior to PYSRC, no official treatment existed because CP was considered to be untreatable or treated with lack of expertise.”
The project aims to both treat local patients and provide training to local doctors, it continues, and is developing two post-graduate courses in “Pediatric CP Therapy and Non-Surgical Spine Treatment.”
“Graduates from these specialty programs will return to their own provinces to begin therapy and treatment for rehabilitation patients and children with cerebral palsy throughout each province of North Korea,” the website says.The NGO has also taken North Korean doctors abroad | Photo: Ignis community
Ignis community (known in Korean as Sunyanghana) has been working on the PYSRC since 2013, and aims to begin full operation of the center by the “end of the year.”
The NGO, led by Korean-American couple Stephen and Joy Yoon, has also trained North Korean doctors abroad.
March saw Ignis facilitate a group of DPRK doctors’ visit to Hong Kong, where they received training in treating children suffering from cerebral palsy from South Korean doctors.
The exemption is the first to be granted by the UN sanctions committee since August, when French NGO Première Urgence Internationale (PUI) received permission to ship sanctioned items to the DPRK for projects aimed at improving goat milk production.
That permission followed others granted by the UN that month, with projects aimed at combating tuberculosis, addressing food shortages, and improving Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) provision also receiving green-lights from the committee.
Edited by James Fretwell
Featured image: Ignis community
1909 JOY ELLEN YOON — Overcoming Obstacles to Provide Humanitarian Aid to the DPRK
JOY ELLEN YOON — Overcoming Obstacles to Provide Humanitarian Aid to the DPRK
September 7, 2019
JOY ELLEN YOON
ABOUTBOOKDISCOVERING JOYGALLERYNEWS & EVENTBLOGCONTACT
Overcoming Obstacles to Provide Humanitarian Aid to the DPRK
The United Nations and United States’ government both state that they have no intention of hurting the common people of the DPRK. Both entities in theory state that they do not wish to hinder humanitarian assistance to the elderly, pregnant women, children, and the most needy in North Korea. However, the reality of providing humanitarian aid to North Korea is quite the opposite. The current climate challenges even large NGOs to reconsider their involvement in the DPRK. Many years of overcoming governmental permits and licenses is required to continue providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to the most needy in North Korea.
This week our non-profit organization, Ignis Community, received a long awaited final permit to ship necessary medical and rehabilitation equipment to North Korea. It was a long journey of submitting various applications to multiple entities, but in the end, all licenses came through for us to continue our humanitarian assistance to the DPRK. Here is the gist of our story.
Ignis Community has been working in North Korea since 2008. Although my husband and I began traveling and working inside the country in 2007, it wasn’t until the following year that we officially registered our charitable organization in the DPRK. Since then, we have registered Ignis Community, also known as Sunyang Hana in Korean, as 501(c)3 organizations in the U.S., South Korea, and Hong Kong.
Ignis Community aims to ignite positive and sustainable support in North Korea through developing the realms of health, medicine, and education for children throughout the nation. In addition to providing food and medical assistance to remote rural areas, one of Ignis’ main projects is developing a Spine Rehabilitation Center (PYSRC) in the capital city of Pyongyang that provides medical and therapeutic services for children with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities. Prior to the PYSRC, no official treatment existed for children with cerebral palsy, autism, and other developmental disabilities in North Korea. These conditions were either not treated and left alone or treated with a lack of expertise and knowledge. As a result, many children were left hidden behind doors and even more did not survive in such isolating situations.
Since this medical specialty was developing for the first time in the DPRK, Ignis Community began building a specialty ward for rehabilitation on the campus of the Pyongyang Medical School Hospital. This five-story medical facility will provide both out-patient and in-patient care and services for various muscular-skeletal conditions as well as treatment for children with developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy. Including treating patients and training doctors in this cutting edge medical specialty, the construction and development of the PYSRC program costs over a $3 million dollars.
