Report from the Ecumenical Forum for Korea

Warm greetings from Seoul!  
Expressing my heartfelt appreciation again to all who have been showing solidarity in our journey toward peace and reunification as well as humanitarian supporting people in North Korea, I would like to share with you the lively report about the recent NCCK's monitoring visit to Pyungyang.  
Duration : December 10(Saturday)-14(Wednesday), 2011
Participants : 10 people  

Followed by the 1st food shipment of 172 tons of wheat flour on May, 2011 through the Amity Foundation in China, the NCCK in solidarity with the Ecumenical Forum for Korea has sent again its 2nd food shipment of 180 tons of wheat flour to the Korean Christian Federation in North Korea on 11th of November.  

We believe that this humanitarian support to North Korea has been carried in the spirit of Christian love and we have been keeping the spirit that the humanitarian aid should be done without any condition in the situation which over 1/3 of whole population is facing with starving and suffering with chronic and severe mal-nutrition. As you are already informed, in North Korea at least 700g of food per person is needed for daily life, but now only 200g is distributed as a daily ration.  As the request by the Ministry of Unification of South Korea, however, 10 people of the NCCK as a
monitoring group visited North Korea. 

 

For this time, the KCF has prepared well for us to experience life in DPRK as much as they can. It was good to attend worship service at the Bongsoo Church on Sunday and we were warmly welcomed by Rev. Son Hyun-soon and its congregation, and to have chance to visit Chilgol chuch and meet with Rev. Hwang Min Woo and its members.  Especially at our meeting at the Soon An House Church, we sang together and sharing of the Bible and prayed for the unification of our nation.  Around 12 members who are difficult to come to Bongsu Church in Pyungyang city are getting together and having worship.  

At our visit to a nursery for age under 2 and a day care center for age over 4, we could see how they are cared and grow,  and we were staying with them for some time and were allowed to take pictures with those kids. According to the director, the food we sent has been preciously using for those children.  

At the Bongsoo noodle factory running by the KCF,  we could see the process of making noodle with the wheat flour the NCCK has sent.  It is said that every day noodle is produced with 5 tons of wheat flour from this noodle factory and it is distributed to children and the weak and sick.  

Coming to the climax of Advent,  under the title of " Support children suffering of food shortage in North Korea",  the NCCK has already started its fund-raising campaign in the name of 9 member denominations in solidarity with christian news agencies and broad casting systems.  
I pray that you enjoy the coming of Jesus Christ and ask you to pray
people in North Korea in the cold winter.  
May God's Blessing be with you.   Heawon Chae

    Bongsu Church

    Nursery

    Nursery

    Nursery

 

 

 

 

NCCK 2nd Food Aid Shipment Report  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the report by 5 US based aid organizations which visited North Korea on September following last March visit, it is said that large numbers of people are suffering from chronic malnutrition and are facing with starvation due to reducing rations.  

 

In this situation, the NCCK sent the second food shipment amounted 180 tons of wheat flour to the Korean Chrisitan Federation. The shipment was transferred to the KCF by truck at the Bongdong station, Gaesung city, just across the border between the North and the South.

Since the last shipment(172 tons of flour) dated May 18, 2011 through the Amity Foundation, on the basis of the government policy of humanitarian aid to North Korea limited only to infants and toddlers as well as the weak and vulnerable, it became to be possible through difficult effort including executive meeting with representatives of the KCF in Gaesung. This 180 tons of wheat flour is supposed to be delivered to nurseries and orphanages in Hyangsan-gun, Pyung An Buk-do.

The South Koran government has limited and controlled NGOs' humanitarian activities with its strict policy such as that there should be a distribution plan, confirmation of monitoring from the partner in the North and acknowledgement of receipt from each nursery and orphanage. Contrary to expectations, it took a long time, about 6 months, to accomplish this 2nd shipment.

For this time, the Korea Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea, the Anglican Church of Korea, the Assembly of God, the Ecumenical Forum for Korea (the United Church of Canada, the Methodist Church in Britain, the Hesse and Nassau Church in Germany), the Lawyers for Democratic society, the World Share donated.  

On the occasion of coming of Christmas, we have plan to raise again for people who are facing with starvation in this coming cold winter.

Now I would like to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to your being with us and what you have shown to us, remembering of people in North Korea.  

Participants:

Bishop Kim Gi-Taek (Chairperson of the Unification Committer , NCCK)
Rev. Shin Bok-Hyun (The Korea Methodist Church)
Rev. In Keum-Ran (The Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea, Women's Association)
Rev. Kim Hyun-Ho (The Anglican Church of Korea, TOPIK)
Lawyer Hwang Heui-Suk (Lawyers for Democratic Society)
Ms. Kim Mi-Na (The North-South Sharing)
Ms. Lee Ji-Eun (The North-South Sharing)
Mr. Lee Chang-Hwi (NCCK staff for the Unification committee)