The Korea Economic Institute hosted the first of its three-part forum on the human security in North Korea on March 24 to discuss humanitarian assistance efforts with three panelists: Karin Lee, executive director of the National Committee on North Korea, Jon Brause, Deputy Administrator of USAID, and Paul Majorowitz, director of Mercy Corps¡¯s North Korea food assistance program.

The panelists reviewed the history of humanitarian assistance to North Korea, negotiation efforts by USAID, and personal experiences in implementing the assistance to North Korea. They emphasized that while humanitarian assistance, particularly food distribution, is directly tied to the security of North Koreans and the regime, its objective should remain strictly nonpolitical. As a result, the panelists avoided commenting on the political situation in North Korean, and instead focused solely on the performance of humanitarian efforts.

Karin Lee noted that the United States sends more aid to North Korea than any other country, distributed through individual NGOs and the World Food Program. She acknowledged that working with the North Korean government has been a challenge for NGOs, because necessary information was often kept secret and their ability to monitor the assistance throughout the country was limited. However, Lee said that such cultural clashes are understandable when dealing with a traditionally closed country and she emphasized that the NGOs have carried out several successful joint-projects with North Korea, such as on tuberculosis vaccinations.

Brause also praised the work of NGOs in North Korea, which operate inside the country under tight constraints, and touted the 2008 agreement between USAID and North Korea that grants greater inspection rights to NGOs and allows them to hire more Korean-speakers. Paul Majarowitz also emphasized the progress NGOs have made in delivering assistance to the population, including feeding 900,000 and monitoring 1,600 local food distribution offices.

Aid currently faces a major crisis, however. Last week, North Korea publicly announced its rejection of any further U.S. humanitarian aid, accusing Washington of not abiding by a bilateral agreement. The panelists, while expressing strong disappointment over the North¡¯s move, refused to speculate on reasons for the surprise announcement.

When asked whether North Korea¡¯s potential missile test would further deteriorate humanitarian assistance, John Brause reiterated USAID¡¯s policy that humanitarian assistance is nonpolitical, and said the agency is committed to providing assistance so long as there is a verifiable humanitarian need.

In light of the North¡¯s latest rejection of humanitarian aid, some in the audience seemed disappointed that the panelists declined to broach issues of North Korea¡¯s policies and the future of the humanitarian assistance. However, as the discussion looked at both the successes and difficulties of humanitarian assistance to North Korea, the panelists stayed focused on their work and avoided speculating on politics, such as whether humanitarian assistance could lead to the development of a more market-friendly North Korea.

By Jongeun Lee