WFP today welcomed an announcement of a critically needed contribution worth in excess of US$20 million by the Republic of Korea (RoK) to WFP’s food assistance to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), where a lack of funds has already forced the agency to cut back feeding programmes for schools and for at-risk infants and small children.

“This crucial and very generous donation will allow us to increase our response to the most pressing needs of the people of the DPRK,” said Josette Sheeran, WFP Executive Director.

“The significant gap between food required and food available in the DPRK has led to growing hardship and suffering for millions. The situation calls for determined and timely action by the international community and we welcome the lead taken by the Republic of Korea.”

"Lean season"

The contribution, a mix of commodities, comes in the middle of the “lean season” when household food stocks traditionally run low and at a time when WFP has been forced to suspend school feeding for the month of June for 400,000 North Korean children in 29 underserved, food-insecure counties.

It will allow WFP to resume food assistance for children, pregnant women and families in food-insecure areas. WFP also hopes it will help it to reach more than double the number of present beneficiaries, from 700,000 to 1.9 million, in all 50 counties where the DPRK authorities have agreed to WFP food distributions.

Severe food shortages

At the same time, WFP warned that many millions of North Koreans still face severe food shortages. Even with WFP now being able to reach 1.9 million people, there are still millions of vulnerable North Koreans who are going without food assistance to cover their nutritional needs.

Despite steady improvements in the food situation in DPRK after the famine years of the mid- to late 1990s, having enough to eat is still a struggle for one-third of all North Koreans, notably those living in remote and mountainous regions.

The DPRK’s annual food deficit amounts to about one million tons, which can only be filled through imports and external assistance.

Underfunding

“For too long, WFP's operations in DPRK have been significantly underfunded, so we have not been able to help all of the people who had been counting on our assistance,” said Tony Banbury, Asia WFP Regional Director.

“With this donation, WFP can begin to meet the needs of a much larger number of North Koreans, especially those who need our help the most.”

Due to the earlier lack of resources, only five of WFP’s seven food processing factories are presently in operation, for the most part operating at partial capacity. With the RoK contribution, WFP will now plan for the reopening of further food processing facilities.

Paul Risley
Asia Spokesperson
WFP/Bangkok
Mob. +66-81-701-9208

Bai Jie
Beijing Liaison Officer
Mob. +86-1390-136-6252

Brenda Barton
Deputy Director Communications
WFP/Rome
Tel. +39-06-65132602
Cell. +39-3472582217 (ISDN line available)

Gregory Barrow
WFP/London
Tel. +44-20-72409001
Cell. +44-7968-008474

Christiane Berthiaume
WFP/Geneva
Tel. +41-22-9178564
Cell. +41-792857304

Jennifer Parmelee
WFP/Washington
Tel. +1-202-6530010
Ext. 1149
Cell. +1-202-4223383

Bettina Luescher
WFP/New York
Tel. +1-212-9635196
Cell. +1-646-8241112