[imText1]Good Friends, an organization helping North Korea opened a media information session on the 2nd about the North Korean food shortage and said that immediate food support was necessary as “around 10 people per city and county were starving to death daily.”
Previously, controversy had arisen as Good Friends had reported recently that since last June there were people starving to death and recently in Hamheung the number of deaths from starvation had exceeded 300 people.
On this day, Good Friends announced that “there are 10 people starving to death in each city and county of North Pyungan Province, Yangkang Province, North and South Hamkyung as the number of casualties are increasing. In Hamheung, North Hamkyung, there are more than 300 people who starved to death and in each hospital in Chongjin, Ranam, Kyungseong, Eorang, Buryeong, Kilju and Myungcheon there are 3-4 people who starve to death daily.”
In addition, [Good Friends] asserted that “there is an increase in the number of people who commit suicide and the number of households in which the entire family turn to pickpocket and sell their own house. There is a possibility that the pains of 10 years ago will repeat.”
In addition, North Korean authorities reported that officials of each county and city submitted a “Declaration to Stop Starvation” and a gag law was put into effect to high-ranking officials about the number of deaths from starvation.
However, regarding such statements made by Good Friends, there is a controversy and criticism that says it provided an exaggerated interpretation of the food shortage situation in North Korea. Especially defectors who are keen about the situation in North Korea and currently in China react saying that this is the first time hearing about such things.
Currently, aside from Good Friends, there has been no confirmation about a widespread starvation through a large number of North Korean information channels, defectors, the authorities and international food organizations.
However, despite such controversy the director of Good Friends, Bupryun reported their position saying, “We have confirmed that in many different aspects and have encountered this information through sources that are credible to us. The WFP said that the starvation situation was “unable to be confirmed” not “non-existent”.
In addition, it was explained, “the current situation is that people will only know if their direct neighbors die from starvation. It is difficult for ordinary residents to find out how many people starved where.” They said that the situation is that defectors with family in North Korea will not be able to encounter such news about casualties from starvation.
The director added, “[Ordinary] institutions who deal with North Korean news cannot fathom this information. It is unfavorable for the government to say. “There is no starvation,” when in reality they do not even know. They should rather say, “it has not been confirmed.”
On the other hand, Good Friends presented a “Declaration of Complaint” and asserted that our government should purchase 100,000 tons of corn from China and give humanitarian support to North Hamkyung and North Pyungan Province as they live day to day.” With regards to the international community they asserted that “an emergency food support needs to be restarted to solve the North Korean food crisis.”
