U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Robert King has announced that the U.S. intends to restart the sending of food aid to North Korea.
Giving a special lecture at the University of Southern California on Friday, King said that even if the situation in North Korea cannot be classed as a famine, the US government understands that the country is experiencing severe difficulties feeding its people. He said that he had met twice with top North Korean diplomat Kim Gye Gwan, during which meetings they agreed on the need to resume food aid.
However, King also said that such a move will take time due to a number of difficulties, outlining two notable problems: firstly, that it already delivers a lot of aid around the world and cannot be seen to be treating North Korea as a special case; and secondly, the common problem of oversight to ensure that the aid is reaching the North Korean people.
King also noted that lines of communication with Pyongyang remain fragmented, making coordination more complex.
King made his first visit to North Korea in the envoy’s role in May this year, during which he was reportedly given a warm welcome by the North Korean authorities, which have traditionally viewed foreign officials charged with questioning North Korea’s human rights status with contempt.
