Korea (DPRK) - OFDA-02: 28-Jul-98

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)

North Korea  Food/Health Emergency

Fact Sheet #2, Fiscal Year (FY) 1998                       July 28, 1998


Background:  Since 1995, North Korea/Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK) has suffered large food shortages due to poor planning, lack of
agricultural inputs and generalized economic decline.  Chronic and
systemic deficiencies, particularly in the agriculture and health sectors,
have been exacerbated by several years of backtoback natural disasters
leaving millions vulnerable to malnutrition, opportunistic disease and
starvation.  In 1995, floods damaged over 400,000 hectares of arable land,
destroying crops and leaving 500,000 people homeless.  Then, in 1996,
floods left at least 30,000 people homeless and caused an additional
estimated $1.7 billion in damage to crops and infrastructure.  Due to the
flooding and resulting food shortage, World Food Programme (WFP) estimated
in 1996 that nearly 2.5 million women and children were at serious risk of
starvation.  During the 1997 harvest season, a severe drought resulted in
the loss of 1.5 million MTs of corn, approximately 70 percent of the total
corn crop.  Additionally, tidal waves struck prime rice producing zones in
late August destroying 700,000 metric tons (MTs) of grain and leaving an
estimated 28,000 homeless.  The most recent FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply
Assessment (212 June) confirmed that the crisis is far from over.  The
food supply situation and the general health situation are precarious.
Crop yields for 1998 remain uncertain, and will depend largely on weather
conditions in the month of August.

Current Humanitarian Assistance:  Due to the considerable amounts of food,
medicines and health equipment donated during the last year, a moderate
improvement in the humanitarian situation has been observed.  Relief
efforts have benefitted the most vulnerable groups, and have improved food
availability during the lean period before the autumn harvest.  However,
these improvements may only be temporary and without continued relief
assistance, the overall nutritional situation is likely to worsen during
the peak of the lean season (August).

In February, the U.N. launched its fourth consolidated appeal for the
DPRK, requesting $415.6 million. The appeal included the WFP appeal for
$378.2 million to provide 657,972 MTs of food.  The food aid is targeted
to meet the needs of 7,470,000 people, including 5,520,000 children, and
is complemented by support in health services to prevent widespread
malnutrition and disease among children.  However, as of June 9, the
appeal had received only $82.5 million (about 20 percent of total
requested) in pledges. The largest of the components, food aid, has
received pledges for only 41 percent of the total tonnage requested.
However, large international donations of food from both the European
Union and China have been made to the DPRK bilaterally (i.e. outside of
the U.N. appeal).  Also, a number of international organizations and NGOs,
including the IFRC, Caritas and Medecines sans Frontieres, have mounted
relief efforts in the DPRK.

U.S. Government (USG) Assistance: Between FY 1995 and FY 1997, the USG has
provided $66.4 million in humanitarian assistance to the DPRK.  On
September 29, 1997, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and
Pacific Affairs Charles Kartman declared a disaster for FY 1998 due to the
continuing and severe food shortages and the near total collapse of the
DPRK's health care system.  BHR/OFDA responded with a $5 million grant
toward the UNICEF appeal to provide medicines and medical supplies
including measles immunizations, cold chain equipment, multinutrient
vitamins and supplementary food for therapeutic feeding in hospitals. In
addition, BHR/OFDA provided over $443,000 to fund a consortium of USbased
NGOs including CARE, Catholic Relief Services, World Vision International,
Amigos Internacionales and Mercy Corps International to monitor the
implementation of this grant.  BHR/OFDA plans to fund the secondment of
CDC epidemiologist Brent Burkholder to UNICEF so that he may participate
in a UNICEFled survey designed to measure the scope of malnutrition in the
DPRK.  The survey will take place during the months of August and
September.

In FY 1998, BHR/FFP is providing 200,000 MT of corn, soyfortified
cornmeal, cornsoy blend and rice through the WFP appeal. This assistance
is valued at over $71 million.  The same consortium of USbased NGOs was
funded to monitor the foodforwork portion of food aid provided by BHR/FFP
under the WFP umbrella.  In October 1997, USAID/BHR's Acting Assistant
Administrator Len Rogers led the first official USG team of experts on a
food needs assessment mission to the DPRK. The team included the Chief of
BHR/FFP's Emergency Relief Division, CDC's Brent Burkholder, and
representatives from USDA, US State Department, the National Security
Council and Congress.  The delegation's visit served as an opportunity to
increase transparency on the food crisis, particulary related to access,
information and monitoring.


BHR/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance FY 1998 . . . . . . . . .  $5,443,973
BHR/FFP Humanitarian Assistance FY 1998. . . . . . . . . . $71,853,776
Total USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 1998. . . . . . . . . $77,297,749




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