Pyongyang Spine Rehabilitation Center (PYSRC) located on the Pyongyang Medical School Hospital Campus
Unfortunately, life-saving facilities and treatment for children with developmental disabilities is not fully covered underneath the General License #5, which allows humanitarian aid to the DPRK. General License #5 is extremely narrow in its scope allowing strictly only medicine, food, shelter, and clothing donations to the people of North Korea. Any construction of facilities, shipping of medical supplies and equipment, and other humanitarian services require multiple layers of permits and licenses from both the U.N. and the United States.
In our case, Ignis Community began applying for appropriate licenses as soon as President Obama started issuing new executive orders in 2015. The first of these hurdles was the most difficult. Ignis Community was required to obtain an OFAC license from the U.S. Treasury Department in order to channel funds and supplies to complete the development and construction of the PYSRC. We applied for the license in November 2015, but it wasn’t until October 2016 that we received our official OFAC license. Eleven months of back and forth communication with the Treasury Department was necessary before the license was finally issued.
Although this was the most difficult step, it was only the first of other requirements necessary to continue our humanitarian assistance to children with developmental disabilities in the DPRK. Next was the need to obtain a Commerce BIS license. The BIS license allows medical and rehabilitation equipment to be shipped to Pyongyang for the treatment of children with cerebral palsy and autism. Once this license was obtained, Ignis Community had to apply for an exemption from the UN Sanctions Committee. All metal, including metal found in gait trainers, walkers, needles, stethoscopes, and other medical supplies, is banned according to U.N. Resolution #2397. Without permission from the U.N. Sanctions Committee, any shipment containing metal sent to North Korea would be stopped and quarantined by China customs along the North Korea border. But despite all of these hurdles, Ignis Community was finally able to obtain all necessary licenses for the development of the PYSRC in September 2019.
However, monitoring of the project and uninterrupted treatment of pediatric patients remains an incredible challenge. Since Ignis Community was founded by and directed by U.S. citizens, we must first obtain Special Validation Passports before we can travel into the DPRK. Originally, our family was living in North Korea. We had residence in both Rason and Pyongyang with over ten years of experience working and living inside the country. But on September 1, 2017, the U.S. State Department issued a Geographic Travel Restriction to North Korea. All U.S. citizens from that point on were restricted from traveling into North Korea, and our family had to leave our home in Pyongyang for an indefinite period of time. Since then, we have had to rely upon non-U.S. team members and Special Validation Passports to continue our work inside North Korea.
The U.S. State Department allows extremely limited travel permits for U.S. citizens traveling for life-saving humanitarian purposes, media coverage, and diplomatic negotiations. Over a two-year span, Ignis Community has received four Special Validation Passports for four separate trips into Pyongyang. However, these trips have been limited in scope, and as a result, have dramatically reduced the amount of treatment and expertise Ignis can provide for children with developmental disabilities. Currently, we are awaiting an answer to our fifth application for Special Validation Passports.
The reality of humanitarian organizations on the ground in North Korea is bleak and discouraging. Humanitarian aid requires multiple layers of permits and licenses not only from the United States but from the U.N., itself. These licenses often take years to obtain. In the meantime, the common people of North Korea who are in need of humanitarian assistance are the ones who are suffering, not the government. The U.N. estimates that approximately 10 million people in North Korea are in need of humanitarian aid. International policies that have implemented U.N. sanctions to put pressure on the DPRK to denuclearize are also, in part, responsible for the humanitarian crisis in North Korea. As Chris Rice with Mennonite Central Committee states, “Humanitarian engagement should not be connected with politics. The vulnerable should not be hurt by these political shifts.”
Fortunately, Ignis Community has been able to overcome all of these obstacles to continue our humanitarian assistance to the children and citizens of North Korea. Three years of hard work has finally allowed us to receive all the permits and licenses required for us to sustain the PYSRC’s treatment and medical training program for children with developmental disabilities in the DPRK.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)