To help alleviate severe food shortages in North Korea, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has received a U.S. Department of Commerce license to ship $100,000 worth of humanitarian supplies.
North Korea had made an "unprecedented appeal" for assistance to United Nations agencies and the world community after rain and typhoon damage destroyed crops last July and August, according to the Rev. Michael Hahm, an executive with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries' World Division.
But the overall response to that country's appeal has fallen short, said Hahm, who visited North Korea for a week in March. "It's a desperate situation at the moment."
UMCOR's license would allow it to ship such items as rice, milk powder, clothing, blankets and shoes. Donations are being accepted through UMCOR's Emergency Advance No. 226435-0.
Hahm said Korean-American United Methodist congregations have raised about $22,000 for UMCOR's emergency appeal, but added he would like to see donations from other congregations as well.
The staple foods in North Korea are rice and corn, supplemented by beans and potatoes. Even before the damaging weather last summer, harvests had declined steeply between 1989 and 1994, according to Hahm, due to various economic, environmental and weather-related situations.
The severe food shortage has been confirmed by several outside agencies. "There is no dispute over the fact that North Korea faces a serious food grain deficit of about 3.5 million tons between now and the next harvest in October 1996," Hahm said.
April 9, 1996
Please give to UMCOR Advance #226435, North Korea Emergency. Give through your local United Methodist church or send financial contributions to: UMCOR, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Call 1-800-554-8583 to make a credit card donation. One hundred percent of your gift goes to relief efforts in North Korea. United Methodists' generous giving to the One Great Hour of Sharing, part of their ongoing contribution to mission around the world, supplements the cost of Advance gifts.
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of the United Methodist Church.
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